Partials

From Goodreads:
Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.


Partials is a new release from Dan Wells (brother to Robinson Wells - author of Variant which is also a new release this year). What a talented family! I'd like to know what the Wells' parents did to inspire such creativity in their kids. :D

I really enjoyed Partials. I thought it was intense and thought-provoking. And what world-building! It was so atmospheric and I could feel what it would be like to live in this future world. Dan Wells really took his time thinking out exactly how future New York would be if 99% of the population died of war and the Partial virus: the excess of clothes and housing, the constant salvage runs to find supplies from likely places (like high school nurse offices), the abandoned technology (Kira has one friend whose hobby is collecting abandoned mp3 players and they try to figure out the personality of that person by listening to his or her playlist), the difficulty of organizing and governing the population, the moral and ethical questions of how best to help the remaining people - all of these things were described with detail and believability.

I loved all the characters. Kira was strong and bold. I liked that she had a boyfriend already at the beginning of the book, so while there were some lightly romantic moments, the focus of this book was on the plot and on Kira's determination to find a cure for the virus to save her pregnant friend's baby. Kira breaks rules and makes shocking discoveries. She is also incredibly smart in the medical field and I've always loved a bit of a medical thriller. Lots of science in this book!

Plenty of action, twists and turns, and lots to look forward to from Dan Wells. Can't wait for the sequel.

Variant

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

Ok, so partly I read this because the main character's name is Benson and my son is named Benson and that fact just made me happy because it's not that common of a name. :D

Anyway, I really wish that I had read this book before The Maze Runner. They are so similar that this book feels after-the-fact, even though I think that I liked this book better than The Maze Runner. The Maze Runner has all that weird made-up swearing and I never loved the character development. Yeah, plus I hated the sequels. Ok. My hate is mostly for the third book. Both of these series are, I still think, perfect for middle school, high school-age reluctant boy readers. They are gripping.

Anyway, Variant is very well-written and I thought the plot was nicely paced. I liked seeing how things unfolded. It's very tense and suspenseful, and WOW. Let me say that again. WOW. Was there ever a big surprise in there. Such a big twist that I so was not expecting. I think Robinson Wells has a fabulously creative brain and I'll be looking forward to reading the sequel.

Prized

Prized is the sequel to Birthmarked (which I recently read) and I was glad to continue the story. This is the benefit of waiting until sequels are out to read first books - no long draw-out suspense on cliffhangers. And thankfully, Prized ends in a much more settled place than Birthmarked. Once again, this series explores some serious questions about life and death and truth and lies. One of Gaia's major motivations is still to protect mothers and babies and she continues her work as a midwife, which I find so fascinating. And I really shouldn't say a single other thing about the plot, but I'll leave you with this: Prized is even better than Birthmarked. It is one of the absolute best dystopians out there and I heartily recommend it.

The Eyre Affair

Goodreads summary:
Welcome to a surreal version of Great Britain, circa 1985, where time travel is routine, cloning is a reality, (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem, militant Baconians heckle performances of Hamlet, and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection, until someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature. When Jane Eyre is plucked from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday must track down the villain and enter the novel herself to avert a heinous act of literary homicide.

This was the only book I ended up reading on my cruise - and most of it I read on the airplane home from NY. It's not that I didn't have time to read, but every time I tried I ended up falling asleep. Blame it on being medicated for seasickness.

I enjoyed this. Such a clever premise and so fun for book/literature lovers. I can't say that I'd want to live in Jasper Fforde's world, but it would be fun if more people were obsessed with literature. It felt a bit slow, though, which might just be my perception because it took me a whole week of reading a page here and there to finish it. It seemed like it took forever for Jane to get stolen from the novel - the thing I was expecting because it's right there in the summary. But, I thought this novel was very funny at times and ridiculously clever on occasion. There was a lot of language, though. Just putting that warning out there for those of you who may be sensitive to that (lots of "F" words). There are six novels in the Thursday series so far, and I have the second one on hold at the library now. I'm in no rush to buy it, which shows that I liked this book, but I'm not desperate to continue the series quickly. Plus, the first one wraps the plot up very neat and tidy-like. It was a fun read and I definitely recommend it to fans of classic literature. Especially fans of Jane Eyre.

The Time Machine

From goodreads: The story that launched Wells's successful career-the classic tale of the Time Traveler and the extraordinary world he discovers in the far distant future. A haunting portrayal of Darwin's evolutionary theory carried to a terrible conclusion.

I read the original dystopian (1984), so I figured I ought to read the original time travel novel. The Time Machine is just plain weird. I'm glad I read it, though. There's something historical and fascinating about this. If H.G. Wells hadn't wrote this novel would sci-fi be the same today? He was arguably the first person to take our current society and try to project it into the future. This was published shortly after Darwin's The Origin of Species became so popular in Europe, so evolution was definitely a big influence on the plot of The Time Machine. Wells' future society shows humankind evolving into two very distinct different species in the future. Naturally, our main character, The Time Traveler, spends most of the novel trying to escape from the more vicious and cannibalistic of the two. Anyway, very interesting and worth a short read. It doesn't take long to get through this.

Across the Universe

Goodreads blurb: A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

OH.

MY.

STARS.

Yeah - this book blew me away. I finished it a couple days ago and I just can't stop thinking about it. I've even dreamed about it. Of course, I have a little corner of my heart reserved for sci-fi. I don't read much sci-fi, but I've always loved space and imagining what life would be like traveling on a spaceship. After reading Across the Universe, I can only hope that our world will never come to that. YIKES!

Beth Revis' writing is amazing. This whole book is just an incredible piece of work. It's a complete genre mix: sci-fi, dystopian, murder mystery, romance, time travel. The world is so well developed, and (unlike with so many other YA dystopian books) it is based on real science and technology. I can actually see how our world could evolve into the world in Across the Universe. This fact is both creepy and disturbing. The moral and ethical issues this book raises about our own world are seriously worth contemplating.

The characters are fantastic. I love that the story is told from both Amy and Elder's POV, because we got to know both of them - their thoughts, feelings, discoveries, and insights - so well. Their romance was also very organic (I hate when characters fall right in love for no apparent reason). There were some very natural ups and downs between Amy and Elder, but everything felt believable and true to character.

There are some incredibly intense themes in this book and one rather mature scene that Amy witnesses. Other than that, the book is actually very clean. And unpredictable. Holy cow. There are a couple big shockers in this book. One thing I loved about this book, though, is the natural ending. No massive cliff hanger, although there will be two more books in the series. I appreciated that. Let everything get messed up in the next two books - let the characters enjoy a little peace for two seconds for crying out loud!

Anyway, I've rambled on enough. I'll be buying this book and looking forward to more from Beth Revis.

Outside In

I was a little disappointed by Outside In, and I'm not sure how exactly to put my finger on it... Maybe Inside Out just seemed so interesting, so revolutionary, and now the idea isn't quite so novel. There are no "woah!" revelations in Outside In. Also, while Inside Out was what I'd definitely call a teen novel, Outside In becomes a bit more of an adult novel. And when I say that, I'm mostly talking about physical romance. I thought it was a bit unnecessary... And you know, I think that feeling applies to the whole novel. A sequel wasn't really necessary to Inside Out. Why can't anyone write a stand-alone novel anymore?

Now, I'm not saying that this is complete rubbish. Maria V. Snyder has written several novels that I've really enjoyed. Love her writing voice and the plot was well-crafted. There were plenty of interesting and intense moments to keep things moving along. I'd read this over all sorts of other lame teen novels any day. But... I won't be buying it and I highly doubt I'll ever read it again.

Fahrenheit 451

I just realized that I've been spelling "fahrenheit" wrong all my life. I've been leaving out that first "h." Woops! Anyway, this was the last book I read for my American Lit class. I like Sci Fi on occasion, especially when it's well done. Ray Bradbury does Sci Fi well. Now, when I say "Sci Fi" I don't necessarily mean aliens. Everyone assumes that's what Science Fiction means. It's not. Sci Fi contains several sub-genres, and Fahrenheit 451 is the type of Sci Fi book that looks at our current world and projects what it could be like in the future if some of the worst aspects of our society go unchanged. Think "Ghost of Christmas Future" in A Christmas Carol. The creepy thing about this book is how much Bradbury got right. This book was published in 1953, and issues like censorship, society's obsession with being "plugged in," detachment from nature and people, all are things that we can see in the modern world. We may not be burning books, but I can see how my life is eerily similar to the lives of people in this world. I think this is a great book. Bradbury was very prophetic, even. I'd definitely recommend reading Fahrenheit 451, although it's not a "for fun" read, or, as I've said before, not a "comfort food" book. This isn't a book that will make you comfortable with your own world and life, that's for sure. Which is probably a good thing.

Mockingjay

*Spoiler free, so read on!*

You all know how long I've been anticipating this book. So... where to even start! Overall, my feelings are positive. I feel closure on the series. I feel acceptance. I feel like this book has changed the way that I think about war. Which, when it comes right down to it, is what this whole series is really about. The first couple of books may have made us think that this is a love story, but by the time we've all read Mockingjay we can see what it all comes down to: the horrors and emotional impact of war. This is not a fairy tale or a happily ever after type of story. Because of that, I have to say that I didn't love this like I wanted to.

I love the first two books and I really wanted Mockingjay to be a glorious ending, Harry Potter style, where all the bad guys get their trash kicked and hope and good reign in the end, despite the losses and pains of war. Instead, Suzanne Collins paints a non-fiction picture of the realities of war in a fictional world. I described some of the things that happen in this book to Jon (who has extensively studied politics and war), and he assured me that with a few technological differences, there's nothing in this book that hasn't occurred somewhere on this planet in the last 200 years. Real war, unlike fictional war, is extremely ugly. I've read some interviews with Suzanne Collins about Mockingjay, and she's said that her purpose in writing this is to teach kids and teens about the realities of war that adults won't tell them about. And maybe she has a good point. But here's controversial question: does educating people about war (horrendous as it may be) really help prevent war? Probably. But it's not fun.

I'll be honest, this book is emotional and brutal. People you love with die. People who you thought were good with do terrible, awful things. Emotional scars will never heal. After I finished reading it, Jon found me sobbing on the couch. I'm an easy crier, but still.

Despite all that, I do feel like this is a book worth reading. I've had to take a couple of days to mourn to come to this conclusion, but I have made it here. I've been going through the book and reading a few parts again, and that helped me see hope and love in the last few pages where I missed it the first time (blame it on shock from some of the horrific events of the climax). Suzanne Collins has created a detailed and multi-layered story here. This entire series is a journey that is not for the faint-hearted, but if you read it you will come out changed.

When You Reach Me

This book just won the Newbery, and for very good reason. It is amazing! I love the plot. It belongs next to other classic children's New York lit, like Harriet the Spy and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Also, if you're a fan of A Wrinkle in Time you will LOVE this book. It's just so fantastic! Some of the other recent Newbery winners (like The Graveyard Book) have been censured for being too scary or inappropriate (personally, I love them as an adult, but I can see objecting to them for certain ages and types of children), but When You Reach Me is just good literature that no one can object to. Go read it!

The Maze Runner

Fantastic! This book is intense and so interesting. It is very psychological and reminds me a lot of Ender's Game. I can't tell you why, because I worry that I'd be spoiling things for you. Let's just say, you will be engrossed through the entire book. It also ends on the mother of all cliffhangers. I plan on recommending this book to anyone who asks me for a recommendation. I can't wait for the sequel.

Leviathan

I've been looking forward to this book. As the author of the Uglies series, I knew it would be good, and it doesn't disappoint! It's for a bit younger of an audience, but the writing and the plot and the characters are all so well done. Readers of any age should like this, and there should be two sequels, so the characters will be growing up. There's lots of adventure and history (with a sci-fi alternate history tweak to it) in this book. It's loads of fun.

The Amaranth Enchantment

I really liked this book. It is fantasy, and almost a Cinderella retelling (sorta, but not too much). There was a touch of sci-fi, which I don't think really worked in this book, but for a fantasy/princessy/YA story, it was nice to find something a little different. Some really fun and memorable characters are in this book as well. You won't regret reading it.

Extra, Extra

Extras is a great book and fantastic sequel to the Uglies series. Although it's set in the same world, this book is not told from Tally's point of view. In a way, that's kind of sad, because I've become emotionally invested in Tally's character. On the other hand, Tally does make an appearance (which is actually pretty substantial) and there is some very nice closure to her story which you don't get at the end of Specials. The other interesting thing about this book is its social commentary on today's obsession with the internet. It definitely delves into serious thinking about the benefits and risks of being constantly connected to everyone else (like twitter, facebook, and blogging *ahem*). This book also takes place in Japan, and I thought it was interesting to imagine how a different culture could change in the future. Are we all headed towards some sort of sameness because we're constantly connected? Or will we be able to keep our individual cultures? Lots of interesting questions to explore, and on top of all of that, this book is just plain good. Great characters, lots of exciting and interesting plot twists, and lots of fun. Great read!

Uglies, Pretties, Specials

My last three books of the year! I've read these before, but I got the whole series for Christmas, and I am, by nature, a rereader (probably because I read too fast sometimes). This is a great series and one of the best cautionary tales against obsession with beauty and appearance in our society. It's set in a future world and is disturbing, enthralling, engrossing, and insanely good. It's a perfect book for both teens and adults. Big fan.

A Wrinkle in Time

This is the last book I read for my Children's Lit class *sniff*. Honestly, don't know how I would have reached my book goal without it! I love Children's books! This one took me back to my childhood. Love it, and everyone should read it once in their lives. It's sci-fi, but not weird. Thought-provoking, but not too heavy. Serious and hilarious. It's fabulous.

Catching Fire

Catching Fire does not disappoint. The Hunger Games was my favorite book last year, and Catching Fire is my favorite this year. It's that simple. I think I'm going to combust if I don't buy the third and final book of this series on the day it comes out next year. If you've been looking for something new to read, this is it. I promise you'll thank me. This series can be shocking, but it's only because you'll see so much of our present day in this disturbing future setting. Catching Fire is the story of what happens after the games end in book one, and if you've read it, you know that the Capitol is very angry with Katniss. They are ready to take revenge. The romance is just anguishingly good too. Gale...or Peeta? I say Peeta all the way. (If you have an opinion, feel free to weigh in.) Catching Fire has everything I love in a book. It's just so...*stutter* *mumble* *stutter* beyond my powers of description good.

The Time Traveler's Wife

So many people love this book. Really, truly worship it. Tell all their friends to read it because it's the best book ever written. Sometimes I think it's sad that it's not always safe to "seek after" things that are "of good report". If you are looking for some lit that uplifts and is, most importantly, CLEAN, do not read The Time Traveler's Wife!!!

What a frustrating book! I loved the concept. I'm a big fan of time-travel books and movies. It's one of the reasons that Harry Potter 3 is still my favorite of the series (well - maybe it's tied with Deathly Hallows). Anyway, I loved the mixed up time-lines, the future Henry's helping the past Henry's, the almost believable scientific explanation for Henry's condition, and so many other things about this book are admittably brilliant, but DON'T READ IT! It's not worth it.

Not only is the language horrible (I didn't count, but it wouldn't surprise me if the "F" word is used more than 100 times), but there is so much sexually explicit material in this book that if you were to cut it all out you'd be left with 8 pages. Maybe 9. Out of a 560 page book! It was incredibly distasteful.

Don't waste your time!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

This book had a very interesting concept (click here if you'd like to read a spoiler-free overview) and was quite beautifully written, but I'll confess that I found it boring. Not that I have anything against sci-fi. I definitely have a couple sci-fi bones in my body (one of my all-time favorite books is Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card), so I don't think it was the weird "out there" factor of this book I didn't like. It just seemed to be lacking drive and heart. Nothing was propelling me forward and I never felt emotionally invested in any of the characters. There were also a couple significant plot and logic holes. On top of that, it seemed to me that the whole book was one big lecture on the evils of modern medical technology - which I happen to be a big fan of.

the girl who could fly

Kind of a boring title, huh? Not sure why Victoria Forester couldn't come up with something just a teensy bit more interesting, but whatever. There's been a lot of hype about this book since Stephenie Meyer posted on her website that everyone should read it. I'll admit, that's why I requested it from the library. I like Stephenie Meyer. She's not my favorite author, but I have respect for her and faith in her taste in books. She's recommended other books that I've really loved (The Hunger Games for example). Unfortunately, it wasn't a great read. It was a bizarre X-Men meets the hillbillies mix that just didn't work for me. I thought the writing was good until the climax (which was very choppy and sudden). Not much else to say. At least it was a quick read!