Book Review | The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey

The Book of Koli is a new science fiction/post-apocalyptic novel from M.R. Carey.

Beyond the walls of the small village of Mythen Rood lies an unrecognizable world. A world where overgrown forests are filled with choker trees and deadly vines and seeds that will kill you where you stand. And if they don't get you, one of the dangerous shunned men will.

Koli has lived in Mythen Rood his entire life. He knows the first rule of survival is that you don't venture beyond the walls.

What he doesn't know is - what happens when you aren't given a choice?

The first in a gripping new trilogy, The Book of Koli charts the journey of one unforgettable young boy struggling to find his place in a chilling post-apocalyptic world. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and Annihilation.

Why did I read The Book of Koli?

I adored The Girl with All the Gifts. That makes me automatically take a closer look at anything M.R. Carey releases. I loved the sound of this trilogy. It's been a while since I've read a really great dystopian, and a deadly forest sounded perfect!

The Strengths

I immediately fell in love with the language in this. I think some readers may have trouble with the grammar and other nuances, but I really connected with Carey's writing in this one. There was poetry to his voice and his language here, and I just really enjoyed spending time with it.

I also loved the characters. Koli is a bit of a Harry Potter type of character. He's the star of the show, but all of his supporting characters are more powerful and more interesting. Monono reminded me a lot of the operating system in the movie Her. If you liked The Book of Koli or Her, I highly recommend the other!

I loved the world building, but this is also going to appear in the weaknesses for The Book of Koli. I'm a sucker for post-apocalypse and natural forces outweigh political forces for me every time. I can't wait to learn more about this world.

The Weaknesses

The Book of Koli is the first book in the Rampart Trilogy. It helped tremendously seeing the covers for the next two books on the back of my Koli paperback. I was prepared to only receive the first third of a complete story, but I'm never going to be 100% OK with a book not being able to stand on its own.

My expectation going into reading The Book of Koli was the environment was going to play a huge role in this trilogy. Hopefully it still will, but there was a lot less man versus nature than I was expecting. I want to know more and I want to see more! The good news is we are just getting started.

Would I recommend The Book of Koli to others?

Yes! Especially if you have loved other books by M.R. Carey. I'm really excited for the rest of the trilogy, and the next two books are at the top of my most anticipated list.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars

Review copy provided by publisher

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Series Review | The Silo Series by Hugh Howey

The Silo series is a dystopian/science fiction series by Hugh Howey.



Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1) by Hugh Howey

For suspense-filled, post-apocalyptic thrillers, Wool is more than a self-published ebook phenomenon―it’s the new standard in classic science fiction.

In a ruined and toxic future, a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Sheriff Holston, who has unwaveringly upheld the silo’s rules for years, unexpectedly breaks the greatest taboo of all: He asks to go outside.

Back in 2014, I read Wool and loved it. You can read my review here! I tried to read Shift (book 2) not too long after, and it just didn't hook me. After Tracy fell in love with Wool last year, I was anxious to try again. Tracy and I buddy read the last two books in the trilogy, and I'm so glad we did!



Shift (Silo #2) by Hugh Howey

In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platform that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate. In the same year, the CBS network re-aired a program about the effects of propranolol on sufferers of extreme trauma. A simple pill, it had been discovered, could wipe out the memory of any traumatic event. At almost the same moment in humanity’s broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.

Shift is quite a different read from Wool. Where Wool feels very much like a dystopian novel, Shift is more of a thriller. The characters are different and the tone is different, but it's very good.

Shift does eventually converge with the characters and happenings of Wool, but it requires a little patience and faith going into it. Shift is where we learn how everyone ended up living in the silos and who's really "in charge". I was excited to read more, and I knew I wouldn't wait so long to read the final installment in the trilogy.



Dust (Silo #3) by Hugh Howey

In a time when secrets and lies were the foundations of life, someone has discovered the truth. And they are going to tell.

Jules knows what her predecessors created. She knows they are the reason life has to be lived in this way.

And she won't stand for it.

But Jules no longer has supporters. And there is far more to fear than the toxic world beyond her walls.

A poison is growing from within Silo 18.

One that cannot be stopped.

Unless Silo 1 step in.

The folks who told me I should try again to read Shift because it was worth it to finish out the rest of the series were right! Dust brings us back around to the characters and happenings that were taking place in Wool while still maintaining the thrills and characters from Shift. There is a lot happening! And there were a lot of revelations I was not expecting. I very much enjoy the way Hugh Howey writes. The only reason I'm giving Dust 4 stars instead of 5 stars is because you absolutely have to read Wool and Shift to understand what you are reading in Dust. The overall series as a whole, though, gets 5 stars from me.

Silo Series: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Review | The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

The Long Walk is a dystopian novel by Stephen King published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.

On the first day of May, 100 teenage boys meet for a race known as "The Long Walk." If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying.

I've been asked on many occasions if I've read this book, and I never stopped to wonder why. Of course I see now why this book has been recommended to me throughout the years. It's like asking someone who's afraid of clowns if they've read IT. The Long Walk is a perfect fit for me. I wish I had read it sooner! I wish I had read The Long Walk prior to the upteen billion dystopians I've already experienced in recent years. It kept reminding me of The Hunger Games instead of vice versa as it bloody well should have been.

I listened to The Long Walk on audio which was a great experience. Grab it off Overdrive if you have yet to read this one. There's an amazing introduction by Stephen King included with the audio. I have the "Bachman Books" on my shelf so I pulled it down to read the introduction again only to find a completely different introduction! If you've already read the Bachman Books, you might be interested in reading the second introduction King wrote for it.

I've put off reading Bachman over the years. Up until now I think I've only read The Regulators (right after reading Desperation) and Thinner (right after watching the movie). I've had some deluded idea in my mind that I wouldn't enjoy them like I enjoy a King novel. I can't speak for the rest of the Bachman Books, but you don't get more Stephen King than The Long Walk. He really, really thought no one would know Richard Bachman was Stephen King?! No one writes like Stephen King. In my opinion, no one even comes close to writing like Stephen King. So now I have some more reading to do!

The Long Walk was a great way to end a not-so-remarkable reading year. It serves as a good reminder of how important it is to pull down the back titles throughout the year and enjoy some gems I've been missing out on.

8/10: Great Read

Book Review | The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner is a YA dystopian novel by James Dashner. It is also the first book in the Maze Runner series.

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

Take this review with a grain of salt.

I tried to read The Maze Runner back in January with no luck. I couldn't get into it at all, and I decided it wasn't for me.

This past month, however, my hubs wanted to watch the movie. I have strict rules against watching a movie before I read the book, but since I had no intentions of reading the book, I thought what the hey. It's not often hubs is requesting one of "my" movies so I went with it.

Here's the kicker - I really liked the movie. So much so that I wanted to read the book.

The book was much easier for me to get into this time around because it was more like a reread. I was also listening to it on audio with a good narrator so it was altogether a nice read for me.

I can't say what my original rating would have been if I had forced my way through it, but I do know my interest in this series is high right now. I just need to decide if I'm going to read The Scorch Trials now or stick with watching the movies.

6/10: Good Read

Have you read The Maze Runner? What about the movie - have you seen it? I'm really looking forward to The Scorch Trials. I'm leaning more toward doing the movie again, though.

Book Review | The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

The Fire Sermon is the first book in a dystopian trilogy from Francesca Haig.

Book Description

When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega.

Nobody.

They were born together and they will die together.

One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death.

The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts.

The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts.

Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose.

The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power.

Book Review

The Fire Sermon was an enjoyable read despite the fact I'm a bit burned out on the dystopian genre.

The dystopian hook with The Fire Sermon revolves around twins. In each pair of twins there is an Alpha and an Omega. The Omega always has a genetic defect and is split off from their family and their twin. The twins are still linked, however, and when one twin dies, so does the other. It's an intriguing concept. I'll be honest - I didn't grasp how some of the twin phenomenons in The Fire Sermon could realistically occur, but it was easy for me to "go with it".

Since Cass and Zach were both seemingly born with no defects, their story goes far beyond the typical Alpha and Omega twin existence.

I'm not sure if The Fire Sermon is classified as a YA novel or not, but it is probably best suited for YA readers. It's unfortunate The Fire Sermon is being released into an oversaturated market. I can imagine it would have been extremely popular about four years ago, but it's going to have a tough time standing out against the crowd. The Fire Sermon is the first book of a planned trilogy so hopefully it can pick up traction and find a good audience.

Like most series books - especially of the YA flavor - my rating for the series will likely be higher than my rating for the individual books. As it stands now, The Fire Sermon is a solid 3-stars, with plans to read book two.

6/10: Good Read

Review copy provided by publisher

Book Review | Wool by Hugh Howey

Wool is a science fiction/dystopian novel from Hugh Howey.

Book Description

This Omnibus Edition collects the five Wool books into a single volume. It is for those who arrived late to the party and who wish to save a dollar or two while picking up the same stories in a single package.

The first Wool story was released as a standalone short in July of 2011. Due to reviewer demand, the rest of the story was released over the next six months. My thanks go out to those reviewers who clamored for more. Without you, none of this would exist. Your demand created this as much as I did.

This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside.

I am in love with this series. Wool wasn't perfect, but I loved it pretty hard core.

Dystopians and I haven't gotten along for a while now, but Wool has reminded me of everything I love about a great dystopian.

So what's the dystopian hook with Wool? A silo. The earth has become uninhabitable, and those who have survived live in a giant silo below the ground.

There is a view up top of the outside, but it's dangerous to spend time dreaming or wondering about the outside. The highest crime is professing a desire to go outside. The punishment for committing such a taboo? You get your wish. They send you outside.

The first half of the book was awesome. It was exciting to have my love for dystopia totally renewed. As Wool progressed, I had more and more trouble suspending my disbelief and there were a couple of plot holes, but overall the suspense and the characters and my curiosity about the silo and the world outside was plenty enough to overcome the technicalities.

The Wool omnibus is also the first book in the Silo series, but for those of you who are series shy, it can absolutely stand on its own. If Wool hadn't weighed in at 500+ pages, there's no doubt I would have immediately picked up the next book in the Silo series. I get reader burn out easy, though, so I know better than to jump into another chunky monkey from the same series. I'm happy to add the Silo series to my current favorites, and I look forward to reading Shift in the near future.

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic and dystopian books (with a strong female lead!), Wool is definitely a book you should put on your radar.

8/10: Great Read

If you haven't heard Hugh Howey's self publishing story, it is fascinating. Have you read Wool? Do you have any favorite dystopian books you'd like to recommend?

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang | Book Review

What's Left of Me is the first book in Kat Zhang's The Hybrid Chronicles series. The second book Once We Were released this week.

Book Description

I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review

I absolutely love it when a book builds and builds and ends on an awesome note like one giant crescendo. Unfortunately, What's Left of Me was the exact opposite of the crescendo effect. What's Left of Me is possibly the first book I have ever read that was a complete decrescendo.

The beginning of What's Left of Me was awesome. The way the premise of two souls inhabiting one body was explained and handled was nothing short of brilliant. I was immediately invested in the characters, and it was hard to get the premise or the characters off of my mind.

Once the plot really got underway, however, my problems with the book began to snowball. We are told society feels one way, yet we are shown another. We drifted from huge thought provoking questions down to teenage drama. I had no trouble believing two souls could exist in one body, but I couldn't believe normal human reactions. I felt like less and less time was spent on the details the further I got into the book. There were just too many plot holes to keep me from singing its praises.

A lot of the logic problems I found with What's Left of Me reminded me of Article 5 by Kristin Simmons. If you loved Article 5, the issues I had with What's Left of Me may not bother you.

I'm in a weird predicament having to rate What's Left of Me. I loved the beginning of What's Left of Me so much I'm almost inclined to recommend it just for that (so good!), but the rest of the book was such a let down that I have absolutely no intention of continuing the rest of the series. As a result, my rating is split down the middle.

5/10: > aka the decrescendo of awesome

Book Review | Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes

Viral Nation is the first dystopian book I have enjoyed in a long time.

Book Description

After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.

When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.

Viral Nation opens with a virus wiping out most of the world's population. I love a good apocalyptic virus so I was captured by Viral Nation right away. A suppressant for the virus was discovered when the main characters were very young so the focus is much more on the power held by the company who controls the suppressant than on the virus itself.

The main character (Clover) has autism which instantly sets her apart from all of the other YA characters I have ever encountered. Most of the characters were quite likeable, and since Viral Nation is the first book in a series, I get the impression we will learn a lot more about the "Freaks for Freedom" as the series progresses. Clover also has a service dog that assists her with her autism. I loved that. Even more so, I loved that Shaunta Grimes did not use the dog to toy with my emotions.

I'm excited that there is time travel in this series, but it doesn't work well for me yet. If I think about it too hard, I get a headache, but I was able to let go and just go with the flow most of time. In fact, I found Viral Nation pretty hard to put down.

As with most YA series books, I wish I would have gotten more of a complete story out of Viral Nation. That is starting to be a pretty huge gripe with me, but nevertheless, I am anxiously awaiting the next book and will definitely be carrying on with the series.

7/10: Recommended Read

Review copy provided by author via publisher

Book Review | Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium is the sequel to Lauren Oliver's Delirium.

Book Description

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do.

The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

I really enjoyed Pandemonium despite not caring about pretty much half of the book. The chapters of Pandemonium are set up in an alternating "Then" and "Now" format. My first reaction was "Wow, Lena has been in the Wilds for a long time." Nope. We are only alternating between a span of less than a year. I found myself rushing through the not-so-exciting "Then" chapters to get to the that's-more-like-it "Now" chapters.

Pandemonium is a very different read from Delirium. Lena has changed, her world has changed, nothing is the same. I was longing a little for what Lauren Oliver created in Delirium, but I loved the intensity of Pandemonium. The rest of the series is wide open to be anything Lauren Oliver wants it to be. I think that is a pretty great thing.

You have probably seen lots of reactions to the ending of Pandemonium. I'll go on record saying I'm a huge fan of the ending. Add that ending to Lauren Oliver's empty canvas, and I'm super excited for book 3. The wait for Requiem will be even harder than the wait we endured for Pandemonium.

If you've read and enjoyed Delirium, it is well worth it to read Pandemonium.

7/10: Recommended Read

Book Review | Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5 is the first book in Kristen Simmons's Article 5 series.

Book Description

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Few things can sell me on a book like a lot of action. I love action packed page turners, and the idea of a YA dystopian novel with non-stop action was too good to pass up. Unfortuntely, Article 5 turned out to not really be my thing.

The dystopian premise of Article 5 is the government enforcing strict moral statutes on its citizens. I could never figure out what would cause society to evolve that way. The statutes were still being rolled out through the states yet the states enforcing these moral statutes were already executing people.

The main character of Article 5, Ember, was born out of wedlock 17 years ago. Article 5 of the moral statutes dictates that only children conceived by a married husband and wife are valid citizens. When the government updated the statute to include existing minors, Ember's mother became an automatic violator and Ember became property of the government.

As I stated, there is a lot of action in Article 5. Ember is on the run from the government and trying to save her mother. I normally love a good chase book where the characters are on the run, but I never understood why anyone cared or why all those resources were being used to such an extreme toward individual citizens like Ember and her mom.

Ember was a sympathetic character but she didn't have much snap to her. I wanted to holler at her a lot.

In the end, the action taking place throughout Article 5 wasn't enough to make me a fan. I needed a reason to believe the events would even happen and the characters were more frustrating than they were likeable. I will not be reading more books in the Article 5 series.

4/10: Not My Thing

Book Review: Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Ashfall is the first book in the YA Ashfall series from Mike Mullin.

Book Description

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don't realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, and it will erupt again, changing the Earth forever.

Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when the supervolcano erupts. His town collapses into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, forcing him to flee. He begins a harrowing trek in search of his parents and sister, who were visiting relatives 140 miles away.

Along the way, Alex struggles through a landscape transformed by more than a foot of ash. The disaster brings out the best and worst in people desperate for food, clean water, and shelter.  When an escaped convict injures Alex, he searches for a sheltered place where he can wait--to heal or to die. Instead, he finds Darla. Together, they fight to achieve a nearly impossible goal: surviving the supervolcano.

With nonstop action, a little romance, and realistic science, debut author Mike Mullin tells a mesmerizing story. Readers will turn Ashfall's pages breathlessly, and continue to ponder Alex and Darla's fate long after they close the book.

Ashfall is a real pageturner. I made the mistake of starting Ashfall when I was ready to go to bed. Don't do that if you require lots of beauty sleep.

Mike Mullin threw build-up and foreshadowing out the window when he wrote Ashfall. The supervolcano eruption... chapter one. That's how I love my stories. There is a lot of action in Ashfall, and it is all delivered without apology.

The natural disaster aspect of Ashfall evoked a lot of emotion in me. The story itself is well written and thought provoking, but as someone who has been through multiple hurricanes, I made a lot of emotional connections to Ashfall. I'm also never, ever letting my son quit TaeKwonDo.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Ashfall to be more than a young adult book about survival. There are also strong elements of YA romance, post-apocalypse and even some dystopia. The girl lead Darla is a bad ass, but she's vulnerable when she needs to be. Alex is the opposite (in a nice way). He's vulnerable, but a badass when he needs to be.

Once again - how does this keep happening to me?! - I wasn't aware Ashfall was a series. When will I understand YA = series? Thankfully there was no frustrating cliffhanger. I feel like a received a complete story, and I'm left with the typical craving for more you get with a good first book in a series. I will definitely pick up Ashen Winter when it is released next fall.

If you are a YA fan of the post-apocalyptic flavor and you don't mind some brutal and unforgiving scenes, you need to read Ashfall. Just make sure you don't start reading it at bedtime!

8/10: Great read

Review copy provided by publisher

Book Review: Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

Despite his multiple appearances on my wish list, Forbidden is the first book by Ted Dekker I have read. I didn't realize Forbidden was going to be the first book of a series, but that happens to me a lot.

Book Description

Many years have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace... and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a piece of cryptic writing. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life. When decoded, the message will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love.

But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.

Forbidden starts out with a classic quest premise: the main character learns of a secret family past and is forced to step into his destined role to save the world. I love a great quest, and Rom's journey is full of danger and suspense from the very beginning.

Forbidden is set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian society where humans have been stripped of all emotion with the exception of fear. In his quest, Rom manages to awaken his emotions and those of his companions. As it turns out, Forbidden is more a book about love than it is about fear.

I enjoyed the adventure and the fast paced story, but I struggled a bit with not being able to lose myself in the oxymoronic "medieval future" Dekker and Lee created. I also had a hard time connecting with characters who were introduced in a state of no emotion.  I think these issues are sometimes inherent in the first book of a series and may not carry over into future releases.

Overall, Forbidden was a good dystopian fantasy read, and I look forward to continuing with the second book in the trilogy, Mortal.

6/10: Good Read

Review copy provided by publisher

Book Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Veronica Roth's Divergent puts a unique spin on the dystopian society.  In Divergent, people are divided into "factions" in order to separate personalities that would normally conflict with each other.  At the age of 16, each person chooses the faction they will permanently join. 

Once a faction has been chosen, the individual doesn't automatically become part of that faction.  They must endure an initiation process that will weed out those who don't belong and enforce the mindset and beliefs of those who do.

Divergent begins just before Beatrice "Tris" chooses her faction.

The level of danger and suspense in Divergent makes it a great page turner.  I was always anxious to see what would happen next, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in the Divergent series.

If you loved The Hunger Games, I highly recommend Divergent.  Not only is it similar in tone to The Hunger Games, I have high hopes that Tris will maintain the strong leadership role I longed to see in Katniss Everdeen.

Review: Survivors (Aftertime #1.5) by Sophie Littlefield

Yesterday, as I was stealing grabbing a cover pic from GoodReads for my Rebirth review post, I discovered Sophie Littlefield wrote a novella between Aftertime and Rebirth entitled Survivors (Aftertime #1.5).  Naturally I scooped it up on my Kindle and gave it a read!

Book Description

DOING RIGHT ISN'T EASY IN A WORLD GONE SO WRONG

Cass Dollar outlasted the fall of civilization. But surviving Aftertime requires the kind of toughness that can conquer the violent landscape of California and still retain its humanity.

When a young boy and his dying grandmother are brought to the Box, the survivalist community where Cass takes shelter, she realizes that without her help he won't be long for this unforgiving new world. But while the Box is a haven from the roaming marauders—and the flesh-hungry Beaters—it forbids children within its confines. The boy will be turned out to fend for himself. All that stands between him and the brutal wilderness is Cass's protective instincts, and the stubborn resolve that's gotten her this far Aftertime.

If you have read (or plan on reading) Aftertime, read Survivors before moving on to Rebirth.  I wish I had!  The second book Rebirth takes places a couple of years after Aftertime.  Survivors, however, gives you insight into how life was for Cass and Smoke (and Ruthie who seems to sleep 99% of her life) shortly after the end of book one.  I had an issue with not liking the characters in Rebirth, but they are quite likeable in Survivors and that likely would have carried over some into Rebirth.

This is a short novella, but it was a good dose of Littlefield's Aftertime world and a quick shot of some more zombie goodness.

Update: You can get Survivors for free on Amazon right now. I assume it is a limited offer as I just paid $2.99 for my copy.

Additional topics of interest
Book Review: Aftertime (Aftertime #1) by Sophie Littlefield
Book Review: Rebirth (Aftertime #2) by Sophie Littlefield
Dystopian book reviews

Book Review: Rebirth (Aftertime #2) by Sophie Littlefield

Rebirth is the second book in the Aftertime series by Sophie Littlefield.

Book Description

The end of the world was just the beginning

Civilization has fallen, leaving California an unforgiving, decimated place. But Cass Dollar beat terrible odds to get her missing daughter back—she and Ruthie will be happy.

Yet with the first winter, Cass is reminded that happiness is fleeting in Aftertime. Ruthie retreats into silence.

Flesh—eating Beaters still dominate the landscape. And Smoke, Cass's lover and strength, departs on a quest for vengeance, one that may end him even if he returns.

The survivalist community Cass has planted roots in is breaking apart, too. Its leader, Dor, implores Cass to help him recover his own lost daughter, taken by the totalitarian Rebuilders. And soon Cass finds herself thrust into the dark heart of an organization promising humanity's rebirth—at all costs.

Bound to two men blazing divergent paths across a savage land, Cass must overcome the darkness in her wounded heart, or lose those she loves forever.

I love the Aftertime world Sophie Littlefield has created.  This is a great "escape" series to get lost in.

In Rebirth, Cass heads back out into the world of zombies and (even more frightening) humans.  Her journey is suspenseful and even chilling at times.

The zombie "beaters" play a much larger role in the first book (Aftertime) than they do in Rebirth.  Rebirth focuses more on Cass and the dystopian "Rebuilders" of Aftertime.

I'm not a huge fan of the characters in Rebirth, but it ends on a great note introducing us to some new characters who have a lot of potential.  It has me looking forward to the final book (Horizon) in February 2012.

If you are a fan of post-apocalyptic or dystopian books, this is a series you will want to read.

Review copy provided by publisher

Book Review: Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Wither is the first book in the new Chemical Garden series and the debut novel of Lauren DeStefano.

Book Description

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Wither is the story of Rhine - a 16 year old girl who will assumably die at age 20.  There is a virus/genetic defect that kills females at 20 and males at 25. Rhine is kidnapped and forced to marry a wealthy 21 year old - who is also 4 years away from death.  Despite the consequences, Rhine is determined to escape her new life and return home to her twin brother.

First and foremost, I enjoyed reading this book.  I found it well written, fast paced, and atmospheric.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the young adult dystopian genre.

I did, however, have a hard time suspending my disbelief.  I was left with many questions regarding the society, the characters, and the motivation behind the events taking place.  I think these questions would make for excellent book club discussions, but they also make it necessary for the reader to enter DeStefano's dystopia with an open mind and a willingness to let go of logic a little.

Are you a fan of dystopia?  I love it.  I'm not a huge fan of the trending series format - I prefer a resolved story, but I'm happy with all of the darker subject matter being published lately.

Review copy provided by publisher

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I am so in love with love right now.

Book Description

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

This book was strangely captivating. I feel like I just fell in love - backward - somehow.

Love in Delirium isn't just about the romantic love between two people. It's the love of friends, the love of hobbies, the love of the small details as well as the large.

Despite all the love stuff there was a lot of nail biting action in this book. I really enjoyed it. As a mother I had a hard time coming to grips and accepting a few things, but I also really enjoyed this book as a mother. I'm certain I said "I love you" to my kids a few more times than normal last night, and this morning we danced extra long before we left for the day.

It's a beautiful thing.

Book Review | Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

I love a good zombie book.

Book Description

Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Having no idea how many weeks have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.

And with her, nearly all of civilization.  Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.

In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety.  For the Beaters are out there.  And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world….

Cass Dollar was sheltering in a library with her daughter Ruthie when the zombies took her.  Cass recalls some of the events leading up to the attack, but she doesn't remember what happened, how much time has past, or how she has even survived.  She is desperate to get back to her daughter.

I did not want to put this book down.  As scary as the flesh eating zombies were in this book, the humans were even more frightening. 

If you are a zombie fan, this is a great read, but I'm also recommending this book to anyone who likes to be on the edge of their seat.

Aftertime is the first book in a planned trilogy.  While Littlefield delivered a strong story in this first installment, I have the feeling we are just getting started.  I will be anxiously waiting to get my hands on the next book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 Stars

Let me hear your thoughts on Aftertime!

Review copy provided by publisher

Additional topics of interest:
Book Review: The Rising by Brian Keene

Book Review | Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

These are my final thoughts on the Hunger Games trilogy.  (Until some movie news gets me excited again.  It will happen.)

Mockingjay is the last book in the Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy. 

Book Description (SPOILER Alert)

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

I have been mulling over my review of Mockingjay for a while.

On one hand, I want to do the appropriate thing and write my review based on what the book is.  It is well written, captivating, and a good end to a great series.

On the other hand, I want to say I'm disappointed.  I'm disappointed in what I thought the book should be. 

Mockingjay tells of the uprising in the districts and the war against the capitol.  Unfortunately our fierce heroine Katniss has less time in the spotlight, and poor Peeta loses the keen senses he possessed in the previous books.

While the events of Mockingjay didn't play out in the epic manner I envisioned, I was satisfied by the resolution between Katniss and the capitol.  The resolution between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, however, was very passive, unsatisfying, and unbelievable for me.

⭐⭐⭐★★
3/5 Stars

I give Mockingjay 3 out of 5 stars, but the entire series gets a solid 4 stars and a high recommendation to any reader.

What did you think of Mockingjay? Were you satisfied by the trilogy conclusion?

Book Review | Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the highly praised sequel to Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games.

Book Description (spoiler warning for Hunger Games!):

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

This book was a complete surprise to me. I did not see the events coming, and Collins hit it out of the park. Again.

I said it in my review of The Hunger Games, but I'll say it again - this book (series) was a major page turner for me. At this point in the series I started buying extra copies for gifts.

If you haven't started the series yet, make it so.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 Stars

Additional topics of interest:
Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Movie News: The Hunger Games
Dystopian Book Reviews