Mini Book Review: The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

Title: The Anomaly (The Anomaly Files #1)
Author: Michael Rutger
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 352
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Not all secrets are meant to be found.

If Indiana Jones lived in the X-Files era, he might bear at least a passing resemblance to Nolan Moore -- a rogue archaeologist hosting a documentary series derisively dismissed by the "real" experts, but beloved of conspiracy theorists.

Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways.

Nolan's story becomes one of survival against seemingly impossible odds. The only way out is to answer a series of intriguing questions: What is this strange cave? How has it remained hidden for so long? And what secret does it conceal that made its last visitors attempt to seal it forever?

I can't remember exactly where I heard about this book, but it was described to me as being very similar to The Descent, one of my favorite horror movies. While you would absolutely never get me into a cave outside of a guided tour, I absolutely LOVE this kind of claustrophobic horror, especially when it's based in conspiracy theories. As soon as I got the chance to read this book I jumped in!

Ignore the cheesy description of Nolan Moore from the synopsis. Nolan is a documentary filmmaker who specializes in the mysterious and the unknown. He's what you would expect from this sort of character - a bit pretentious, but also passionate and brave. I didn't have strong feelings about him one way or the other. Along with his crew, Nolan sets out to find a cavern in the Grand Canyon that was mentioned with very strange descriptions by one explorer in the past, but seems to have been covered up by academia. Nolan has managed to plot what he believes to be the exact location and, wouldn't you know it, he's right!

The other characters were all fine, but forgettable. Luckily, great side characters weren't the reason I read this. When I read a book like this, what I'm really looking for is a great story, mystery, and action. The Anomaly definitely delivered! I can't say too much without spoilers, but what is in the cave was beyond anything I could have predicted. The atmosphere was unsettling from the beginning and I loved how the unease slowly built until things got really wild towards the end.

The Anomaly is a fast paced, twist filled thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat and looking over your shoulder. I'm not easily spooked and this is really more thriller than horror, but it definitely freaked me out a little. This isn't a perfect book, but it's great for what it is and I can't wait to see what the next installment has to offer!

ARC Review: Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

Title: Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)
Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Publisher: Del Rey
Pages: 320
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Reviews for book 1 & book 3

//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review// 

When an alien vessel materializes in London, does it mean peace or war? Waking Gods is the gripping sequel to the ground-breaking thriller Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. What's going on? Turn on the television. What channel? Any channel. An unknown vessel, not of this world, materializes in London. A colossal figure towering over the city, it makes no move. Is this a peaceful first contact or the prelude to an invasion? Every child has nightmares. But the only thing scarier than little Eva Reyes' dreams - apocalyptic visions of death and destruction - is the habit they have of coming true... Scientist Dr Rose Franklin has no memory of the last few years. The strangers she works with say she died, and was brought back to life. The question is not just how ... but why? Kara Resnik and Vincent Couture fell in love during war, and have found peace since. They are the thin line of defense against what is coming. But they do not know they have been living a lie. And a man who claims to have the answers has his own agenda. There are things he cannot say - and others he won't. All pieces of an epic puzzle. One we have been trying to solve since the dawn of time...

Last year a friend introduced me to Sleeping Giants and sparked an obsession. This year I heard there was an opportunity to read Waking Gods early and tripped all over myself trying to get a copy! Although I wasn't sure Sylvain Neuvel could deliver a second book as incredible as the first, I am excited to report that Waking Gods did not disappoint!

Sleeping Giants was a well-wrapped package. While there was a mind-blowing revelation near the end, there was no giant cliffhanger, so it wasn't surprising that Waking Gods opened with a time jump. I'll readily admit I was nervous about this at first. I tend to despise time jumps just because I feel so disconnected from characters ten years after I last saw them. I'm not sure if it's the unique format of this series or if Neuvel is a magician, but he totally pulled it off and managed to suck me back in immediately.

Kara and Vincent have been living their version of happily ever after since the conclusion of Sleeping Giants and it's exactly what you'd expect from these characters. Kara is happily childfree, Vincent does what he can to make her happy, and both continue to travel around the world showcasing their robot. But when a new threat comes to Earth, they jump right back into the action, ready to do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of the human race. The mysterious man at the center of everything is also back and I was thrilled that there was much more to him this time! Even a bit of backstory. Although the format of this series could make it difficult to connect with these people, there is no shortage of character development.

Thankfully, Waking Gods isn't short on conspiracy or action either. While the first book revolved around the worlds' shock of finding an alien robot, book two is about the panic that follows when several more of them show up - this time in tact, in major cities, and with alien pilots. No one knows what they're capable of and good people of Planet Earth are intent on testing their boundaries (as they do), inciting chaos at every turn. Sleeping Giants was exciting in its own right although there were lags, but Waking Gods is fast and sometimes feels like an action movie. I was never bored with this book!

The format of the Themis Files was something I really wasn't sure about when I finished the first book. While it worked well in audio, I said in my review that I didn't know if I would've been as intrigued if I'd read it in book form. As it turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong! The interview and log format of Waking Gods ended up being incredibly immersive and made me feel like I was in the middle of the action right alongside the characters.

I also loved that, while science was a big part of this book, it wasn't over my head to the point where I couldn't understand what was happening. There are also philosophical issues brought up in Waking Gods that you may not expect. Certain characters have to contend with some huge, life altering questions, but I always felt able to identify instead of being overwhelmed. Neuvel has written this in a way that it's understandable without being dumbed down or spoon fed to the reader.

Waking Gods is an incredibly intense sequel that did not let me go until the last page (and not really then). So often sequels suffer from second book syndrome but that definitely didn't happen here. I laughed, I cried, and I was absolutely on the edge of my seat! If you haven't started this series yet, you really need to give it a try! I cannot wait to get my hands on book three!

ARC Review: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Title: Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Publication Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 608
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Reviews for book 1 & book 3

//I received this book from ALA in exchange for an honest review//

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

I read an advance copy of Illuminae last year and totally loved it! I could not wait to get my hands on Gemina and when I found it at ALA over the summer I was SO excited! Gemina is told in the same unique format as Illuminae, which I was really looking forward to. It also did a lot of other things the same as Illuminae, which I didn't love so much.

Gemina introduces two new main characters - Hanna, the captain's daughter, and her drug dealer, Nik. Hanna was a great character, strong and fully capable of handling herself. There were times when I wondered why a spoiled captain's daughter would know so much about certain things and she seemed a little too knowledgable at times. Her backstory mostly explained these things, thankfully. Nik was also a fun character, although he seemed very similar to Ezra to me. One thing that I noticed throughout both books is that every person in this universe seems to have taken sarcasm classes at some point because almost everything they say is snarky. It is amusing though. The romance between Hanna and Nik was cute, but it just wasn't on the same level as Kady and Ezra.

The storyline of Gemina crosses paths with Illuminae, which was awesome! I was concerned about a second book not having the same main characters as the first, even though it worked for the Starbound Trilogy. The big bad was also really different. Instead of a terrifying zombie virus, this time we have some kind of weird space worm parasite thing. While kind of scary in concept, it didn't end up packing the same punch as the virus from Illuminae. I did think the invasion of the ship by unknown troops was really well done, though. Like with Illuminae, I never felt like I knew exactly what was going on until the end. I love to be kept guessing!

Unfortunately, the rest of the story was quite predictable. I was really disappointed to see that Gemina used many of the same tricks as the first book in the series. There were several times when something happened that was supposed to make me sad or anxious where I didn't have much of reaction at all because I already knew what was going to happen (and I was correct). I'm sorry to say that most of the big reveals were extremely predictable because they followed a pattern very similar to Illuminae.

That isn't to say the book was a total loss though! World building is definitely where this series excels. The format that the book is written in makes it extremely easy to feel like part of the world and it's really easy to picture the ship that the characters are running around. I'm sure it'll be much better once the final art is included too!

Overall I liked Gemina but it did not blow me away like Illuminae did, mostly because it felt much to similar. I did enjoy some of the new characters and there were a few reveals that did surprise me. I also loved being immersed back in the world the authors created. I will definitely still read the next book to see how it all wraps up, but I'll probably go in with lower expectations next time.

Audiobook review: Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

Title: Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1)
Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Narrator: Full Cast
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Del Rey
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Reviews for book 2 & book 3

A page-turning debut in the tradition of Michael Crichton, World War Z, and The Martian, Sleeping Giants is a thriller fueled by an earthshaking mystery—and a fight to control a gargantuan power.

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?

I decided to read Sleeping Giants on a whim when a friend mentioned that it sounded interesting. I'd never heard of this book, being outside of my normal circle of YA, and I wasn't a fan of World War Z or The Martian. However... I am a huge fan of conspiracy theories as well as Ancient Aliens (which I had a hunch this might be related to), so I decided to grab the audiobook when I had the chance!

Sleeping Giants is told in the form of interviews and journal entries, which makes for a really unique reading experience. Listening to the audiobook was a fantastic idea because I got to hear this as if I was sitting in on the actual interviews as they happened. Many, many characters make appearances in this book. Some become important and some fade into the background quickly, but each one has something relevant to add. It's honestly such a weirdly written book that it's hard to connect with any one character, but at the same time I felt incredibly invested in each of their stories and outcomes. The one person who ties them all together is the man conducting the interviews, who we never do learn much about. He reminded me a lot of the Smoking Man from The X-Files, only even more mysterious.

There isn't much in the way of filler in this book because of the format and I really loved that! I wouldn't say the pace is necessarily fast, but there isn't much time wasted either. I loved following along as each new piece of the robot was uncovered and assembled and found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen when it was complete!

My favorite part about this book is obviously the conspiracy! I love, love reading about conspiracy theories no matter how good or bad they actually are and Sleeping Giants has a good one! I'm honestly not sure why this was marketed as World War Z meets The Martian, to be honest. If I was the publisher I'd probably have thrown X-Files in there somewhere, although maybe that's just not what's "in" right now. Regardless, that's the vibe I got from this one. Although the pace isn't breakneck, I always wanted to know a little bit more. I wanted to know what the robot was, where it came from, what it was intended for, and I had a hard time turning the audiobook off when I needed to. This story is fascinating! Sleeping Giants is also loaded with twists, turns, and revelations!

Sleeping Giants was wrapped up well enough without a huge cliffhanger, then there was the epilogue which completely blew my mind and now I'm trying (and failing) to wait patiently for Waking Gods, which comes out in like a million years April 2017. Like I said, the pace was very steady and I'm not sure I would've made it through this book if I'd read the physical copy, but the cast who performed the audiobook made it come to life! Sylvain Neuvel has done an incredible job of putting together a story that's entirely unique and may produce mildly obsessive behavior. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of sci-fi or conspiracy theories!

Book Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog (Prisoner of Night and Fog #1)
Author: Anne Blankman
Publication Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 401
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In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

I decided to read Prisoner of Night and fog hot on the heels of Salt to the Sea, oddly wanting more of the World War II historical fiction I'd gotten a taste of. This is really strange behavior for me considering I usually stick to fantasy and dystopia, but I was intrigued by this book about Adolf Hitler's "niece." Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about this time period, but I do love stories about people who learn the horrible truth about those they love. Luckily, I was not disappointed!

Gretchen is a young girl whose family has become very, very close to Adolf Hitler following her father's death. She has always been treated as his beloved niece, shielded from the horrors of the Germany that is slowly unraveling around her amidst Hitler's rise to power. Gretchen only sees the best parts of her Uncle Dolf and has been fed sugar-coated versions of his plans regarding the "relocation" of the Jews. Despite Gretchen's naivety, I loved her character. Once the truth begins to reveal itself, Gretchen goes after it instead of hiding behind her wall of ignorance as so many would do in her place. Gretchen is strong in face of adversity, even going against her own family in pursuit of the truth and I thought she was amazing for it!

This is YA historical fiction so there is obviously romance, but I found myself totally invested in it even though I didn't fully understand it at times. Daniel is a Jewish reporter who is looking into the death of Gretchen's father and ignites her passion for learning the truth. I didn't really get exactly why Daniel was interested in Gretchen's father's death, but I was honestly willing to overlook it because the bigger story was fantastic. Although Gretchen hates Daniel at first (what other choice does she have based on her upbringing, really?), she comes to understand that he is just a person like her - the first chink in her armor. I loved the relationship between Gretchen and Daniel and the mutual respect that they held for each other.

The villains in Prisoner of Night and Fog were despicable. Not only was Hitler the obvious bad guy here, but Gretchen's brother was also pretty terrifying. It was strange to see Hitler from the eyes of someone who loved him, but it was extremely interesting to watch his character devolve as Gretchen learned more and more about the man underneath the facade. I truly felt for her as her world crumbled.

Speaking of Gretchen's world, the world building in this book was fantastic! I've said before that I really don't have much knowledge about this period in history (my historical interests are thousands of years earlier), but Anne Blankman did an incredible job of placing me right in the middle of 1930s Germany. I also enjoyed how the setting seemed to get darker and bleaker as Gretchen discovered more about Uncle Dolf. This is something that I've often seen done in films, but I feel like it is much more difficult to achieve on paper.

The story itself - Gretchen discovering the truth about Hitler and her father's death, while realizing that the Jews were not villains - was interesting, if slow at times. It took awhile for the plot to really pick up, but throughout the second half of the book I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Gretchen would find out next and whether she and Daniel would be safe in the end. There was a lot of information and a lot of names thrown at me at times and there were terms I was unfamiliar with. I feel like a glossary may have helped this book a bit for the uncultured Americans like myself.

Overall I really enjoyed Prisoner of Night and Fog! Sure, it had flaws. I felt like the way Gretchen and Daniel came together was a bit unbelievable, I was confused by some terminology, and it had a bit of a slow start. The good far outweighs the bad here though! Seeing Hitler's early years unfold from the viewpoint of someone who is essentially family was fascinating and the forbidden romance was fantastic! I definitely recommend this to those interested in WWII historical fiction and fans of Salt to the Sea!

Audiobook Review: Island 731 by Jeremy Robinson

Title: Island 731
Author: Jeremy Robinson
Narrator: R. C. Bray
Publication Date: March 26, 2013
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
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Mark Hawkins, former park ranger and expert tracker, is out of his element, working on board the Magellan, a research vessel studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But his work is interrupted when, surrounded by thirty miles of refuse,  the ship and its high tech systems are plagued by a series of strange malfunctions and the crew is battered by a raging storm.

When the storm fades and the sun rises, the beaten crew awakens to find themselves anchored in the protective cove of a tropical island... and no one knows how they got there. Even worse, the ship has been sabotaged, two crewman are dead and a third is missing. Hawkins spots signs of the missing man on shore and leads a small team to bring him back. But they quickly discover evidence of a brutal history left behind by the Island’s former occupants: Unit 731, Japan’s ruthless World War II human experimentation program. Mass graves and military fortifications dot the island, along with a decades old laboratory housing the remains of hideous experiments.

As crew members start to disappear, Hawkins realizes that they are not alone. In fact, they were brought to this strange and horrible island. The crew is taken one-by-one and while Hawkins fights to save his friends, he learns the horrible truth: Island 731 was never decommissioned and the person taking his crewmates may not be a person at all—not anymore.

Are you a fan of crazy conspiracy theories? Do you enjoy reading about secret experiments carried out by various governments? Then you should probably get your hands on this book because crazy conspiracy theories and experiments are what it's all about. It's not often that I read adult fiction, but I've been in a weird, conspiracy kind of mood lately (it might have something to do with binge watching Making a Murderer). When I stumbled across this one, I knew I had to make some time for it and I'm glad that I did!

Island 731 is about a group of sailors and researchers who are unfortunate enough to find themselves stranded on an uncharted island during a brutal storm. Strange things start to happen and the crew comes face to face with a series of extremely disturbing life forms. From there the mystery begins to unravel slowly as the danger grows more real and tension builds.

Mark Hawkins is the main character in this story and he was a pretty decent one, in my opinion. Mark is a prior park ranger and was raised to understand the importance respecting nature. This makes him the obvious choice to lead the team when they land on the island and start to lose people to its inhabitance. I enjoyed Mark overall and found him to be a believable character for the most part. He was a smart, strategic, and likable character, but with one really annoying flaw. Remember how I said he respects nature? Well, it is taken to almost a ridiculous level at times. There were a lot of flashbacks to his upbringing and I was honestly waiting for him to break out into song with "Colors of the Wind." I honestly feel like pointing out his background as a ranger would have been enough.

I really enjoyed the conspiracy plot of this book a lot. It was extremely reminiscent of The Island of Doctor Moreau but with even more crazies! Each time another part of the big picture was revealed, I was a little bit shocked. Even the big reveal, which I thought I had figured out early on, caught me completely off guard. Still, my suspension of disbelief can only go so far and the experiments on Island 731 actually took me past my threshold somewhere around 3/4 of the way through and the end actually had me rolling my eyes.

Despite its eventual unbelievability, Island 731 was a quick, creepy read with enough twists and turns to keep it really interesting. I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of The Island of Doctor Moreau or The Madman's Daughter trilogy! I do think I'll be checking out more of Jeremy Robinsons books in the future.

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

R. C. Bray is a fantastic narrator! I knew I had heard him before and looked into what else he'd narrated, only to see that he was the voice actor for The Martian. Although I DNF'd that one, the acting was superb and it was no different in Island 731.

Book Review: Pines by Blake Crouch

Title: Pines (Wayward Pines #1) 
Author: Blake Crouch
Publication Date: January 1, 2012
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pages: 305
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Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive.

Pines is a book that I wasn't quite sure I wanted to actually read. After seeing the mini-series on Hulu last year, I was obsessed with the story! Still, I already kind of knew what happened, so would I really enjoy rehashing details? As it turns out, the answer is a resounding YES! I picked up Pines on a whim at the library and devoured it in a day. This book is incredible!!

The first book in the Wayward Pines trilogy tells the story of a secret agent named Ethan Burke and his strange experience in the small town he finds himself in after a car accident. Ethan has no idea what's going on, but slowly his memories start to come back to him. He tries to make sense of his situation while navigating the town of Wayward Pines, but the extremely creepy residents and authority figures make it difficult for him. I really liked Ethan a lot! I felt like he was a believable character and I could feel his emotions as my own as he panicked through each day in Wayward Pines. His despair as his predicament became more apparent was palpable.

One thing I enjoyed about Pines versus the show based on it was getting to know Ethan's wife, Theresa. I really felt like the book did a way better job of making her a sympathetic character by making her story more of a focal point. I won't spoil anything here, but there was a major change made to her situation in the show and I definitely enjoyed book Theresa better. That being said, I do wish that she had a little less time in the book because Ethan's story was much more exciting! I can see how explaining her situation will be important to the next two books though.

And then there is the absolutely incredible story! Sometimes in mysteries/thrillers like this one, the characters can come off as kind of stupid and I often find myself wanting to yell at them for not figuring things out when they're obvious! That was not the case here. Blake Crouch has done an incredible job of keeping the twists and turns truly shocking. Honestly, if I hadn't seen the show I would have been in awe. I was actually really shocked a couple times, even knowing what was going on! This story is just completely insane, but in an amazing way! I can definitely see why M. Night wanted to get in on the show. There were certainly some differences between the book and the show, but most of them were subtle. The one major difference is near the end where there is a majorly different setting, but I really liked it!

Pines is the kind of book that I can't really say much about without giving things away, so I'm sorry for being vague! The first book in this series roughly lines up with the first five episodes of Wayward Pines, so that means that there are many more details in the book and a lot more time to get into Ethan's head. Reading the book was in no way a waste of time after seeing the show first. Every bit of it was perfectly creepy! I highly recommend this book to fans of horror with absolutely insane twists (so basically fans of M. Night's early films). I cannot wait to get my hands on book two!

ARC Review: The Rig by Joe Ducie

Title: The Rig (The Rig #1)
Author: Joe Ducie
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers 
Pages: 320
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//I received this book through Goodreads First Reads  in exchange for an honest review//

Fifteen-year-old Will Drake has made a career of breaking out from high-security prisons. His talents have landed him at The Rig, a specialist juvenile holding facility in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. No one can escape from The Rig. No one except for Drake...

After making some escape plans and meeting the first real friends of his life, Drake quickly realises that all is not as it seems on The Rig. The Warden is obsessed with the mysterious Crystal-X - a blue, glowing substance that appears to give superpowers to the teens exposed to it. Drake, Tristan and Irene are banking on a bid for freedom - but can they survive long enough to make it?

Drake is an action hero to rival Jason Bourne and the CHERUB team in this debut author's fantastically imagined sci‐fi nightmare. 

The Rig caught my attention right away based on its title and the cover. I'm married to a Merchant Marine, so I have a little familiarity with oil rigs. Then I read the description and was totally sold! I love stories about survival and escape. The idea of being stuck on an oil rig in the Arctic Ocean totally freaks me out. Not to mention the bit about things not being as they seem. All that to say I was really excited to read this book!

Right away, this book pulled me in with its descriptions of the rig and its inner workings as a prison. Joe Ducie has done a fantastic job of creating an amazing setting out of a structure that could certainly have come across as boring. I also did a lot of fact-checking with my husband and overall the setting seems to hold up. I definitely felt like I could see each level and platform of the rig! It seems like an urban explorer's dream!

The characters were mostly enjoyable. This story is about Will Drake, a guy who just happened to find himself in a bad situation that landed him in jail. But Will is great at escaping, it seems. I wish a little more had been revealed at exactly -why- Will was so skilled at escapes. His backstory didn't make him seem like anything special, so I had kind of a hard time accepting him as a character worthy of comparison to Jason Bourne. The bad guys of The Rig were probably a little more believable than Will, in my opinion, although I did have a lot of questions about their motives once the book had ended.

My major problem with The Rig was the magic element. I somehow overlooked this part of the synopsis, so it caught me off guard. That isn't the issue, though. The magical substance, Crystal-X, is mysterious from the beginning of the book until it ends. Not much is ever explained about it. The book never goes into the why's and how's of this magical mineral and it's not clear why it affects different people in different ways. I'm okay with some questions being left over at the end of a book, but I feel like nothing at all was answered in this one. More than that, though, is that I don't even feel like the magic was necessary. The Rig was shaping up to be an awesome survival/escape story before Crystal-X was introduced.

Overall, I The Rig was just okay. I loved the world and the set up of the plot. I just wish it had strayed into weird, magic territory.

Audiobook Review: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Title: Daughter of Deep Silence
Author: Carrie Ryan
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers 
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I’m the daughter of murdered parents.
I’m the friend of a dead girl.
I’m the lover of my enemy.
And I will have my revenge.

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.

Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose.

There's a certain connection I think I have with authors I've loved previously that makes me assume I'll love them forever and always and everything they write will be gold. Because of this I've found myself more than a little disappointed with a few books this year alone. Some examples that come immediately to mind are The Cage by Megan Shepherd and Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre. Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth was one of the first YA books I read when I really started getting into the genre. I was blown away by the entire series and fell in love with her as a writer. So when I saw this book for the first time I had no doubt that I would love it just as much. But it wasn't meant to be.

Immediately I was sold on the synopsis for this book. I can definitely get on board with a good revenge plot, even in a contemporary setting. Frances sounded like a total badass and I was really excited to get to know her! Maybe my expectations were just too high for this book. I expected Emily Thorne but I got a whiney 18 year old with a crush.

Let me tell you about Frances (a.k.a. Libby) and why I didn't buy her character. From the very beginning of this book all she tells us is that she's angry and wants revenge and has this big, amazing plan laid out to make everyone PAY. But that's all she does. She tells us. In reality, she forgets all of her "plans" from the moment she sees Gray, the guy who she (apparently) fell in love with four years ago, when she was 14 and knew him for a couple days on a cruise. Maybe I was just way behind all the other 14 year olds, but I never fell in love. I literally saved gum wrappers from when my crush gave me some gum at church. I wish I was kidding. But I wasn't falling in love and I surely was not making it to whatever base Frances and Gray got to in their make out sessions. What I'm trying to say is, the romance is totally unbelievable.

In case you haven't caught on, this is a romance novel, not a revenge novel. Every single thing that happens in Frances' "revenge plot" is totally by chance. Literally the wrong person showing up at the right time. I also didn't understand how she intended to pull off this supposed plot. On the one hand, Emily Thorne spent YEARS of her life training with a revenge -master- to avenge her father. On the other hand, Frances spent four years in boarding school and is supposed to be some kind of master of deception. Yeah, okay.

There were just SO many things in this story that I just couldn't buy. I understand that there's a level of suspension of disbelief that has to happen when reading fiction, but this just went above and beyond.

Frances is not a badass and she has no skills. She's 18. She's a rich, spoiled, boarding school kid who is in love with her sworn enemy (or so she says). Sure, Emily Thorne pretends to be in love with Daniel Grayson (is it a coincidence that the love interest in this novel is named Gray?), but it's just pretend and it's all part of her plan.

Spoilery problems I have with the plot of this book:

1. The reason behind the attack on the Persephone is ridiculous. I'm supposed to believe that an entire cruise ship of people was slaughtered to kill off a few people in an environmentalist group? Give me a break. 
2. If Tom wanted Frances dead, she would have been dead. He literally had her throat against a stair cutting off her air. He could have snapped her neck without any effort. He could have choked her to death with no effort. He was a trained assassin. She was literally defenseless. The fact that she didn't die is deus ex machina at its finest. 
3. The cop. Oh my god, the cop. First of all, if Frances was going to spill every single thing that happened, why the heck didn't she do it from the beginning?? And even more importantly, NO cop in the world (or at least no good one, which we're supposed to believe this one is) would go along with letting a guy go to jail for a crime he didn't commit, even if he was a scumbag. 
4. Gray. Frances supposedly pulls off her master plan and escapes to her new life with no strings attached. WHY would she then sabotage the whole thing by sending Gray tons of evidence against her along with her address? I mean, really?? 

This book is Revenge for young adults, but where Revenge is amazing in almost every way, Daughter of Deep Silence falls apart. Perhaps this is where the fact that I am -not- a young adult really comes through? I am a YA junkie, but I think that maybe someone younger would be able to forgive all these faults or overlook them altogether. I enjoyed the survival aspects of the book, and some of the minor characters were really well-done. There was also enough mystery to keep me coming back. It just wasn't enough. I wanted to love this so freaking much, but I just can't get past the ridiculousness of the plot and the main character.

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

Karissa Vacker was a fantastic narrator and probably the reason I stuck through to the ending of this one! She did a great job of distinguishing between the different characters and making their emotions believable. I'd definitely pick up another book by her! 

Audiobook Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Narrator: Elizabeth Evans
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
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Review for book 1

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Throne of Glass was a book that I was really encouraged (read: forced) to read and finally gave into a couple months ago. I did enjoy it, but it didn't completely blow me away. Crown of Midnight was most definitely the better book of the two, but I still came away with a lot of questions.

This one picks up shortly after book one left off, with Celaena as the king's champion, going about "killing" all of his enemies. But is she really? In this book we see Celaena with a heart, which is a little confusing, to be honest, after book one went to such lengths to establish her as a badass assassin. Still, she continued to be an enjoyable character.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the romance with Chaol! The love triangle is GONE (thank goodness) and she can focus her attentions on the man she actually cares about. Dorian is still there, of course, but they remain (very awkward) friends, growing closer as more and more of the plot is revealed.

Nehemia is one character I actually didn't care for, and that may be going against the grain. She was pushy and downright rude at times, but I suppose she served her purpose. A few new, mysterious characters are also introduced and added a fantastic new element to the story!

While the world building was also really well done (again) I think my absolute favorite aspect of Crown of Midnight is the plot! The first book started to really bore me with the whole competition aspect that seemed to drag on and on. This one really picks up with the fantasy and mystery and it was really great! I loved each new piece of the puzzle that was introduced. There were still parts that I was left confused about.

It's revealed in this book that Celaena is Fae... and a queen. What? How were these things completely left out of the first book and until the very end of the second? Wouldn't we have learned this somehow through exposition. I feel like this is something Celaena would have thought about over the months. It almost feels like Maas had to add something in quickly to make the story longer. Didn't I read somewhere that this was never supposed to be a series? I like the direction that the story is taking now, but it seems a little thrown together, to be honest.

I definitely enjoyed this book more than Throne of Glass. The writing is terrific and kept me interested, the story is better, the characters are better... the whole thing is better! I can't wait to read book three!

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

I really enjoyed Elizabeth Evans as a voice actor! She really brought the book to life and was never annoying or whiney (as some female narrators tend to be...). Her voice for each character was distinct and not too cheesy. I'd definitely listen to more books by her!

Audiobook Review: Alive by Scott Sigler

Title: Alive
Author: Scott Sigler
Narrator: Emma Galvin
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: Del Rey
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From New York Times bestselling author Scott Sigler comes something utterly new: a gripping sci-fi adventure trilogy in the vein of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner. A group of young adults awake in a mysterious enclosed space with no knowledge of who they are or how they got there…and an indomitable young woman must lead them not only to answers but to survival.

A young woman awakes trapped in an enclosed space. She has no idea who she is or how she got there. With only her instincts to guide her, she escapes her own confinement—and finds she’s not alone. She frees the others in the room and leads them into a corridor filled with the remains of a war long past. The farther these survivors travel, the worse are the horrors they confront. And as they slowly come to understand what this prison is, they realize that the worst and strangest possibilities they could have imagined don’t even come close to the truth.

This review will have to stay really vague because, trust me, you do NOT want to know what to expect in Alive! As I tend to do, I went into this one not knowing very much about it other than the Goodreads synopsis. This is the kind of book that keeps you totally in the dark (pretty literally in this case) until almost the very end! It's not for the faint of heart though - this is definitely one of the darker dystopians I've read.

Alive begins with our heroine, Em, waking up inside a coffin. Yes. Insid of a coffin. As in buried alive. As in nope, no, thank you! Right away this book is immensely creepy. This book also immediately made me think "Maze Runner." The beginning of Alive is almost identical to the book the synopsis actually compares itself to. M wakes up in a box and doesn't know where she is, has no memories, and doesn't know her name. Sound familiar? At this point I was creeped out, yes, but I was also really skeptical. Luckily, the similarities are far fewer after this first scene.

But back to Em. She's the group's leader, although she can't figure out why and everyone who hears this thinks it's a joke. She's brave when she has to be, a fighter when she needs to pull out the moves, and she doubts herself constantly. This kind of character can really go either way, but I feel like these characteristics worked in Alive. I liked Em and felt like she was a really strong character, but with flaws that made her human. I could understand her doubts and her fears freaked me out too.

I also really enjoyed many of the other characters. Each had a distinct personality although none of them had a clue about anything either. I did feel like there were too many names thrown around without people to attach them too, but perhaps more of those personalities will come to the forefront in the next book. There was no real romance in Alive - more like a few butterflies here and there - and, given the circumstances, I can really appreciate that.

I can't say much about the world of Alive without giving things away, but I will say that it was amazing! Some authors have the ability to make their readers -see- their settings, and Scott Sigler has that. I felt like I was right there with M and her companions and it made this book that much more unique! From the very first page, the action is non-stop and I was constantly on my toes, not knowing what to expect next.

My only real (minor) complaint is that I feel like it could have probably been a lot shorter... There was a lot of walking through hallways, which I DO understand based on things that are learned throughout the book. I just remember finishing it and thinking that they could have left out some of the group marches.

While Alive started out on shaky footing because of it's uncanny similarity to The Maze Runner, it quickly took off in its own direction and really blew me away! I was never quite sure what to expect and I love that in a book. One of my favorite things is being kept in the dark until the big twist so this book really won me over so I'll definitely be reading book two! If you're a fan of dystopia and are tired of the same old thing, this should be the next book on your list!

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

While Emma Glavin did grow on me by the end of this book, she did have some qualities that were really irritating. Every single sentence ended on a high note. It was as if she was freaking out from the first sentence all the way till the last. I understand the sense of urgency this book has so I guess maybe that's why she read it such an... excited(?) tone. I just didn't love it.

Audiobook Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa

Title: Talon (Talon #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Narrator: Caitlin Davies, MacLeod Andrews, Chris Patton
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
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Reviews for book 2 and book 3

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Talon is a book that has had my eye since it was first released last year. Let's be real. That cover is gorgeous! And it's even prettier in person because it's all shiny and perfect (dragons love shiny things). I just wasn't totally sure it was the book for me. I've heard it described as high fantasy AND contemporary, neither of which are at the top of my favorite genres list. But when I got a chance to listen to the audiobook I figured that it was time to see what all the hype was about.

This is definitely one of the more unique fantasies I've come across in my time as an avid reader. It really does seem to break genre boundaries and I really think it works. Talon is the story of Ember Hill and her brother, Dante, two dragons who are being integrated with human society. But there are rules. Lots of rules without any apparent purpose. Dante is willing to follow without question to the point of recklessness, but Ember isn't down with that.

I really loved Ember!! I thought she was believably badass while still being a teenage girl with teenage feelings (even if she didn't understand them). I felt like I could really identify her need to understand what was going on and why things were a certain way, and I could feel her frustration with being told to blindly trust the organization whose control she was under. I also really enjoyed her love interests (yes, there were two - this is YA fiction, after all).

At first Garret and Cobalt seemed like two very different people, but as the story progressed, they weren't that different after all and I could see how Ember was confused by their attentions. Garret and Cobalt both question everything, although one is slower to realize that things may not be as they seem. I think another reason why this was a love triangle that really worked because Ember did have to contend with her animalistic side as well as the part of her that had come to feel more human.

The world building was good, although there really wasn't much to build beyond normal California landscapes. Julie Kagawa did a great job of describing oceans and houses, I suppose. I'm really hoping that we get more insight into the dragon world in Rogue! I could really go for some more fantasy in my fantasy!

The story itself intrigued me almost immediately. I really loved feeling like I was going along with multiple characters in their quest to uncover conspiracies and truths. I am excited to find out what exactly the whole story is and why things are the way they are between Talon and the human organization, Saint George. Julie Kagawa has created a truly unique tale of dragons and humans in the present day with bad guys who are terrifying because they breathe fire and good guys who are honestly equally terrifying (humans are scary). One thing that kind of irritated me was Ember's constant use of "my dragon." I get it. You're a dragon. This is just a minor detail that kind of got annoying over the course of several hours of listening.

I enjoyed Talon despite being pretty unsure what I'd think! I do wish there had been a little more fantasy and a little less mall outings and smoothies, but I guess I knew what I was getting into. I am really looking forward to reading Rogue and finding out more about the apparently huge conspiracy behind everything! Oh, and more Cobalt! #teamcobalt for sure!

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

All of the voice actors in this did a really good job, but I have to say that Caitlin Davies stood out! To be honest, I didn't realize that the guys were read by two different people until about 2/3 of the way through... 

Book Review: The Crossing by Mandy Hager

Title: The Crossing
Author: Mandy Hager
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Publisher: Pyr
Pages: 280
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The Crossing is the first book in a stunning new trilogy that follows the fate of Maryam and her unlikely companions - Joseph, Ruth and Lazarus. This is fast, suspenseful drama underpinned by a powerful and moving story about love and loss.

The people of Onewere, a small island in the Pacific, know that they are special - chosen to survive the deadly event that consumed the Earth.

Now, from the rotting cruise ship Star of the Sea, the elite control the population - manipulating old texts to set themselves up as living 'gods'. But what the people of Onewere don't know is this: the leaders will stop at nothing to meet their own blood-thirsty needs.

When Maryam crosses from child to woman, she must leave everything she has ever known and make a crossing of another kind. But life inside the ship is not as she had dreamed, and she is faced with the unthinkable: obey the leaders and very likely die, or turn her back on every belief she once held dear.

I was browsing my library recently when I cam across a book spine on the "new" shelf with some really eye-catching font! If you don't already know this about me, I'm a sucker for a good cover. In fact, I will basically never pick up an ugly book, which may go against THE most important lesson of my childhood. What can I say? I'm a rebel. Regardless, I picked up this book (originally published in New Zealand), which led me on the hunt to find the first book in the series. Lucky me, it was available!

The Crossing is the story of Maryam, a teenage girl who has grown up on a remote island with the knowledge that she's one day go to live with the Chosen in the Holy City. Apart from knowing this is a special honor, Maryam knows next to nothing about what all this entails. But upon "becoming a woman" she is finally able to leave to join those who have gone before her!

Maryam is an interesting character and I was never entirely sure how to feel about her. As most are, Maryam was a strong heroine. At the same time, I was frustrated with her overwhelming need to help everyone else instead of taking care of herself. Perhaps this is a desirable trait to most, but in a situation such as that described here, it seems to me that getting oneself away from danger might be the top priority. Despite this, Maryam nearly gets herself killed because of her inability to help herself. Still, I found myself sympathizing with her and did enjoy her overall as a character.

I also really liked Joseph and could really understand his guilt over not understanding everything that had been going on around him. I thought he was a good character, but I didn't really completely buy the romance. This is a classic case of instalove, which happens far too often in YA literature. All of the bad guys (Lazarus, his father, and the other Chosen) were exactly what they were supposed to be - despicable. Ruth, though, I couldn't stand. Her along with most of the other women in this book. While I can appreciate that they were raised to have a certain meek attitude and do exactly as the Chosen commanded (cult life), it infuriated me to no end that they were totally unable to do anything to better their situation. Then again, this really worked to further the feeling of a brainwashed society, which brings me to the story itself.

There were things I really enjoyed about the plot of The Crossing. I love a good post-apocalyptic story! I love all the different ways that authors have come up with for how the world will end (I might have a problem...) and what comes next. This one was just awesome! I loved the idea that a cruise ship was the Holy City and that the crew of the ship brainwashed the entire island into believing their nonsense. However, I wish that a little more background had been given to establish how exactly this happened. I also would have liked more information on the disease that has been plaguing the population. Those answers will probably come in subsequent books, though.

Despite the problems with the background given for the story, I felt like the world building of their little island was really great! I can't pinpoint any particular thing that Mandy Hager did to make it excellent, but I feel like I can imagine the islands and the cruise ship pretty much perfectly. The smaller island where the girls were raised was different from the main island, which had multiple villages. The author did a great job making all of it authentic and memorable.

My main problem with The Crossing was the writing. It felt very strange and that could be to establish how weird this cultish island setting is. It just really didn't work for me. I felt very disconnected from the characters because of the odd dialogue and the way the entire book was written.

Overall, I felt like this was a great story with fantastic world building and characters that I mostly enjoyed. I really am dying to know what happens next - to know if the world really DID end or not! But the really weird writing has put me off from continuing the story right away. I actually did read a bit of the next book, but put it aside for now. It's almost like I can only take it in small doses... I definitely would recommend this book and definitely plan to continue it! Just be prepared for the odd writing style.

Audiobook Review: After the End by Amy Plum

Title: After the End
Author: Amy Plum
Narrator: Emily Rankin & Graham Hamilton
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
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She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

Little known fact: I spent four years of my life in Alaska while stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base. I didn't get to explore very much of it, but I did see some pretty cool things and meet a lot of awesome people while I was there, and I worked with a lot of people who had spent time in "The Bush," better known as the place where all the remote villages are. I've heard really interesting stories, but I never got to go myself.

I say all that to say that this book immediately caught my interest. A book about a post-apocalyptic village cult and its aftermath? Yes, please!

The main characters in After the End are Juneau (named after Alaska's capitol) and Miles, the son of the rich head of a drug company. What can I say about Juneau? Well, she's kind of a bitch. Really a lot, actually, and I just didn't care much for her. I tried to take into account that she had been raised in an environment that was very hostile to outsiders, but the way she treated Miles was totally unacceptable. She was rude and demanding and generally thought very highly of herself. I can appreciate that she was tough and resourceful too, but I feel like the cons outweigh the pros where Juneau is concerned.

Miles, on the other hand, I liked. And pitied. I could understand why he made the decisions he did (for the most part). However, I thought that he was way too gung-ho at times, almost unrealistically. I know he was on a mission, but there were so many times when I think a normal person would have just gone home. The worst part was I didn't get the romance.

Pro: No love triangle.
Con: Some serious instalove.

Juneau and Miles were together all of five minutes before they were suddenly making out and in love or whatever and... come on! When are YA authors going to stop with this trope?

The big bad(s) in After the End aren't as diabolical as some, but were actually perhaps the most realistic thing in the entire book. More than one group is after Juneau throughout the book and for legitimate reasons. They weren't super terrifying, but they did drive up the tension in all the right places.

This book was pretty much one big road trip that had a lot of ground to cover settings-wise. I loved the descriptions given of the Alaskan wilderness! While I've never been out in the middle of nowhere, I feel like it could be really easy to describe it as "white and flat with some mountains." Amy Plum did a great job of putting their surroundings onto paper. The author did an equally awesome job with every other setting. The world building was a high point of this book!

The storyline of After the End was truly unique and exhilarating! I LOVE Village-esque stories like this one where the main character discovers her tiny home isn't the only thing left. It's really one of my weaknesses and Amy Plum did a fantastic job of handling Juneau's discovery of modern society. I loved it! I also loved her insane evasion of the bad guys who were following her!

My problem is with the mythology of the book. The Yara (mystical, magicy, Mother-Earthy thing) was just too ridiculous for me. You mean to tell me that some guy read some books on some random religions and managed to piece one together that gives people magical powers? Um... nah. I don't buy that. I will say that I liked the partial de-mystification that happened, but I'm just really having a hard time suspending my disbelief far enough to accept the whole Yara business.

I liked After the End, I did. But I didn't love it. There were too many problems between the characterizations and the really weird magical elements that just didn't work for me for this to be a five star book. I feel like if it had all come out in the end that the Yara was a load of hooey, I might have felt differently about this one. Still, a unique premise and halfway great plot makes this two and a half stars and still (possibly) worth reading!

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton were some of the better voice actors I've come across! I have a tendency to be really annoyed by whiney girl voices, but Emily did a great job of sounding like a normal human being while reading this book! I'd definitely check out more books recorded by either of these narrators!

Book Review: Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Title: Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter #2)
Author: Megan Shepherd
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Pages: 420
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Review for books 1 & 3

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.

It took awhile to pick back up with book two in The Madman's Daughter series. While book one was quite entertaining, the end of it did not necessarily leave me dying to find out what happened next. Book one seemed to drag, just a bit, and the ending made me just the tiniest bit irritated. Alas, I finally picked up book two, two months later, and I'm so glad I did!

Her Dark Curiosity picks up several months after Juliet is abruptly pushed off of the Island (literally) after she has made it back to London. Juliet is now living with the Professor, the man who apparently turned her father in to the police once he began his experiments. Of course, she isn't entirely content with the rich, fluffy life the Professor gives her and, of course, she can't stop thinking about Montgomery - or Edward Prince.

This book really gave me a chance to get to know some of the characters a lot better than The Madman's Daughter did. Juliet is just as dark and twisted in book two as she was in the first, although she spends much of the book trying to overcome it. I was really surprised by some of the things that happened, especially some of Juliet's decisions, but her imperfections are really what make me love her as a character. I felt like I was inside her mind at times. Megan Shepherd has done a fantastic job with Juliet! I also loved getting to know Edward even better than I already did. He is such a fascinating character - especially after everything that was revealed towards the end of book one!

The one absolutely useless character in Her Dark Curiosity is Lucy, who we get to know a little better since Juliet is back in good social standing and thus good enough to be around her. She got on my nerves so many times throughout this book and one idiot move she made near the end sealed the deal for me - she's useless. Other than her, I loved most of the characters including the new ones. The good guys weren't entirely good and the bad guys were deliciously evil! The love triangle continued throughout the book, but it was done in a way that really did work for me and was mostly believable.

Megan Shepherd continues her fantastic world building with Her Dark Curiosity, although this one is set entirely in London. I felt like I could see the city and almost see Juliet moving through it. Her attic was perfectly dark and dingy in my mind and the Island-like botanical gardens seemed spectacular. The entirety of London took on a creepy air with the exception of Lucy's house, which always seemed very Downton Abby-esque.

The story that continued in book two really was better than that of book one, which was really surprising to me since I've always been a huge fan of The Island of Doctor Moreau. I'm pretty impartial to the Jekyll/Hyde story, but I am totally in love with the way it was used here! I loved that everything was wrapped up in a big conspiracy (What can I say? I'm a sucker for conspiracies) and I loved that the list of people involved was shocking and seemingly endless. All of it made everything seem more urgent and exciting!

Her Dark Curiosity definitely kicked the series up a notch in my book! I would have grabbed book three immediately after finishing except I already had something else on the agenda. I definitely have plans to read A Cold Legacy as soon as possible! I would definitely recommend picking this one up even if you weren't totally in love with The Madman's Daughter. This one is awesome!