DNF Review: The Last by Hanna Jameson

Title: The Last
Author: Hanna Jameson
Publication Date: April 9, 2019
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 340
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For fans of high-concept thrillers such as Annihilation and The Girl with All the Gifts, this breathtaking dystopian psychological thriller follows an American academic stranded at a Swiss hotel as the world descends into nuclear war—along with twenty other survivors—who becomes obsessed with identifying a murderer in their midst after the body of a young girl is discovered in one of the hotel’s water tanks.

Jon thought he had all the time in the world to respond to his wife’s text message: I miss you so much. I feel bad about how we left it. Love you. But as he’s waiting in the lobby of the L’Hotel Sixieme in Switzerland after an academic conference, still mulling over how to respond to his wife, he receives a string of horrifying push notifications. Washington, DC has been hit with a nuclear bomb, then New York, then London, and finally Berlin. That’s all he knows before news outlets and social media goes black—and before the clouds on the horizon turn orange.

Now, two months later, there are twenty survivors holed up at the hotel, a place already tainted by its strange history of suicides and murders. Those who can’t bear to stay commit suicide or wander off into the woods. Jon and the others try to maintain some semblance of civilization. But when the water pressure disappears, and Jon and a crew of survivors investigate the hotel’s water tanks, they are shocked to discover the body of a young girl.

As supplies dwindle and tensions rise, Jon becomes obsessed with investigating the death of the little girl as a way to cling to his own humanity. Yet the real question remains: can he afford to lose his mind in this hotel, or should he take his chances in the outside world?

I don't remember precisely how I came across The Last, but I was hooked after reading the description! I absolutely adore post apocalyptic fiction and I loved Annihilation, so I knew this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, this book failed to deliver in almost every aspect.

The Last is a book that really doesn't seem to know what it's doing. At the very start, Jon finds himself stranded in a Swiss hotel as the world around him and everyone he loves ceases to exist. It's spectacular. But once the initial action ends, things begin to meander and get lost. This book quickly became a story about watching random people go throughout their days with no purpose other than getting high and having sex. Which, I mean, sure. If the world is ending, why not? But why is this marketed as a dystopian thriller?

There were also several plot lines that literally went nowhere. One character sees ghosts, but nothing ever comes of it. The main character briefly mentions that he doesn't think they're alone in the hotel, but that is never mentioned again either. There's also a pointless murder mystery that, although I didn't finish the book, I did see had a very unsatisfactory outcome.

I fully expected to be blown away by this book that compares itself to Annihilation, but it was one of the biggest letdowns I've had recently. There was SO much potential here for a great story. If you're looking for a post apocalyptic thrill ride, this is not the one for you. There's no tension here. If you want to read a story about a few people going through the motions in a remote hotel, maybe you'll enjoy it.

Audiobook Review: The Dead & The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: The Dead & The Gone (The Last Survivors #2)
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Narrator: Robertson Dean
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Length: 8 hours, 50 minutes
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Review for book 1

Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

I picked up The Dead & the Gone immediately following Life As We Knew It. I enjoyed that story so much that I was a bit skeptical of this one. After all, it chronicles the exact same events, but from a different city. I wasn't sure it would be enough to keep my attention, but thankfully I was wrong.

This time the story follows Alex Morales and his two sisters, whose parents aren't home, leaving them to take care of themselves. Alex's mom was at work when disaster struck and his dad was in Puerto Rico. Despite the siblings' hopes that their parents would return, Alex realizes that he has to take charge if his family has any hope of surviving.

I had some serious issues with Alex as a character. He had violent and angry outbursts towards his sisters more than once, which made me question him a lot. Still, I can understand that a situation as stressful as what they were going through could make anyone act out, and he did seem to learn and grow from his mistakes. Despite his issues, I enjoyed him more than Miranda from Life as We Knew It, but maybe that's because he was forced to be an adult, while Miranda had the luxury of being a whiny teenager.

A big part of Alex's life was his religion. He and his sisters attend Catholic schools and rely heavily on the schools and the church to help them survive. It was interesting seeing this situation play out after Miranda's family had only themselves to depend on. Things were definitely very different in this city setting versus the small town from book one.

I was again surprised that the author wrote most of the characters as very generous and the moral decline of the people of NYC was minimal. As I said in my review for Life as We Knew It, I have a hard time believing that society would hold together, but I do understand why she took this route with a YA book.

One thing I really enjoyed in The Dead & the Gone over the first book in the series was the writing style. It was much more interesting and harrowing to read this not as journal entries. I enjoyed being able to know about more of what was going on around them and not just whichever feelings or details the person writing the journal decided to share.

Aside from the setting and writing style, this book was largely the same as the first. The events were obviously the same, although it was nice to see how a large city reacted to it. I really enjoyed The Dead & the Gone and found it to be a great story even though it did share main events with Life as We Knew It. If you're looking for a new post-apocalyptic story, this is definitely one you should check out!

Graphic Novel Mini Review: ApocalyptiGirl by Andrew MacLean

Title: ApocalyptiGirl
Author: Andrew MacLean
Publication Date: June 16, 2015
Publisher: Dark Horse Originals
Pages: 96
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The premiere graphic novel from underground sensation Andrew MacLean (Head Lopper), ApocalyptiGirl is an action-packed sci-fi epic!

Alone at the end of the world, Aria is woman with a mission! Traipsing through an overgrown city with her only companion, a cat named Jelly Beans, Aria's search for an ancient relic with immeasurable power has been fruitless so far. But when a run in with a creepy savage sets her on a path to complete her quest, she'll face death head on in the hopes of claiming her prize and, if all goes according to plan, finally returning home.

I typically start my reviews with a synopsis of the book, but, to be honest, I am not entirely sure what the plot of ApocalyptiGirl actually was. The main character of Aria is on a mission to find a lost relic that will give her and her people immeasurable power. Her only companion is a cat named Jelly Beans. Aria has been navigating the desolate earth for years, avoiding various groups of people in order to keep herself alive.

When I quickly flipped through ApocalyptiGirl, I wasn't immediately drawn in by the artwork. It isn't bad by any means, but it's not a style that is very appealing to me. Ultimately, however, the art ended up being the best part of the book for me. There is so little plot in this book that it is really difficult to review.

As I said, I was very confused about the story that ApocalyptiGirl was trying to tell. There were giant holes in the plot that left me confused and wondering if I had missed something. For about the first half of the book, I was enjoying diving into the post-apocalyptic world and learning how everything worked. But when Aria's mission was introduced, I felt like a lot of information was missing. There were supposedly two main groups living in the wilderness, but we barely got to see them or learn anything about them. And then when Aria's backstory was finally revealed in the twist at the end, I was so completely confused. I still can't figure out exactly how everything tied together.

Ultimately, ApocalyptiGirl tried to accomplish too much of a story with too few pages. The plot could have been interesting and made for a fun adventure, but there were giant plot holes that were too large for the reader to fill in with their imagination. It takes a lot for me to really dislike a graphic novel, but I was very disappointed in ApocalyptiGirl.

Audiobook review: The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

Title: The Wolf Road
Author: Beth Lewis
Narrator: Amy McFadden
Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: Crown
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True Grit meets The Road in this postapocalyptic psychological thriller--narrated by a young girl who has just learned that her adopted father may be a serial killer, and that she may be his next victim.

In the remote wilds of a ravaged land, Elka has been raised by a man who isn't her father. Since finding her wandering in the woods when she was seven, he has taught her how to hunt, shoot, set snares and start fires--everything she needs to survive. All she knows of the world outside is gleaned from whispers of a cataclysmic event that turned the clock back on civilization by a hundred and fifty years and reduced governments and technology to shambles, leaving men at the mercy of the elements--and each other.

Everything changes when Elka learns that the man she has been calling father is harboring a terrible secret. Armed with nothing but her knife and her wiles, she decides to escape his clutches and sets out on a long journey to the frozen north in the hope of finding her long-lost parents.

But as the trail of blood and bodies grows in her path, Elka realizes that daddy won't be letting his little girl go without a fight. If she's going to survive, she'll have to turn and confront not just him, but the truth about what he's turned her into.

The Wolf Road was recommended to me by a friend on Goodreads because I love, LOVE post-apocalyptic survival stories. Although the True Grit comparison did scare me a little bit at first, I was really excited to jump into this book and find out more about the characters and world this author had created.

Elka is a terribly unreliable narrator and she isn't especially likable, although she does become easier to sympathize with as the book progresses. Orphaned at a young age, she was found and raised by Trapper, a man she met in the forest who taught her everything she knows. She knows how to hunt and survive in the woods and avoid people. Trapper is her entire life and is the only person she knows how to interact with, so whenever she has to go on the run her life is turned upside down, especially when she realizes she's the one being hunted now.

Although Elka isn't my favorite protagonist of all time, I think it's fair to point out that her character development is some of the best I've seen. At the beginning of The Wolf Road, she doesn't even know what her real name is and doesn't want anything to do with anyone other than herself and her wolf. Without giving away anything, by the end Elka has come to an incredible amount of realizations about herself and Trapper, causing her to completely reevaluate her life and everything she has ever experienced.

The story itself was nothing like what I expected. Although this is marketed as post-apocalyptic fiction, there is really not much to set it apart from any other survival story. Apart from the occasional reference to the "Damn Stupid," which apparently sent the world (or at least the country) into chaos, what I assume were tornadoes called "thunderheads," there wasn't anything that made this feel like post-apocalyptic fiction. Instead of feeling like I was reading a book set sometime in a post-apocalyptic future, it felt like stepping back in time. It honestly seems like the post-apocalyptic bits could have been added in as an afterthought for marketing reasons.

Another issue I had with The Wolf Road was the pace - it was incredibly slow. Elka's journey was interesting, but the majority of the book consists of her walking through the woods, hunting, and talking to a wolf. It does pick up towards the end, but this was one that I definitely would not have made it through if I hadn't been listening to the audio. The unraveling of the mystery of Elka's past was fascinating and I saw it through to the end to see what the big twist would be, but I expected a much faster pace from this story.

I honestly expected to love this book, but I was not expecting a Western. I did enjoy the mystery and the thrill of what would happen between Elka and Trapper! I also really liked watching as Elka grew as a person and (obviously) I loved the wolf! Unfortunately, I was expecting more of a post-apocalyptic thriller and just couldn't love this book in the end.

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!

Audiobook review: Anyone? by Angela Scott

Title: Anyone?
Author: Angela Scott
Narrator: Elizabeth Phillips
Publication Date: December 1, 2014
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
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The end of the world? That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….

…Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.

Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.

Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.

But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?

Lately I have been on the hunt for good apocalyptic fiction. I gave We All Looked Up a try last year and was entirely unimpressed, so since then I've been wondering if there were any good books at all about the actual apocalypse. Well, there is. It's called Anyone? Honestly, I was a little hesitant to read this book at first, simply because I'd never heard of it or its author. I am SO glad I decided to go ahead.

Anyone? is a story about a girl, Tess, who is stuck in a bunker in her backyard. Alone. Something you may not know about me is I am (not so) secretly a prepper. I am fascinated by conspiracy theories and the many possibilities of how the world might end, so to get to read a book that starts with a girl in a fully functioning, fully stocked bunker seemed like an awesome opportunity! Okay, back to the story. Tess is in her dad's bunker and she has no idea what is happening outside or if anyone is coming back for her. She waits it out as long as she possibly can before finally emerging to find herself still entirely alone. Until she meets Cole, an obviously too old for her guy who's actually enjoying the solitude of post-apocalyptic America.

Cole is a masterpiece. Don't get me wrong! I loved Tess too! It's not often you come across a heroine in dystopian fiction who isn't either ridiculously bad ass or ridiculously helpless. Tess is neither of those things. She's believable and easy to sympathize with and I loved her. But Cole... There was just something about his character that I loved. He was kind of a sarcastic jerk and there was never any real clarity into his past or why he was enjoying himself so much at the end of the world. Cole was also accidentally romantic and protective and I adored the relationship he had with Tess. There was always a sense of taboo surrounding them that made the possibility of Tess and Cole ending up together really enticing.

Obviously, the true test of good (post) apocalyptic fiction is the setting and Anyone? did not disappoint! Not only is the city already in a state of ruin from whatever it was that took place before Tess emerged from her hiding place, but there are insane natural disasters happening all around Tess and Cole as they work their way towards their goal. There was always a feeling of foreboding around their journey and it was deliciously creepy and made me feel always on edge.

What really sets Anyone? apart from other books in this genre was the fact that I could never quite tell if I could be sure of anything. Tess becomes something of an unreliable narrator as the story progresses and I honestly felt like I was losing my mind a time or two, but in a good way! It really added to the feeling of unease that made this book so great!

My main complaint with Anyone? and the only reason it didn't get a 5 star rating from me is that the ending was too abrupt. There were a ton of questions that were raised throughout the book that I really hoped to find out the answers too and, sadly, that didn't happen. I was left feeling like I needed to know more! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that this will be a series either, so I don't think there's much hope for clarity in the future. Still, that little tidbit wasn't enough to drag this book down and honestly the uncertainty in the end kind of fit with the ambiguity that ran through a lot of the book.

If you're a fan of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, you most certainly should give this book a try! It is completely fantastic and pretty unique to anything else I've ever read. I could actually see myself giving this one a re-read in the future, and that is something that rarely happens!

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

Elizabeth Phillips did a fantastic job of narrating this audiobook! I really enjoyed listening to her guide me through the story and felt like she was convincing in differentiating between the different characters in the book. I would definitely listen to more books read by her!

  

Book Review: Darkthaw by Kate A. Boorman

Title: Darkthaw (Winterkill #2)
Author: Kate A. Boorman
Publication Date: October 13, 2015 
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 336
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Review for book 1


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

For as long as Emmeline can remember, she’s longed to leave the isolated world of the settlement and explore the wilderness that calls to her in her dreams. And now that the Council has fallen, she will finally, finally get that chance. With First Peoples guide Matisa at her side, Emmeline rallies a brave group to join her on her quest into the unknown, including her beloved Kane and his two younger brothers.

But the journey soon proves far more dangerous than Emmeline anticipated—with warring clans, slavers, colonists, disease, and natural disasters seemingly at every turn. After putting so many lives in danger, she starts to doubt everything she once knew. Did she make the right choice to leave the settlement—and can her relationship with Kane survive the ordeal? Matisa insists that to set things right and to fight the evil that is bringing all this danger and turmoil to the forest, Emmeline must journey to Matisa’s people—even if that means leaving Kane behind.

Winterkill, the first in this series, was one of my favorite books of 2014! I loved the "Village" vibes it gave off and even enjoyed the uncertainty of the setting. Darkthaw picks up right where Winterkill left off, with Em and Kane planning their future and being generally confused about most things. This was a sequel I have really been looking forward to and I hoped to feel the same about book two as I did about book one. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite do it for me.

I'm not sure what changed before books one and two, but I felt like I had a hard time connecting to Emmeline this time around. I know that people are probably inherently selfish, but she made some decisions in the first half of the book that I had a hard time accepting. I did really enjoy Matisa, however! She was a fantastic character who honestly didn't seem to have a flaw whatsoever. Kane remained one of my favorite characters also and I really felt for him as he tried to find his path in life.

I did really enjoy the new world that opened up in this installment. Emmeline and Kane decide to leave their settlement when they learn that there's much more out there than they'd originally known. The introduction of other settlers really upped the tension and mystery and continued this series as extremely unique. I feel like I was able to place the location a little better this go round - I'm guessing somewhere in Eastern Canada.

My main issue with this book was the writing. The author has used a really strange dialect which, on the one hand, makes it unique, but also makes it really laborious to get through at times. The story was also quite slow, which is why this book took me sooooo much longer to get through than the first. I feel like book one had a very quick series of events that progressed easily, while this one was a lot of traveling, horseback riding, and talking.

Darkthaw definitely had its ups and downs. I really appreciated the original story and the new characters, but the writing and unsympathetic main character made it less great than Winterkill. I'd recommend this to someone looking for a very unique dystopian who's read everything else!

ARC Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Title: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Publication Date: October 20, 2015
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 608
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Reviews for book 2 & book 3

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

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

I love that Jay Kristoff calls Illuminae "a YA Sci-Fi... thing," because that's exactly what it was. This book has been on my radar ever since I saw who the other author was. Even though I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, Amie Kaufman's Starbound series is absolutely amazing and I will read anything she ever writes. Ever. I didn't know what to expect from this one, though. The synopsis sounds awesome, but it really doesn't reveal much. All I knew was that it would be really long, really weird, and really awesome. And I was really right. I feel like I can't say too much because this is a really easy book to spoil, but I'll do what I can!

This book starts off weird. It's a little jarring to be thrown directly into documents and emails and interviews. At first I didn't know if I'd be able to adjust - it was just way different than what I normally read. The writing style did make the reading go by insanely fast. I think I finished this book in two days in between a trip to Disney and 18 hours of driving. Once I started, it was really hard to stop!

Kady and Ezra are the two main characters throughout this reading experience (because it really is an experience). They are recently broken up and trapped on two different ships with only intermittent (and probably illegal) email and IM communications between them. It's really incredible that a relationship and a romance was able to exist in this kind of book, but my heart was totally invested in theirs. I loved what these two built amidst such dire circumstances.

Illuminae has it all - action, adventure, thrills, and romance. There was so much suspense building up to the ending... Artificial Intelligence is an area that both excites and terrifies me, and this book really plays on those fears. The AI is really frightening but is also sentient enough to have a distinct personality. Somehow the AI became a main character in Illuminae - one I actually found myself feeling for. And you know Amie Kaufman had to throw in one of her heart-stopping, tear-jerking moments that she is quickly becoming famous for (at least in my mind).

Amie Kaufman has struck once again and solidified my devotion to her beautiful books. I say again: I will read anything this woman writes. I've never read anything else by Jay Kristoff, but I certainly will be keeping an eye out for him in the future! Definitely check this one out no matter what your feelings are on Sci-Fi! I really doubt you'll be disappointed!

Book Review: End of Days by Susan Ee

Title: End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days #3) 
Author: Susan Ee
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher: Skyscape
Pages: 331
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Reviews for book 1 & book 2

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

I'll start by saying that I ADORED Angelfall, I really enjoyed World After... I did not love End of Days. Let me cut to the chase. It was okay, but it was honestly an underwhelming conclusion to what was otherwise an amazing series. My ratings for this series have slowly declined and this one is the bottom of the super amazing barrel of angelic amazingness. That's not to say that I didn't like it, because I did. I just wanted (and expected) so much more.

Penryn and Raffe seem like as good a place as any to begin. In Angelfall, I loved the relationship between these two. They were hesitant and tried to resist any romantic feelings, but the pull seemed undeniable. Still, there was just the right amount of angst to make it a really good underlying romance. The key word there is underlying. It was on the back burner. Before all else were their missions. Each wanted to save their people and that was their top priority, which was why they knew no relationship could work out. This continued into World After, where Raffe was barely present. I hated that he wasn't there, but at least there wasn't any unrealistic romance. And then... End of Days happened. And Penryn lost her freaking mind. In book three of the series, both characters completely go off into left field, making decisions that are totally out of character and put others in danger. I mean, on the one hand I was glad that it ended the way it did. On the other, it just wasn't believable based on the first two books.

My other big issue was the pacing. I actually put this book down a hundred pages in and left it. For weeks. I was just so bored I couldn't keep going. It eventually picked up towards the end, but it picked up almost too much. Things were super slow throughout the first 2/3 of the book and then in the last 80 or so pages just BAM! Everything happens all at once and it's tied up way too quickly. As in HUGE BATTLE and then cut to epilogue. It was a little disappointing.

The world building was also a little shaky in this book. I really did like the descriptions of the aerie and the election. I loved the descriptions that accompanied the final battle and the place it all went down. But I was totally confused by "the pit." What was it? Where was it? It felt like they were in a virtual reality world or something and I just wish it had been laid out a little more clearly.

The whole time travel thing was also really confusing to me. The butterfly effect seemed to be missing completely and it just didn't make a ton of sense.

There were things I did like though! I enjoyed watching Paige come into her own even more than in World After and take control of her meager army. I really liked learning more about Beliel and understanding his character better (even though his character made no sense in light of the time travel). I also actually thought the final battle was really smart although I've seen others comment on how ridiculous it was.

Overall, this was a decent conclusion to the series, but it was not what I hoped it would be. Perhaps this is because it was originally supposed to be a 5 part series and was cut short? I'm honestly not sure what happened but it makes me really sad that I can't give this book the high rating I gave books one and two. I'd still recommend this series because it is incredibly unique, just be aware that the ending is really not on par with the rest.

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: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Title: This Shattered World (Starbound #2)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner 
Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 390
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Reviews for book 1 & book 3

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

It took me a really long time to finally get around to reading This Shattered World. I absolutely fell head-over-heels in love with These Broken Stars, so I was a little devastated when I found out that book two centered around two new characters. So... I protested it for awhile, but I couldn't hold out forever. Especially not when everyone was telling me how fantastic it was! I took the plunge.

This is probably the first time I haven't been able to say that book two picks up where book one left off and it's kind of a weird feeling. I still haven't gotten over it! Anyway... This Shattered World tells the story of Jubilee and Flynn, two people on the planet Avon, but on very different sides. It's made clear from the get go that Jubilee is a big ball of badass. Everyone respects here and many fear her. Flynn, on the other hand, is an unknown on her side of the tracks, which is why it's so easy for him to capture the big bad Jubilee Chase. Almost from the beginning these two are going at it in a not great way.

Both the main characters of This Shattered World really intrigued me. It's almost immediately clear that there's something not quite right about Jubilee and I was really interested to find out what the heck it was. Flynn, on the other hand, just didn't seem as ruthless as he tried to act in the beginning. My point is that I wanted to know more about them from the very beginning and I was not disappointed. If there's one thing Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner know how to do, it's create great characters! I loved watching them bicker and grow closer, although I have to admit the romance seemed a little strange in the beginning, though it worked itself out.

Of course, my favorite part of the book was how Tarver and Lilac were incorporated! Everyone told me it would happen and that it would be great. They didn't disappoint! My only complaint is that they didn't hang around longer.

The world of Avon, while totally different than what was created for These Broken Stars, was almost as fascinating (almost). I loved the uncharted feeling of the world in book one, but this one still had its own mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed! The descriptions certainly made me feel like I could clearly see the different locations of the base and the swamps. I especially loved the caves that the rebels hid out in! Ahhh, the rebels...

Plot is something else these authors do amazingly well. The tension between the rebels and the military force was tangible and kept me on the edge of my seat. The atmosphere felt real (as cheesy as that sounds) and I never got bored for a second. Something I enjoyed here was that there was more than one "big bad" and that made it even better! When all the pieces began to fall into place I wasn't totally surprised, but it still made for a fantastic story and left it wide open for book three! The one thing that was really weird for me (and maybe it's because I listened to this on audiobook) was the "voice" in between chapters that told the story of the little girl. I really didn't get it and the voice actor was a little annoying and weird.

While I initially boycotted this book, I'm really glad I gave it a chance because it ended up being almost as awesome as its predecessor (almost). I can't wait for book three since it seems like it's supposed to focus on all four characters from the first two books! I'm so excited to see where they go from here!

Notes on the Audiobook

Like I've already said, the thing I didn't like about this book was the person they chose to do the flashbacks in between chapters. It was weird and annoying. Other than that, I loved both the actors that played Jubilee and Flynn! I'd definitely listen to them again!

Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Publication Date: April 26, 1993
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf Books
Pages: 179
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In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.

The Giver is set in a future society which is at first presented as a utopia and gradually appears more and more dystopic, so could therefore be considered anti-utopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life. Jonas' society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to "Sameness", a plan which has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas is selected to inherit the position of "Receiver of Memory," the person who stores all the memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make. As Jonas receives the memories from his predecessor—the "Giver"—he discovers how shallow his community's life has become.

My brother has been trying to get me to read The Giver for years. It's one of his favorite series and I've heard him talk about it over and over but, for some reason, just never got around to picking it up. If I had to guess, it's probably because it's a classic and I don't usually love those.

I should preface this review by saying that I saw the movie first. I know, I know. But I did. The movie was actually pretty good! I really did enjoy it... until I started reading message boards and realizing how different it was from the source material. That is why I decided to finally read it and I'm really glad I did!

The Giver is definitely a heck of a lot different than the movie that was recently released. Honestly, I did enjoy some of the changes in the film and I can totally understand why they were made. I really am not sure if the book could have been translated exactly to screen. But I digress.

The book opens with Jonas as he prepares to get his assignment - his job, essentially. Much is revealed about the workings within the community he lives in. There is a huge focus on precision of language, sameness, and honesty, to name a few. It quickly becomes very obvious that this is a community run by very strict guidelines that are never -not- met. Jonas, however, is a questioner. Though he feels guilty, he doesn't do everything exactly the right way and sometimes sees strange things. This starts to make sense to Jonas once he is given the assignment of Receiver of Memory.

The previous Receiver (now the Giver) explains a great many things to Jonas through memories. Jonas learns of how things were before the world became the way it is. He learns about colors and pain and love. But these things that previous Receivers were content (or not) with are not enough for Jonas. He always wants to know more and asks all the why's.

I greatly enjoyed the characters in this book, although they were obviously very strange. I liked Jonas a lot simply because he was not content with what he was being told and he wasn't content with the way the world had become. The Receiver, though sometimes gruff, had the feeling of a grandfather who was concerned and wanted his grandson to have (know) everything. Fiona and Asher were also interesting characters, though I would have liked to have known more about them.

The story of the Giver is very imaginative. It made me laugh at times and it also made me cringe at a few moments (okay, more than a few). The only downside for me was that I didn't feel like I knew enough. Like Jonas, I wanted to know more! And this book left me with more questions than answers. I guess that the remaining books share a little more about what may have happened, but I feel like The Giver itself was abruptly ended and needed more explanation.

Back to the film, I liked the touches of romance that were only very briefly hinted at in the book, though I did like how the book explained more about how romance within the community worked. I also felt like the book did a better job with their assignments since Asher's especially seemed a little ridiculous in the movie. And while the movie's landscapes seemed a little far-fetched, I did like that it was better realized, while the book left pretty much everything completely to the imagination. Overall, I liked both the book and the movie for different reasons and I'd definitely recommend both!

Book Review: World After by Susan Ee

Title: World After (Penryn and the End of Days #2)
Author: Susan Ee (Penryn & the End of Days #2)
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Skyscape
Pages: 314
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Review for #1

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

I picked up World After as soon as I could possibly get my hands on it after finishing Angelfall and wanted to yell at myself for waiting so long on this series! Angelfall left off in a very abrupt place, which would really make me mad if I had been reading this series as it was released. As it was, I only had to wait a few days to see what happened next and even that was torture!

This book gives so much more depth to the secondary characters than Angelfall did! Normally I don't care a whole heck of a lot about any characters other than the main one (or two), but this time I was really interested in finding out more about Penryn's mom, Paige, and even Beliel (don't judge me, I thought he was a really interesting character). I'm still not sure quite what to make of Penryn's mom. I'm still not decided on whether she's as insane as we think she is nor not... And poor Paige! I mean, I don't want to give her a hug, but... Suffice it to say I greatly enjoyed the characters in this book and was grateful to get to know them better!

Which brings me to Raffe and Penryn... If there's one thing that really drives me INSANE it's when the main love interests aren't actually together for most of a book. And this book did that. And I thought I was going to lose it (I survived). All of that being said, their reunion was so incredibly satisfying! I have nothing negative to say! I do have some questions about the logistics of the flying situation though.

World After took the story to a whole new level with the archangel schemes and politics. I really enjoyed the descriptions of San Fransisco in Ruins, especially since I was just there recently. I also LOVED the use of Alcatraz! That's a conspiracy theorists' dream! I mean, seriously, Susan Ee. You've outdone yourself with that one!

And then there's pretty much my favorite thing from this book:

I can't say much more or I might spoil the fun, but seriously. That ^ was awesome!

Overall, World After was basically amazing! I can't say it was quite as epic as Angelfall was, but it's still amazing enough to warrant a five star review! I am pretty much dying while I wait for the final installment of this series! I'm just glad I don't have long to wait!

Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1)
Author: Susan Ee
Publication Date: January 1, 2011
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Pages: 326
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Review for #2

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back... 

This is one of those books when, after I've finished it, I just sit there for a moment and think, "What did I just read?"

But in a good way. Angelfall was recommended to me by a ton of people over the last few weeks. Like, I'd never even heard of it (obviously very behind) and once I did hear of it, it was EVERYWHERE. I saw it on lists, I put it on lists! And every single person who I heard from was completely in love with it. So I took the plunge. I ordered it and had it in my hands in two days. And it had been read a very short time later.

Angelfall is only the second angel book I've read, the first being Fallen, and I'm happy to say that this one blows that out of the water!

I seriously can't understand why all the hype is around Fallen. There's literally no reason that I should never have heard of Angelfall before now because it's awesome. I'll admit, I was a little wary when I saw the names Penryn and Raffe (I had an old supervisor in the military named Raffy so that was a little weird for me), but I gave it a chance and I was seriously not disappointed.

The post-apocalyptic world presented by Susan Ee was just awesome. Nothing in this book was typical YA and I loved it because it was so real. No fantasy here (okay, other than the angels) - it's dark and grimy and realistic, which is really just so much better in this context than the romanticized versions that often appear in YA fiction. I could feel the hoplessness surrounding everyone throughout her journey to San Fransisco and the setting definitely contributed to the mood.

The story itself was like nothing I've ever read. Most books that are labeled post-apocalyptic really deal with the "post." Angelfall, however, is right in the middle of the apocalypse itself. And it's caused by angels. Not humans, not global warming - angels. The good guys. What?

I am so intrigued by the little tidbits about where their orders came from. I cannot wait to read more!

And then there were the characters. I could never quite tell how I felt about Penryn. I didn't have any real beefs with her, but there was something I couldn't quite put my finger on that I didn't really love. I think a lot of it had to do with her attitude, but then, it wouldn't have been the same story with her bleak outlook. Raffe, on the other hand...

Oh my god. Come on. How could I resist? Seriously though, Raffe was probably one of my favorite book love interests of all time - he's up there almost equal with Morpheus. And that's saying something. I could feel his anguish over his wings and even over his feelings that steadily grew. The romance, for that matter was so subtle and just so good! I can't wait to get to book two because I'm thinking that will probably be fleshed out a little more. Overall I feel like Susan Ee wrote her characters in such a sympathetic way. Even with the things I didn't like about Penryn, I still felt for her and didn't -not- like her.

So, in case you hadn't picked up on it, I loved this book. I loved it. I already ordered book two and I'm having kind of a fit to get my hands on it. Oh, and I'll just leave this here...

©Dominique Wesson

Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Publication Date: December 10, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 374
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Reviews for book 2 & book 3

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive -- alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

A few days ago I was sitting on my couch and realizing that everything I'd read recently was really kind of... dark. When did I stop reading good old fashion love stories? Oh yeah, that's right. I don't really care much for those. But I did want to read something a little happier than normal. I looked through a few options and ended up settling on These Broken Stars. I mean, the cover is so gorgeous, how could I not be drawn to it?) So I ran out to Barnes & Noble (under the pretense of gift shopping) and promptly purchased a copy for myself!

I'm honestly not one for sci-fi, which might come as a shock since I love dystopian novels! When this first started on board a huge spaceliner, I wasn't really positive how I'd feel about it. But then the action started and I had a really, REALLY hard time putting it down! I've seen mixed opinions on the world building in These Broken Stars, but I have to say that I was totally enchanted by what the authors have done with this future universe. The Icarus itself (seriously, who thought that name was a good idea?) was really amazing. Each separate part of the ship was described perfectly! And the planet they land on is equally well-done - maybe even better. The terrain seemed believable, if a little odd. The sign of a well written book, in my opinion, is whether or not I can fully picture it in my head, and I could picture myself on this planet as the characters made their journey.

Oh, the characters... I wasn't sure about Lilac from the beginning. While I sympathized with her situation, I still felt that she was being a little ridiculous in the way she handled herself. Maybe even a little bratty. But as the book progressed I came to really like her and her spunk! Tarver, well there's a no-brainer. He was a fantastic character! I always feel like I'm able to identify with characters who have been to war and back and that was no different here. I was able to see where he was coming from in many of his actions and even his fears. And the romance between Lilac and Tarver seemed natural! It's about time that I got another YA book without the instalove that everyone seems to enjoy so much. The struggle between them and ultimate acceptance of their situation and each other made me love them even more.

The story itself was creative and original and I loved it. I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but the main premise behind the planet itself is absolutely nothing like your average dystopian. And then there was that thing that happens that everyone but me seems to already be aware of... My heart stopped. I thought I was going to lose it right there. But I pushed on and breathed a sigh of relief and, as you can see from the rating, I loved the way These Broken Stars was wrapped up in the end.

My only complaint about this book is that it isn't a series. When I saw book two before even starting this one, I just assumed it was going to be a trilogy. Well, apparently it is, but they're completely separate stories. So, while I loved this one, I was really hoping to read more about Lilac and Tarver! But I suppose I'll be alright and I will definitely be picking up book two soon!

Audiobook Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Title: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2)
Author: James Dashner
Publication Date: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 360
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Review for #1

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. 
Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.
The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off. 
There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive. 

Well, I did this thing where I waited around to write this review and now I'm not sure what to say. I wasn't sure what to say once I finished the book either, which is probably why it's taken me so long to do it.

The Scorch Trials was just a really weird book for me. Thomas and co. wake up to find Teresa missing from the place they've been taken. After a weird guy shows up behind an invisible barrier, they learn that their trials are far from over and they'll have to spend the next two weeks trying to find a safe haven in the middle of a wasteland. Each of the characters is assigned a role - Minho is "The Leader," Newt is "The Glue," and Teresa is "The Betrayer." Unfortunately, Thomas is "To be killed by group B." There is also a new boy added to the Gladers - Aris from Group B, which is explained in much greater detail in The Scorch Trials.

The pacing for the second Maze Runner book is about on par with the first - that is to say, it can be very slow at times. Maybe if I had read it instead of listening to it, it would have kept me turning pages to see what happened. Then again, maybe I would've given up halfway through. While the storyline is very interesting, I feel that it could have been written in a way that would have kept me more invested. I found myself not caring a heck of a lot when a character died or was injured... And the Cranks weren't nearly as terrifying as they should have been.

On their way to the safe haven, the boys have to fight the elements, the Cranks, and more weird creatures created by Wicked. They meet two new characters, Brenda and Jorge, who help them through the Scorch. Wicked is unpredictable, helping when it fits their master plan and abandoning everyone in every other situation The Gladers eventually do find Teresa, who lives up to her new title, but might not be as bad as she seems.

The ending of The Scorch Trials is just as weird as the rest of the book, introducing new monsters and hidden agendas. It remains to be seen if the Gladers really are through with their trials, but I'm not sure if I can muster enough interest to read The Death Cure. I'm surprised to say that I'm really enjoying the Maze Runner movie series (well, the one that's out) more than the books so far.

Mini Book Reviews: The Elite & The One by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 336
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Review for book 1, book 4, and book 5

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Usually I break up book series by reading something else in between, but every now and then I'll marathon a really good one. I couldn't even help it with The Selection series by Kiera Cass.The Selection was so amazing! There was no way I could NOT hurry up and read the second.

The Elite had a little bit of middle book syndrome. It definitely did drag more than The Selection. The majority of the book was focused on the politics of Illea, which was interesting, but definitely could have been summed up a lot quicker than it was.

I really enjoyed continuing to get to know the characters of The Selection. The storyline with Kriss was completely unexpected and heartbreaking! What completely blew my mind, though, was how America and Aspen behaved after! I mean, if you love someone, how can you put them in danger like Aspen continued to do throughout The Elite? FYI: That's not love.

The relationship between Maxon and America did become increasingly irritating, but remained believable. I couldn't imagine being in America's shoes as she watched Maxon date other people while she was falling in love with him. I'm not sure I could handle that process... In any case, the relationship between these two (and Aspen) was awesome to read!

As I did in my review of The Selection, I highly recommend this book to fans of YA romance! I love this series and I can't wait to see how it ends...

---

Title: The One (The Selection #3)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publication Date: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 323

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The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

The final chapter of The Selection was a wonderful wrap-up to the series! The marathon continued with book three and I could barely put it down until it was over. That's saying a lot considering I was on vacation and I usually put everything else aside while I'm at Disney World. This series had me hooked from start to finish and I am SO glad book four is coming out soon!

The political themes continued to overshadow much of the final book, but tied in nicely to the story. I loved getting to know the new characters and learning what made the different rebel groups tick. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually can't wait to see how this part of the story plays out in the next installment. 

America and Maxon continued to keep me intrigued, but I'll admit to getting a little fed up with their repetition this go round. It seemed like they were constantly having communication issues - America doing something dumb, Maxon overreacting and acting like a brat, them thinking it was over forever, and then making up. I'm really glad it finally all worked out (as if there was ever any doubt), but I wish they could've gotten there with a little more originality.

I love the way this book ended and I was sad to see the last page, but I'm super excited that there are at least two more books scheduled! I guess this wasn't a thing from the beginning... Seriously, go out and get this series ASAP if you haven't already! The romance is so good and I don't even care that it's like The Bachelor (I like that show!).