Shades of Earth

Warning! Read Across the Universe and A Million Suns by Beth Revis before proceeding. I just finished reading the last book in this trilogy, and I will spoil things for you if you’re not caught up!

As you’ve gathered by the oh-so-subtle warning above, I’ve finally finished Shades of Earth, the final book in Beth Revis’ Across the Universe trilogy. While I’m sad that this journey is over, this finale, like the two books that preceded it, was nothing short of stellar. It was action-packed, it introduced some intriguing new (and not-so-new) characters, it addressed some societal issues we’re currently facing today (without being too preachy), there was lots of death and stuff blowing up, and, of course, the complicated relationship between Amy and Elder was further explored. I guess the big question is this: Am I satisfied with how things ended? The short answer to this question is yes. There was definitely a sense of closure when I read the final words, but what happened at the end opened up a whole new set of questions for me. I won’t go so far as to tell you what happens at the end, but I think a lot of readers will be hoping for even more from the characters we’ve come to care for in this series.

Amy and Elder are no longer within the walls of Godspeed. They–along with the frozens and shipborns willing to accompany them–are about to make a home on Centauri-Earth. But no one is really prepared for what awaits them on this strange and often frightening new planet. Large, reptilian birds roam the skies seeking prey to devour. Beautiful flowers emit toxins that render humans comatose. Oddly sophisticated ruins provide shelter for Centauri-Earth’s newest residents, but who created these dwellings (that seem to be ideal for human settlements)? There’s something–or someone–else in this strange new world. Something that is determined to destroy the new inhabitants. What could be out there, and what do they have against the newly arrived humans?

As Amy and Elder search for answers, they must also reevaluate their roles in this new home. Amy has gone from being an outsider to being the daughter of the military leader of the settlement. (Her father, now reanimated, is now the highest ranking military officer among the Earthborns. Her mom is one of the lead scientists.) Amy struggles with balancing her love for her parents with the loyalty she feels toward Elder and the shipborns. A new guy, who seems to have her father’s approval, only complicates matters even more.

Elder, on the other hand, must consider the welfare of his people over all else. He’s still wary of the Earthborns, and he continues to hear Orion’s warnings in his head. Elder is trying to do everything in his power to keep his people from being made into soldiers or slaves, but Amy’s father may have other ideas. It’s clear that the Earthborns–especially those in the military–view the shipborns as dispensable and as little more than animals. It’s up to Elder to look out for his people’s best interests because it’s becoming apparent that no one else will. How can he worry about his relationship with Amy when so much else is weighing on him? (He manages, by the way.)

Dangers abound on Centauri-Earth, and secrets, lies, and treachery are making this new home even more perilous. Some of the answers to the true purpose for this settlement are right in front of Amy and Elder’s eyes, but some are frustratingly out of reach. Amy and Elder will seek clues to what is really going on here–often at risk to their own lives–but will they be prepared for what they find? Or who their true enemies are? And will the search for truth bring them together or drive them apart…forever? Is the concept of making this planet a true “home” even possible when so much has gone horribly wrong? Seek the truth when you read Shades of Earth, the thrilling conclusion to Beth Revis’ Across the Universe trilogy.

As I indicated above, Shades of Earth is just as amazing as the first two books in this series. It threw some curveballs at me, and, to be honest, I’m still reeling from a couple of the things that happened in this book–and I really hope that the author decides to explore more of Amy and Elder’s story. I had the privilege of meeting Beth Revis at Fiction Addiction on Tuesday (as part of the Breathless Reads tour), and, while she didn’t indicate whether there would be more books in this series, she did say that she’d be open to the idea of more novella-type stories that explore other characters. (There’s already one, As They Slip Away, linked here, and I plan to read it as soon as I’m done with this post.) That’s something, I guess.

One thing that the author said on Tuesday really stuck with me as I was reading Shades of Earth. She said that, when she’s faced with writer’s block, she kills somebody off or blows something up, and that usually gets her back on track. (Of course, this made everybody in the audience laugh…and with good reason. Beth Revis is freakin’ hilarious.) As I was reading this final book, though, I had to think that writer’s block must have been an issue here. There was A LOT of death and explosions. (It was kind of awesome most of the time.  Other times, though, it brought on intense cases of the feels.)

There’s also some sexy-times in this book. Nothing gratuitous or graphic, but, if you’re planning to promote this book to middle-schoolers, you should probably be aware of this. (I don’t think the scene took up more than a page, but it’s pretty obvious what was going on.)

If I have any real complaint about this book, I must say that it’s the cover change. I know the author had no say in this, but why would there be a cover change after two books are already out–with beautiful covers, by the way? Some of us use books in our decorating, and when the third book in a series looks NOTHING like the previous two, the entire aesthetic is thrown off. While I don’t hate the new cover, I would have preferred something more like the covers for the previous two books. (If you’re curious, the paperback versions of the first two books also have the new cover designs, but I’m not buying copies of books I already have just so my bookshelves will look pretty.)

You know what does look pretty, though? Autographed books! Here’s a quick pic of my autographed copy of Shades of Earth! (I got the other books in the series autographed, too.)

Awesome, right?! For even more awesomeness from Beth Revis and the entire Across the Universe trilogy, visit the author’s website. Go to the “Contact” page for all of the various ways you can connect with this amazing author!

Cinder

I love a good fairy tale retelling.  (That is clear to anyone who follows me on Twitter and sees my comments about Once Upon a Time every Sunday night.)  I also enjoy really well-written science fiction.  It should come as no surprise, then, that I found Cinder by Marissa Meyer to be a real winner.  This book combines the classic tale of Cinderella with cyborgs…kind of Disney meets Terminator (or Battlestar Galactica).  What more could a nerdy girl ask for?

Cinder doesn’t have what one would call an easy life.  Her stepmother treats her as nothing more than a slave.  Everyone around her gives her a wide berth.  But why?  What’s wrong with Cinder?  Well, she’s not entirely human.  After a horrible childhood accident (that she has no memory of), parts of Cinder’s body were replaced with mechanical and computerized parts.  Those around her consider Cinder, a cyborg, to be disposable and easily overlooked…unless they need something fixed, of course.  Cinder has an uncanny ability to fix nearly anything that’s broken…and it’s this ability that leads her to an encounter with the Crown Prince of New Beijing, Kai.

Kai goes into the local marketplace looking to have his android fixed, and his search leads him to the best mechanic available, Cinder.  He doesn’t know she’s a cyborg, and she has no intention of telling him.  But Cinder—and Kai—have no way of knowing that forces are at work that will reveal all their secrets and put both of them—and the people they love the most—in more danger than they could possibly fathom…

A devastating plague is sweeping across the earth.  The emperor, Kai’s father, is in the final throes of the disease.  Peony, Cinder’s beloved stepsister—and her only real friend—has just been infected.  Cinder is blamed by her stepmother for Peony’s sickness, but even Cinder is not prepared for the lengths her stepmother will go to for retribution.  Cinder is “volunteered” as a test subject for plague research.  As everyone in New Beijing knows, this is a certain death sentence…one that Cinder has no intention of accepting quietly.

As it turns out, Cinder will have bigger problems than being a glorified science experiment…for she is immune to the disease that is engulfing the world.  How is this possible?  What’s so special about Cinder, a cyborg that no one—except maybe Prince Kai—wants to befriend?  Cinder soon learns that she’s even more special than her cyborg parts would indicate.  She may, in fact, be the salvation that the entire world is looking for.  As everyone knows, though, one person’s salvation is often another’s destruction.  Who will ultimately be destroyed?  Who will be saved?  That answer may just rest with the decisions made by Cinder, a girl forced to deal with more than anyone should ever ask of her.  What will happen?  I’ll leave that for you to find out!

I admit that it took me a little while to get truly invested in Cinder.  About a quarter of the way through, though, I got absolutely hooked, and I couldn’t wait to get home from work to immerse myself in this story.  Yes, there was a ton of foreshadowing, and anyone familiar with the basics of the Cinderella story could predict what was going to happen, but there were a few surprises thrown in that made this an action-packed tale that, in my opinion, male and female readers could enjoy.

Cinder is also a fine read for readers in middle school on up.  I’m not one to pay a huge amount of attention to bad language in books, but I can’t recall much of it jumping out at me in this book.  There was a sort of innocent love story in this book, but, again, there was nothing that really struck me as being inappropriate for middle grade readers.

I love that, at its heart, Cinder is a science fiction book geared primarily toward teen female readers.  For too long, girls (and women) who love science fiction have been bombarded with loads of male protagonists, but we’ve had very few—relatively speaking—that we as females could identify with.  I hope many other authors will follow Marissa Meyer’s example and write quality science fiction with strong female characters!

I look forward to reading more about Cinder in the next book in this series, Scarlet, which will be released on February 5th of 2013.  Book three, Cress, is scheduled for a 2014 release, and book four, Winter, is set for a 2015 release.  There are also a couple of free ebook novellas that go along with this series.  You can find more information about those on Goodreads.

If I still haven’t convinced you to give Cinder a try, visit the author’s website at http://www.marissameyer.com/ for a closer look at this series.  You may also want to check out the video below to hear author Marissa Meyer tell even more about this fabulous first book in the Lunar Chronicles.

Fever

Spoiler alert!  Read Lauren DeStefano’s Wither before proceeding.  You will be all kinds of confused if you don’t heed my warning!

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted something here on Knight Reader, and I promise I have a very good excuse.  School started.  That’s right.  I went from nearly two months of doing almost nothing but reading and sleeping to working in an elementary school five days a week (and being so exhausted when I get home that I either nap or stare blankly at the walls).  It’s a difficult adjustment, and I simply haven’t had the time or energy to devote to blogging…or even reading (which is kind of sad for a school librarian to say).  Hopefully, things are sort of getting back to normal, and I’ll be able to post at least a couple of times a week.  We shall see.

Moving on…

Last night, I was finally able to finish reading Fever, the second book in Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy.  (If the spoiler alert above didn’t clue you in, the first book in this series is Wither.)  I absolutely adored the first book, so I had really high hopes for Fever.  I’m happy to report that Fever lived up to my expectations.  It freaked me out even more than Wither did.  I’ll go ahead and tell you that this is not a “happy” book.  It will not leave you with the warm fuzzies.  It will make you uncomfortable.  It will make you cringe.  It will make you fear for the future of humanity and society.  Most importantly, it will make you think.

In Fever, Rhine has finally escaped her life as a wife of Linden Ashby.  She is joined by Gabriel, a former servant in the mansion they used to call home.  Despite all the hope that Rhine has for the future, she’s almost immediately swept into situations that are even worse than the one she left. 

Even when Rhine and Gabriel find a way out of yet another life of servitude, their journey is treacherous and filled with uncertainty.  Will they ever make it to Rhine’s home in Manhattan?  If they do, will they find her twin brother Rowan?  What then?  Time is running out, and Rhine is growing weaker by the minute.  What will she have to do to save herself?  And is saving herself even worth the price she would have to pay?

As Rhine and Gabriel look for ways to escape their current predicaments, they are faced with the possibility that things may never get better…and they may never escape Rhine’s evil father-in-law, Vaughn, who seems to be on their heels no matter where they go.  What will Rhine and Gabriel have to do or sacrifice to finally be truly free?  Is freedom even possible at this point? 

This book is INTENSE!  I’m still mulling things over, but I might like Fever even more than I liked Wither.  This book is the perfect “second book” in a series.  Yes, it was a bridge between books one and three, but it wasn’t just filler.  Stuff happened.  (I wanted to use another word for “stuff,” but this blog is kind of kid-friendly.)  There were some pretty major events that will have a huge impact in the final book in this series (which I’m pretty sure will be freakin’ awesome).  Book three, Sever, is scheduled for a February 12th release, so we don’t have a terribly long amount of time to wait to see what happens.  I’m still on pins and needles, though.  This series has me totally enthralled.

If you’d like to learn more about the Chemical Garden trilogy or author Lauren DeStefano, visit http://www.laurendestefano.com/.  Also, you simply must follow the author on Twitter @LaurenDeStefano.  She’s pretty hilarious.  I’m convinced we’d be BFFs if we ever met.

Still not convinced to give Fever (and Wither) a try?  Well, check out this book trailer.  That should do it.

*Note: This series deals with some mature themes and is not recommended for middle grade readers.*

A Hero for WondLa

Warning:  Read The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi before reading this post.  That is all.

I read the first book in Tony DiTerlizzi’s WondLa series a little over a year ago.  The second book, A Hero for WondLa, was released in May, and one of my summer reading goals was to finish this book so that I could share it with my students when we return to school in the fall…which is NEXT WEEK!  (Cue the back-to-school nightmares and anxiety attacks.)  Anyway, I finished the book early this afternoon, and, like The Search for WondLa, this second book is a fantastic journey that will appeal to readers from age 9 to 90. 

A Hero for WondLa has elements of fairy tales, science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian fiction.  This book in particular seems to be a brilliant hybrid of Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, The Hunger Games, Alice in Wonderland, and Avatar.  The main character is a strong female who rises above her circumstances and uses her wits and, more importantly, her compassion to save herself and those she cares about.  But will it be enough to save an entire planet?  Let’s find out…

Eva Nine, having traversed the treacherous wilderness of Orbona and experienced the loss of her dear Muthr, is on the verge of yet another adventure. She’s being taken to New Attica, a human city, where Eva is sure she’ll find the sense of home that she’s always longed for.  Her trusted alien companion, Rovender Kitt, accompanies her, and he immediately senses that something about this journey is a little “off.”  But Eva is too excited about meeting other humans, so she ignores his warnings and heads to New Attica to become part of this seemingly utopian society.  But all is not as it seems in New Attica.  Eva feels no sense of belonging in this strange city (which is a lot like the Capitol in The Hunger Games), and she soon learns that the city’s leader, Cadmus Pryde, has iron control of the city and all of its citizens…and he wants to control Eva as well.

With the help of some old and new friends–and one relative she never knew existed–Eva Nine escapes this city and its mysterious leader.  While she’s leaving New Attica, though, Eva learns of a plot to take over the whole of Orbona (the planet we know as Earth).  Cadmus Pryde wants to expand his rule and destroy all traces of alien life on the planet.  Eva can’t let that happen.  But what can one thirteen-year-old girl possibly do to prevent war?

As it turns out, quite a bit.  Eva’s ability to commune with the creatures around her–and her tendency to see the best in everyone–might just be what the world needs to combat the terror that is coming.  For she has something that her enemies do not.  Eva Nine is pure of heart, and that may be the best “weapon” she can use to save the wild, beautiful planet she loves from certain destruction.  Will it be easy?  No.  Will lives be lost or forever changed?  Absolutely.  Will it be worth all of the sacrifices in the end?  We’ll just have to wait and see…

I’ll admit that, like The Search for WondLa, it took me a little while to get into this book.  (It probably would have helped if I’d read them back-to-back instead of over a year apart.)  Once I did, though, I found A Hero for WondLa to be a delightful book, and I’m hoping I can use it to get more of my female students interested in science fiction.  The main character is awesome, and I truly enjoyed seeing how she grew and matured as the story progressed.  I know she’ll be even stronger in the third book. 

I’m not sure when the third book in this trilogy will be released…or even what the title will be.  But I am sure that Eva Nine and Tony DiTerlizzi will be taking readers on yet another fantastic adventure!

If you’d like to learn more about this wonderful series, I strongly urge you to visit http://wondla.com/home/.  This is a phenomenal website and even includes an interactive component (WondLa-vision).  You can also follow author Tony DiTerlizzi on Twitter @TonyDiTerlizzi.

Insurgent

Warning!  Read Divergent by Veronica Roth before continuing!  (And, honestly, if you haven’t already read Divergent, I’m silently judging you.  Just kidding…but not really.)

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that Veronica Roth’s Divergent was picked as my top read of 2011.  Well, it looks like the sequel, Insurgent, is in the running for the top book of 2012.  (The jury is still out on which book is better.  I’m still trying to decide.)  I finished reading Insurgent yesterday morning, and I was totally blown away.  The ending alone made me utter a few choice words, and I’m still processing a lot of what happened and what it could mean for book three.  This post will likely be a short one—for me, anyway—because I don’t want to spoil things too much for you guys, but I also don’t quite know how to put my feelings on this book into words…but I’ll try.

Insurgent picks up almost immediately where Divergent concluded.  (It might behoove you to reread the final chapter of Divergent before starting Insurgent, or just check out this link to Veronica Roth’s blog for a handy-dandy “guide to remembering stuff before you read Insurgent,” http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/but-i-read-divergent-year-ago-your.html.)

  
Tris, Tobias (also known as Four), and company are on the run after the Erudite attack on Abnegation (including the simulation that turned many Dauntless members into assassins).  Tris trusts Tobias with her life and her heart, but she knows that even he is keeping secrets from her.  Tris is crumbling from the inside out, overcome with grief and guilt over the deaths of her parents and the actions that led her to this point.  She wants to confide all to Tobias, but how can she when she doesn’t know how he’ll react to the heavy burden she’s carrying?  Especially since he’s got his own demons to overcome.

As Tris and Tobias are trying to figure out where they stand with each other—and with the remaining members of their factions/families—they must also worry about the war being waged all around them.  Who can they trust with the truth of their Divergence (aptitude for more than one faction)?  How can they combat the Dauntless traitors who have allied with the Erudite?  Can they convince Candor, Amity, the remaining Abnegation, and the factionless to join in their quest to overthrow the Erudite who wish to control everyone and everything?  What if these groups have their own agendas?

War has broken out between the factions, and no one knows who can truly be trusted.  Friends (and family) become enemies.  Enemies become allies.  And secrets are revealed that shake what little foundation is left in Tris’ world.  What does it really mean to be Divergent in this war-torn society, and why is the Erudite leader—and all-around evil genius—Jeanine so determined to wipe them out?  What is Jeanine trying to hide, and can Tris find out before everything she has left is destroyed?  The truth is out there, and it’s up to Tris to bring it to light…no matter what the cost.

I’ve tried not to give too much away here, and I’m pretty sure I’ve succeeded.  This is one book you really need to read for yourself.  Like I said before, the ending alone was enough to send me into a cursing frenzy.  (I just reread it a few minutes ago, and it managed to shock me all over again.)  Totally didn’t see that coming.  In my everyday life, I hate surprises, but I love it when a book manages to surprise me.  It doesn’t happen often enough.  If you can’t tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Insurgent, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this epic journey will end.  Now, the countdown is on to book three!  The title and cover are still TBA, and I’m assuming we can expect the book to be released sometime in May of 2013.

If you want to learn more about the Divergent trilogy and author Veronica Roth, visit http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/, http://thedivergenttrilogy.com/, check out the Facebook pages at http://www.facebook.com/#!/DivergentSeries and http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Veronica-Roth/108433975887375, and follow the author on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/VeronicaRoth. You may also like this book trailer from Harper Teen (that gives absolutely nothing away).

I would like to add that, even though the majority of them were the bad guys in this book, I still consider myself a member of the Erudite faction (as I’m sure most other librarians would).  I spend most of my life in the pursuit of knowledge, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others…sometimes even when they prefer me to shut up.  If you are a proud Erudite member, you may want to check out the Erudite Faction tumblr site at http://eruditefactionnews.tumblr.com/.

Wither

People who really know me have realized that I have a mild case of paranoia.  I’ve been known to utter the phrase “until the machines rise up” in casual conversations.  (And yes, I do think the machines will eventually take over.  I can see the Matrix.)  It’s odd, then, that dystopian fiction is my favorite genre.  (I became a fan when I read Fahrenheit 451 in the eighth grade.)  Well, my latest read, Wither by Lauren DeStefano, is an all-too-believable view of the near future.  No, the machines have not risen up yet, but society’s desire to wipe out all disease and have perfect, healthy children has backfired in a major way.  The science presented in this book is totally plausible, and I fear that some of it may cross the divide between science fiction and science fact if we’re not careful.

In mankind’s quest for physical perfection, time has become the ultimate scarce resource.  Yes, the world is virtually disease-free, but the side-effect of such health is the untimely death of all people born in the new generations.  No male lives past the age of twenty-five, and no female lives past the age of twenty.  In essence, people are ticking time-bombs from the moment of birth.  First generation doctors and scientists (who kind of started this whole mess) are trying to find an antidote for the virus killing their children and grandchildren, but time is always working against them.  Humans are quickly becoming an endangered species, and some will go to any lengths—including kidnapping young girls and forcing them to be “breeders”—to keep the population from dying out.  That’s where sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery’s story begins…

Rhine, along with about a dozen other girls, is taken from her home—and her twin brother—in Manhattan.  She’s transported hundreds of miles so that a wealthy young man, Linden Ashby, can choose those he desires to be his wives.  That’s right…wives…as in plural.  Both Linden and his father are struck by Rhine’s unique features, so she is chosen as a bride.  She is joined by two sister wives:  Jenna, a girl who has less than two years until her twentieth birthday and who makes her disgust of this situation very clear, and Cecily, a thirteen-year-old girl who was seemingly groomed for this life in an orphanage and is weirdly excited about everything that awaits her.  Rhine, like Jenna, is also disgusted with her fate, but unlike Jenna, who is just counting down the days until her death, Rhine plans to do something about it.

Almost immediately upon arriving at the mansion that is to be her new home, Rhine begins to think of escape plans.  While there appear to be no immediate solutions, Rhine is sure that an opportunity will eventually present itself.  Rhine bides her time, gets to know her new husband, and grows closer to her sister wives.  She also forms an attachment to Gabriel, a servant in her new home who may have his own reasons for wanting to escape.

As Rhine looks for ways to escape this life she never wanted, she also becomes a participant in it.  She grows closer to Linden and realizes he’s not the monster she’s made him out to be in her head.  She develops real bonds with her sister wives and worries about their fates should her quest for freedom prove successful.  She discovers horrifying things about her father-in-law Vaughn, the dictatorial and terrifying Housemaster, that make her want to expose him for the liar and murderer he is.  Through all this, though, Rhine’s primary goal remains the same—to escape to freedom, get back to her brother, and, possibly, start a new life with someone who is coming to mean a lot to her.  Will she find a way out, or will she remain a prisoner and spend the rest of her short life withering away?  Read Wither, the first book in the Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, to learn the truth.

I was engrossed in this book from page one, and I highly recommend it to teen readers who enjoy dystopian fiction.  (Some of the subject matter is probably a little too mature for middle-grade readers.)  Wither presents an interesting and eye-opening look at polygamous relationships, and it shows readers that science may not be the ultimate answer for all of the world’s problems.  The “solutions” to these problems may be more dangerous and life-threatening that the problems themselves.  For those who often contemplate what the future may hold, Wither provides a conceivable glimpse into life for generations to come.  Join me in the paranoia, won’t you?

The second book in this trilogy, Fever, is already out, and I plan to read it once I’ve fully processed what happened in Wither.  The third book is currently untitled, and it is scheduled for an April 2013 release.  You can also check out an eBook, Seeds of Wither, which contains details of the world Lauren DeStefano created in Wither, a new short story titled “The First Bride,” a map of the wives floor, and more!

For those who would like more information about Wither, the rest of the Chemical Garden trilogy, and author Lauren DeStefano, visit  http://laurendestefano.com/ and http://thechemicalgardenbooks.com/wither/.  You can also follow Lauren on Twitter @laurenDeStefano, on Tumblr at http://laurendestefano.tumblr.com/, and become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LaurenDeStefanoFan. 

Still not enough?  Well, check out this awesome Wither book trailer produced by Simon & Schuster Videos.  Enjoy!

Enclave

What better way to celebrate Easter than reading a piece of post-apocalyptic fiction that will probably give me nightmares!  After spending the better part of the day with my family, I came home to my humble abode, and, after taking a much-needed nap, I immersed myself in the terrifying world created by Ann Aguirre in Enclave.  To call the future envisioned in this book bleak would be an understatement.  It kind of makes the world of The Hunger Games look like a romp through one of Mary Poppins’ magical paintings.  Enclave does, however, share some things with The Hunger Games.  Young people are fighting to survive, those in power will do anything to keep it, food is scarce, there’s an understated love story, and the main character, Deuce, is a strong, kick-butt female who can go toe-to-toe with any guy standing in her way.  And Deuce needs all the strength she can muster to face what’s coming her way…

Deuce was born in an enclave below the earth’s surface.  All she’s ever known is life below the ground, and all she’s ever wanted is to become a Huntress, one who protects those who live in the enclave.  She finally achieves her dream, and she’s paired with Fade, a Hunter who was born on the outside, one who is not quite trusted by those who govern the enclave.  While Deuce isn’t exactly thrilled with her new partner, she will do as she is told and work with him to hunt for food while watching out for the ferocious Freaks (half-human, half-beast, feral creatures) who roam the tunnels and kill anything that crosses their paths.

As Deuce and Fade begin to work together and trust each other, Deuce’s eyes are opened—for the first time—to what is really going on around her.  Fade has shown her that the elders of the enclave have one purpose and one purpose only—to keep the people in line and ignorant.  They don’t care that the Freaks are getting smarter and finding ways through their defenses.  They don’t care that other settlements are being wiped out.  They don’t care that there’s a bigger world that they know nothing about.  No, the elders are only concerned with keeping things as they are—ordered, controlled, and predictable.  Fade helps Deuce realize that this failure to see what’s really going on will be the end of the enclave if something is not done.  Unfortunately, Deuce may be powerless to do anything to save the only home she’s ever known.

When Deuce realizes just how corrupt the leadership of the enclave has become, she makes a shocking decision that will force her to do something she never thought possible.  What’s more shocking?  Fade decides to make the journey with her.  Where will they go?  How will they survive?  Well, these two are stronger than anyone gave them credit for, and they’re determined to find some way to stay alive…and together.

Deuce and Fade will face certain death and horrors they’ve never encountered in order to make it to a better future.  Along the way, they’ll encounter more Freaks, injury, new allies (in very unexpected places), and knowledge that they never had before.  What will they do with this new knowledge?  Can they figure out what brought the world to its current state?  Can they find some place that offers a promise of new life?  Will their journey to safety bring them closer together?  Or will it drive them so far apart they’ll never find a way back to each other?  Read Enclave, the gripping first installment in Ann Aguirre’s Razorland trilogy, to find out!

I thoroughly enjoyed Enclave (which shouldn’t surprise anyone, since I love most dystopian fiction), and I look forward to reading more about Deuce’s world in Outpost (due out on September 4, 2012) and Horde (expected sometime in 2013).  I will admit that it took me a little while to get into Enclave, but, once I did, the outside world ceased to exist.  I was totally focused on what Deuce was going through, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened to her and Fade.  I’m still anxious to see how their story plays out.

If you still want to know more about Enclave and author Ann Aguirre, visit http://www.annaguirre.com/, follow the author on Twitter @MsAnnAguirre, and check out this creeptastic book trailer for Enclave by MacmillanChildrens on YouTube.  Enjoy!

As I Wake

Occasionally, I come across a book that reminds me of a favorite television show.  That is the case with Elizabeth Scott’s As I Wake.  Throughout the book, I was comparing the events to that masterpiece of weirdness, Fringe (Fridays at 9pm on Fox).  Both As I Wake and Fringe deal–to a certain degree–with people crossing between alternate realities and the consequences of those “travels,” and both of them leave me very confused.  I don’t like being confused, but when we’re talking about alternate realities, I guess confusion is inevitable.

As I Wake begins with Ava. She just woke up, and she has no idea where she is, how she got here, or even her own name. Nothing–her mom, her friends, school, home–is familiar, and she has the unsettling sensation that she doesn’t belong here. Apparently, Ava has amnesia, but she senses that her memory loss goes much deeper than anyone knows.  What’s wrong with her?  And how can she fix it?

In dreams, Ava gets glimpses of another life…a life that is very different from the one she’s supposed to remember.  A life full of danger, conflict, spies, and loneliness.  A life that shows her past, including the boy that would change everything.  Are these really just dreams, or are they memories that someone has tried to suppress?  How can Ava possibly know what’s real and what’s not?

When Morgan, the boy from Ava’s dreams, appears in her strange new world, Ava knows that her dreams are really memories of her true life, the reality she was born into.  Can she get back to her old life with Morgan?  Why was she sent away from it to begin with?  Does she even want to return to a reality that held so much pain and danger…even if it did contain the love of her life?  The answers are not simple, and Ava’s decisions could mean the difference between life and death…and not just for her.  Find out what happens when Ava truly wakes up in As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott.

I mentioned that this book reminded me of Fringe, and it did.  At the end, I was left thinking “What the crap just happened?”  (This happens a lot when I watch Fringe.)  Unlike Fringe, though, I wasn’t really invested in the characters in As I Wake.  I’m still not sure what led Ava to be in an alternate reality, and I’d really like to know what happened to the Ava she replaced.  (I know that sentence was probably confusing.  Trust me.  I know how you feel.)  I want to know more about Ava’s work in her original reality, and why she felt so drawn to Morgan.  The author hinted that Ava and Morgan had known each other in other realities, even other time periods, but the idea wasn’t fully fleshed out.  I’d also like more information on some of the secondary characters.  Some of their stories are pretty complicated, and the book delved into those a little, but I didn’t feel that these characters had the depth that they could have.

All in all, As I Wake was an okay book.  I enjoyed that it made me think about physics and alternate realities, but the book could have been so much better had some of the plot lines been further explored.  I was not at all happy with the ending, and I think it could have been a lot clearer.  I still have no idea exactly what happened (and what it meant for the previous 268 pages).

I’ve read a couple of other books by Elizabeth Scott (The Unwritten Rule and Living Dead Girl), and I think both of them are much better written than As I Wake.  (Living Dead Girl still gives me nightmares.)

For more information on As I Wake and author Elizabeth Scott, visit http://www.elizabethwrites.com/.

Pandemonium

Warning:  Read Delirium by Lauren Oliver before proceeding!!!

Yesterday was, in a word, wretched.  My students (and teachers) are so ready for Spring Break that I think all of us have mentally checked out.  Add to that a shocking and upsetting announcement at yesterday afternoon’s faculty meeting, and I was ready to go home and pull the covers over my head until summer.  The only thing that saved yesterday from being a complete wash was finishing Pandemonium, the second book in Lauren Oliver’s amazing Delirium series.  For a little while, I was able to escape into someone else’s problems (and Lena has problems that make mine pale in comparison).  I finished the book last night at around 7:00, and I spent what was left of my evening thinking about what happened and how it could impact Lena’s life in the next book.  So thank you to Lauren Oliver, who helped me to escape for a while.  Isn’t that what the best books do?

Pandemonium is told in two different time periods: “now” and “then.” “Then” is what happened immediately after the events of Delirium. “Now” is, of course, what Lena is currently going through. It’s kind of cool to see how the events of the past impact Lena’s present.

After escaping into the Wilds–without her beloved Alex–Lena is near death. Her salvation comes in the form of a group of people who will grow to be her new “family.” They will help her heal, force her to move on, and show her how to survive in these new and frightening circumstances. But Lena can never forget what–or who–brought her to this point, and she’ll soon have the opportunity to fight back against the corrupt system that believes love, or amor deliria nervosa, is a disease that must be eradicated at any cost.

As Lena battles against the system she once believed in wholeheartedly, she finds herself entangled in a plot that has the power to change everything.  She’s forced to unite with an enemy to survive, and her relationship with that “enemy” becomes very complicated.  If she’s friends–or possibly more–with someone she’s sworn to hate, what will her friends and allies think?  What will society think?  What would Alex think?

Lena is more confused than ever.  She doesn’t know who to trust or what anyone’s true agenda is, but she is sure of one thing.  She will fight for those she loves.  It might mean certain death.  It might mean losing the friends who’ve helped her survive.  It might throw the country–and her own life–into complete turmoil.  But Lena will do what she must.  Even if it kills her.  Maybe love is a disease.  If it is, Lena wants no part of the “cure.”  Find out just how far Lena is willing to go–and what the fallout will be–when you read Pandemonium, the gripping sequel to Lauren Oliver’s Delirium.

I am fully aware that I haven’t come close to capturing how great Pandemonium is.  I tried my best not to give too much away, especially for those who have not read Delirium yet.  (I’m not sure I’ve succeeded there either.)  Pandemonium is a great addition to the wealth of young adult dystopian literature out there, and I eagerly anticipate the third book in this trilogy, Requiem, due out in February of 2013.  There’s also a short story that gives readers a view of Hana’s experiences in Delirium.  It is, naturally, titled Hana, and is available as an eBook.

For now, dear readers, I will leave you.  I am preparing myself for an epic night for anyone who treasures young adult fiction–especially dystopian fiction.  That’s right.  I will be at the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games.  I’ve been looking forward to this for a while, and, if the early reviews are any indication, I will be one very happy movie-goer.  Have an awesome day, and “may the odds be ever in your favor.”

The Fox Inheritance

Caution:  Read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, the first book in Mary E. Pearson’s Jenna Fox Chronicles, before proceeding.  Also, if you read the first book nearly three years ago (like me), you might want to skim through it before opening The Fox Inheritance.

I first read The Adoration of Jenna Fox way back in 2008. I was still a high school librarian, and I can remember giving dozens of booktalks on this book to my students. I loved the book, and I was intrigued by its core subject matter–the thought of where science and medicine could take society in the future. I think some of my students were as well. We talked about things like cloning, preserving human consciousness after bodies have worn out, and government control of science and medicine. In short, The Adoration of Jenna Fox generated some fairly intense discussions. The sequel, The Fox Inheritance, is sure to follow in those footsteps. You see, Jenna Fox was not the only person whose mind was “saved” and put into a new and improved body. It just took a little longer–about 260 years–for her friends, Locke and Kara, to “wake up.”

Locke has been in limbo for 260 years.  260 years of total darkess, with nothing but his thoughts.  Thoughts of the night he and his friends, Jenna and Kara, were in a horrible accident.  Thoughts of his past and how he would do things differently.  Thoughts of the world that has surely forgotten him and continued to go on.  Thoughts that seem to connect with Kara, his friend who is just as trapped as he is.  They have no bodies, and their minds are imprisoned in a small box…until they are finally released. 

After a dark, horrifying 260 years of nothingness, Locke and Kara now have new and improved bodies.  They can finally feel, taste, hear (something other than the noise of their own thoughts), communicate, and live their lives.  But what life do they really have?  They are seemingly stuck in an altogether different type of prison.  Dr. Gatsbro, the man who “saved” Locke and Kara, is using them to further his own agenda.  The entire world has changed in the 260 years they missed.  Everyone they knew is gone…except for Jenna Fox.

Kara and Locke soon escape the clutches of the nefarious Dr. Gatsbro, and venture out into a world that is totally unfamiliar.  The country they were born into has split in two, robots perform many tasks once reserved for humans, and no one can be trusted.  Gatsbro and his goons are hot on their trail, and Locke and Kara are forced to seek help from unexpected sources.  Dangers lurk around every corner, but the two escapees have just one goal–get to Jenna Fox. 

Their reasons for reaching Jenna, however, are very different.  Locke wants answers to questions and wishes to be reunited with an old (and I mean really old), dear friend.  Kara, though, seeks her own brand of justice.  Why was Jenna saved so soon and not them?  What was so special about Jenna that she got to experience life for the past 260 years while they were left forgotten on a shelf?  Why didn’t she come back for them?  Why did she let them suffer for so long?  Well, Kara is determined that Jenna will suffer just as much as she and Locke did.

As Locke and Kara travel across the country, they once again face the past that has always haunted them.  When they come face to face with Jenna, will they let the past destroy their present, or will they rush headlong into a future filled with possibilities?  Read The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson to find out!

I’ve glossed over a lot of details in this post.  I didn’t even begin to touch on the science and technology featured in The Fox Inheritance–and even The Adoration of Jenna Fox–or how those “advances” seem all too possible in our world.  I’m a little paranoid, so it’s very easy for me to imagine that someone somewhere is working on being able to transfer a mind into a computer and then back into a fabricated body.  (I thought about Robocop, Blade Runner, and movies like that when I was reading this book.)  It’s very disturbing to think about.  What are the implications here?  Can–or should–society or governments do anything to stop science and technology from going as far as they can?  What will the role of bioethics be in the future?  Think about it.  I know I will.

If you’d like more information about author Mary Pearson, the Jenna Fox Chronicles, and other books, please visit http://www.marypearson.com/index.html.  According to her blog, we can look forward to a third and final book in the Jenna Fox Chronicles.  There’s no word yet on what the title is or when the book will be released.