Review: Slated by Teri Terry

Series: Slated #1

Genre: Dystopian
Format: Paperback
Published: May 3, 2012
Publisher: Orchard Books
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Kyla’s memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.
She’s been Slated.
The government claims she was a terrorist, and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?  - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

In future Britain where the reining political party pardons the criminal youth by wiping their minds and replacing them back into society, Kyla finds herself awake. She's been relocated into society, given a new name, new parents, a new sister, and expected to make progress reintegrating into regular life as a teenager. But what lurks in her past that made her become slated? Memories that make no sense start to come back to her, and she tries to make sense of them before any one notices that she isn't like all the other slated children.

I quite liked Kyla. She was innocent due to her brain alteration, yet somehow I knew she was a survivor. The other characters were all quite good and definitely moved the plot along, I'm just not sure there was anything particularly unique about them other than the girls who hated Kyla. I quite liked their stories. What really had me reading was the hope of finding out more about Kyla. I was glued to the pages and can safely say that Teri Terry has an abundance of writing talent that won't disappoint.

Overall, I really thought this was a great start to a fantastic new dystopian series. It has the suspense, the intrigue, and the interesting overbearing society! I am eagerly awaiting the second book, and I would recommend it to those who like dystopian. If you don't usually go for dystopian books, I'm not sure if this book is for you.

Find Slated: 

Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Find Teri Terry:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Series: Crewel World #1
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy
Format: e-galley provided by publisher
Published: October 16, 2012 (US), October 18, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Faber & Faber
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.
Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.
Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.
Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.
Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back. - Summary from Goodreads

In a world run by Spinsters who maintain the very fabric of society, every girl dreams of being one. Every girl except Adelice. She knows that they are not what they seem. Her world falls apart when she realizes that she cannot escape her fate with them. This book will fly by you with a fiery heroine and a seriously jawdropping world. 

Right away, I knew that the plot and worldbuilding were the center of this book and the characters came second. However, as I read on, I was pleasantly surprised by the quiet complexity of the supporting characters. Adelice meets two guys, Jost, the quiet worker in the walls of the Spinsters, and Erik, the manipulative assistant of a powerful Spinster. Yes, you guessed it, there is a love triangle. I wasn’t in love with the romantic aspect of this book, but I was glad to discover there was something more to these two characters.

What did grip me in this book was the society itself and Adelice’s scheming to escape them. This society is downright appalling in a really good way. To keep the peace, they go to extreme measures rivaling the monstrosity of the society in The Giver. I was bowled over by Gennifer Albin’s worldbuilding. I wish I had thought of this world myself!

Based on the worldbuilding alone, this book is the best dystopian release of 2012. Not everyone will fall in love with it, but I think those who do will fall hard. I am so eagerly waiting the second book. The ending of Crewel took my breath away and I have to know what happens next! I recommend this book if you are obsessed with the worldbuilding in dystopian books and often find yourself underwhelmed with it. Go read this book!

Find Crewel: 

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find Gennifer Albin:

Website | Twitter | Blog

Review: Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer

Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
Format: eBook
Published March 25, 2012 by Train Renoir Publishing
Find the author: Blog // Twitter // Facebook
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Space germs wipe out virtually everyone who has passed through puberty.
Abby Leigh is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple. For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.
But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.
On a small island off the coast of Maine, Abby must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her -- adolescence. - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

This book is one of those crazy 'what if' moments I knew I just had to read. What if virtually all adults in the world died overnight? What would humanity look like then? Night of the Purple Moon will answer all of these post-apocalyptic curiosities in an extremely haunting and realistic way. Be prepared to not be able to look away from the world Scott Cramer has created.

The characters are the very heart of this book, as the story is very character driven. At the ages of 13 and 12, the main characters Abby and Jordan along with their baby sister are suddenly forced into this mature role of caring for younger children on the island and finding efficient means of survival. You can plainly still read their innocence, but with each passing chapter you watch them grow up and the reader becomes genuinely invested in the success of the children. That's definitely my favorite part of this book.

Some readers may have trouble with the graphicness of this story. While the characters aren't exposed to much violence, they very often discover the aftermath of the new world. If you are vehemently against dead bodies, you may want to skip this one. It was a bit off-putting at first, but I'm glad I read something out of the norm for me in that sense. It's just plain realistic that those sort of things happen in a post-apocalyptic sort of situation.

The gruesome aspects of this book, partnered with its shorter length really create a great story. The writing style and plot get straight to the point. Not everything needs to be a 500 page novel. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre. It may only take you a day or two to read, but it will stay with you much longer than that once you've put it down.

Enter a *GIVEAWAY* to win one of five copies of Night of the Purple Moon and read my interview with Scott Cramer!

Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Format: E-galley provided via NetGalley by publisher for review
To be published August 7, 2012 by St. Martin's Press
Find the author: Website // Twitter
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon UK
Rating: 3/5 stars

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.
When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.
As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.
In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy. - Summary from Goodreads

This science fiction and dystopian premise got my attention pretty quickly and I knew I had to read it, the pretty cover aside. The premise of people having software and programming to control them just seems perfectly creepy and intriguing. If some of the faults are overlooked, the world building is executed with some satisfaction and acceptable writing, but the characters seemed a tad hallow.

I wasn't disappointed with the world building per se, I just saw quite a few things that needed a firmer place. One of the interesting things that go along with glitchers (those who aren't controlled by the system) are there special powers. I wish this was explored more and that the protagonist knew what she was doing with them for most of the book, rather than coming on at the most convenient moment ever in the climax.

Zoe as a protagonist didn't work for me as the story moved on. I felt that she relied on the two main males in the story to progress the plot, as they always reported back to her the goings-on and she rarely took matters into her own hands. While not every story has to have a bad-ass heroine, I feel that protagonists should move the plot along rather than sit on the sidelines. That being said, I will note that there actually was quite a bit of action in the book, it just was brought to Zoe rather than her seeking it out. 

Protagonists aside, Glitch turned out to be an okay read, but I didn't get into it like I wanted to. I wish I had more to say about the writing, but it wasn't anything remarkably good or bad. I'd recommend it to readers who would like to dabble in Science Fiction, but perhaps not for dedicated readers of the genre who would drive themselves mad with some of the holes in the world. This book is meant to be the first in a trilogy and I'm undecided whether I'll continue the series.

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Genre: Dystopian, Action
Format: Paperback
Published May 1, 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books
More about the author: Blog // Twitter // Goodreads
Goodreads // Amazon UK

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

My Review

This book is the second book in a series. While there are no spoilers for Insurgent (#2), there will probably be spoilers for Divergent (#1).

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I've been putting off writing this review for too long! I needed plenty of time to digest my thoughts, but it's been long enough. Insurgent is a fabulously fast-paced and action-packed addition to the Divergent trilogy. It begins just seconds after the first book, Divergent, has ended. The blood-pumping action and vivid world building will not disappoint a single reader. There were, however, other things beyond the action and glimpses into the other factions that led me to not enjoy this book as much as the first one.

Tris is a completely different person. While I understand that the horrific and gruesome events at the end of Divergent would affect anyone, Tris has changed by the beginning of the second book. In Insurgent, she's much more impulsive and rash, and more often than not, she's lost the ability to be cool and calculated. It's her extreme death wish that causes turbulence in her relationship with Tobias (Four). He wants her to calm down and think things through and believes her insane selflessness is actually selfish. And I agree. If she had been killed, nearly all hope would be lost! But Tris doesn't think like that when she thinks everything has gone to the dogs. I am by no means implying that this character change isn't believable or written well, I just found it annoying.

The writing in this book is absolutely superb! Veronica Roth manages to weave in so much more world building  than in Divergent, while upping the pace dramatically. The pacing was so quick and intense, it felt like there was a gun pointed to the reader's head. Perhaps that's also why you feel like you can't stop reading! I adored discovering new things about the other factions that we hadn't seen much of before. In Insurgent, Tris visits all of the faction compounds and the reader gets a better sense of what each one is about. Well done, there.

Overall, this book is extremely action-packed. Bullets will fly when you read this book. However, I got distracted at times by Tris not thinking like she used to and acting too impulsively. With that being said, I truly cannot wait to get my hands on the third book (whatever it may be called!). Insurgent ends with a huge bang and will leave everyone gasping for answers straight away. I recommend this book to any action junkie, especially if you like unique dystopias.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Genre: Dystopian, Action
Format: Audiobook
Released November 29, 2011 by Penguin Audio
Originally published by Putnam Juvenile
More about the author: Website // Bio
Goodreads // Amazon UK

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into when I borrowed this audiobook from the library. I'd read some good reviews and knew it was a dystopian book, but I had no idea how amazing this book actually is! The book summary doesn't really do the book enough justice.

I personally enjoyed having the story alternate between the views of June and Day. They are both rather similar characters set in completely different situations, and that stark contrast between privileged prodigy and wanted criminal (Robin Hood style) really added something to this story. I liked reading all sides of the spectrum. The only trouble is that sometimes, they are so similar they can be indistinguishable (this is not a problem with the audiobook as there are alternating male and female narrators). I really enjoyed it when they were together and it's when they start really working together toward a common goal that the book becomes seriously action packed.

The plot, while quicker in the end, is actually comparatively quick throughout the book. There isn't a shortness of action with illegal street fights and mastermind crimes just like in the action movies. The world building itself brings the edge of action to the book. The dystopian society, The Republic, is at war with the other half of the former United States. It's this constant strain of war that had led to this incredibly detailed militaristic country of which June was raised around and Day was raised against. I hope we learn more in the books to come.

Overall, this book was action-packed, fast, and pretty heart-felt at times. I'd recommend it to a reader interested in militaristic dystopian societies and a lot of book action. I enjoyed it, and if you don't mind multiple narrators, you will too!

*Audio Review*: I thought the two narrators, one male, one female, was really helpful (though, to be honest there isn't any other way). It was read at a good pace and I liked the female voice. The male voice was a little boring to me.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Genre: Romance, Dystopian
Format: E-book, 336 pages
Published April 24, 2012 by HarperTeen
More about the author: Website // Twitter
Goodreads // Amazon UK

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

With The Selection, I'm not even sure where to begin! It was a seriously delicious surprise topped with girly sprinkles. Yep, that must be the only way to describe it. I was instantly drawn to this book. Just look at that cover! It makes me regret not holding out for the physical book, but I couldn't pass up having a dystopian, girly, and The Bachelor-esque novel as quick as possible. The paperback is going to be released in the UK June 7 this year, but I apparently could not wait that long.

The main character, America Singer, is not high up on the caste system. Her family and caste are resigned to the artisan life of supplying society with art and music, but there's one thing her family doesn't know- she's in love with someone even lower down the caste system! When Aspen, the passionate first love of America, pushes her into participating in the Selection to win over the heir to the throne's heart, he breaks hers in the process. America is whisked off to the castle to wear fabulous dresses and endure the drama of living amongst 34 other girls competing for Prince Maxon. The drama of the girls does not disappoint, but it's the underlying drama from the rest of the kingdom that brings deeper turmoil to the castle. It's something that I hope is built upon in future books.

The plot itself is very satisfying and makes me ache for the second book. The characters, specifically America, were quite fickle at times, and frustratingly so. In fairness, if America was certain of her feelings there would not need to be further novels in this series. The two love interests could not be more different from each other. The story was written in such a way that I simply cannot chose who I want America to end up with! What was deeply lacking for me, in my opinion, was the world building. I wanted to be immersed in this future North American monarchy and learn more about the caste system. Perhaps there is more to learn in the following books, but I was deeply disappointed. There was the capacity for it to become more on par with the world building in say The Hunger Games, as there are provinces and revolts, but it simply did not go there. It didn't even try. I even wanted a bit more of The Bachelor out of this book. They described the country as rooting for certain girls in the Selection, but to be honest, I quickly forgot that it was televised since it is seldom mentioned that there are cameras present.

For what The Selection is, it's an extremely guilty pleasure. I gobbled up a good quarter of this book just making sure it had downloaded to my e-reader properly. I recommend this book to someone looking for a large serving of a girly read with very small side of dystopia! It'd be perfect for anyone hesitant to read dystopia in the past.

Review: Outside In by Maria V Snyder

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Format: Paperback, 326 pages
Published March 1, 2011 by Mira Ink
First published by HarlequinTeen
More about the author: Website // Blog
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

This book, I think, was a pretty good follow up to the first in the series, Inside Out. It picks up several weeks from where the first book left off. After a society-shaking rebellion, the people of Inside are starting to break apart again. Trella, her friends, and the Committee are losing control and they have to figure out who they're losing it to.

The action of the book starts fairly quickly, as events began to happen that I can only describe as mini terrorist attacks. As Trella and her friends start to lost control of entire networks and processes, they begin to suspect the people responsible for the oppression the last time. It was super exciting and action packed to read them solving the mysteries of the ship. As the reader already had the arduous task of learning how the world of Inside works in the first book, those who had trouble with the world building previously will be pleased to see how quickly this book gets going in comparison.

The majority of the characters are just as likeable in this book as the first, though I wish we got to see more of Riley. Though when we do read about Riley we're rewarded with some steamy scenes! I find the only character I didn't like as much was Trella herself. The first part (nearly half) of the book I think she's got an attitude problem. I think the notoriety she received had gotten to her head. In the end, though, when she snapped out of it and became her good old self, I think that that attitude change actually made the book realistic. She wasn't expecting to become a leader again and she was one reluctantly.

Overall, this book was a fast-paced and extremely satisfying conclusion to Maria V Snyder's two part series of Inside. In the end, I think I preferred the first one. It just comes down to Trella's character in this book. I'd highly recommend this book to SciFi fans who like a bit of dystopia.

Review: Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

Genre: Dystopian

Pages: 361 
Format: Paperback
Published April 1, 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's 
First published March 30, 2010
Goodreads // Amazon UK

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother’s footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve.
Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.
A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish. 

Gaia breaks into the walls of the Enclave in search of her parents. She learns that the society she thought was privileged and perfect turns out to have its problems and they actually need the children from outside the wall. From the start, the book's summary didn't actually grab me in; I picked up this book based off of reviews from others. This book met some of the expectations I had and fell in others. I suppose I'll get to that in a minute. I just simply liked it. Nothing amazingly outstanding.

Like all dystopian books, the setting as well as the society itself has to be original. The Enclave, like many other societies, was all-seeing, practically all-knowing, and intimidating. I wasn't blown out of the water with the original idea of babies having to be given to the Enclave. I found myself annoyed with it for most of the book. In the Enclave, many of the inhabitants are having children with genetic diseases like hemophelia due to the lack of genetic diversity and they need children from outside the wall to supply stronger genes. They need Gaia to crack her parents' secret code so that they can discover the parentage of the 'advanced' children. What I don't understand is that if they've been so concerned with genetics, why didn't they keep a record in the first place? It certainly wouldn't have been difficult. I just couldn't get over this fact for the entire book!

There were redeeming qualities about this book, however. I can see why readers enjoyed it. Caragh O'Brien is a genuinely talented writer and paints a vivid world full of a few good characters. I really did like reading about Gaia. She's strong and doesn't take no for an answer but isn't afraid to still be gentle when she needs to be. I just couldn't really get past the main plot. I guess that's why the book was just okay for me. I'm not really sure I'd read the second book in this series. I'll probably have too a long queue of books to place the next book near the top.

Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages: 245
Format: e-book
Published April 10, 2012 by Delacorte Books 
First Published March 13, 2012
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.
He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

There are so many dystopian books out there for Young Adult readers, and some of them leave me feeling empty. Sometimes the point of dystopian books are for the author to showcase their world building skills. I always enjoy a book more when there's a healthy dose of world building. Starters doesn't disappoint with that. Since reading Divergent, I've been on the hunt for a good world building book and I think I've found it in this debut author novel. While the world building of Starters isn't perfect (I'll get to that in a second), I'm simply happy to see it at all. It really isn't done halfway.


I've read quite a few reviews for this book, and many people have a lot of gripes with the world building. I didn't see needing to know why the Spore Wars happened in the first place as being an issue. The book was written from the perspective of someone who would have been a preteen when the war broke out, so of course she wouldn't know the details. The only beef I have, like a lot of people, were the ages chosen for the spore vaccine. To combat the spore attacks, only the vulnerable populations were able to get vaccinated. For this society, that meant under 20 and over 60. But in a world where people can live up to 200 I'd think that 60 would be the new 30. The age choices didn't make sense to me. Mini-rant over.

That being said, let's get onto the good stuff. I couldn't keep myself away from this book! Even at work, I was itching for my lunch break to read it. It's a total page turner. Price fills the book with mystery, suspense, and some pretty darn good action. I think I'd recommend this book to fans of Stephenie Meyer's The Host. It's got the same amount of world building and suspense. And people inhabiting someone else's body. I can't wait to read the second and final instalment, Enders. It's expected to be out in December this year. Eight months!

Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages: 338
Format: e-book
Published February 28, 2012 by HarperCollins
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.
When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.
Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.

This book turned out to be different from my expectations- in a really good way. It's a fantastic addition to the dystopian genre, while still maintaining its reputation as a great Science Fiction novel. The plot wasn't as action packed as I would have liked for the length of this book, but the dialogue was so good that I didn't mind. Kira is forced to go into abandoned New York to seek out a Partial (a genetically engineered cyborg thing), since all humans know about the disease that killed over 99 percent of the human population is that it originated from the Partials. Her only hope is to bring one back and study it to try and come up with a cure.

Kira Walker is a character whom I think is actually really mature for a Young Adult book. She's obviously very intelligent, working in the medical field as a teenager, but she knows when to have a good time. This book definitely didn't come off as a strictly YA book and I found myself forgetting that Kira wasn't in her 20s. To those of us who aren't all that interested in diseases or the medical field, you may find this book difficult to swallow. Since Kira is working on a cure to save humanity, there is a lot of technical jargon, though nothing I don't think you couldn't handle! I haven't studied biology in seven years and I was perfectly fine. Many of the supporting characters were hilarious and I laughed out-loud multiple times! I also enjoyed a romance different from 99 percent of the YA books out there. Kira is already in love with her childhood sweetheart and they often act like an old married couple, with the romance taking a back seat.

This book turned out to be much more political than I would have thought. At the core of this book is the debate on whether to lower the age of mandatory pregnancy to 16. The government treats each woman as a walking uterus to create more babies in hope for one that is immune to the disease.There's a lot of political debate between the characters as to level of power a government has in its fight to protect humanity as a whole and the rights of the individual. If you hate that kind of stuff, you many not like this book!

While I was reading this book, I thought about how it this is just a perfect YA Science Fiction book! It's got all the controversy, science, action, and hot robots (partials) you would possibly need. It was one of my favourite reads of 2012 so far. Very very nicely done. I can't wait to read the next one after that cliffhanger ending!

Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2)
by James Dashner
Pages: 321

Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Format: e-book
Published October 12, 2010 by Random House Children's Books
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.
Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

I really enjoyed The Maze Runner. I think this series is quite different than many series out there, even though it has recently been advertised as similar to The Hunger Games. After reading the second instalment of James Dashner's dystopian series, I really see that this is not the case. The brutal world of disease Dashner creates is a post-apocalyptic nightmare, where the boys (and girl) from the maze are dropped off in the wasteland to survive the Scorch Trials. I'm just not sure how I feel about The Scorch Trials. I liked it, I just wasn't thrilled with it.

I didn't feel that there was much character development outside of Thomas and Teresa. The supporting characters remained the same from the first book. Minho and Newt were just there, even though they were some of my favourites in the previous novel. I also wasn't crazy about the addition of Brenda. Don't get me wrong, James Dashner is such an incredible writer to really make the reader think that she's about to come off her hinges from the Flare, I just thought she was really unpredictable (even if she was a key plot advancer).

This book was a mediocre middle novel in a trilogy that functioned only as a bridge between the first and last. I felt like the boys were just walking the desert for the whole book, while Thomas magically knew what to do and passed out at the end of nearly every chapter. I'm genuinely invested in trying to figure out what WICKED is doing with the Gladers, so I will probably read the final instalment, The Death Cure. I hope it doesn't let me down and lives up to the mystery of the first novel.

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pages: 248

Genre: Dystopian, Romance
Format: e-book
Published February 28, 2012 by HarperCollins
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I’m pushing aside
the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

This book was an amazing follow up to Delirium! I ended up completely falling for this book and devouring two thirds of it in one sitting. The summaries of the book I've found have all been very vague, but I think that's to avoid spoiling the end of Delirium. You can read my review of that book here.

The book transitions between two story lines- Lena's past and Lena's present. When I'd read other reviews mentioning this part of the book I was a little annoyed. Fortunately, upon reading this I can say that I was proven wrong! The alternating chapters were done extremely well and it really added something special to the story. The reader gets a glimpse at how far Lena has come since the end of Delirium. This just adds to the emotional rollercoaster that Lauren Oliver masterfully creates.

I really liked Lena in this book. While Delirium focuses on Lena growing up and finding out what love is all about, Pandemonium is about emotional healing and maturing. Even after all that happened to her she just becomes one of the strongest characters I've read in a long time. She ends up going from the rescued to the rescuer and that's due to a couple new characters. I ended up really liking Raven. She takes Lena under her wing and she knows the meaning of tough love and she does it with so much complexity. I constantly want to know more about her and the other characters Lena comes to meet. I feel like I can't discuss them without giving away a lot of the plot. After the ending of Delirium, I was expecting an emotional ride with some new characters introduced. We got that, but the rest of the story was just so different from my expectations. I wasn't prepared for a new love interest to be introduced and I wasn't prepared for me to not like him. The majority of the scenes he was in I felt like Lena was babysitting him. I can't wait to see what happens in Requiem.

Everything aside, the writing in this book is just absolutely fantastic. I love how the story unfolds before us in an even better way than Delirium. I have nothing but great things to say about Lauren Oliver as an author. The books of the Delirium trilogy have absolutely lived up to their hype

As per Lauren Oliver's style (so it seems), this book ended with a serious cliffhanger. I can't wait for the third instalment to answer all of the many questions that ending gave me! I'd definitely recommend this series to someone who is hesitant to get into dystopian literature. This one is a very plausible (for a dystopian) story, made real by the raw emotion of the main character.

Review: Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

Pages: 315
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Format: Paperback (UK)
Published 2011 by Mira Ink
Originally Published April 1, 2010 by Harlequin 
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Keep Your Head Down.
Don't Get Noticed.
Or Else.
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution...

This book blew my expectations away. I've read several of Snyder's books before and I've always been fairly impressed, but Inside Out kept me on my toes. I was also really drawn to the world of Inside, even as I read it in the warm sun.

Some readers may not like the setting. It's dark, drab, and dreary as there is never the smallest hint of natural light. In fact, this society is beyond having normal days (probably from the lack of sun) and citizens live their lives within 100 hour long weeks. At first it was difficult to grasp this time concept. I still don't understand it when someone's age is prattled off. Only once does Trella tell the reader her age is 17.3 years according to old dating systems. My advice is to take the beginning of this book slowly to understand the world and time system she lives in. It's odd, but worth it. I imagine Inside as being a giant rubik's cube, though my mind always hearkened back to Battlleship every time she'd say something like G4 (or is it 4G?).

Despite the awkward-at-first society that Trella lives in, this book picks up the pace and soon Trella is weaving in and out of pipes and air-ducts to try to find Gateway, what others believe to be the way out of Inside. What stopped me from giving this book 5 stars was my lack of attachment to most of the minor characters. I did end up liking Riley, Trella's eventual love interest. I was pleased that it was a very minor piece of the story. However, I only ended up caring for some of the minor characters' fates and I don't think that's how it should be. They each had their own sense of humour for living in their state, but Snyder didn't make me feel any huge concern for them. Although, to be fair, she did a fantastic job in getting me to loathe the villain of the story, Karla Trava (Hate this woman!). Trella herself was a fantastic character. At first she was hesitant to go against the status quo but it didn't take long to get her gumption and kick some serious butt. I loved how strategic and snarky she was.

The ending has left me with such a cliffhanger. My mind was just about blown to bits when we discover just why the Insiders are living in Inside. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this book to, as it's very different from those I've read before. I'd say it was fairly close to the Uglies series, but it has a lot more mystery. Definitely go pick this up if you like your dystopian novels more on the grungy side.

Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Pages: 371
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Paperback
Published by Chicken House
First Published October 6, 2009 by Delacorte Press
Take a look: Goodreads // Amazon

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

James Dashner does a little bit of amazing with this book. He uses a whole lot of trickery, in the best of ways, to keep the reader reading. You know those books with the impossibly short chapters that leave you saying "just one more, it's short"? This is one of those books! The chapters are so quick, I found myself reading on and on until I was halfway through the book. How very sneaky, Mr Dashner.

The book itself is nothing short of awesome. In the beginning, the reader knows just as much of what's going on as the main character, Thomas, does. Thomas wakes up with his memory wiped and has to learn how to survive. I truly enjoyed learning about the Glade and the Maze where these boys live through the eyes of Thomas who also is figuring out why he's there. The characters are very likeable because they seem real. Every single one of them has a flaw and complexity to them even if they don't have any memories outside of the Maze.  The setting is superb! The Maze feels so eerie and dangerous while the Glade feels like home.

The beginning of this book may seem slow to readers who like to completely immerse themselves straight from the first page. As Thomas knows nothing, it does take a long time for him and the readers to catch their bearings. I personally found this experience intriguing, but I understand that it's not for everyone.

Readers may compare the book to The Hunger Games, but I don't see that many similarities. Sure, there are a bunch of teenagers, but they're trying to solve a maze, not kill each other for someone else's amusement. I feel like there is a complexity and mystery about it that the Hunger Games doesn't have, as the maze is a giant puzzle. Nonetheless, it still is a great read for fans of the Hunger Games who enjoyed the action of the arena.

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Pages: 455

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Format: Paperback
Published by Scholastic
First Published August 24, 2010 by Scholastic Press

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.

This book, simply put, was a spectacular finish to the Hunger Games trilogy. Throughout the book, I truly felt the pressure and responsibility placed on Katniss's shoulders. There is pressure from the Capitol and President Snow who want to snuff out the hope stirred by the Mockingjay. There's pressure to perform well and act as a beacon of hope for the other districts starting to fight. And of course, there's pressure from District 13 and Katniss must act like their puppet in order to ensure the safety of those she cares about.

Mockingjay is filled with so much angst from so many directions I felt as though I might explode! This complexity of a sort is absolutely brilliant. Collins writes the finale in a way that makes the reader become emotionally invested in all the characters and the rebellion itself. The plot became numbing when Katniss herself was emotionally numbed and it became thrilling when Katniss was a daredevil. It definitely became an emotional roller coaster right off the bat.

To be honest, I wasn't too into this book until halfway through when the action picked up. That was when it became apparent that many people were going to be sacrificed for the sake of the rebellion. Some of the deaths really tore me up, while others I had predicted as I knew how they would affect Katniss. These are characters that you've emotionally vested yourself with and they perform brilliantly and your heart breaks with theirs. I truly felt like this story was a broken bone that had to be re-broken just to heal properly. So much damage has to be done before Panem can heal.

While this book was certainly more emotional that the previous two, I just didn't like it as much. The characters had truly grown past their witty and marginally happy selves (if you can believe that) and had significantly changed with the rebellion dangling in their face. This is completely justified, however, as anyone would change with such a daunting task; I simply enjoyed the atmosphere of the first two books.

Despite my small nitpickings of this book, this is a truly smashing hit of a finale to a terrific series. I would recommend it to anyone who may have thought the first two books were not death-ridden enough!

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Pages: 391
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Format: Paperback
Published by Scholastic
Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn.

This book was a spectacular follow up to The Hunger Games. The end of The Hunger Games washed a sense of relief over me as I got the ending I was hoping for all along. The action picked up rather quickly after a brief setting of the scene. Every sliver of relief is very soon thrown aside as Katniss and Peeta are plunged back into the horror exponentially worse than the first book. Katniss and Peeta are called back into the Hunger Games by a twist of events. President Snow does not like Katniss and every reader can tell! The contempt seeps through the pages. The 75th Hunger Games is a special anniversary called a Quarter Quell and the entertainment is supposed to be far greater for those watching the games.

I could not put down this book. At. All. The characters introduced in this book are just fabulous and Katniss does not know who to trust or who to kill. Finnick quickly becomes my favourite as his charm is funny and endearing and his past makes him extremely likeable. Whispers of rebellion trickle through the Districts and Peeta and Katniss' refusal to give in inspires the readers as well as the fictional hopeful rebels. However, this ain't no fairytale. The plot begins raging out of control (in a fabulous way) as Katniss feels the rebellion creeping up on her heels watching every move she makes. Whatever sense of responsibility Katniss felt for the hope of the Districts is proven to be far greater than she expected.

Peeta makes me like him even more. His emotional strength and love for Katniss has absolutely no bounds in this book. I admire his determination and wrinkle my nose at Katniss' inability to see how much he loves her. Yes, Gale quickly becomes a stronger suitor in this second instalment than in the first, but I can tell you that I'm definitely a Team Peeta supporter!

This book is nonstop action and absolultely brilliant. I don't think this book is as jaw-droppingly fantastic as the first, but the cliffhanger ending will leave every reader begging for the third book and proclaiming this series as fantastic.