Fallen by Lauren Kate

Genre: fantasy
Series and Book #: Fallen Series #1
Pages: 452
Summary:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

 

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are screwups, and security cameras watch every move.

 

Except Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret…even if it kills her.

 

--------

I appreciate Lauren Kate didn't initially push Luce and Daniel together. Of course, there was the whole "I-recognize-him-from-somewhere-but-I-can't-exactly-remember-where" mixed with "Oh-my-God-he's-so-hot". Daniel's rude reception of Luce kind of puts off their romance until later in the novel, after Luce gets tangled with other people. Still, it's a little unbelievable the amount of time Luce spent fawning over Daniel.

Luce wasn't a terrible main character but she was shallow. First, she's all upset that Daniel doesn't seem attracted to her. Then she's upset that Cam likes her instead of Daniel. I mean, she has two attractive guys vying for her attention and she still has a poor-me attitude? Her commitment to her friends was a good quality. Luce loves Penn and Arriane to no end. 

So, altogether it wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. I loved the side characters more than anything, especially Gabbe and Arriane. Luce didn't really undergo any character developments as the story went on. I hope she becomes a more three-dimensional character as the series continues.

The Cover: The background of the forest surrounding Sword & Cross is good, as well as the darkness. The model looks a lot like Luce is described.

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Genre: adventure
Series and Book #: Heist Society #3
Pages: 336
Summary:

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the Fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting—or stealing—whatever they want.

 

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir—this time, Hale might be the mark. 

 

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy.

 

--------

Hot diggity Ally Carter has done it again!

The reason I really enjoy the Heist Society novels (as well as the Gallagher Girl series) is that Ally Carter has a way of creating characters that never get boring. Kat and Hale continue to be themselves but now they have a bit more to risk. Kat's always been a con; Hale now has responsibility and he can't afford to tangle with the darker side of New York. Kat's family is compassionate. It's nice to have a real family built up within a novel. Many times characters don't have parents or are estranged from whomever they have left that could be considered their family. They don't trust them, they hate them for reasons, etc. The Bishop's stick together. A code among thieves, if you will. Because Hale means so much to Kat, he's considered a part of the Bishop's wacky family. Thankfully, Hale knows this too. I'm glad he and Kat weren't separated for long in the novel.

Ugh, and the cons are so much fun! There's never a dull moment with Kat's crew. They mesh very well. The dynamic within the group was enough to bring a smile to my face. There was conflict, of course, but the whole family situation really extended to Kat's friends as well. They stick together.

This installation in the Heist Society novels lives up to its predecessors. I can't wait for the next one!

The Cover: Elegant, classy, and is that Hale I spot in Kat's sunglasses?

Railsea by China Miéville

Genre: science fiction
Series and Page #: none
Pages: 424
Summary:

On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt: the giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death & the other’s glory. But no matter how spectacular it is, Sham can’t shake the sense that there is more to life than traveling the endless rails of the railsea—even if his captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-colored mole she’s been chasing since it took her arm all those years ago. When they comes across a wrecked train, at first it’s a welcome distraction. But what Sham finds in the derelict—a kind of treasure map indicating a mythical place untouched by iron rails—leads to considerably more than he’d bargained for. Soon he’s hunted on all sides, by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters & salvage-scrabblers. & it might not be just Sham’s life that’s about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.

 

--------

What a strange book. It had hints of Moby Dick but at the same time, China Miéville created this intricate, slightly confusing, but altogether excellent novel.

Sham is an immediately likeable character. He has all these dreams and ambitions of doing what his parents used to do. Something like treasure hunting among the dangerous flatlands surrounding the rails. Instead, he trains to become a doctor like his uncles want him to do. He's a compassionate person. It seems as if everyone likes him, from the captain to the rest of the moletrain crew. He's very ambitious, too. He comes into himself while he's in the railsea. Its fun to see him develop throughout the book.

While the characters excelled, the descriptions were kind of vague. China Miéville didn't do such a great job of explaining the setting of the novel. There was a little description of the way the world was built because there were layers of earth where humans inhabited and where creatures roamed...? I was very confused.

Its difficult to really get into this book. But once you get past the initial exposition its easy to get into the flow of the book. The action was very well written, as well as the characters met throughout Sham's adventures. The descriptions were lacking and occasionally they took away from the novel. Probably not one of those books you'd find at the main shelves of a bookstore, but if you're looking for something new, I would recommend Railsea.

The Cover: I love this cover. The tracks and the garbage and the way the word "railsea" hangs there. It's an attention getter.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Genre: fantasy, sci-fi, adventure
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 528
Summary:

There are six different stories set in different times: Adam Ewing, an American traveling across the world for his work; Robert Frobisher, a young musician seeking security and an apprenticeship in Belgium; Luisa Rey, a journalist following in her father’s footsteps hoping to uncover a dangerous nuclear power plant; Timothy Cavendish, an elderly gentleman who is sent to a nursing home and is waiting for his chance to escape; Sonmi-451, a clone beginning to understand the world; and finally, Zachry Bailey, a sixteen year old boy growing up in a primitive post-apocalyptic Earth. David Mitchell intertwines their lives in one simple novel.

 

--------

"A half-finished book is a half-finished love affair."

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, page 64

 

This was such an interesting read because David Mitchell didn't stick with just one genre as he explores all six different worlds he has created. It bounces from historical fiction to science fiction to post-apocalyptic. This may seem like it would be confusing to read, but it's really not. Its distinctive when he switches stories. The best part is, I got sucked into each story. None were any worse than the others.

 

Each of David Mitchell's characters in this novel had a separate voice. Each story has an upside and a downside; nothing is perfect. But when writing six separate stories I think it would be extremely difficult to make sure there's no repetition or one story filters into another. Nothing of that sort happened in this novel. The setup of this book begins with Adam Ewing. Then, about halfway through Adam's story, Robert Frobisher's begins. The pattern continues until Zachry Bailey's. That story continues until its finish and then the book returns to the second half of Sonmi-451's story. Then the book continues to the end of Sonmi-451, Timothy Cavendish, etc. until finally, Adam Ewing writes the final entry in his journal.

 

Cloud Atlas was made into a movie of which I haven't seen. I would like to see how they interpreted it onscreen.

 

Cloud Atlas is a unique novel. As much as it may seem confusing, it's not. each character has their own voice and David Mitchell does an excellent job of tying all the stories together so they're not random. Sometimes the individual stories ended a bit abruptly. I wouldn't immediately skip to the second half of the story because you'll miss some crucial details in between.

 

The Cover: I love how it portrays different versions of the clouds. And there are six! One for every character. 

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Genre: mystery
Series and Book #: unknown
Pages: 243
Summary:

Some memories are better left untouched.

 

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family.

 

It’s a miracle…at first.

 

Then the tensions start to build, and his family starts falling apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he’d be able to put the pieces back together.

 

But there’s something that’s keeping his memory blocked.

 

Something unspeakable….

 

--------

Lisa really knew how to make Ethan's story believable, but she also plants the seeds of suspicion from early on. Ethan is a likeable character and it seems unlikely that he wouldn't be the same boy who was abducted when he was a kid. Throughout the book there are hints and clues as to who Ethan really is, and its such an interesting development of a character.

I admire Lisa because she must have had to do so much research into abductees and what they go through. Ethan was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, when hostages express empathy toward their captors. Ethan often reminisced about the woman who cared for him until he was dropped off at a home in Nebraska. His memory loss from when he was a kid seems pretty obvious. What drove me to believing Ethan's claim he was the same kid was his ever-present need to remember everything. He wasn't resisting his memories; he truly wished he could remember his brother and best friend and mother and father.

I hope there's a sequel, or something to tie up all the loose ends Lisa left at the end of Dead to You. There's more to be explored in this story (I won't say anymore because I'm afraid I'll let something slip that will ruin the book for you. But I will say this: you won't see the end coming.)

The Cover: It looks like Ethan is dead. The snow connects back to the climate Ethan returns to, and is another metaphor for death.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Genre: social issues
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 310
Summary:

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

 

--------

R. J. Palacio did something I don't think a lot of authors would be able to accomplish. Walking into the mind of a ten year old with a facial deformity can't be easy, and it must be even harder to translate his thoughts into something poignant and understandable to an adult, or a young adult.

Auggie was such a sweetheart. He was so realistic that I can imagine him being out there somewhere battling people who only see his face and not his personality. He wasn't naïve. He knew what was going on and he had the courage to continue on with his life. Not only did R. J. give us Auggie's perspective but she also offered the thoughts of Auggie's friends and family. That gave a different view to what was going on, because although Auggie wasn't a naïve kid, he was kinder than others would have been in his situation.

Even though this isn't a young adult book per say, its still a great read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

The Cover: Simple and creative.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Genre: post-apocalyptic, paranormal
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 239
Summary:

R is a young man with an existential crisis—he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.

 

After experiencing a teenage boy’s memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim’s human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R but also his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

 

--------

"Who is she, this girl? What is she? She is everything. Her body contains the history of life, remembered in chemicals. Her mind contains the history of the universe, remembered in pain, in joy and sadness, hate and hope and bad habits, every thought of God, past-present-future, remembered, felt, and hoped for all at once."

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, page 222

 

R can't articulate his thoughts. This gives us more insight into R personally. He doesn't say much, because he can't, and so all we hear are his musings on the world around him. He's a very insightful person. Seemingly unlike his zombie comrades, R has some human consciousness about him. His relationship with Julie isn't immediate. Thankfully Julie has some reservations before she starts anything romantic with R. R, unlike Julie, can't seem to get her out of his mind. But for entirely different reasons. R is finally feeling something. Its an interesting pairing, although Julie's father being the head of a whole armada against the undead is a little tired.

 

Some of you may know that Warm Bodies was adapted into a movie. As far as I've heard, it was pretty good. I would recommend reading the book if you'd be more interested in R's philosophies. I think Hollywood spent more time on R's romance with Julie.

 

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful book. Isaac Marion's perspective on being undead was interesting. There aren't many novels that take a look at what its like to be a zombie. Warm Bodies isn't exactly Walking Dead or Zombieland. R is a likeable main character. I definitely would read this again, no question.

 

The Cover: So cool! The dark landscape says something about the dark world R's living in, while the beautiful red scarf shows his final shred of humanity, still clinging to him after all this time.