The Scorpion Rules

I just finished The Scorpion Rules, and I have to say I really enjoyed it! I wasn't sure going in, especially since I'd read some not flattering reviews ahead of time (I really need to stop doing that). But it pleases me to no end to be able to give this one two big thumbs up!

Greta is one of the Children of Peace: Rulers in the post-apocalyptic world must give their heirs to a Precepture, sort of a holding camp, from the age of five until the heir turns eighteen. This is done to ensure that no country will wage war on another; if it happens, the heir is killed. It's a mostly successful system, one thought of by the great Talis, an AI who basically rules the world. As the story opens, Greta is certain that the approach of a Swan Rider means she will be killed, but the unfortunate punishment goes to a classmate instead. If she's momentarily relieved, it's fleeting; a new hostage, Elián, comes to the Precepture, and he is nothing but non-compliant. The AIs in charge must make an example of him, and by extension, those in his age group, which includes Greta and her roommate Da-Xia. That alone would be bad enough, but things go from bad to worse when Elián's country invades the Precepture in order to force Greta's country into terms for water. Greta's life hangs in the balance, and there's the reality that someone will have to account for the countries' actions.

There's a lot more going on, of course, including the daily life of study, gardening, and herding goats, but Greta knows her life is forfeit if her country becomes involved in a war. Dealing with AIs also involves torture and the expectation of a certain, reserved behavior, but when your life is on the line, it's hard to stick to all the rules. And with teenagers, there is, of course, a romantic aspect, but in this case, it's not necessarily what you think it's going to be.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this novel. I think Greta is entirely believable, and I found the circumstances surrounding the invasion of the Precepture to be realistic and horrific enough to ring true. There's torture and there are forbidden relationships; there are people who seem to be one thing and others that are just evil. I was a bit worried at first that Talis would become annoying, but surprisingly, I grew to enjoy his interactions. It's a good, edge of your seat story, and I have no problems recommending it to anyone who likes dystopians.

~taminator40

Last One of 2014

The Jewel is the first in a new series by Amy Ewing, and it's a promising beginning. Set in a society where the royalty is a bunch of pampered elitists who cannot bear children of their own, Violet is a surrogate who is expected to give birth for the royal woman who purchases her at an Auction. Violet has no say in her fate; she was chosen after "passing" a blood test at age twelve, taken forcibly from her home and made to live in a holding facility for four years, and at age sixteen, she has been prepped for her role in life. Purchased by the cold Duchess of the Lake, Violet lives in dread of the time when she will be impregnated with the Duchess's baby and forced to carry her child. Even though she lives in luxury during her time with the Duchess, she is at the command and whim of her ladyship, knowing that once her mission is accomplished, she will be sterilized and sent to live in a holding community for the rest of her life, never to marry or see her family again. To say Violet is dissatisfied is an understatement.

Told through Violet's eyes, we see the humiliation she endures, and the desperation she feels at her fate. But more than this, there's a sense of loss--Violet is only sixteen, and her life will be over within the year when she successfully bears a child. Not only is the Duchess cruel, she's almost fanatic, and her reasons for choosing Violet are only for what Violet could bring to a potential child; the Duchess's first child, a nineteen-year-old son named Garnet, has been a tremendous letdown and she will not stand for that happening again. But there's so much more going on: Violet's best friend, also a surrogate, seems to be being grossly mistreated by her mistress, a murder takes place, and there's the presence of a male "companion" for the Duchess's niece, a young man named Ash whom Violet almost immediately falls for. But when a way out of her situation is offered, Violet has to decide if it's worth the risk and if she can give up her new romance.

Violet is immature in her actions at times, but very sincere in her beliefs. She is also loyal and assertive, to the point that she endures cruel punishments from a woman who seems a bit unbalanced in a society that devalues all life except their own. I never really bought into the "romance" between Violet and Ash because it seems pretty superficial and I sense there's something else going on with Ash (who seems to have no problem with Violet risking everything to be with him and expects her to understand his "work"). There's a physical aspect there that normally wouldn't bug me (and does add an additional twist to the story) but it just sort of reinforced my opinion that Violet is immature in her decisions. That same reinforcement exists in her relationship with Lucien, a lady-in-waiting who has chosen to help Violet out of her situation, but really strikes me as more of a bad guy in the long run (and I may end up being mistaken!). But if I keep in mind that yes, Violet has been sheltered and is now in an untenable place with a guy who is showing her attention for herself, I can understand the directions the author is taking and run with it. Less clear to me is the existence of the Augeries, a sort of forced selection ability the surrogates are trained to use which causes them pain and bleeding. We'll see where that plot point takes us.

I really enjoyed this story and the author's writing style pulled me in quickly. In fact, I fell victim to the "one more page" syndrome and ended up staying up much later than I'd planned just to see what was going to happen. When that occurs, I know I've got a winner on my hands. I am already anticipating the next entry in the series!

~taminator40

Burn: The Final Pure Book

Burn finishes up the Pure trilogy, and like the other two, this one is well written and a page turner. This time we've got Pressia and her friends returning in the "borrowed" airship, only to find that their home is now burning and everything is coming to a head within the Dome, but they now have a possibility of bringing it all down. Partridge has returned to the Dome and is now in charge upon the death of his father, but he's confused and finding out that change isn't quite as easy as he'd thought it would be. Lyda's in the Dome as well, but there are still people in suspension, and Partridge discovers his father's left messages for him even after death. And there's so much more--El Capitan must deal with his feelings for Pressia, as must Bradwell, and people within the Dome aren't sure they even want to change. It's a page turning plot that made me realize how much I love these characters, flaws and all.

Biggest issue with Burn? The hanging plot threads that are never resolved. There are a lot of them, in fact. Not wanting to get spoilery, but a few plot points would be all right, but the amount of items left without resolution is pretty huge. I was surprised that we didn't get to see some big payoffs we'd been anticipating, and even more surprised when I got to the end and realized how many pages were actually spent on things that, in the end, didn't really matter all that much. As an aside, if there was ever a more irritating character than Iralene, I've yet to meet her.

Still, Burn is beautifully written and vivid. I totally love this awkward, warped, confused world and I would love for Ms. Baggott to consider more books in this setting. It's not a pretty book, but none of the three are. What it lacks in physical beauty, however, it more than makes up for in characterizations. When even a small black box can elicit emotional pangs from the reader, you know it's a special series.

~taminator40

Cress

The third book in Marissa Meyer's series which began with Cinder, Cress retells the story of Rapunzel as set in the dystopian world of the future. Cress has been kept on board a satellite of Earth by the Lunar Queen's thaumaturge, Mistress Sybil. Her ability to hack into computers has proven her to be a valuable asset, but it's a lonely existence, broken only by the occasional visits of Sybil over seven long years. Until Cress makes contact with the spaceship Rampion, where Cinder, Scarlett, Wolf, and Captain Thorne are hiding until they can work out how to return to Earth and defeat Lunar Queen Levana. At this point for Cress, it's all or nothing, so she works out an escape plan that somehow becomes a survival journey for she and Thorne. Meanwhile, Cinder tries to figure out how to get to Emperor Kai before he can marry Levana, and somewhere along the line, Scarlett is abducted by Sybil's forces.

You'd think there's a lot of action going on, and there is...at least after the halfway mark. Until that point, there's a good deal of planning, stalling, and events not working out that had me thinking I needed to fast forward. While I was still engaged, I just needed the story lines to converge and get to a point. However, once I read on past the halfway mark, the plot takes a definite upswing and Cinder and Company are in almost constant peril. It was after that point that I truly became vested in the story and had to keep reading to know what would happen next.

The characters are well done, and Thorne is an absolute delight with his cunning and arrogance. I really liked Cress; she's got brains and a human side that is very endearing. I did grow a bit weary of all the glamouring going on but since that's part of the Lunar world, it's understandable. Meyer takes the essence of the fairy tale and while keeping it generally recognizable, entwines it into her universe in such a way that you forget it's actually a fairy tale. I'm eager to see where we're headed next.

~taminator40

Flame is the thrilling conclusion to Amy Kathleen Ryan's Sky Chasers series that began with Glow and continued with Spark. And what an excellent conclusion it is! We get resolution to all the stories, unexpected twists and turns, and hope and despair in equal measure. I was up way past my bedtime finishing this one and I'm really sad it's over.

Flame begins with Waverly going back to the New Horizon after the explosion on the Empyrean. She really has no choice; she must rely on her nemesis Anne Mather and hope that there will be mercy even as she despises everything that's happened. She doesn't know that Seth has escaped to the New Horizon as well, and she is kept under guard. It doesn't take long before both Waverly and Kieran become pawns in a power struggle and it's equally clear that no one cares what really happens to either of them. Meanwhile, Seth roams the ship trying to learn more and get to Waverly, but even that has its issues, as he develops a major infection in his broken hand and his actions are questioned by the very person he most wants to save.

There's so much more going on in this novel that it's difficult to express it all in one little review. The main thing I came away with was the plethora of emotion experienced while reading. This may be a young adult book, but I was dragged through a morass of depression, hope, deceit, desperation, relief, uncertainty, delirium, rebelliousness...you name it, it's there in spades. Waverly becomes so beaten down that my heart hurt for her; Seth's determination made me fear for his life more than once. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Ryan took us in a new direction that had me upset and turning the pages to see what happened next. There are disgusting people and situations, and there are tender moments that balance the story beautifully. There's lots of action, and yet there's lots of introspection as well. This book, quite simply, has it all. A brilliant ending to an exciting trilogy.

~taminator40

The Testing

Cia has dreamed of being selected for The Testing all her life, but thinks her opportunity has passed now that she's graduated from school with no word. But when the Testing officials unexpectedly show up to her colony after graduation and select not just she, but three more graduates, she is elated, even if it means she will be leaving behind her family, possibly forever. Only her father, himself a Testing graduate, shows concern, and as it turns out, not without cause. Almost immediately upon being taken to Tosu City, the Testing becomes a brutal competition between 108 candidates, only 20 of whom will ultimately be chosen to go to University. For sheltered but brilliant Cia, it's an eye-opening experience that culminates in a weeks-long trek across 700 miles filled with danger, disaster, and death. Will it all be worth it?

The Testing is a young adult dystopian with echoes of The Hunger Games and other recent novels that share its theme. However, it is very well written, with the innocence of Cia being its main turning point; Cia believes in only the good in people, and it is both her downfall and its saving grace. There aren't a lot of surprises along the way; it's a dystopian novel, so we know there will be an uncaring government and people who aren't what they seem, with lots of harsh conditions and heartbreak. If I have a complaint about The Testing, it is that the relationship between Cia and Tomas is a little too sweet, but that follows Cia's naivety.

The Testing is the first of a trilogy, and it is well-plotted with its twists and its smart heroine. The set up for the next novel is well done, with a cliffhanger ending that promises more surprises and horror ahead. The Testing doesn't break any new ground, but it does provide page-turning action and an interesting premise which makes it a very good read. I'm hooked.

~taminator40

A Crewel World

In the miasma of dystopian young adult fiction out there today, I admit I've become somewhat jaded. I was pretty sure I'd read it all and there weren't any new ways to take us eerily into the future. And then I read the blurb for Crewel and thought, hmmm...now that's different. And it certainly was in lots of ways, even if a little hard to follow at times. Set in the futuristic society of Arras, the country is run by the Guild--and everything is orchestrated by Spinsters who see the "weave" of everything. Much like the Fates of the myths, these Spinsters have control of all life in Arras--but the Guild has control of them.

In this society, children are given assignments (as well as marriage plans!) at age sixteen. All her life, Adelice's parents have striven to hide the fact that the she is special: she can see the weave without the aid of a loom. This means that Adelice will be taken away after her official testing, never to see her family again, so they work to help her learn to hide her talents. Of course it all goes badly and Adelice's family is torn asunder; she finds herself taken by the Guild, set up in a fancy room, given lots of things including a stylist, and told she will weave for the rest of her life. But Adelice is no shrinking violet, and she finds herself in trouble right off the bat--as well as the center of attention between two young men, Josten and Erik.

There's a lot to like in Crewel, including Adelice's rather ascerbic wit and the fast pace of the action. I do wish we hadn't found ourselves stuck between two gorgeous suitors because it's a little been there, done that. I also had some trouble figuring out just what was going on towards the end--I won't give it away here, but it is confusing as to how the main characters...did what they did. But I loved the idea of Crewel; its originality is a definite plus, and I'm eager to find out where we are going. I just hope we're not left hanging too long until the next installment.

~taminator40

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Reading Pandemonium not long after Delirium, there was quite a bit about the first book still fresh in my mind. That helped a good deal while reading Pandemonium because I truly remembered and understood just why Lena had taken so many risks to get away from Portland, and I knew why she was so depressed initially. I also understood why Lena fought so hard against any feelings she might develop for Julian; the specter of Alex was still too fresh. But in many ways, Pandemonium is a fuller, richer tale; Lena not only discovers her will to live, but her determination to fight, be it for the Resistance or for those she loves.

As with Delirium, Pandemonium starts a bit slowly, moving back and forth between timelines that show what happened to Lena immediately after her escape into the Wilds and approximately six months later, when she has become an active member of the Resistance. Lena's way into rebellion starts slowly, and she quickly learns that life in the Wilds is harsh, with starvation and raids constantly looming. And while I can understand Lena's reliance on the leader Raven, I never warmed up to her personality. Even so, I supported Lena's decision to "rejoin" the society she'd grown up in and try to get to Julian, the son of the leader of the DFA. When things begin to go seriously wrong, it was fairly easy to see how Lena could grow closer to the boy she seemed to despise; I loved their trek through the underground tunnels and the people they encountered along the way. But the sense of betrayal Lena feels is overwhelming as the climax of the story looms, and even the ultimate action still didn't redeem Raven fully to this reader. And that ending? Wow...even if you see it coming, it's still an electric moment, one that makes your jaw drop. This series is well written and involving, delivering action and emotion in equal amounts. If there are issues with the predictability, those can be forgiven for the way Lena's story is being woven out of equal parts of Then and Now. Good fun!


~taminator40

Delirium

It's really not that much of a stretch to think of being in love as being "infected", though in general we don't like to think it makes us certifiable. But in this dystopian novel by Lauren Oliver, that's precisely what has happened: love (in all its forms) has been declared the enemy, but not to worry, the "procedure" will make everything right...boring and predictable, but all right. And unless you were unfortunate enough to become infected before your eighteenth birthday, it will be a blessing that all has been laid out before you with no unnecessary emotion to muddy the waters. Here's where it gets tricky for heroine Lena; she's met Alex, a young man who quite suddenly has made her no longer wish to join the ranks of the "cured", but instead escape into the Wilds where the pair can be together with all its ensuing emotions. And naturally there's where everything really goes awry.

Delirium follows Lena, whose mother succumbed to the dreaded infection, as she faces the summer after her senior year waiting for the medical procedure that will provide her with the cure, knowing it will mean she will no longer be friends with best friend Hana and that her future mate will be someone chosen for her after her evaluation by the government boards. Lena is okay with this until Alex's appearance, and when she learns that he is only pretending to be cured, their dangerous relationship takes on further edge. Alex shows her what life could be without the procedure, but Lena is torn...until she realizes that not only will she lose Alex, but her whole life has been a lie perpetuated by those who are supposed to be closest to her. And then it's a race against time to keep from having the procedure, no matter the cost.

This novel is filled with interesting characters, though at times some situations seemed a little too easy for Lena; no one seems to noticed her frequent trips past curfew through the streets of Portand, and her mute youngest cousin is obviously hiding something important. I was able to figure out the twist with Lena's mother early on, and the reliability of friend Hana was very convenient. However, still figuring out where I was headed in this story didn't detract from the excitement of the emotions Lena experiences, and the edge of your seat drama at the end was riveting. If Lena is a bit too naive at times, and then a bit too headstrong, it's fully expected of teens to be just that, especially when faced with critical decisions that will affect not just your own life but the lives of those you care about. Delirium may not be the perfect dystopian novel, but it is fun and engaging, and that's what matters to this reader. Bring on Pandemonium!


~taminator40

Blood Red Road

The entire time I was reading Blood Red Road by Moira Young, I kept seeing the scenes as though they were playing on a movie screen: hot, crowded, desperate, vivid. From the opening moments when Saba's family is torn apart as her twin brother Lugh is dragged away from the family's home in desolate Silverlake to the desperate measures taken near the end to retrieve him, the words kept painting a picture that burned themselves onto the screen in my mind. I kept thinking this one is destined for a screenplay, and yes, it has been optioned by Ridley Scott. Good move!

But back to the book...Saba is devastated when Lugh is inexplicably taken by four men in black following a massive red dust storm and immediately vows to rescue him, even though the men kill her father and she becomes saddled with her pesky younger sister Emmi. Thinking she can ditch Emmi on an old family friend is Saba's first mistake; this child is every bit as strong-willed as her older sister. The two take off on a rather shaky trail to find Lugh and soon find themselves prisoners of the decidedly weird Pinches; separated, Saba is forced to become a cage fighter, no nearer to her goal of finding her brother. She's sure, however, she can make it on her own, but the fates have other plans and suddenly the reclusive Saba has more help than she'd ever thought possible. And all that's just the beginning!

LOVED this novel, even if it being told in Saba's uneducated voice did take a bit of getting used to at first. The characters just leap off the pages, especially Saba herself, who has to learn to allow others to help and to own up to her own mistakes, particularly where her younger sister is concerned. The Free Hawks--girls who are determined to bring down the King--are well developed warriors, but it is Jack, the silver eyed boy who somehow captures Saba's heart who is the real gem. His sense of humor brings what could have been a truly depressing storyline some much needed levity, and the feelings he evokes in Saba are genuine and sweet. But there are so many more outstanding characters filling these pages: the Pinches, De Malo, the King, even Nero the crow all round out a story that shows the depth of a sister's devotion.

Blood Red Road does have a few faults, including Saba's voice/lack of spelling, but overall the faults are far outweighed by plain good old story telling. There's not a lot of extraneous detail and yet Ms. Young can place you in the middle of a cave or on horseback so that you can actually feel the setting with just a few sentences. I have a feeling that future installments will find Saba finding a way to restore order in a lawless land, but there could also be many other ways the storyline could play out. I'm along for the ride.


~taminator40

Pure

This one's going to stay with me for a very long time. I already know this because the images from Pure by Julianna Baggott are seared into my mind--wildly disturbing, absorbing, imaginative, freakish. This is a dystopian unlike most others out there, and I'm hooked.

Pure is the story of almost sixteen year old Pressia, who has lived for the nine years since the world ending/changing Detonations with her grandfather in a small barbershop in what's left of America. Those who survived the Detonations were fused to whatever they happened to be touching at the moment the bright light exploded, so Pressia's right hand is now the head of the baby doll she was holding and her grandfather has a small fan stuck in his throat. The two have been foraging for their lives, knowing that when Pressia turns sixteen, the dreaded OSR soldiers will be coming for her (for whatever purpose they deem). It is this knowledge that leads Pressia to Bradwell, a fellow survivor with birds actually living in his back, and ultimately to El Capitan, an OSR officer whose younger brother has fused to him. Meanwhile, there are a select few who have survived unscathed--Pure--in the Dome; Partridge, son of one of the leaders, feels certain his mother survived the Detonations outside the Dome and he becomes determined to find her, even if it means leaving his sanctuary. All of these lives intersect, combine, and impact one another throughout the most vivid landscape and people I've read about in quite a while.

Pure is not without its faults; its present tense writing annoys and the improbability of people fusing to items as varied as animals, metal, plastic, and land kept nagging me. Still, if you put aside the illogic, this is a story whose characters are truly the stars. Pressia is a flawed heroine whose loyalty ties her to people and places that may not be the best, but she is a determined, tortured soul. Partridge's escape and his focus on finding his family leads to layers of backstory being exposed, and while most of it is predictable, it's still exciting and fresh. El Capitan and Helmud are going to haunt me for a long time, with their shared body being both burden and sacrifice. In fact, there's not one character anywhere to be found whom I will be able to forget: Illia, the wife covered in a full body skin stocking, the Dust which lies in wait to capture unsuspecting humans for consumption, the Good Mother who demands a tall sacrifice from the Pure Partridge. All so vividly writtenly that my mind's eye has them literally fused inside my head.

This is a unique story and one I can recommend to those who like dystopias, but don't go into it thinking there is going to be a huge romance or an easy path. By the time this trilogy is done, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pressia and her friends as leaders of the Dome or as dead legacies. It could definitely go either way, but I know it's going to be interesting. This one's actually a strong 4.5 stars, marked down only because of the totally unnecessary use of present-tense. I'm going to be waiting anxiously for the next in the series.


~taminator40

The Pledge

The Pledge is fairly typical as far as young adult dystopian novels go--teenager Charlie Hart lives in a North American world that was changed a few hundred years ago (though we're never told precisely how or why), and is now ruled by a Queen with some magical powers. In Charlie's world, it's the female line in the royal house which must inherit the throne, and the current Queen, Sabara, is fast approaching the end of her life without a girl to take over when she dies. But all that is far away from Charlie's day to day life as the daughter of a Vendor; her main concern is helping her parents in their restaurant and making sure she follows the intricate rules of language that separates the classes. On the surface, Charlie seems to be fairly typical, with her friends Aron and Brooklynn attending school, but actually Charlie has two major secrets she must make sure never come out: Charlie, despite no training, understands every language she hears, and her mute younger sister Angelina also has a very unique gift. Should either secret come to light, it would mean the gallows.

The writing is fast paced and Charlie's story moves along quickly when she allows Brooklynn to talk her into visiting an illicit club after hours one night. On top of a harrowing incident at her parents' restaurant, Charlie is further dismayed when she meets not one but two young men who seem to know more about her than she knows about herself. In a world where everyone knows his or her place, Charlie finds herself drawn further and further into a mystery that threatens to topple not only her own life but the lives of her family and friends. 

I really enjoyed The Pledge right up until the final few pages which seemed a bit forced as far as resolving the storyline. Charlie is very believable as a young woman unsure of herself yet determined to protect her sister at all costs, but her relationship with the mysterious Max found me stretching my limits of credibility. It was hard to understand how Charlie felt so strongly for a boy who mysteriously shows up and doesn't tell her who or what he is, appearing and disappearing randomly, but seemingly with very strong feelings for a girl he's never met. I did, however, like the equally secretive Xander, and the epilogue leaves room for a sequel. The deep bond between the sisters was the glue for the entire story as far as I'm concerned, and I'd love to see what happens in the future with all these characters. Overall, this is a good entry in the dystopian young adult genre, and I'll definitely look forward to reading more about this unique look at the future.

~taminator40

Eve

There's a lot to like in Eve by Anna Carey; it's a dystopian young adult novel (very popular right now) with lots of action. Just as she's ready to graduate from School, Eve discovers a horrifying secret about not only her future, but the futures of all the girls she's known during her lifetime. Faced with an immediate urgency to decide her own life, Eve seizes the moment and escapes into the wild on a long, unprepared journey to "Califia" where she can hopefully be an agent for change in New America. Along the way, she meets up with another runaway, Arden, and Caleb, another young adult who has escaped his own nightmare existence. And like in most dystopian novels, Eve must decide if the trade off for freedom is actually worth the price it's going to cost in lives and relationships.



Side note: Did anyone besides me get sidetracked briefly by the names of the two main female characters, Eve and Arden? All I could picture at times was the actress Eve Arden, of Rydell High fame. Maybe it's just me.


Now for what there is not to like in Eve...As I've seen in other reviews, the background of Eve and the other orphan girls at School is fairly ridiculous, given what their futures hold. Why spend all that time and energy educating these girls and then basically physically use them up when they turn 18? I need some justification for the foundation of a story, and it's just not there in Eve. Eve is also so incredibly naive that I found it almost impossible to believe she is 18, no matter that she was so sheltered most of her life. She just doesn't seem to get any more mature as the story moves on, and that's irritating. And while this is the first in a series, I would like to have known more about New America itself and just what the King is hoping to gain by using up his best and brightest in such horrific ways.


Eve has a good premise but the characterization is lacking; Eve just isn't sympathetic enough for me to worry about what's going to happen to her. She's way too focused on herself, especially after all Caleb does for her. It's going to be a long haul to get her to think beyond her own feelings, and I'm not sure the way the author dragged her evolution out in this novel that it's going to get better any time soon. Still, it's not a bad novel by any means; I liked Caleb and I'm hoping Eve is able to be that instrument of change she's so longing to be. I will probably read more in the series, but I do hope I can stop thinking of Eve as a thirteen year old and get her mentally to the strong eighteen year old I hope she can be.
 
~taminator40

Glowing

I confess that I love dystopian fiction, and particularly young adult dystopian fiction. I've read the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I can usually pinpoint what makes such novels work. And Glow works for lots of reasons. 

The novel begins with the introduction of Waverly and Kieran, two teens in love aboard a spaceship on its way to New Earth (we don't know what has happened to Old Earth, though a few allusions are given...and it's not good). They are among the oldest of the children finally born on board; there had been a serious infertility problem until a breakthrough was made. So when Kieran (at age seventeen) proposes marriage, everyone is thrilled because it's their duty to marry and reproduce; still, Waverly harbors a few doubts in the form of whether she's ready to be a mother and also in the body of Seth, a much more dangerous boy than the church going Kieran. None of this really matters when the sister ship to the Empyrean, New Horizon, pulls alongside the ship and a siege begins, only ending when all of the girls are taken to the New Horizon. The Empyrean is sabotaged, the adults exposed to radiation, and the girls are gone. 

From this point on, the story is told in alternating points of view in different sections; we see what's happening onboard New Horizon as the girls are separated from their former lives and also back on the badly damaged Empyrean. Kieran makes a couple of bad mistakes in his new role as successor to the captain and is roundly vilified even after he makes life-saving decisions; Waverly soon recognizes that the "kindly" pastor in charge on New Horizon is anything but, and her plans for the girls are creepy and invasive. The action is fast and fierce; I found my opinions changing very quickly as to whom was good and whom was evil. Ryan also isn't afraid to "go there"...there are really bad things going on, and no one is safe. Violence, heretofore unknown on Empyrean, becomes rampant with an almost Lord of the Flies feel. I was sucked in and entrenched from the first pages, desperate to find out what would happen next. Definitely one of the better, more well executed dystopian novels I've read recently, and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Possession...Or Not

Possession has a great premise...in the Goodgrounds, people live by strict laws and breaking them can mean banishment to the Badlands or worse. Which is horrible news for young rebel Violet, who has been breaking rules repeatedly since first her father and then her older sister disappeared. The one constant in her life is Zenn, the boy she has been matched with for five years, but since he has become a member of the Forces, their time together has been short. So when Violet once again breaks the rules in order to go see him, it's not surprising that she is caught; but this time she is imprisoned with a boy named Jag who seems to be just as determined as she is to not give in to the Thinkers who control their lives. Like I said, great premise...but the execution is so poor, it was almost a struggle to finish the book.

This book started off strong and I was captured at first by Violet's rebellious spirit and the mystery of her disappearing family. I liked that she was devoted to Zenn, but intrigued with her growing relationship with Jag. Once the two escape the Greenies and go on the run, however, things begin to fall apart. Neither Violet nor Jag are very likable at this point, with each abandoning the other and secrets withheld at every turn. It's a lot of "I've got a secret; I hate you; no, I adore you; no, we're fighting again; wait, I've got a superpower!" sort of thing. I'm still puzzling over where the "powers" came from; if they were that strong, wouldn't Violet have had some sense of them before suddenly realizing she can control everyone? Both Jag and Violet just aren't very empathetic creatures. Jag betrays Violet so often that I truly wanted to smack him...and Violet kept falling for it. Ugh. And while I sort of liked Zenn, considering he was controlled and unable to fight against the Association, he was pretty much worthless as a boyfriend.

Once again, I'm wondering where the editors are. This story moves so quickly and confusingly among scenarios that I stopped rereading segments because, honestly, I just did't care. When Violet enters Jag's dreams, there's no warning and nothing to separate it from the rest of the story...at least use italics or SOMETHING to let me know something odd is happening. The whole bit with the simulation, set up by Jag, was so preposterous and confusing that I skimmed it. Seriously, did no one read this part closely before going to print? And I still don't know why Violet's father was like he was and whether or not he even cared about her.

Saving this one from the deadly one star rating is the beginning, which was good and made me feel like Violet would somehow rescue her entire world on her own, and the last chapter, which was a surprising way to end the story. But along the way, we get so much techtricity, feelings, and uninteresting characters that I lost interest fast. I'm still puzzling how this one made it to print with its unlikeable characters and it's confusing plot. Not recommended.

~taminator40

Divergent

Divergent is set in a dystopia of, we can only assume (by where it takes place...no spoilers!) the future. Society has separated itself into five "factions" and all young adults choose their faction (for life!) at age sixteen. Raised in Abnegation, Beatrice has always felt like she didn't quite have the selflessness it took to remain in that faction, and inspired by her brother Caleb choosing the Erudite faction, she chooses Dauntless. Dauntless is only for the brave, those willing to put themselves in danger for both the protection of others and their own thrill seeking. Leaving her home behind, Beatrice changes her name to Tris and begins training with the other new recruits for the coveted ten spots as a new Dauntless. But Tris harbors a major secret...her aptitude tests didn't show she actually belonged anywhere...she's a Divergent. 

Divergent is gritty and violent, and Tris spends quite a bit of the story being beaten up and injured. Still, she's determined to persevere, and her quest is made more determined when she finally admits her attraction to Four, one of her trainers/leaders. But it also becomes clear that those in charge of Dauntless no longer share its high ideals, and Tris will have to decide if she can let her forbidden Divergent side lead her into uncharted territory in order to save others. Does she have the courage? And what will be the cost? 

Loved Divergent--it's well written, with many on the edge scenes and characters I with whom I could easily identify. Tris's loneliness and determination are remarkable, and the ultimate choices she must make left me very eager for the sequels. I loved Four; I'm glad he could see that special something in Tris that went beyond her looks and into her soul. Though much of the book seems to be a set up for a showdown in the society, there is enough action to keep the pages flying. I would actually give this one 4.5 stars as I sit here impatiently waiting on the next book in this trilogy. Well written, well plotted, intriguing...this one's a keeper.


~taminator40

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Megan McCafferty's young adult book Bumped is set in a dystopian America some twenty to thirty years in the future. A virus has rendered everyone sterile once they pass the age of eighteen, and suddenly, teens are in demand as baby factories. And once Melody Mayflower actually signs a contract to "bump" for a wealthy family, the floodgates are opened; all young girls set their sights on lucrative contracts in uterus-for-hire agreements. Melody's pay off may be the biggest of all: six figures, college expenses, and more, with her selected couple busy choosing just the perfect young man for her to pregg with. Life's going well until her identical twin sister, from whom she's been separated since a baby, arrives. Harmony was adopted into a religious community and sees Melody's choice as immoral, and it becomes Harmony's mission to "save" her sister.

There's lots going on in Bumped, and it's all very intriguing. Melody is annoyed with her twin suddenly appearing, clad head to toe in old-fashioned clothes and spouting Bible verses, and Harmony, while proud of her upbringing, seems to be harboring some strong secrets of her own. Melody's parents are MIA, off traveling on the expected money Melody is going to earn when she fulfills her contract. Meanwhile, there is Zen, Melody's male friend who maybe feels more for Melody than she'd expected. When Melody's agent calls with the outstanding news that her contracted couple has secured the hot sperm donor teen hero, Jondoe, as her bumping partner, she should be ecstatic, only it isn't Melody who takes the call...it's Harmony. And what happens next sets events in motion that neither sister could have foreseen.

I like dystopian novels, and Bumped is no exception. While I might have wished for Harmony's Christian heritage to seem a little less Amish/fundamentalist, I think the polarizing lives of the twins is well done, with the secrets the two harbor giving added dimension to what might have been just another relationship tale. I *still* don't know if I should trust playboy Jondoe or not, and I was cheering Zen on from the first time I saw him. The slang of the future is well done and consistent, and Melody's friends' plights show the dark side of what the society is doing to young girls who really aren't ready for what their bodies say they are. I admit I'm hooked and can't wait for the next installment. This one's thought provoking on many levels, with relatively naive teens facing huge consequences in the name of a "better" life. Recommended.

~taminator40

Matched

Matched begins with Cassia Reyes excited to be going to her Society's Matching Banquet; at seventeen, citizens can decide if they would like to be Matched to another citizen and begin the process of coming to know your life's mate. While almost no one knows their future mate beforehand, Cassia's evening is a very pleasant surprise: she's been Matched to her best friend, Xander, something that almost never happens. Could life be any better? As it turns out...yes, it can.

Cassia's true dilemma begins twofold: First, when she scans the microcard bearing Xander's personal information on the family port, for a brief moment, it's not Xander's face that appears, but that of Ky, a casual friend with a mysterious background. Secondly, her beloved grandfather is approaching his 80th birthday, and that's the age the Society has ordained that all citizens will die. Before he dies, however, he gives Cassia her one "artifact" allowed by Society: a very old compact, and it is within this compact that she discovers a forbidden piece of poetry, one not among the Hundred Poems Society believes are all that are needed. So what happens next? Will Cassia's curiosity about Ky lead her down a dangerous path away from her Matched best friend, or will she succumb to Society's pressure and follow the path dictated? Will she keep the forbidden poem or will she somehow find a way to share it?


Matched is more than just a dystopian society tale or even a romantic journey. It is carefully layered so that each of Cassia's decisions brings with it consequences that are not pleasant and possibly even dangerous. The Society, while controlling all aspects of its citizens' lives, has worked well for a very long time and Cassia's impulse to defy convention would not be treated with leniency. Most importantly, Cassia sees her parents' roles in Society and slowly realizes that not all Society intervention has bad outcomes.


Knowing that the problems in Matched will not have easy solutions, the book becomes almost impossible to put down as you feel the tension build as Cassia examines her own motives and those of the times in which she lives. While her Society is futuristic, her problems are, in many ways, typical of those of any teen: Do you do what is expected or do you choose to be your own person? Most importantly, what is love and is it worth it? I was kept on the edge of my seat as I followed Cassia's journey, and I'm eager to read the next book in this trilogy. Excellent writing and well thought out, Matched is going to stick with me.
 
~taminator40

Mockingjay!

Well, I'm back! Actually, I've been reading and reviewing, but mostly for HNS in the past month. This is the first book (purchased through Amazon) that I've been able to post a review on my blog for in a while, and it's a doozy! I'm noticing the polarizing reviews over on the big A; amazing how some people get so bent when a book/trilogy doesn't end precisely as they'd planned for it to. Don't these people realize THEY don't own the characters, no matter how much they love them? Guess not, judging from some of  the poor reviews Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins has received (though I am pleased that it's not been totally panned, unlike Breaking Dawn). Anyway, FWIW, I'm posting my own review below.

It took me nearly a week to read Mockingjay. Not that it's an overly long book, or so dull I couldn't stay with it, but because I wanted to luxuriate inside its pages for as long as possible. And once I did finish, I felt an overwhelming sadness to leave Katniss and her world behind, though much satisfaction at how it all played out. Maybe it wasn't precisely as I'd pictured, but it certainly felt right after fighting alongside Katniss through two Hunger Games and the start of a revolution.







Just to sum up Mockingjay's major points: We pick up the story as Katniss has awoken in District 13, lifted out of the arena by Haymitch and Co., leaving Peeta behind to face the devastation wrought when the arena exploded. Katniss, frail in both body and spirit, must come to terms with her unwilling abandonment of Peeta and the new life she must face as the symbol of the fight against the Capitol. Known as the Mockingjay, she now has the power to rouse the other Districts, yet she continually finds herself at odds with those around here and always aware of how Peeta must be suffering because of her deeds. Along the way, Katniss must also come to terms with her feelings for Gale and the loss of lives that can be laid at her feet. It's almost more than she can handle.






I loved every page of Mockingjay, though this Katniss is somewhat removed from her earlier incarnations. However, I found that in itself realistic: just how much can a teenager be expected to endure before she shuts down or cracks? Katniss is still, at heart, the Katniss we've known and loved, yet she walks a thin line between doing what's right and knowingly placing herself and others in danger. And when it comes down to it, she's still no good at following rules or even listening to authority.






It's exceedingly hard for an author to end a beloved series in the way everyone hoped because we all have our visions for how we'd like to see it end. However, Ms. Collins takes us into unexpected territory with Katniss; we see a softer, fragile girl who once again rises to the occasion against all odds. I confess to shedding a few tears when the major loss came to Katniss, though other losses were almost as devastating. My most minor quibble is the amount of time Katniss spends unconscious and recovering, but I can forgive the author that because I came away with a feeling of resolution that felt...well, just felt right. Along the way, I came across moving scenes that made my heart wrench and fevered chases that made it race, and I ultimately feel as though Katniss and her world were done justice. Highly, highly recommended for those with an open mind to all possibilities.

~taminator40