The Twelve by Justin Cronin

Here's what I've been reading since August 11...yes, that would mean more than two weeks spent with one book, but...oh, what a book.

The Twelve by Justin Cronin is the sequel to The Passage (review here), the post-apocalyptic tour de force released in 2010. I became completely immersed then in the America that suffers an attack by a group of escaped virals, men (with one notable exception) who had been on death row who were used for a military experiment that went horribly wrong. The Twelve picks up five years after the ending of The Passage, and our band of fighters has scattered, with its members either joining the Expeditionary, taken, or fighting separately. The virals are as prevalent and deadly as ever, and even after the death of Babcock in The Passage, no one is closer to finding and eliminating any other of the Twelve. It's almost as though time has stalled for Peter, Michael, Alicia, and Amy...until Alicia's determination to discover the hiding spot of Martinez brings momentum back to the survivors of the First Colony. Meanwhile, there is some time jumping as we are introduced to Lila and Guilder, two characters who will play extremely important roles almost immediately after the initial disaster began; Lila, a pregnant doctor, is traumatized enough by an emergency room attack that she in essence becomes convinced that *nothing* happened, and Guilder, a man suffering from ALS, survives an attack on his own, transformed into something I never saw coming. How these two lives' mix into that of Lawrence Grey from The Passage is both heart wrenching and horrifying, and leads directly to the main action climax of The Twelve.

There is SO. MUCH.  in The Twelve, and I'd recommend a reread of The Passage if time permits because it is all so intricate and complicated. There is time movement between the initial attacks, then forward about seventy-five years to another disaster that became known as The Massacre in the Field, and finally, we are led back 100 years post-apocalypse to our First Colony fighters and their determination to destroy the Twelve. The discovery of a settlement with echoes of Hitler's concentration camps leads Peter, Michael, and Alicia northward while Amy is drawn separately to the same place. There are echoes of Brad Wolgast and his deep connection to Amy; there is the hint that not all of the Twelve have lost all traces of humanity in Carter's ability to speak with Amy; there is the appearance of a mysterious woman who leads virals to not only attack, but to take some select humans alive. And through it all, we meet and re-meet people and we're given tantalizing hints of what might happen until it all goes to hell.

I feel as though I'm not doing justice to this novel which has totally enveloped me in the past two weeks; I want to say so much more but yet saying one thing would lead to another and I don't want to possibly spoil anything. I will say that much like The Passage,  there were moments and sections in The Twelve when I was so confused and there was so much going on I couldn't keep it all straight, and then there were pages when I just wanted the story to move ahead. But when the action hits, and it hits often and hard, it is next to impossible to put this book down. And you don't know where you're going, and you don't know if a beloved character will make it...and I have to say that the final 50 pages or so are probably some of the best action sequences I've read in quite some time. 

I want to talk about what happens to Amy, to Lila, to Grey, to Guilder (the bloody bastard), to Peter, Michael, Alicia, and Hollis...I want to bounce ideas against someone who has read the final 50 pages to see if they interpret a few things as I do. The writing is so detailed, so deep that I feel as though it washed right over me at times; I was riveted, repulsed, and spellbound. I *need* someone else to discuss this book with me! 

The Twelve is a worthy sequel to The Passage, and Cronin's writing is both grand and gripping. When I think back over the 500+ pages, I almost feel as though I'd read two or three separate books that somehow weave together to form one momentous story. Amazing and awesome. I suggest you pre-order it now for it's October 2012 arrival.

I received this ARC from a friend who attended BEA earlier in the summer. I'm not being paid for this honest review, but my imagination has surely been stretched and hammered through its reading. LOVED IT. Seriously, seriously loved it.

~taminator40

All You Desire

In All You Desire, the story opens with Haven and Iain living, they think safely, in Rome, away from the Ouroboros Society and the horror of past lives lost. Having been quietly in Rome for a year, things begin to change when Haven starts to suspect someone is following her, then the money she "inherited" upon Iain's faked death is cut off; but most disturbingly, Haven's best friend Beau travels to New York and ends up missing. Trying to draw on a past life to help Beau, it doesn't take long for Haven to realize she must go to NYC herself in order to save her friend, and Iain, though it will place him in danger, must follow. Once there, she comes face to face with Adam Rosier once again, but is it possible that he's changed? Does he really intend to leave Haven alone in this lifetime and to cleanse the Ouroboros Society of the greed that has overtaken it? And should Haven be having the feelings she is for him?

What I Liked: I love the relationship between Haven and Iain. Even when there is friction, you can still feel the deep emotion these two share. I also liked the introduction of new characters Owen and Alex, and I adore Leah and her visions. There are lots of twists and turns in All You Desire, and I love that I'm just not sure whether Adam has changed. The idea that Haven and Iain could go from living relatively normally to being pulled back into the OS was well handled, and I'm anxious to see how everything is going to play out in the next novel. After being taken on an exhausting ride in AYD, I can only begin to imagine where we'll finally end up.

What Annoyed Me: Haven is *still* too naive and gullible and I seriously wanted her to grow a spine at times, especially when dealing with Adam. The Horae, the mysterious sisterhood woven into the OS and Beau's disappearance, was full of mean-spirited, hateful women and I wish Haven could have stayed away from them fully, though I know they were central to the story. Doesn't mean I have to like them. And the speed at which Haven solves the mystery occasionally felt slow...at times she became too sidetracked with Adam and Beau became lost in the shuffle.

I was concerned that this installment would be a letdown from the excellent The Eternal Ones, and I was pleasantly surprised that this edition built soundly on the original story. Very complex, All You Desire was every bit as good as The Eternal Ones; I cannot imagine how it's all going to play out and that's the beauty of the story. And that ending? Killer cliff hanger! Well done and absorbing.

~taminator40

The Hallowed Ones

Katie is Amish and has lived her entire sixteen years as a member of her church community, helping her family and raising golden retrievers, looking forward to her upcoming Rumspringa that she will spend with her sort of boyfriend, Elijah. Pretty normal for a Plain girl...until the day in late September when the ravens began to act weirdly and the people Outside, including some of the Amish, disappear. Katie and Elijah leave their community to go in search of his missing brothers and find...nothing. No trace of them or much of anyone else. And when they return, all within the community are forbidden to leave, and while Katie understands (better than some) that it's for her safety, she still feels cheated of her youthful wandering time and pushed into a world that she's not ready for.

There is so much more to this novel than the post-apocalyptic story of the survivors of a bio-terrorist attack, and it's a page turner for sure. Katie is headstrong and rebellious while at the same time a dutiful daughter with a kind heart, and you can just feel her pain and disappointment at the loss of her freedom and the shift in Elijah that comes as a result of the loss of his brothers. It's these feelings that lead her to defy the Elders and rescue an Outsider; it's these feelings that lead her into a truly terrifying encounter with what's Outside now. And it's her spirit that leads her to do what's right.

The Hallowed Ones is well written and gripping and I spent a very late night finishing it since I literally had to know how it played out. Katie's reality doesn't stop her from taking risks despite the sheltered existence the Bishop wishes to keep on his flock; she's feisty and determined with a clear voice that gets you inside her head. The action is almost non-stop and at times heartbreaking: Ginger, Katie's customer who finds herself stuck and cut off from family brings the truth home to Katie in ways her Elders refuse to see. But mostly this book is horrifyingly creepy, with dark, dark images and atmosphere that pulls you into the scary settings. It's gory and disturbing but yet it's human in a world gone mad. This book is different than many of its genre with its Amish connection and ties to ancient evil. If you don't mind gore and a strong creep factor, pick up The Hallowed Ones...I doubt you'll be ale to put it down. I've rarely been so deliciously scared.

I received this novel from the Amazon Vine program.

~taminator40

Scorch, following on the heels of Croak, picks up with heroine Lex still feeling guilty over the death of twin sister Cordy at the hand (literally) of fellow Grim Zara and knowing that she has to do something to stop Zara from Damning people wildly. The upside? Lex can still visit Cordy in the Afterlife (even though Cordy's taken up with a very impressive historical personage). The downside? Too many to mention actually, but the biggest is that the entire town of Croak has turned against her (with a few exceptions)...and also against Uncle Mort, the mayor. With the knowledge that she must stop Zara torturing her, Lex is further dismayed to learn that Zara's also looking for a mysterious text known as the Wrong Book, and the consequences will be very dire indeed if she finds it.

Scorch is just as quick a read as Croak, though it's more violent at times. Lex is still a moody teen but the loss of her twin has only made things worse; her relationship with fellow Junior Driggs continues with lots of physical encounters (that Uncle Mort tries repeatedly to discourage). Lex is a great anti-heroine; she's rude and angry, but she also wants to make things right in whatever way she can. Though there's a lot action, there are also lots of secrets which aren't revealed until we're far into the book. The final two chapters throw major kinks into the story and it's going to be interesting to see how everything plays out. The writing, while at times a bit silly, still engages and captures the imagination. I'm hooked and I can't wait to see what happens next.


~taminator40

Beautiful Days

Beautiful Days takes up the lives of Cordelia, Letty, and Astrid--three young women living the glamorous life in the 1920s. Cordelia's brother Charlie has taken over the bootlegging business upon the death of their father, while Astrid, as Charlie's girlfriend, continues with her superficial life of parties and drinking. Letty, meanwhile, has moved in with Cordelia and is still hoping for her big break as a singer. As the story progresses, all three end up far from where they began at the start of this novel, and that's not necessarily a bad thing at all. Along the way, Cordelia and Astrid come to realize just what a dangerous occupation Charlie has, and Letty discovers that her desire to be in the spotlight may trump her newfound feelings for writer Grady. No one is safe from heartbreak and danger.
Beautiful Days started off a little slowly for me; I felt as though I was spinning my wheels, waiting for one of the girls to actually make up her fluffy little mind and get on with her life in a meaningful way. And as far as that goes, it's still a ways into the book before more mature decisions are made. But the emotions are strong, and I especially loved reading about the nightlife of New York during Prohibition. I admit to feeling frustration with Astrid particularly; she seems so shallow, and I'm not sure Godbersen intends for her to gain much depth. The action is good once the story picks up (probably a third of the way in), and the very unexpected complication in the relationship between Max and Cordelia is going to be fun to explore. Godbersen's writing is descriptive and detailed; occasionally I got tired of reading what everyone was wearing but in general I felt as though I was smack in the middle of the Roaring Twenties. Good characterization and an engaging storyline makes this a winner of a sequel and has me ready for the next book. Recommended.


~taminator40

Wanna Know What It's Like to Teach? Ask Tony Danza

This slim (less than 300 pages) book is the story of the year Tony Danza (yes, that Tony Danza) spent as a high school English teacher in Philadelphia. Finding himself at loose ends after the cancellation of his talk show, Danza decided to put his teaching degree to use as well as develop a television show around his experiences. After searching nationwide, Northeast High School in Philadelphia agreed to take him on, with many stipulations: He would be treated as a real teacher with the same responsibilities as the other teachers, he would have a one-on-one mentor, and he would only be given one 90 minute class to teach (Dang, where do I sign up for that gig? lol). He agreed, the camera crew arrived, and the adventure began.

As a teacher myself, I have to say I was skeptical of Mr. Danza at first, much like his colleagues must have been. He came in with lofty goals and had reality smack him in the face repeatedly: kids with bad attitudes, parents who were no-shows, fights, unengaged students. Danza persevered, despite the odds, and something happened as he did: he became a *real* teacher, one who strove to come up with lessons that excited his students, one who looked past the academic and into the lives of his kids, one who saw through the standardized testing into the concern of his students actually learning. Did he make mistakes? Oh yeah, and sometimes they were huge (hello, drinking on a field trip!), but he was able to forge relationships that he maintains to this day.

This story of a year in the life of Tony Danza is well written and a reliable look at the state of education in public high schools today. While I feel that a few tales may have been glossed over, I believe fully that Danza put his heart and soul into this job and that he gained as much as his students during his tenure. His stories are real and he feels he needs to let the world know the reality of the situations teachers face on a daily basis. This is a good read and one that should be read by all of us with a vested interest in the education of our young people today.

~taminator40

Underwhelmed

Don't you just hate it when you wait and wait for a sequel to an exciting book, and then you find it so underwhelming? That's how I feel about Meg Cabot's Underworld, the sequel to the very fun Abandon. So bummed.

Underworld picks up the story of Pierce and her undead boyfriend, John, as they try to escape the Fury currently possessing her grandmother's body. Pierce awakens in the Underworld where John has taken her and where he works as a lord of the dead, sorting souls so they can pass on to their ultimate fate. Pierce quickly realizes John has done this to protect her, but she's worried about her family back in the living world, and her fear only multiplies when she receives a strange video on her cell phone of her cousin Alex trapped inside a coffin, in danger of dying. So she convinces John to take her back to rescue Alex, but of course the mission doesn't go smoothly and Pierce's life--and Alex's--are on the line.

First I'll say I loved Abandon; the pages flew by when I read it and I couldn't wait for the sequel. Unfortunately, the intriguing story of Abandon isn't found in Underworld. Pierce is reliant on John most of the time, and he spends most of the book keeping dark secrets from her, which she excuses. The entire story takes place in about 24 hours but most of it is spent with Pierce trying to decide what she wants...and then changing her mind. The fact that she decides she can't face her parents, knowing if she stays with John she will never be with them again, just left me feeling cold, and her conversation with her uncle was just odd. And while much of the storyline centers on the likeness of Pierce's situation to that of Persephone, a lot of time was spent trying to show just how they were different. I just couldn't get past the fact that John was making the decisions while withholding important information. So not okay...and Pierce comes off as immature rather than independent.

There are good things in Underworld; Cabot's writing, as usual, is fast and fluent and her secondary characters are entirely charming. Kayla, John's crew, and even the dove Hope all shine whenever they are involved, and Mr. Smith and his partner are very delightful. I just felt like I spent 300+ pages not really going very far and watching Pierce go backwards in her personality. What should be a love story is starting to feel like a control story, and I want Pierce to step up and take charge. This is not a bad book, but it is lacking in spirit and personality, in my opinion. Not sure if I'll be back for the final book or not.

~taminator40

What's Happening to My Summer Vacation?

This is me...being pulled ever closer to the start of school. Sigh.

Thanks, ICHC. 

~taminator40

My Black Dagger Brotherhood Fix

Lover Reborn is mainly Tohr's story: Our heartbroken Brother is having a hard time letting go of his beloved shellan Wellsie, who was killed by the Lessening Society a few books back. Normally that would be understandable and forgivable, but Tohr's inability to move on has trapped Wellsie and their young in the In Between, neither dead nor alive nor able to go on into the Fade. Resident Angel Lassiter accepts the mission to unite Tohr and No'One in order to both save Wellsie and redeem himself. But none of this goes as planned; Tohr likes No'One, but doesn't love her, and No'One still suffers from the rape that produced John Matthew's shellan, Xhex. Lots and lots of sex ensues, but Tohr resists his emotions. Come to think of it, there's more than one Lover doing some resistance work in Lover Reborn.

There are multiple stories going on in Lover Reborn besides the main focus of Tohr and No'One (hate that name, btw). We also have Xhex and John Matthew being hard-headed and stubborn, and we have Qhuinn still watching Blay from afar. There's also the stories of the BoB, with Xcor and Throe given attention and the Chosen Layla being pulled into the mix. Lots of action, lots of fighting, lots of misunderstanding.

Lover Reborn grabbed me early on when Tohr, suffering from his loss, takes Wellsie's mating gown to his bed, only to realize she'll never fill it again. Such a heartbreaking scene, one filled to the brim with emotion. I felt as though I wanted Wellsie back as much as Tohr did, and I wasn't certain that a romance with No'One was going to work. Still, Ward was able to show how sometimes there are different loves for the different stages of our lives, and Tohr was able to point out, quite rightly, that he wasn't the only damaged soul. Definitely real and gripping, and I bought it all. In fact, there wasn't a scene with Tohr that I wasn't emotionally involved in, even if I felt that No'One was a bit of a wash-out as far as personality goes. But she's so different from Wellsie that I can see how the relationship might work, and I think that's the beauty of Ward's world...people change, but they can become better.

The idea of being reborn is given much attention, and while this is ostensibly Tohr's tale, it's also Xhex and John Matthew's tale, and Layla's tale as well. I enjoyed the movement among the characters, and I am able to see how Ward is setting us up for future stories. While I missed the interaction among the Brothers, it definitely wasn't totally gone, and I understand that their stories can only be told once in full. And Lassiter? He's definitely moving towards becoming one of my all-time favorite characters. Where else are you going to find a cursing, reality-television addicted, drinking angel?

Lover Reborn wasn't perfect, but it certainly kept the pages turning as I dug into this engaging world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I made myself slow down so I could savor the stories; gotta get my fix until 2013, and this one was a big improvement in spirit and involvement over Lover Unleashed. If Tohr doesn't break your heart, you're not alive. Loved it.


~taminator40

Endure is the final book in Carrie Jones's pixie series, and it winds things up with a major bang. Zara and Co. are still fighting the evil pixies which are going to start the apocalypse, and they are in search of answers wherever they may be found. Betty, Zara's grandmother, has allowed her grief over the death of her best friend to keep her in weretiger form, more people are disappearing, and Nick is back from the dead, but is unable to deal with Zara's transformation into a pixie, which she only did for him. But what is this...is Zara developing feelings for pixie king Astley? And another trip to Iceland? All right, let's see how it well it plays out.

Actually, this final book does a very good job of tying up the story lines, with Zara discovering her true strength and coming to terms with her feelings. While I've always been a Nick fan, I have to say he let me down with his all too (semi) human response to Zara's sacrifice, understandable as it was. The characters are all well developed, and Zara's learning to rely on herself is refreshing and well written. Unfortunately, my belief was suspended--even for a YA paranormal--when the entire town of Bedford became involved. It just seemed too unrealistic, even if it was a way of possibly defeating the evil pixies. I also felt a sense of deja vu when there was yet another trip to Iceland in search of a place which may or may not exist (even if I loved Hel herself). Impressive as the use of Norse mythology was, I felt like the story was getting away from Zara and her band of friends, and that was a bit of a letdown for me.

Overall, Endure was indeed a good read, and a fitting ending to the series, even with the problems I've stated. Ms. Jones has fashioned a fascinating look at a different sort of paranormal character, and the strong family ties only add to the reality. Definitely a recommended series!

~taminator40