ARC Review: Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher:  EgmontUSA

Publication Date:  January 22nd, 2013

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away. 

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

When I got the review request for Nobody, I was really excited.  I had only ever read one of Jennifer Lynn Barnes's books, Every Other Day, and I LOVED it (read my review HERE).  I was super-excited when I received it in the mail, and then I went to Goodreads to mark it as a "Currently Reading" book, and stopped dead in my tracks...  There were some downright awful reviews on this book, and many were from bloggers I know and respect.  That left me torn.  Do I read it because I've already committed to it, even though I really don't want to now?  Do I just skip it, and read something else?  What to do?  Clocking in at 400 pages, it was a book I was really reluctant to bother with if I was going to hate it...  Well, the conscientious side of me won out- I accepted the review request, and I was going to keep my word, and at the very least, read it...  Well, I'm glad I did, because I really liked Nobody (I also affirmed my policy to not post reviews of 2-star and lower books on my blog for fear of turning off someone who might have loved the book I hated).  I didn't love it quite as much as I did Every Other Day, but I thought it was a great, entertaining story that was well worth the time spent, even at 400 pages.

I found the premise of Nobody quite intriguing.  Basically, Nobodies are people that go through life without the world around them noticing that they are even there.  They aren't physically invisible, but they might as well be.  They can even commit murder in a crowd of people without anyone even processing that they were present.  No witnesses, which makes them perfect assassins...  Nix is a Nobody and has been trained his entire life to be just that.  He is unparalleled at what he does, until he is sent to take out Claire.  Claire is also a Nobody, although she has gone through life without knowing this.  All she knows is that people, even her parents, don't seem to notice her.  Then one day she gets this feeling that someone is watching her- a feeling utterly foreign to her- and she sees her would-be assassin, and he sees her.  They REALLY SEE each other, and that doesn't happen to either, EVER.  Because Nix is so thrown by this realization, he botches the attempt, and the story moves forward from there...  We learn there are other types of people besides Nobodies; There are Nulls, who are their opposite- larger than life, charismatic, and can bend anyone to their will without any effort at all.  Then there are the Sensors, who are the only ones who can see Nobodies and Nulls for who what they are.  The Institute has a long history of using Sensors to keep the normal people, the general public, blind to such abnormalities.  The Institute, however, is rife with corruption and secrets, and as things unfold in this book, it becomes a very compulsive read, and I found it nearly impossible to put down for a variety of reasons.  The plot moved quickly and made sense of what could have come across as nonsensical if it hadn't been so expertly executed.  Claire and Nix were great characters, and both grew on me tremendously as the story progressed.  Some reviewers complained about their inability to connect with either of them, but I think that was part of the appeal for me.  It's hard to connect with a person who has never really experienced any kind of human connection.  That person is going to seem somewhat flat to people who have had the joy of human bonding and the myriad of emotions that go along with it.   I found myself really absorbed in the growth both characters showed through experiencing a bond with another human for the first time.  I enjoyed seeing things through their eyes, feeling how they felt going through life alone and unnoticed, and then finding  one another, and for the first time feeling seen, and more importantly, feeling connected.  Normally, I detest insta-love or attraction, but in this case it is more than reasonable.  This book isn't all romance though.  Not even close.  It is action, conspiracy, mystery, and a full on story of survival.  Anyone who enjoys a fast-paced sci-fi adventure, that really makes you wonder if things aren't always as they seem, will enjoy Nobody.  I honestly can't, for the life of me, figure out why the negative reviews...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book was graphically violent at times, and there was some sex, although not graphic in nature, by any stretch.  I would say this book is best suited for grades 7 and up (ages 12+), although as a more liberal parent, I would gladly allow my 6th grader to read it.

**Please enter my GIVEAWAY for a hardcover copy of NOBODY and a paperback copy of EVERY OTHER DAY by clicking HERE!!  Ends Sunday, February 17th.  USA/Canada**

ARC Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR

Publication Date:  October 16th, 2012

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.
(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I have a tendency to judge books by their covers, or rather, to judge whether I want to read them by their covers.  I often don't read the synopsis until I've made my judgement, and sometimes, I don't even read it then.  That was how things went with Crewel.  It has a stunning, eye-catching cover, so I wanted to read it.  When I started reading it, I hadn't the foggiest idea what it was about, so all my expectations were based on the positive advance buzz I've heard about it.  Lots of people have really loved this book, so I figured I would too, and I was mostly right.  I really liked Crewel.  It wasn't mind-blowingly amazing like some of the books I've read this year (it was rather unfortunate for it that I read it on the heels of The Diviners by Libba Bray), but it was definitely an impressive debut that deserves many accolades.

Crewel takes place at some point in the future, after Earth as we know it, has been wiped out by war.  The world as the characters in this book know it, Arras, is made up entirely of threads woven from time and matter on great looms. Each person's very existence is manipulated by the Spinsters, the women who are able to "see" the "weave", and operate the looms.  The Spinsters are under the control of the Guild, the oppressive, male-dominated governing body of Arras, and are essentially slaves to it. Even so, it is the dream of most girls to become a Spinster, because from the outside, it looks like the most luxurious life imaginable.  The protagonist, Adelice, has always known she has the ability to become a Spinster, but her parents don't want that life for her, and train her from a young age to fail the test that all girls are given at age 16.  Adelice accidentally passes, and her abilities are revealed. She is taken to the Coventry to become a Spinster, against her will, and she finds out a great deal about the world she lives in, the secrets the Guild holds, and the remarkable ability she possesses, that goes far beyond that of an average, or even an above-average Spinster.  

I liked Adelice, even if she was a bit immature.  She never seemed to know when it was in her best interest to keep her mouth shut.  That said, her wit was refreshing.  She was a strong-minded, sharp character, and while she didn't "wow" me at first, she totally grew on me throughout the story.  I also liked the boys, Erik and Jost.  Both were, of course, swoon-worthy, but they were both smart and cunning as well.  I happen to think that they both fell for Adelice a bit too quickly, but what's a YA novel without a love triangle?  I thought Maela and Cormac were perfect villains, and I think Pryana has a lot of potential to be so in future books.  I loved Enora as well.  The only character I had a time forming an opinion of was Loricel, the head Creweler, the woman who essentially held the existence of  Arras in her hands; I felt like she had way to much power to be as submissive as she was... 

As for the plot and pacing, I thought it was very good.  The story moved along well, and I never felt that been-there-read-this feeling that I've been struggling with when reading a lot of post-Hunger Games Dystopia.  There were some well-done big reveals, but a couple fell flat for me because I saw them coming a mile away.  At times, I thought the world building lacked depth, but I think the whole concept of weaving time with matter is just a difficult one to define without giving away later plot twists.  I believe that will improve in later installments.  

Crewel is, no doubt, a unique story.  A Dystopia with a fresh perspective.  I really enjoyed reading it, and although it wasn't perfect, it is definitely a great beginning to what promises to be a fantastic series.  

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  There were a couple of hot make-out scenes, but given that Spinsters had to maintain "purity standards", there was no sex (although there were several mentions of it).  The violence was minimal, and there was no inappropriate language.  I would say that this book is appropriate for 5th grade and up (ages 10+).

** Don't miss my GIVEAWAY of THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray as part of the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop! Click HERE for details! International. Ends 11/01/2012 **

Review: As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Publication Date: September 15th, 2011

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This has to be one of the weirdest books I have ever read.  It has gotten a lot of mixed reviews, and I can see why now.  It takes a certain type of reader to like this book, and a lot of fans of Elizabeth Scott's other books will absolutely hate it because it's a bit of a departure.  I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it.  It was okay, but not anything I'm going to go out of my way to recommend.  Here are some things you should know before reading this book:

• It is extremely confusing for the most of the story.  I THINK I understand what was going on, now that I've finished it, but I'm still not 100% certain.  I know I didn't have a clue until about 90% through.  If you like a book that has you puzzling to figure it out through the entire thing, then this book is for you.
• It's hard to connect with any of the characters because of the fact that you're never sure who you are dealing with, or how they connect with the story, until the very end. 
• The language is strange.  The way the protagonist, Ava, talks to and about herself is very strange and confusing.  Granted, she really doesn't have a clue, herself, but I found it bothersome.  If you are easily frustrated when authors use different styles of speech, you will have difficulty with this book.

If you can get past the above points, then you may enjoy this.  I found it a little too complicated because I read for entertainment and escape, and this book was just way too taxing on my brain.  It was very intense.  It's definitely for a very niche group of readers, that I don't think I'm a part of.   (It does have a fabulous cover though!)

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  I think it's fine for Middle School (6th grade) and up.  There's some violence, but otherwise, it's pretty clean.  Ages 11+.

Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: September 13th, 2011

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Science Fiction and Dystopia are two of my favorite genres, so I was really looking forward to this book.  I still had the delicious aftertaste of Beth Revis's amazing Across the Universe on my tongue when I heard about this one, making me that much more eager to get my hands on it.  I have to admit, I was kind of let down.  It's not that I didn't enjoy this book.  It was a good read and it had an interesting storyline, but it dragged for me.  I didn't really feel that compelling need to keep reading until the final third of the book.  I'm more of an instant gratification girl, so books that don't move along quickly usually annoy me.  I had a hard time connecting with Waverly; I felt sorry for all she went through, but I never felt like I knew her, and didn't really feel a pull to want to get to know her.  Kieran and Seth intrigued me a little more, especially the dynamic between the two of them, but I'm not really sure if I actually like or trust either.   For me, he most vibrant of the characters was Anne Mather, the captain/pastor of the New Horizon.  She evoked nothing but disdain from me, but she had depth that the other characters lacked.  She seemed to bring the story to life; the parts of the story that involved her seemed to be the most gratifying.  Although slow to grab me, I will say that once the story started moving, it really clicked.   I quite enjoyed it from there, which makes me really want to read the second book in the series, Spark, when it comes out in July. I think this series has potential because the idea behind it is unique and thought-provoking, I just think too much time was spent in this first book setting everything up.  

On another note, when I was about 60 pages in, I got the audio version from Macmillan Audio for review, so I switched formats, and I think the audio version was well done.  The readers, Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown, breathe a life into otherwise rather flat characters.  I felt that it was a little on the long side though; the book is only about 300 pages long, but the audio was 10 hours long.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Because this book is basically about reproductive slavery, I would put it at a high school level.  There isn't really any objectionable content for middle school aged readers, I just don't think they would understand the gravity of what is happening.  Grades 9 and up (ages 14+).

Review: A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: August 9th, 2011

It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone— and her future full of peril.

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

If you look at the cover, you can see why I was initially drawn to this book.  So pretty, right?  Well, I'm glad the publisher did such a bang-up job with this cover, because I would not have wanted to miss this book.  I really, really enjoyed it.  It was so ridiculously good!  When I read the synopsis, I thought, "Wow. So this is a total Across the Universe rip-off!", but it isn't.  Yes, both girls are in stasis and wake up decades later to a whole new world, but the similarities end there...  I can tell you that while I was reading this, I started noticing certain parallels on another story, and although it wasn't touted as such, it is totally a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but so very different from any other fairy tale retelling I've ever read.  I was beyond impressed!  I've read a lot of retellings since it is one of my favorite genres, but I've never read one with a dystopian flair.  This book could have been a disaster, but it was anything but because of Anna Sheehan's skillful world building and character development.  Because of her descriptions, I was able to visualize the setting as if I was there.  It was as if she painted a picture for me with her words, and she did it beautifully.   As for the characters, they were awesome.  The main character, Rose, had so much depth, which given her situation, would be required, but Sheehan went beyond the necessary and made Rose real.  I enjoyed being in her head, even during her most painful moments of self discovery.  Rose had to come to grips with some truths that she subconsciously tried to block out; these discoveries, they were truly heartbreaking and I found myself feeling raw emotion on Rose's behalf.  The things she had to endure from other people, on both sides of her long stasis, were unconscionable, but she bore them with dignity and grace.  I came to really admire Rose by the end of this story. Another character I adored was Otto.  He was such an interesting person and I found myself smiling every time he came up in the story.  Honestly, he could have his own book; there is just that much to him.  As for Rose's love interests, well, there is a lot of complicated story there, and since my reviews are spoiler-free, I can't really go there... Xavier, her pre-stasis boyfriend, just made me sad.  I spent much of the story wondering about him; I can't imagine what it was like for Rose.  Then there was Bren, her prince who woke her with a kiss at the beginning of the story...  He was definitely a worthy love interest, but there are some issues there, and they will blow your mind.  Warning: there are a few things in this story that had me saying, "wtf?", but if you stick with it, I promise, it all makes sense in the end...

The Long Long Sleep is probably one of the best books I've read in the past few months.  It was so much more than I expected, and I love it when I go into a book without expectations and am blown away.  If you are a fan of Fairy Tale Retellings, Science-Fiction, and Dystopias, you must read this.  You will be very happy that you did. 

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book was pretty clean.  No language, minimal violence, innocent romance.  This book is appropriate for ages 10 and up (5th grade+).

Review & Giveaway: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: January 11th, 2011

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

So-- this is my first giveaway and I decided to make it a DOOZY!  I loved this book so very much, and had the opportunity to get a copy signed at the Decatur Book Festival a couple of weeks ago, so I decided that I should give it away with my review.  Nice of me, huh?  But first, the review...

As I mentioned, I LOVED this book.  I actually "read" it twice; once by turning pages, the old fashioned way, and once by listening to the audio.  It was great the first time and even better the second.  It is one of my favorite books of 2011, and I cannot WAIT to read A Million Suns when it comes out (January 10th, 2012).  Want to know why?  Here's a list (in no particular order):

• The World Building~ Can you say descriptive? Beth Revis does an absolutely amazing job of giving you the impression that you've actually been on the ship, Godspeed.  The details are phenomenal; when I was reading it I could truly imagine the magnitude of the vessel and the virtual planet within.  When I found out at DBF that she had not actually diagrammed Godspeed during the writing of the book, I was blown away!  These details were all in her imagination!  Amazing!  When I went on the (super-cool) website, I was even more impressed because the artist renderings of the ship were so close to what I pictured.
• The Cover~ I know that the cover doesn't really speak anything to the quality of a book, but I am a total cover-whore, so I have to mention it... Okay, purple and black are my favorite colors, so I might be biased, but I love the cover of this book. It's actually what drew me to pick up the book in the first place.  I had never heard of Beth Revis, and the Sci-Fi genre is usually hit or miss for me, so thank you Penguin/Razorbill for picking a kick-ass cover!
• The Characters/Story~ I already gushed about Revis's world building, so let me carry on about the characters and the story.  I will first say that I don't always love books that have alternating character POV; it has to be done just right, otherwise my simple mind gets confused.  Beth Revis totally pulls it off, and then some.  Because Amy and Elder are SO very different, not only do the alternating POVs work, but they are essential to the story.  I felt like the book was more about Amy than Elder, but without Elder we wouldn't know anything about Godspeed or the years since Amy was frozen; he introduces characters and nearly all the major plot points. We don't meet many characters in the book, but the ones we do meet are so well done.  We get an idea of who they are, but we get to know them slowly, like we would if we were getting to know someone in real life.  I didn't like everyone, but I felt like, by the end of the book, I knew what made each character tick and I understood their motivations.  Amy and Elder, were so complex and I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been to write them so well,  Even harder, I imagine, was Eldest, the "leader" of their civilization.  As much as I wanted to dislike him, I just couldn't.  His reasoning and motivation for much of what he did was sound.  I won't give spoilers, because I want everyone to read this, but there were so many plot twists that I never saw coming.  I think anyone claiming to have seen them coming is a total liar!  The story moves so fluidly, never hanging up or making the reader need to go back and say, "Where the hell did THAT come from?".  This doesn't bode well for those who want to walkaway to do things like shower and eat, but I happen to like thrive on unputdownable books, so this fact made me happy!  Finally, I have to commend Beth Revis for not making the story revolve around romance.  Yes, there is a romantic element, but it's very real and not the focus of the story (because really, who in their right mind lets their love life define their existence), which in my mind, is a good thing.

All in all, this book is a must-read for YA lovers.  It is Science Fiction because of it being set in space and the future and all that, but it is much more than that.  It is a dystopia and it is a commentary on human nature.  I think even those who aren't typically a Sci-Fi lovers will enjoy this book.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This one is a tough call.  There is a lot sex, but it's not "We're kids in love, let's have sex." sex, it's mating on an almost primal level.  To me it's not any different than witnessing one dog humping another, but parents and teachers might disagree with me.  There is also an attempted rape (mainly because of the way this society sees sex as mating) and several murders.  Even with that element, I personally don't see it as inappropriate content for middle-schoolers because of the context.  I would say this is fine for ages 12+ (7th grade+), but I would say it cautiously and say that this might be a read-before-your kid-reads-it-if you're-concerned.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

Win a signed hardcover copy of this FABULOUS book!

It's really simple.  You must be 13 years old or older.  You must be a follower.  You must be in the US or Canada.  You must fill out the form.

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, September 20th (11:59 pm EST).  I will notify the winner via email on Wednesday.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address.  If I don't hear back I will choose another.