ARC Review: The Infects by Sean Beaudoin

Publisher:  Candlewick Press

Publication Date:  September 25th, 2012

A feast for the brain, this gory and genuinely hilarious take on zombie culture simultaneously skewers, pays tribute to, and elevates the horror genre.

Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an “Inward Trek.” As if that weren’t bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting into the woods while the mindless horde of “infects” shambles, moans, and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They generate “Zombie Rules” almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but attitude alone can’t keep the biters back.

Serving up a cast of irreverent, slightly twisted characters, an unexpected villain, and an ending you won’t see coming, here is a savvy tale that that’s a delight to read—whether you’re a rabid zombie fan or freshly bitten—and an incisive commentary on the evil that lurks within each of us.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

FINALLY!  A real, true, blood-and-gore, zombie book!  The zombies are actually the ones of lore!  You know?  The shambling, mindless, human flesh-eating, living-dead?  You know?  You get bitten and you become one?  As a firm and unwavering member of Team Zombie, I have to say that this book rocked!  It is all of the aforementioned, but it is also SO much more!  Where do I even start?  How about with my favorite part of The Infects... 

• Characters:  This book had some really awesome ones!  Actually, there are too many great ones to detail in this review, but I will touch on my absolute favorites... First, there is Nick/Nero.  This dude rules.  He is a reluctant hero; a guy who is SO much cooler than he thinks he is.  He is smart, funny, and quick on the uptake, but the best part of Nick/Nero is the voice inside his head.  It's The Rock, people!  You know, Dwayne Johnson, the hot-stuff wrestler-turned-actor?  And he was funny!  Then, of course, there were the other Inward Trek guys; they had nicknames like Heavy D, Idle and Billy, Estrada, and Tripper, just to name a few.  Each one had his own gigantic personality, often providing comic relief, or at the very least, a victim for the zombies to dine on.  Add to the guys, a camp of Inward Trek girls with similarly sized personalities, and you have a recipe for some seriously awesome banter to go along with the flesh eating.  I also loved Nick/Nero's little sister Amanda, who has Asperger's and is a kick-ass video game savant.  She added an element of humanity to the story, and although it wasn't necessarily needed, it was a nice touch.  Then there was the book's antagonist, Win Fuld.  He's the type of guy you love to hate!  The author's description of him made my stomach turn, he was so repulsive, but in a fun way! :-)
• The World:  What better place to fight zombies than in a mountain wilderness.  There are plenty of dark places for the undead to hide, and very few other people for them to eat.  A bunch of kids on a character building trek?  Perfect targets.  And what if they happen to stumble upon a ridiculous hunting lodge at the top of the mountain, and it were full of girls?  Bonus!  The world was great.  A perfect setting for this story!
• The Plot:  Evil corporations? Check.  Zombies created from fast-food?  Check.  Government/Corporate cover-ups?  Check.  Zombie/human romantic arc?  Check.  Witty humor?  Check.  Blood, guts, and gore?  Check.  This story was great.  Not only did it have great plot points and fantastic pacing, but it had so many laughs.  The chapter names were fantastic, as were the nicknames.  There were also many extras that enhanced the story like the obvious, yet still fun to read, "Zombrules" scattered throughout,  the police incident reports pertaining to most of the Inward Trek guys, a Fresh Bukket takeout menu, and my favorite, the interview with a zombie expert at the end of the book.  This is a story made up of lots of little things, assembled in a way that makes for a really awesome ride!

Overall, I have to highly recommend this book to anyone who likes zombie books.  Even if you aren't on Team Zombie, if you like to laugh, and enjoy subtle humor and/or pop-culture references, you should give this one a go.  As I closed this book, I had an intense feeling of satisfaction that I rarely have upon finishing a book.  I have to put this up there as one of my biggest "Surprise! I'm an awesome book!" books of 2012.  Bravo, Sean Beaudoin!  I am looking forward to reading more of what you have to offer!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is very graphically violent (duh!).  There is also a bit of profanity, many lewd remarks, and references to sexual acts and encounters.  I would say this book is best for grades 8 and up (ages 13+), and generally speaking, would appeal more to boys than girls. 

**Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a SIGNED copy of Lauren Oliver's fabulous new book, THE SPINDLERS! Click HERE to enter! US/CAN. Ends 10/20/2012.**

Another AWESOME Giveaway, You Say? Win a SIGNED Copy of THE SPINDLERS by Lauren Oliver

SO... Who else has eagerly awaited Lauren Oliver's newest book, The Spindlers?  I know that when she told us about it at her signing for Pandemonium early this year, I was excited!  My son and I had the opportunity to read this fabulous book early (Thanks HarperCollins Children's!!), and we both LOVED it.  In fact, it is my favorite of her books yet (read my gushy, love-fest, review HERE)!

  

When I heard that she would be doing a release-day signing near me, I was stoked!  She was amazing, as always. Engaging, personable, and real.  She didn't even get offended when my son wanted a picture with her, but wouldn't stand too close because "all girls have cooties". Totally worth the 45 minute drive in rush-hour traffic!  Benjamin got his copy signed, and I got one signed for one of ya'll!  So, go ahead and read my REVIEW, then fill out the Rafflecopter below!

Lauren reading from The Spindlers

Lauren and Benjamin

Best of luck!

ARC Review: Whisper by Alyson Noel

Publisher: Square Fish

Publication Date: April 24th, 2012

This time, Riley might really have bitten off more than she’s ready for. After practically begging the Council for a more challenging Soul Catch, she is assigned an actual Roman gladiator—Theocoles, the Pillar of Doom. How is Riley, a skinny twelve-year-old, supposed to get through to him? Then she meets the beautiful Messalina, who convinces her that her only chance is to become part of this world. To accomplish this, Messalina helps Riley through a dramatic, mystical makeover, transforming her into the beautiful and mature teen she’s always wanted to be. Finally, Riley can experience her first boyfriend and her first kiss. With a dream this enchanting, will she ever want to leave? 

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I really adore this series.  I stumbled upon it a couple of years ago because *surprise* I liked the cover of the first book, Radiance.  I didn't much care for Ever, the star of Alyson's companion series, The Immortals, but I sure do love her little sister Riley (the star of this series).  Riley is a spunky, stubborn, 12 year old dead girl whose job in the afterlife is to lead lost souls to the other side.  She doesn't really listen very well to authority, but she has matured a little in each book, and it's been great to be along for the ride.

Whisper is the fourth book in the series, and it is my favorite book yet. (You can read my reviews of Radiance and Shimmer HERE and my review of Dreamland HERE.)  In the first three books, her job as a Soul Catcher have been difficult.  The powers that be have assigned her some of the toughest, most stubborn souls out there, but Riley is really good at her job, and has been pretty successful.  This time around, her job is more than difficult, it's downright dangerous.  She has been assigned a Roman gladiator named Theocoles, who has not only refused to cross for every Soul Catcher sent his way, but has managed to suck them all into his world.  Countless Soul Catchers have been lost over the centuries, and now it's Riley's job to cross him- alone.  She has always had her mentor, Bodhi, and her trusty dog, Buttercup, by her side, but this time she has been assigned the job solo...  When Riley meets Messalina, a girl near her age who can give her everything she's ever thought she's wanted, she starts to get sucked in herself, which, previously, was something her ego could never imagine possible.

The story was pretty well paced, with only one or two places where I felt like it was repetitive.  That said, there was definitely a purpose in the repetition, I just felt like it could have been accomplished with less of it.  As I touched on briefly before, the characters and the character growth and development were great; the best I've seen yet, in any of Alyson's books.  The story itself was exciting and I felt satisfied at the end. 

This book (and series, as a whole) is great for both MG and YA readers.  Riley's got a great voice that most kids and teens will relate to in one way or another.  This series is also great for reluctant readers.  Each book is short enough and paced so that the reader will not lose interest, and although the covers are pretty, boys and girls alike will enjoy these books.

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Riley experiences her first kiss in this book, but it is still perfectly fine for grades 3 and up (ages 8+).

Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; Inspired by Siobhan Dowd

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 27th, 2011

This is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss. The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming. . . .

This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. 

It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness spins a tale from the final story idea of Siobhan Dowd, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself. Darkly mischievous and painfully funny, A Monster Calls is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss from two of our finest writers for young adults.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I have to admit that  when I heard Patrick Ness had written a MG novel, I was dubious.  I've read his Chaos Walking series, and while he is a brilliant writer, he's not one that I would have ever considered recommending to a MG reader.  Then I read a synopsis of A Monster Calls and saw the cover, and thought, "This doesn't really seem very MG.  It seems too harsh...".  Then I read it.  And it took me a REALLY long time to read it.

I started this book in late November, and had to put it down for quite awhile.  It just wasn't a great time for me to be reading such a sad and very, very real book.  It sat on my nightstand until yesterday, when I decided it was time to finish it.  Well, finish it, I did.  I read almost the entire book in one sitting, and while it was extremely sad, it was satisfying too.  It was brilliantly written, with so much care, wisdom, and TRUTH.  It IS okay to be angry at the injustice of seeing bad things happen to good people, and it is okay to want the suffering to end.  As heart-wrenching as this book is, it is also beautiful, but it's not the writing and story alone that makes it so.  This book would not be what it is without illustrator Jim Kay's amazing artwork!  Entirely in black and white, and done with ink, he manages to create so many textures through the use of many unique tools.  The perspective he adds to this story with his artwork adds so much, and your average illustration would never have done the job.  He captures the story and emotion behind it in ways that are astounding and difficult to describe.  My favorite was, by far, the one where the monster is shown sitting on the roof of Conor's Grandma's office.  The feeling in that illustration brought tears to my eyes, and it wasn't the only one.  This book is a package deal like few I have ever read, and it is truly extraordinary.

Get your box of tissues, block an afternoon off to read, and dig in.  You will gain so much as a person by the experience.  This book is more than a story, more than mind-blowing illustrations, more than a book... This book is a work of art and a study in all that is right, all that is wrong, and everything that is unfair in our reality.  It is love, anger, triumph, defeat, rage, and understanding, all rolled into one.  A must-read for everyone.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+++

Grade Level Recommendation:  This is considered a MG book, but I wouldn't classify it as so.  I wouldn't recommend this for kids younger than about 5th grade, unless they are going through the horrible experience of watching a loved one die of cancer.  I feel like the average younger MG student just wouldn't GET what this book has to offer.  That said, after about 5th grade, I think this is a book that anyone, and everyone should read; tween, teens, adults.  Anyone can gain wisdom and a small piece of humanity from reading this.

Review: Flip by Martyn Bedford

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House

Publication Date: April 5th, 2011

One December night, 14-year-old Alex goes to  bed. He wakes up to  find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country, and it's the middle of June. Six months have disappeared overnight. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers.
And when he looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares back at him.  A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's happened and how to get back to his own life,  he may be trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else.
Questions of identity, the will to survive, and what you're willing to sacrifice to be alive make this extraordinary book impossible to put down.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book received starred reviews from both School Library Journal and Kirkus, so I had high hopes for it.  After the first 40 or so pages, I was beginning to get nervous, thinking I had gone into with too high expectations.  I was wrong... I always tell my kids to give a book five chapters before giving up, and I am glad I took my own advice, because despite its slow start, this book is definitely a winner.

This book is difficult to review because you really can't say much without spoiling it.  It is unpredictable, and aside from the slowish start, a fabulously paced ride.  I enjoyed the characters and had to wonder about what I would do if it were me in this situation.  What I really liked was how even though it was far-fetched, there was en element of plausibility to it; not enough for it to be believable, but almost.  The writing was great, the solution to the mystery unanticipated, and the characters real.  My favorite things about this book are the questions it raises about the mind and what makes us who we are.  If you like a book that will make you think and keep you guessing until the very end, give this one a shot.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation:  There is some teen drinking, a few swears, and some sex talk.  Also, the subject matter would be over the head of younger readers. I would put this at ages 12+ (7th grade and up).  

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: June 7th, 2011

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

When I heard about this book, I was totally intrigued.  What a great premise!  I was really excited when I finally got my hands on this, and actually waited a couple of weeks for my vacation because I knew I would want to read it straight through, and I did.  

At first I was thinking, "Wasn't this done in some Drew Barrymore/Adam Sandler movie?", and on the surface, it might seem that way, but it's just not so.  That movie was a romance and while the romantic element was okay for me, the mystery was what had me unable to put this book down.  How is it that this girl goes to bed each night, only to wake up having not memories of her past, but of her future?  Nothing of her past is there except what she writes down before her mind resets at 4:33am.  The "memories" of the future do help her some, but what happens when a person comes into her life that she doesn't see in her future?  Interesting as far as the romance goes, but the mystery is so much more than that...

I thought Cat Patrick did a fantastic job writing this book.  You never really get to know London like you would in the characters in other books, because she really doesn't know herself, but that what's so intriguing.  London can easily lie to herself with her notes, as she does from time to time.  Want to forget about something crappy that happened?  Great.  Just don't write it down... I think that is what made this book so awesome- you're never really prepared for the turns in events.  There is zero predictability. So many YA books are so painfully predictable (even the ones I love), that I feel so refreshed when an author keeps me guessing.

When I finished this book, I really wanted there to be a sequel; I wanted to know more about London and how things turn out for her.  However, after letting digest, I have to say that I think this is better as a stand-alone.  The pressing questions in this story were answered and I'm happy with the ending.  A reader can't ask for much more...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Pretty clean.  An innocent teen romance and a small amount of violence.  5th grade+ (Ages 11 and up).

**Don't forget to enter my AWESOME giveaway of an audio copy of the AMAZING All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin HERE!**

Review: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: August 23rd, 2011

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I am a huge fan of fairy tale retellings if they are done right.  Example: Disney- not done right; Jackson Pearce- done perfectly.  To be "done right" a fairy tale retelling needs to capture the feelings the original author was trying to evoke and get the same type of reaction out of the reader, while keeping to the main elements and message.  Disney changes stories to the extreme that the point is lost.  Yeah, I get that they are catering to children and "happily ever after" sells better, but I still get mad.  Jackson Pearce breathes new life into the cautionary fairy tales of old; modernizing them to fit into today's world.  I really enjoyed the first book in her Fairytale Retellings Series, Sisters Red, but I LOVED Sweetly.  I feel like Sisters Red was a warm-up, and Sweetly is "game on".

I was hooked from the Prologue, and who wouldn't be?  Ansel, Gretchen, and her twin sister being chased by a witch in the forest, with only Ansel and Gretchen making it out?  Yikes! You would think it would lull after that, but it doesn't...  Chapter one begins 12 years later, with Ansel and Gretchen beginning their road trip to the coast and a better life, after basically being booted by their stepmother. They didn't have much-no real plan, not much money, but they had each other and they had hope... Then their car breaks down in a small, rather strange town.  Not having anywhere else to go, Ansel takes some handyman work and a place to stay from a young chocolatier named Sophia, and the story really begins.  There's something not quite right about the town, the people who live there, candy shop, or Sophia herself.

This story is told in a way that keeps you guessing at what will happen next and how certain characters and their experiences tie in.  There is a great deal of mystery on many levels, and nothing is what you think it will be.  This book moves along at a great pace with the revelations spaced really well.  I never felt over or underwhelmed with new developments.  As far a the descriptive element was concerned, I was impressed; it was awesome.  Honestly, I could practically taste the sweets mentioned in this book and could feel the surroundings- the creepy forest, the quaint house, the desperate town- while reading about them. 

My favorite part of this book, though, were the characters.  They are so human, and as we all know, there is some monster in every human being.  How much of that monster is on the surface is the real question.  In this book you forge such a connection to the characters that in the end it is difficult to decide who is right and who is wrong, because it is so not black and white.  Scratch that.  It's not necessarily difficult to decide; the actions of some characters are definitely wrong, but you have to wonder if you wouldn't have done the same in their shoes... One of my favorite characters was Samuel, just as his brother Silas was one of my favorites in Sisters Red.  I love that the Reynolds siblings will be represented in each book; Jackson says the Reynolds triplet girls will be the subjects of her next Fairytale Retelling, Fathomless, a retelling of The Little Mermaid (releases in August of 2012).

Overall, I think this is Jackson's best book yet.  It may have been her hardest to write so far, but I think it paid off.  This book will be difficult to top, but I have no doubt she'll be able to do it with Fathomless.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is pretty clean.  There is violence and some romance, but all in all, quite benign.  My 5th grader has read it.  Ages 11 and up (5th-6th grade +).

**Don't forget to enter my AWESOME giveaway of an audio copy of the AMAZING All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin HERE!**

Banned Book Showcase: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: September 2nd, 2008

Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.

Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.

Once upon a time, I didn’t know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice’s story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book has been both challenged and banned for being "inappropriate".  Disturbing? Yes.  Inappropriate for teen readers? No.  Yes, this book is graphic; everything about it is just wrong, but these types of things happen in real life and just because we don't want to acknowledge them doesn't mean they aren't.  Perhaps a teen who had read this at a point in life where he or she can relate to the protagonist, won't turn a blind eye later on in life if they come across a child who is in a situation that is "not quite right".  Actually, I think the part of this book that I found most disturbing was not the despicable actions the abuser (although they were BEYOND disturbing), but the utter lack of initiative on the parts of the adult bystanders who knew something wrong was happening to this girl, but did NOTHING about it.  This book was horrifying and it was not one I enjoyed reading, but it was well done and it wasn't sugarcoated.  One challenger did so because it had an "unsatisfactory ending".  I don't want to spoil here, but these type of stories don't usually have satisfactory endings.  This story was gritty, raw, and entirely realistic; I honestly don't know how Elizabeth Scott was able to write it so well.  I rate it highly because of how well it is done and how engaging it is, but for the record, I hated this book every minute I was reading it.  My stomach stayed in knots the entire time because all I could think about was, "This could be my daughter.".

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  On one level I say that this is a high school book.  It is very complex despite it's small page count.  It is graphic and horrifying.  On another level I think to myself that if the protagonist had read this at 11, when she was abducted, she probably would not have been.  I can't really make a call on this one.  Like many of these books on sensitive topics, I feel that the parent should read it first, and decide when the right time for their kid to read it is.  For my kids, I lean toward 8th or 9th grade.

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop HERE**

Review: Tighter by Adele Griffin

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 10th, 2011

When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Brilliantly plotted, with startling twists, here is a thrilling page-turner from the award-winning Adele Griffin.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I'll readily admit that I picked this book up because of it's creepy cover.  I had never heard of Adele Griffin, and I had no idea- I mean, not even an inkling- what this book was about.  It was a skinny book, clocking in at a mere 216 pages, and it had an awesome cover, so I was going to read it.  What did I think?  Well, whoever said that you should never judge a book by it's cover was wrong in this case.  Wow!

This review will be rather short because I can't really say much without giving the most shocking and spine-tingling parts away.  Throughout the entire book, I thought I was was reading a book about one thing, and then I found out toward the end that I was completely off base.  It was GREAT how I was thrown.  It doesn't happen much and I was thrilled!  I will say that I read this in one night.  I stayed up until dawn because I couldn't put it down.  You see, not only did I have a burning need to know what happened next, but this is not the type of book that you stick a bookmark in and get any sleep (especially if you are kind of scared of the dark like I am).  I don't know if this book is for everyone, but if you like a thriller/mystery that will keep you on your toes, you will love this!

My Rating:   ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:   There is some language, teen drinking, and drug use (the protagonist abused prescription meds).  It is rather scary and the twist at the end is pretty heavy.  I would say this is okay for 8th grade and up (ages 13+).

Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin Young Readers Group

Publication Date: July 26th, 2011

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I want to start with my one and only complaint and get it out of the way... Why the eff did they change the cover of this book?  I adored the early cover that matched Nightshade and I really detest this one.  It looks so grandma's-bad-romance-novel-esque.  Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I can focus on my actual review...

This is a book that earned an honored spot on my Top 10 YA Books of 2011 list because it was awesome!  I put off reading it's predecessor, Nightshade, for far too long, and I kicked myself once I got around to reading it because I loved it so much (read my review HERE).  I was not going to make the same mistake when this book came out!  As soon as I got my hands on it, I devoured it.  It was one of those books that I just couldn't put down until I finished it.

I thought I loved Nightshade, but I felt like this blew it out of the water.  Better story, better writing, better everything!  It pretty much picks up where Nightshade left off, and it turns out that things were never quite what they seemed to be...  I won't give spoilers, but I will say that the world building this time around was spectacular, especially the descriptions of the Searcher compound and their methods of travel.  I also really enjoyed the new characters.  I bonded with them and I felt a solid punch in the gut when things didn't go well for certain ones.  When some of the characters from Nightshade reappeared in the story, I was really thrown for a loop.  Not at all what I expected...  Calla is still kick-ass, and I love her more and more with each book (please don't disappoint me, Bloodrose).  I find Shay as repulsive as ever, although I still can't put my finger on why.  I totally get why people love him, but he rubs me the wrong way;  I'm still solidly on Team Ren.  I have faith in him (plus my imagination says he SO much hotter than Shay).

I cannot wait for the release of Bloodrose on January 24th.  I will devour it as well.  Judging from Andrea Cremer's first two installments, I am sure it will not be a disappointment.  I'm hoping maybe she will have some tidbits for us at YallFest in November.  She is one of the main attractions for me.  Stay tuned!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ++

Grade Level Recommendation: Because I said Nightshade was an 8th grade+ book (ages 14+), I'm going to say the same of this one.  See the Nightshade review for my reasons.

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book!!  I loved it (which is why it earned itself a place on my list of Top 10 YA Books of 2011)!  I read this book as a buddy read with my 10 year old daughter.  We had both been wanting to read it, and I had been putting her off all summer, telling her I had to read it first.  After much whining, she wore me down, and we agreed that I would read a chapter ahead (and no more than a chapter ahead) and if I felt it got inappropriate for her impressionable young mind, she would be cut off.  Well, fortunately, I never felt it was beyond what she could handle; unfortunately, I had to finish the book while she was at school one day and then lie to her her and say that I didn't (Bad Mommy!). I just couldn't stop reading it...

In the wake of the enormous success of The Hunger Games, the book market has been flooded with dystopias. Most are decent at best, so I have been a bit wary of the new stuff (despite the fact that it has been my favorite genre since reading 1984 when I was 20 years old).  When I first heard of this I was intrigued, but not yet excited.  Then there was a lot of really positive advance buzz for this book, and I decided I would give it a shot... Plus the cover is awesome and I'm a cover whore. :)

I could hardly believe this was a debut novel.  I hope that the quality of this novel is a testament to how gifted Veronica Roth is, and not beginners luck, because I am well looking forward to the release of Insurgent, the second book in the series (which sadly will not be out until April of 2012!).  I think Veronica Roth's biggest strength was character development.  Some reviews complained about her lack of world-building, but I don't think that was, or should have been the focus in this book.  This book is so much more about WHO each character is, than the world around them.  Their world was wholly a matter of perspective; as a reader, we see a dystopian setting because of the harsh backdrop and the rigidness of the factions, but most of the characters in this story saw a utopian civilization where each person made a choice as to what their place would be in it.  The factions are formed on the strength of character of each group, supposedly based on which singular trait shines the strongest in their individuals.  What happens when you show equal amounts of strength in several areas?  You start asking questions....  This is where the characters become so important.  

I really liked how Roth laid out each personality.  Some people, like Tris and Four, were very complex, while others (Peter) were rather easy to understand.  I found it easy to define my loyalties (with the exception of one character).  I liked that despite the fact that Tris was wily, and pretty kick-ass, she was still a normal teenage girl, full of doubts and questions.  I liked that there were romantic elements to the story without the romance being the focus.  I liked that brains and integrity were valued over cunning and physical strength.  One of my favorite things about the character development is how we found out so much through the Dauntless testing; things that would have otherwise been impossible to uncover.

As far as the actual story and pace, I didn't feel a lull anywhere and I felt like we got the information we need at the right intervals. Nothing felt rushed or over-explained.  My only gripe was that we learned very, very little about the faction Amity, and I would have liked to know more about Candor as well.  They weren't really essential to this part of the story aside from the few characters that came from these factions into Dauntless, but I am still curious.  That said, it is my understanding that Insurgent will answer a lot of my questions about the other factions,so I can get past this minor hang-up.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Like I said above, I buddy read this with my 10 year old (5th grader).  It's violent.  Much like The Hunger Games, the violence is pretty graphic in nature and description.  There is romance; kissing, minimal talk of sex.  There are curse words here and there.  Conservatively, I would say mature 5th to 6th grade+ (Ages 11+).  I would use your feelings on The Hunger Games as a parameter.

BONUS:  The cover for book #2, Insurgent was revealed last week and it is awesome!  Check it out!  Isn't is GORGEOUS?!?!

**Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a signed copy of Across the Universe by Beth Revis!  It ends at 11:59pm tonight!  Follow this LINK!!**

Review: Everfound by Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011

While Mary lies in a glass coffin aboard a ghost train heading west, her minions are awaiting her re-awakening by bringing lots of new souls into Everlost to serve her. Meanwhile Jackin’ Jill has met Jix, a fur-jacker—a skin jacker who can take over the bodies of animals, most notably jaguars. Jix serves a Mayan god who collects Everlost coins, and has his own agenda. In the concluding volume of The Skinjacker Trilogy, Neal Shusterman reveals new sides of the characters of Everlost, who are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I will start this review off by saying that if you have not read the first two books this series (The Skinjackers Trilogy), then you really MUST.  This is the third and final book, and if you try to read it without reading the first two (Everlost and Everwild), you will not only be doing yourself a disservice, but you will be totally lost.  Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I can move on to my gush-fest...

This was in my my top five most anticipated books of 2011 (and those five are not in any order because I anticipated them equally).   I loved the first two books and I LOVE Neal Shusterman.  He is hands-down, my favorite YA author.  His books are phenomenal, and Everfound is a close second favorite behind the incredibly brilliant, (not enough) award-winning Unwind.  When I read Everlost (book #1) I was blown away; it was smart, action-packed, and almost plausible.  I eagerly moved right on to Everwild, it's sequel, and liked it even better.  Then I had to wait.  Seven long months of agony...

At least I was confident when I picked up Everfound that it wouldn't fall flat.  Shusterman's writing is so reliable, and his storytelling ability so solid, that I had no doubt whatsoever that this book would top the first two.  I was NOT wrong.  This book topped the other two (no easy feat) and then some.  If I could give it more stars, I would.  

There are so many reasons I loved this book...  As always, the world building is amazing.  Shusterman really does take you there.  The character development is great.  I liked how he was able to draw his development out over the three books, but still manage to keep it all straight.  His style of character development kept me on my toes; it was like real life where people change and grow a little with every interaction they have.  Every character had flaws and weaknesses, strengths and positive traits.  Even the characters I was rooting against had their redeeming qualities and understandable motivations.  Shusterman managed to make you empathize with even the villains, showing that there are two sides to every coin (no pun intended if you've read the books).  There were so many characters, side stories, and different settings in this book that it could very well have been a disaster had it been written by anyone else, but in the end Shusterman not only weaves the stories together, but does it in a way that makes you say, "Aha!  I finally get it and this man is a genius! It was totally worth the wait!".

All in all, an amazing ending to an epic series.  If you've not read any of these books, do so.  They progressively improve (from a 5-star rating), and I wasn't disappointed in any way with how things turned out.

My Rating: ★★ ★ ★ ★++ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  I think this entire series is wholly appropriate for grades 4 and up (ages 9+). There are romantic sentiments, but absolutely nothing beyond innocent kissing and hand-holding.  Some with strong religious beliefs might take issue with its setting in a place between living and the afterlife, but I think most people understand that it's fiction.

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.