Book Review- Bombmaker by Claire McFall

Title: Bombmaker

 Author:  Claire McFall

Published:  1 February 2014 by Templar

Length:  336 pages

Source: publisher

Other info:  Claire has also written Ferryman, which I reviewed here and won the Scottish Booktrust Award.

Summary : The English government have closed the borders with their Celtic neighbours. Any Celt found in England is branded with a tattoo, found twice they are executed. Scottish Lizzie is the 'property' of psychopathic London gang boss Alexander. Can Lizzie escape Alexander's deadly grip and at what price her betrayal?

Review: Following bad economic times, England closes the borders with Scotland and Wales  and brings in  a new policy: Celts found in England are branded. Branded Celts in England are killed. Lizzie is one such branded Celt, who is the "property" of Alexander, a gang boss in London, who keeps her around for her bombmaking skills. as time goes on, Lizzie realises she might like a life outside the gang. Which is something that Alexander does not like at all.

I read McFall's Ferryman last year and really enjoyed it. I was looking forwards to this, especially with everything going on about the Scottish Independence referendum. Extreme nationalist governments make good reading (not real life), and so do gangs. Add in promises of a clever awesome female character and I'm sold.

You very quickly get pulled into Lizzie's world, both the political climate and the gang life that she’s part of. It’s a world that is believable, if you imagine that a yes vote leads to extreme xenophobia on the  English peoples’ part (ie just a huge ramp up of how it is now).

I love the fact that all the characters are well fleshed out really well. You really get close to them, even if that closeness is not something that you really want to be. Alexander’s creepiness seems to know no bounds. Lizzie, I liked a lot; she’s resourceful, and you want things to go right for her, even though they tend not to. I loved reading about them and how they got where they are and where they want to go.

It’s very very different to Ferryman. McFall writes well in both softer afterlife stories and gritty thrillers. I’m looking forwards to see what she does next.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a fast paced relevant  dystopia.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Stray by Monica Hesse

Title: Stray

 Author: Monica Hesse

Series:  N/A

Published:  6 June 2013 by Hot Key Books

Length: 352 pages

Source: publisher

Summary : Lona Sixteen Always is not herself - quite literally. She lives her life virtually through the experiences of Julian, a boy who was chosen as a role model for the Pathers of Quadrant 1 - troubled children who have been 'rescued' by the government and put 'on-Path'. But one day Lona finds she can think for herself. And on top of that, the face of a familiar boy appears on her screen - Fenn, who she thought had moved on to a different stage of the Path last year. But he didn't. Fenn and other rebels like him have strayed from the Path, and now Lona must stray too. But life off-Path is strange and difficult, and Lona uncovers a secret that will threaten all their lives. Can there really be life after the Path?

Review:  In this world, children who would otherwise be lost are put into the Path system, and spend 23 hours a day being Julian, a boy who lived fifty years ago and had his life deemed perfect. Lona has been on the path for sixteen years, and can’t imagine any other life. Until Fenn, a boy from her past, appears in the simulation. Deemd to have gone Off-Path, Lona is taken out of the program and thrust into a new world, uncovering secrets regarding other Off-Pathers who die before they’re nineteen, things about who she is, and where the Path will lead you.

This is an amazingly original idea. The world of the Path, the idea of it, immediately raises questions and makes you think. The system is set up well, and can we just talk about the names? On-Path, even they are simply a way of organising (Monica has an explanation here), and that’s a really intriguing idea, that leads to creative names like Ilyf and Byde and Czin.

Lona is inquisitive and believable and likable. She develops the most being the main character, and also because she goes from having no knowledge of the outside, real world to having some, and it’s fascinating to watch her gain that knowledge,  feel the intenseness of the real life in comparison to the virtual one they’d been kept on. My second favourite was Talia, a Path worker-there’s more to her than you first think. All the characters are something different.

The plot goes in a lot of different directions, and halfway through someone turns up who is a really big plot twist. Genevieve and Lona together are good at discovering things, and also the relationship between them is interesting to watch develop. The Fenn x Lona one is also good, developing naturally.

 The writing was really good at getting across the idea that these children hadn’t had their own lives. They’re all rather accepting of their situation, and the use of the pronoun We to refer to both themselves and Julian, the thinking of Julian’s birthday being their own, and the games show that despite them being Off-Path, they do still think of themselves as one with Julian.

Where  it ended made this book feel complete, but there’s a lot of room for a sequel, and I really hope, with the writing of Stray, that there will be one.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a highly original book  with mystery, friendship, and what it means to follow, or not follow, a path.

Links: Amazon | | Goodreads | Author twitter | 

Dystopia Love by Cricket Baker

 Hi guys. Sorry for absence. Also sorry for lateness of this post-didn't press schedule for a few days ago and didn't notice till today. Sorry. Anyway, today, we have Cricket Baker, author of The Ghosting of Gods, talking about why we all love dystopian novels. 

Dystopia: a society characterized by human misery.

Why are dystopian novels so...compelling?

If you’re a fan of YA dystopian novels, I’m convinced I know you. You’re the sort who loves a story with a flair of weirdness about it. Definitely. But you’re also the sort who is, either overtly or subconsciously, attracted to the wild idea that your world can be something different from what it is.

Both of these things mean you are open to being wild and different.

I’m sorry if you disagree with my assessment of your character. Doesn’t matter. I’m right. I know you because I know what you read. Did you seriously believe you like to blend in? (I’m laughing.)

Being different can be uncomfortable. Scary, even, like when your internet service fails. But it’s what the world needs. You know this, right? I mean, have you ever hoped a character in a dystopian novel would refuse to change their dysfunctional world by refusing THE CALL to be different? (Note: different = who you are.) Please read the following quote, one of my favorites:

You become mature when you become the authority of your own life  ~Joseph Campbell, mythologist

With that, you’ve got the essence of the YA protagonist’s journey in a dystopian novel.

By the way, you’re not only secretly in love with how different you are, you’re not only thrilled with the idea of changing your world, but you’re also an intellectual. What compliments I’m throwing at you!! Feel free to accept them.

Current and popular dystopian novels share much in common with those esteemed works of classical literature which long-ago authors penned with stunning sincerity (authors need to believe they’re writing really good stuff). Flaws in society are showcased (authors tend to have a critical eye so as to help others change). Flaws in human nature are exaggerated and examined (authors love to lie and gossip). If a novel brings you insight into the workings of your life or world, it’s gifting you not just with entertainment, but also with transformation. Books are great that way. Dystopian novels, especially so.

A secret: I know why YA authors write dystopians. We’re brilliant (wink, wink), so it comes naturally. More important: We seek to prompt everyone, but especially younger generations, to SEE. 

(OMG please, please, please, SEE.)

To change the world, you must first see it as it really is, and not how you’ve been instructed to see it. It’s critical that you see it for yourself. And think about it for yourself. And envision it anew for yourself. The possibilities are wild...can you see that?

You know that song, We Are Young? Sing it. Surrender to your secretly weird and intellectual self.

Set the world on fire.

(Warning: If you were just reminded of The Girl Who Was On Fire, you’ve got Dystopia Love.)


The Ghosting of Gods

Jesse is an apprentice exorcist who defies his priests when he learns his sister is in danger even though she’s dead. When he’s exiled to a haunted world, Jesse must unravel the mystery of ghosts if he is to save her. He plunges into a deadly game of hide-and-seek. The players include denizens draped in monkish robes, ghosts with matted eyes, the dead who tunnel underground in terror, and...Elspeth. 

A coven scientist, Elspeth is both respected and feared for her abnormal spiritual powers. Jesse needs--craves--the knowledge of ghosts which she possesses. Elspeth tempts him in other ways...but is she a spiritual prodigy, or dangerously insane? The coven scientist begs him to trust her. He doesn’t. But he wants to. 

Caught in a world on the brink of spiritual evolution, Jesse struggles to understand Elspeth even as frightening contacts from his sister force him to face the secret, shattering meaning of a verse he knows well: Blessed are the poor in ghost.

Cricket can be found here, on facebook, tumblr and youtube. The Ghosting of Gods can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. 

                                

Book Review-What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Title: What’s Left of Me

 Author: Kat Zhang

Series:  Hybrid Chronicles #1

Published:  18 September 2012 by Harper

Length: 343 pages

Other Info: Book Two should be called Once We Were. Book Three is expected.

Source: Publisher

Summary :  I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . . For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review:  Eva shouldn’t exist, but she does. In a world where two souls get born into each body, and  one fades after time, she’s the weaker one out of her and Addie. After faking through tests, Addie is declared dominant and Eva gone, but they both know she’s not. After meeting Hally and Devon, and finding a way for Eva to take control of their body, they try to take it. But then they get shipped off to another hospital, where they’re in more danger.

Ever since I heard of this, I was really excited about this. It’s such an original idea and really interesting-sharing bodies with others,  having to live like that, not having control over what your body does, and such. Then there was the whole persecution thing, and i was very happy at the differentness, the newness of this book.

It didn’t take long to get the hang of Eva and Addie’s relationship. The whole, I love you but sometimes I dislike you, which you get from being around one person  for a long time, so it’s easy to see that it was taken further when they’re together for the entirety of their life.

I love the supporting characters. Hally and Devon are really cool. The romance between Eva and Devon and Ryan is really sweet, but a little annoying in places.

Eva really takes the stage here, despite the fact that she is the weak one in her world. I love her voice, her determination to hang onto life with everything that she’s got, and her strength to keep fighting even though it would theoretically be best for her life to not.

I’d like some more world building. There’s mentions of hybrids in other countries running around like normal, so I’d like to see why America thinks they’re a threat. I’d also like to see how they came about.             

The writing is good. It’s simple, but it gets across all the emotions really really well. There’s also little things like using me and us which show how they change their views about eachother.

The whole concept really makes you think. What if it happened to me? What if a part of me was going to disappear one day? What if I was hated and  threatened  for not letting go of it? Then you realise exactly how scary this concept is.

Finally, the amazingness of the cover. As in, there’s two girls in that one shape.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a beautifully original book. looking forwards to the next one.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review - Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

Title: Maggot Moon

 Author: Sally Gardner

Series:  N/A

Published:  6 September 2012 by Hot Key Books

Length: 288 pages

Warnings: extreme violence, said violence aimed at child, generally not for younger people

Source: Publishers

Other info:  This has been longlisted for the Carnegie award and shortlisted for the Costa award.  Sally has written other things such as The Double Shadow and The Red Necklace.

Summary : What if the football hadn’t gone over the wall. On the other side of the wall there is a dark secret. And the devil. And the Moon Man. And the Motherland doesn’t want anyone to know. But Standish Treadwell — who has different-colored eyes, who can’t read, can’t write, Standish Treadwell isn’t bright — sees things differently than the rest of the "train-track thinkers." So when Standish and his only friend and neighbor, Hector, make their way to the other side of the wall, they see what the Motherland has been hiding. And it’s big...

Review: Standish Treadwell is a fifteen year old dyslexic boy who lives in the Motherland, an oppressive country where anyone who doesn’t fit in (such as Standish’s parents) gets disappeared. Also disappeared one day is Standish’s best friend, Hector. As Standish tries to find him, he also uncovers more of the Motherland’s secrets. For example, those regarding the moon landing.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this to start with. Then I saw what Andrew and Viv   had to say and thought “why not?” And I’m very glad I did read it.

The first thing I really got into was the world setting. It’s not really England, it’s not really America. There’s hints of Nazi Germany with the hands out salute and the disappearing, but it’s also somewhere else. Zone seven, where Standish lives, is especially depressing, and the atmosphere of despair is really strong, with Standish’s and Hector’s imaginations being the only good things there for them. there’s some really shocking moments in here, not just in terms of plot twists. Just what happens, and what people can get away with.

The big picture backdrop is the moon landing and its conspiracy theories (both the real world’s one and the Motherland’s). It’s very intriguing, with a lot of plausibility.  I won’t give too much away, but it really gets going in the second half of the book.

The biggest thing is Standish himself, the rest of the characters and their relationships. Standish is abrave, determined character who you just have to love. His close friendship with Hector and their adventures and their rocket that they’re building and their plans to go to the planet Juniper and such just makes me want to go “aww” and give them both a hug.  Standish’s Gramps is epic: at first, a kindly old man, when things get going, a complete BAMF.

It may be because I was told that he was dyslexic, but I found my self paying more attention to the writing style more than I would normally. Gardener uses simple language with slight errors that still gets the message across perfectly and keeps you engaged.

The themes of rebellion and conspiracy and courage are strong in this, but the theme of friendship is the main one. Emotional and touching, this is for everyone wanting a book about a quietly brilliant book.

Actually, this is for everyone (apart from younger readers).

Overall: Strength 5  tea to a quietly brilliant book.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website

Book Review- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Title: Ready Player One

 Author: Ernest Cline

Series:  N/A

Published:  5 April 2012 by Arrow

Length: 384 pages

Warnings: violence, sex references, 13+

Source: Library

Other info: Ernest has also written a set of poems about his life. Ernest is also running a similar contest onlne, for adults in the USA, but not Florida and Columbia, and the prize is a car.

Summary : It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.  Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win.  A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?

Review:  Wade is a Gunter. One of many who, since the death of Virtual Reality OASIS's CEO and founder Halliday, has been hunting for Easter eggs scattered all over the virtual galaxy. Finding them, and keys and gates before any other Gunter means that they will gain inheritance of OASIS. Many a dedicated Gunter wants this. But as well as playing against OASIS, they're playing against IOI, a company that will do anything to win-even kill.

From the start, I was pulled in. It's a premise that's different from anything I've read before, except maybe Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and that didn't take part on a computer generated universe.

The 2040s world is built up quickly, explaining what went wrong in the 10s, and how Earth went downhill from there. The concept behind the Hunt and the OASIS is also quickly explained, and is easy to pick up.

You get a large cast of characters. Wade is our protagonist, appearing in OASIS as Parzival. In addition to him is Art3mis, well known Gunter with a highly successful blog, best friend Aech(despite never meeting in real life)and Japanese duo Daito and Shoto. None of them are who you think they'd be when you meet them properly, but Aech, Art3mis and Wade are built up really well, and I got really attached to all five gunters, even though for the majority of the novel, we know four of them as online avatars.

Wade is clever, resourceful, thinks outside the box and is very likable. Once IOI make their intentions clear, he does quite well at staying one step ahead of them, and is obviously very dedicated to the hunt. He's also gone through major character development by the end, with a really cute ending. 

Although most of Ready Player One is set in OASIS, the cuts to the real world are great. They give a sense of reality, and remind you that there's a person playing this game. What I don't understand is if they're in the middle of an energy crisis, why are they, as in the whole world, stuck on a computer?

Not that I blame them. In Oasis, anything could happen. Most of what we see is connected to 80s geek culture. Dungeons and Dragons and other video games are the most prevalent, but for anyone who grew up in the 80s or who has/had an obsession with that time, this is amazing. And if you didn't, it's still amazing. Not knowing the D&D games inside out isn't a problem for the reader, because Wade does. There's so many references to so much stuff, it's unbelievable. And while it's less than 400 pages, there's so much happening (both storywise and to do with the fact the print and spacing is small) that it seems so much longer. In a good way.

And the whole scale of it all...as I said, IOI will kill for the win, a fact that's made clear once Wade gets a lead. The stakes are so high, the writing so gripping, the characters so engaging, the plot so exciting, that it's impossible to tear yourself away.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a truly epic story that everyone will find something to love in.

 Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection

 Author: Kiera Cass

Series:   The Selection #1

Published:  7 June 2012 by HarperCollins

Length: 327  pages

Age rating: 13+

Source: Publishers

Other info: Kiera’s first novel was called The Siren. Book two in this series will be called The Elite.

Summary : For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review: Prince Maxon is coming of age and needs a wife. And so they hold a selection-thirty five girls are sent to the palace to compete for the title-and Maxon’s heart. America Singer is one of these lucky girls, but she doesn’t really want to be.  But then she meets Maxon, and he really isn’t as bad as she thought he’d be. But then there’ns Aspen, the guy she was ready for a life with before she got selected. And so she has to decide her future.

This has way more romance in it than I thought there’d be. Next in influence is the reality TV show element, which I can’t help thinking is influenced more than a little by things like The Hunger Games publicising everything. The dystopian aspect, contrary to what I’d heard before reading this, is played down a bit, unless the fact that one girl will be forced to marry the prince whether she likes it or not-even though the majority of them do like it.

America’s name was really offputting. Why would anyone name their child after the country they live in? Then it turns out their nation is called Illea. And there’s still countries such as China existing. Global world building doesn’t happen until three quarters of the way through. And while there’s a reason, it’s annoying. National world building, with the caste system, was easy to pick up and go along with.

America is definitely different, what with having the nerve to talk back to Maxon and stand up for herself, as compared to the really quite superficial girls that go to the palace too. However, she’s not really that interesting. Same goes for Maxon-more likeable than America’s narration made him out to be, but not as strong as he could be. My favourite characters are the king and queen.

There’s always something happening. It may vary in conflict/interest levels, but there’s still something interesting happening. The plot develops slowly and steadily, but just about fast enough to keep me interested. It’s a nice idea to not have the Selection completed by the end of the first novel. I’ll definitely read on, just to see who gets chosen.

Love triangle. Damn. Ruined. She’s in a long term relationship before being selected. And then she leaves him both physically and emotionally. She still has  feelings for Aspen, but he’s out of the way and he’s been a jerk and love triangle is seemingly forgotten. AND THEN HE COMES BACK. I was so annoyed at this.

 Overall:  Strength 3 tea to an interesting fairy tale/reality TV crossover.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither

 Author: Lauren DeStefano

Series:  Chemical Garden #1

Published:  2011 by Harper Voyager

Length:358 pages

Warnings: 12+

Source: Library

Other info: This is Lauren’s debut. Book two, Fever, is out. Book 3, Sever, should be out next year.

Summary : What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden’s genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden’s eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she trusts, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Review: In this world, people know when they’re going to die. After experiments fail, women life to 20 and men to 25. Rhine is sixteen, giving her four years to live. Like many other girls, she is kidnapped and forced into a marriage with Linden. And unlike her Sister Wives, she dreams of escaping. Together, she and house servant Gabriel attempt to escape and live the lives they have left to the full.

This is one of those books that I hear about, then don’t get round to reading for a long long time. still, I’ve read it now. I like the idea, as it’s different and I like thinking about what would you do if you knew how long you had left.

It starts really quickly, with world building coming after the action. you get used to this society, the polyamory, and short life spans really easily, and you’re soon pulled in.

Rhine is a believable character and interesting to read about. I love the fact that she wants more than a life inside the mansion, but a part of me just wants to shout at her. Compared to her old life, and the fate of some other girls out there, she has an amazing life. Her husband is nice, he doesn’t force himself on her, and she makes friends easily. Still, she doesn’t whine as much as –somebody-.

Linden, Gabriel and the Sister wives, and the servants are all really nice, fleshed out, and you really want to get to know them. They don’t change that much in terms of attitudes, but they do go through a lot.

The only exception to this lovable cast is Vaugn, who is a protagonist that forces Rhine to think differently and stay alert.

My favourite character is Rose, despite the fact that we don’t see that much of her. Second favourite is Deidre- adorable servant who is amazing at dressmaking.

After the quick start, it slows down a little. Then it speeds up. Then slows down. The pace and interest levels fluctuate a lot,

Rhine thinks in metaphors. I enjoy elaborate writing, but I find it hard to believe that this teenage girl thinks completely in metaphors.

This isn’t the best book I’ve ever read. But it’s definitely gripping, and by the end of the book, you really want to read on. I’ll definitely read Fever soon.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a different dystopian novel that will leave you wanting more.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent

 Author: Veronica Roth

Series:  Divergent #2

Published:  1 May 2012

Length: 525 pages

Warnings: violence 13+

Source: Publisher for review

Other info: I totally loved book one Divergent (review here)

Summary : Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future. Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever ecause more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

Review: Ever since I finished Divergent, I wanted to know what would happen next. I also hoped that book two would be just as good as book one, something that happens less often than not. Luckily, with Divergent/Insurgent, I was not disappointed.

You definitely have to have read Divergent-it jumps straight into the action with very little flashbacking to the events of the previous novel. Which is good, but when it’s been a year since you’ve read book one, it takes a little time  to get used to it.

There is so much packed into the 525 pages that it’s surprising that it’s surprising It’s not longer. There isn’t a moment in the whole novel when Tris is not on the run, about to be executed, being forced to do something she’d rather not, and generally trying to stay alive. Everything happens in such quick succession, there just isn’t a convenient place to stop. Not even the end.

I’m glad we get to see more of Candor and Amity, the factions that Tris didn’t have aptitude for, because they wee fairly overlook in Divergent. In Insurgent, they get their fair share of coverage which sets us up nicely  for what we might be getting in book three.

There’s a huge amount of characters in this, a few new, mostly recurring and most  in different lights to what we had in book one.  Some of them were a little hard to keep up with, especially with similar names. It’s also a little confusing with Tris going back and forth between factions in various states of captivity. However, it was easy though to fill in gaps.

Once again, the writing is great. It details everything and gives all the characters their own personality, their secrets, and strengths and weaknesses.

The thing that got me most was the way that Veronica managed to make me feel for all the characters when they die. Especially the minor ones. General thought processes: somebody major dies-good for them. Somebody we’ve seen for a couple of pages dies-NO NO NO WHY. And considering I don’t normally care about character deaths, that’s saying something.

And the ending. What a cliffhanger. And now we have to wait another year or so for the third and final book. Damn.

Overall:Strength 5 tea. It’s difficult to top Divergent. Insurgent  did.   

Links: Amazon | TheBook Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Title: The Hunt

 Author: Andrew Fukuda

Series:  The Hunt #1

Published: 8 May 2012 by St Martin’s Griffin in the USA. Simon and Schuster in the UK

Length: 293 pages

Warnings:  violence 13+

Source: Netgalley

Summary : Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.  Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.  When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?
 

Review: Gene is not like the rest of the population. He smiles instead of scratches when he finds something funny, sweats, and doesn’t have a taste for flesh and blood. Being exposed as a human, or in the terms of this society, a heper, could get him ripped to pieces. And so he pretends he is one of them, something he is actually quite good at-at least until he’s chosen to take part in the Hunt. A small amount of hepers are being kept at an institute, and a few lucky winners get to hunt them down. It’s a chance that all of society would literally kill for. But this game could soon become deadlier than Gene imagined as the hunter becomes the hunted.

At first, it’s confusing. Very confusing, at least until you decide to be sensible and remind yourself of the summary. It’s easy to infer that the narrator is human-that’s easy enough to guess. But the details of the society takes quite a bit of time to get the basics of. I spent ages wondering “So, he’s human. right. What’s everyone else?” Once we work out the basics though, its easy to imagine the rest of it.

Vampire society is something that seems to be getting a bit more of attention, after the surge of dystopian (thinks of Immortal Rules and other things) where humans are enslaved, the minority, or both. The idea of a human protagonist passing himself off as a vampire was interesting though,  original, and done quite well in The Hunt.

There are definitely influences from other books that are really noticeable. 1984, with the government layout and a slight extent, the Big Brother thing with having to be on his guard. Also, we see a fair bit of the Hunger Games-a random lottery, training sessions, no tying, and an inevitable bloodbath.

It’s really awkward when you’re halfway through a novel and you suddenly remember you don’t know the main character’s name. And then, 51% through, you find out. It’s an interesting technique that I didn’t really like.

 Gene and Ashley Jane (we get told her name at the start) are believable and work well together. It may be because it’s written by a male author, but I’m glad the romance didn’t take over the book. And I’m immensely glad that Gene didn’t fall for Sissy, the sole female heper who he is meant to be hunting.

The best thing bout this was the fullness of the society that they live in. They’re not refered to as vampires, because in this society, they’re the norm. The fact they see humans simply as food is very clear from the attributes from obvious things like what they say to subtle things like referring to humans as “it”.

The other great ting about The Hunt was the detail in the action. It picks up towards the end and is fast, thrilling and totally pulls you in.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a book that’s really good as long as you can get over the highly confusing start. I would like to read the next book in the series though.

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