Book Review and Giveaway - Glaze by Kim Curran

Title: Glaze

 Author: Kim Curran

Published:  12 May 2014 by Jurassic Park

Length: 293 pages

Source: author

Summary : Petri Quinn is counting down the days till she turns 16 and can get on GLAZE – the ultimate social network that is bringing the whole world together into one global family. But when a peaceful government protest turns into a full-blown riot with Petri shouldering the blame, she’s handed a ban. Her life is over before it’s even started.Desperate to be a part of the hooked-up society, Petri finds an underground hacker group and gets a black market chip fitted. But this chip has a problem: it has no filter and no off switch. Petri can see everything happening on GLAZE, all the time. Including things she was never meant to see.As her life is plunged into danger, Petri is faced with a choice. Join GLAZE… or destroy it.

Review:  Glaze-the next level of social media. A chip is inserted into your head, and you are on Glaze. You can see everyone's names and stories. You can see the history of an object. You are connected to everyone all the time. Petri is fifteen when she is charged with inciting a riot. As a punishment, she isn't allowed onto Glaze until she's twenty-one, as opposed to the standard age of sixteen. Unable to take being left out, Petri goes to some hackers to get a  chip inserted on the black market. But this illegal chip means she can't get away from Glaze even if she wants to.

I really enjoyed Shift and Control, and I'm looking forwards to Delete coming sometime soon. When I heard about this, the concept and the author made me sure i'd have to read it.

I loved the world of this. It's scary how we're progressing ever faster towards it; google glass is putting our data in front of our eyes, it's only a matter of time before we get data in our heads. And the dystopian element of a company having all the data and controlling you is something that intrigues me a lot. 

The pacing is really good. There's always something happening, and the ways the plot develops keeps you hooked. It was a little predictable as to who did –the thing-- but the reasoning behind it was harder to see, and I still enjoyed reading. 

The characters are all varied and really well done. I loved Petri, and her desire to fit in is not an unfamiliar one for anyone. I didn't really feel anything for any of the romance in this, but i'm glad that it didn't detract from the plot. I liked the characters by themselves though, from the resourceful hackers to the  friendship and to the real social dynamics of the school to the slightly crazy Mimi.

The best thing about this book is the way it connects with contemporary life, the way this kind of thing could happen if the way we’re going is taken to extremes,, and that this is a book about our reliance on the internet and what happens if we let this internet connectivity control our lives.

Overall:  Strength 4 to a fast paced dystopian with a great world and a look at what happens if technology goes too far.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Also, because I forgot on Saturday, there's a tourwide giveaway happening of one of 75 hardback copies of Glaze, plus other stuff like signed copies of Shift & Control, Glaze Bookmarks, Glaze badges and a meet with Kim Curran or Skype chat if you're not able to come to London. Enter!!


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Mini Reviews-Wool by Hugh Howey and Never the Bride by Paul Magrs

Title: Wool

 Author: Hugh Howey

Series:   Wool #1-5, Silo #1

Published:  March 2013 by Simon and Schuster

Source: library

Review:  Everyone lives  underground, every birth requires someone to die (so resources aren’t in over-demand), orders are given and followed, and those who think ideas about going outside get them, though maybe not as they wanted them. Dissenters are sent to Cleaning-the task of cleaning, with wool cloth, the cameras which give a view of the world outside of the Silo, which is a punishment because the poisonous gases in the atmosphere break down protective suits and kill the wearer. Jules is one such idea-thinker.

I loved the world of this. You’re transported instantly with the beginning following ex-sheriff Holston going out to Cleaning and starting off the events of the book. You quickly get the gist of the tightness of control, and over the first half you really get the idea of the society and the way it runs together.  

Characters-there’s a lot of them. Or at least I think there were. I got really lost in places in terms of who was who and their relationships. Jules is a really good character-strong, inquisitive, and brave.

Book 2 was quite political, which held my interest a lot less than the rest of it. The second half seemed to set up a revolution, and it was interesting to watch, especially when we get parts outside of the Silo.

Overall:  Strength 2.5 tea, more a 3, to an adult dystopian that I liked in parts but got lost in others. Excellent world building.

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

Title:  Never the Bride

 Author:   Paul Magrs

Series:  Brenda and Effie Mystery #1

Published:   May 2005 by Gardener Books

Source: Library 

Review: Brendan is an older lady who runs a B&B in Whitby. There’s some weird things going on, such as tv psychics, aliens, time defying beauty parlours and a hotel with people in meat lockers,  Brenda and best friend Effie have a lot to keep investigating. And then there’s Brenda and her own mysteries- all the things about her that make you wonder exactly who, or what, she is.

I got recommended this on the fact that it is a very gothy comedy thing that sounded right up my street.

It’s odd reading a book with an older person (who doesn’t have the gift of eternal youth and related perks). It makes it hard for me to connect,  but I like the fact that the main character’s age, plus the whole variety of characters, isn’t your typical horror/supernatural/mystery story.

Brenda is a very intriguing character. Who she is is really awesome, and I liked learning her story (see if you can guess who she is from the title.  I couldn’t but at the reveal, it made perfect sense). The supporting cast are very varied, but lack depth.

The plot is quite disjointed, but there are some callbacks in places I quite liked.

Writing lacks the laughoutloudness that I was promised by someone, but I liked the style.

Overall:  Strength 2.5 tea, more a 2, to a book with a nice idea that I  couldn’t get into really.

Links: | Goodreads| Author website | 

Book Review-Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Title: Brave New World

 Author: Aldous Huxley

Series:  N/A

Published:  December 2007 by Vintage. First published 1932

Length: 288 pages

Warnings: sex and violence

Source: gift from family

Summary : Far in the future, the World Controllers have finally created the ideal society. In laboratories worldwide, genetic science has brought the human race to perfection. From the Alpha-Plus mandarin class to the Epsilon-Minus Semi-Morons, designed to perform menial tasks, man is bred and educated to be blissfully content with his pre-destined role.

But, in the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, Bernard Marx is unhappy. Harbouring an unnatural desire for solitude, feeling only distaste for the endless pleasures of compulsory promiscuity, Bernard has an ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining Savage Reservations where the old, imperfect life still continues, may be the cure for his distress…

Review: In this dystopian, the population are sorted into  classes, Alphas through to Elipson and are this class for life. The conditioning happens even before they’re born-only Alphas and Betas are individual, whereas Gammas, Deltas and Elisions are mass-cloned. They are then conditioned to think the things typical of their class, and to be useful to the society.  Through recreational sex and drugs in free time, everyone is happy and no-one wants to leave. Except Bernard Marx, an Alpha who wants to visit a Savage Reservation. There they meet John, the Savage, who changes his world view completely.

I was excited to read this one. I read 1984 a few years ago and really enjoyed it, and was looking forwards to the other big classic dystopian around. The idea of this, the cloning and the keeping everyone happy, is entirely different, and seeing it all keep everyone satisfied is interesting. You can see clearly how Huxley is parodying the consumer society of the time, taking it to ridiculous lengths. The world of worshipping Ford, the idea that making a new thing is better than mending it for the good of the consumer society, and such are obviously taking off boom-time America.  The first thirdish of Brave New World is the best.

The middle of the novel, the visiting the Reservation, is a complete contrast to the Britain in the way of thinking. John is a character who is a bit interesting, the rest of the Savages also. But I was kind of bored throughout this section. The ending, a confrontation between John and World Controller Mond, brings back the interest a bit, but not that much.

Characters, I didn’t really care for them. Maybe at a push Linda and John. But those from the Britain were just a bit samey, boring and they didn’t help you get into the  story at all.

The plot is mainly characters questioning world views. Others may enjoy this, I didn’t.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a book with a wonderful new world, but a story that wasn’t that interesting.

Links: Amazon |  Goodreads | 

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- The Glimpse by Claire Merle

Title: The Glimpse

 Author: Claire Merle

Series:  The Glimpse #1

Published:  7 June 2012 by Faber

Length: 432 pages

Warnings: violence, rape, abuse

Source: Publisher (Really sorry it’s ridiculously late)

Other info: This is Claire’s debut novel.

Summary : London, in the near future: society is divided according to  a DNA  test that determines a person's predisposition to mental illness.  When Ana finds out there was a mistake with her Pure test, her whole world crumbles. Now, Joining with Pure-boy Jasper is her only hope of salvation. Until Jasper disappears.  Ana sets off on his trail, determined to solve the mystery of his abduction. In doing so she journeys into the darkest corners of society, and uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she’s ever believed.

Review: In this world,  your fate is decided by  a DNA test which sees if you have or if you’re predisposed to developing mental illness. Pures are separated from Crazies, who live in the City, away from the safety of the Community. Ana’s test is wrong. She’s not pure. From there, she has to learn more about her past, her family and so on. as well as this, her betrothed Jasper goes missing. Ana ends up going across London finding Jasper, her family, and an unexpected love interest.

Mental illness isn’t talked about that much in society, so it’s nice to have it addressed in YA fiction. As the set up behind a dystopian state-hmm, maybe not. And to some, the fact that those with/dispositioned to mental illness are labelled as being “crazy” and then being feared/cast out by the rest of society might also upset you. However, if you’re not easily offended or immature about these things, you should be able to enjoy this story.  

Ana’s voluntary stay in the mental hospital is pretty horrifying. Thankfully, I’ve not had any experiences with the mental health system, but a family friend has and her treatment was nothing like this. I know this was probably exaggerated for effect, but the girls’ treatment brings to mind the conditions of Victorian lunatic asylums, full of experiments that probably make you crazier than you went in.

Aside from the UK’s treatment of those who may or may not be mentally ill, which is extreme in the way that dystopias are, there’s some other elements of this future Britain that kind of make sense. Petrol shortages, economic downturns, media control and so on are all kind of visible in today’s world-they get turned up nicely in this world.

London based! Yay! I love London-visiting it, the sights, the little back bits. Books set in London always make me happy even if the rest of them are terrible-and the fact that a bit of the beginning is set in Camden was just—yes.  Having been round Camden many many times, it’s nice being able to accurately imagine settings.

Ana was both nice and stupid. I understood where she was coming from but some of her decisions annoyed me. Her relationship to her father especially, but also to the rest of the cast in general, were believable and made me like her a bit more. The love triangle didn’t really overshadow the main plot, which was good. it took me a bit of time to like Nate, but everyone else was likable and understandable.

The plot was good and it got off to a quick start. Things moved at a pace that kept me really interested, but  some things I didn’t really get without re-reading, especially at the start. The ending was a bit open ended, and I’d definitely like to see what happens next.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a thought provoking book with a great dystopian premise, but not something for everyone.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Pledge

 Author: Kimberly Derting

Series:  The Pledge #1

Published:  26 March 2012 by Allison and Busby in the UK

Length: 352 pages

Warnings: violence, kissing 12+

Source: Publisher

Other info: Kimberly has also written The Body Finder series.

Summary : In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly reign.

Review: In this dystopian/fantasy world ruled by a tyrant queen, the classes each speak different languages. The language segregation is strictly enforced, but Charlaina is different. She can understand all languages, something that, if discovered, could get her killed. So she keeps this little fact to herself. And then she meets Max. She falls in love with him, despite the fact she can’t understand what he’s saying some of the time. And he promises to keep her safe. But Queen Sabara doesn’t like the thought of losing her queendom, and a war breaks out, with Charlie fairly near the centre of it.

I really liked the idea of classes being separated by language. At first thought, I wondered how it would work, and after a little while, realised that it happens all the time in modern Britain. So it would be good to see how it worked in a full society with rules surrounding it and such.

It starts well, showing how the Queen swaps bodies. I really liked the scenes with the Queen in it. Even if I didn’t like her. I liked the scenes because you get a good sense of the magic, the way she looks down on everyone, the power that she holds. I didn’t like her because...it’s really hard to like her. Even if she was a great antagonist.

Max and Charlie are good protagonists. They are both strong, but I didn’t really connect or care for them. I really liked Xander though. The big revelation about Max was kind of “I saw that coming” and a little stereotypical. The big revelation about Charlie was not-totally unexpected and a good development both plotwise and characterwise. And the way that Charlie ends the book...wow.

Back to the middle. The world building is good. the dystopian aspects are clear, with the tightly controlled society, and the brainwashed people kind of taking advantage of their place in the society. For some reason, I got a bit of fantasy from this novel as well, even though there’s only really the queen’s magic.

The plot had its ups and downs. There were some parts at the  start where I didn’t really care, but it picked up towards the end as we learn various things about Charlie, Max and the situation.

It’s a really small thing, but it really annoyed me-the car, the automobile, was really out of place. I know it’s in the future, but we hadn’t seen much of technology and it just seemed really outstanding, in a bad way, in the world that Kimberly had created.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a good fantasy/dystopian novel that was totally different to what I was expecting in both bad and good ways.

Links: 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- Starters by Lissa Price

Title:Starters

 Author: Lissa Price

Series:  Starters #1

Published:  13 March 2012 by Delacorte for America. 29 March 2012 by Doubleday (Random House) for the UK

Length: 368 pages

Warnings: violence 12+

Source: Netgalley

Other info: This is Lissa’s debut novel.

Summary : Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.  He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

Review: In a post-war world, only the under twenties (Starters) and the over sixties (Enders) are still alive. Due to the fact that medicine extends life to, possibly, two hundred, it’s understandable that the Enders don’t want to stay in their own decrepit bodies. So what do they do? Rent out those of Starters. Callie is a Starter, forced out of her home at the end of the first chapter. With nothing else to do, she has to rent out her body. The first two rentals go well. The final one...not quite. There’s periods where she’s aware of what’s going on with her body, and she can even communicate with the renter. At first look, Heather is using Callie’s body for murder. But, after a little digging, Callie discovers there’s a lot more to the Renting business than she thought.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one. It’s an original idea that could be pulled off any number of ways, and, being Lisa’s debut, there’s nothing else to compare this to.

The initial concept, as well as being original, is very slightly disturbing. Not totally, like in Unwind, but anyway, unnerving. Then you hear about Old Man’s plans... and yeah. Not nice in parts.

The characterisation is great. Just because it made my favourite character Helena. I loved her. I really did, once we knew what her intentions were. So score for Lissa’s great writing, because we don’t actually meet Helena. We hear her voice, and we get her interactions with Callie, and we see her home, and we understand her morals. But we never actually meet her in the way that you’re used to meeting characters. Callie was a good character, strong and inquisitive.  Her interactions with everyone else (Starters, Enders and Renters) were believable and I kind of felt bad when we realise something quite major about the grandson she’s been trying to get with.

There’s always something happening. The pacing is great, and my interest levels stayed high throughout. And none of it was predictable. The bombshell at the end, things in the middle. Kept me guessing and kept me hooked.

The ending was great.  While it does give closure for some things, there’s still space for things to develop-which I think we’ll be seeing in book two.

Overall: Strength 4 tea to a really griping and original dystopian-adventure. Can’t wait for book two-Enders.

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

Book Review- Partials by Dan Wells

Title: Partials

 Author: Dan Wells

Series:  Partials #1

Published:  March 2012 by Harpercollins

Length: 482 pages

Warnings: violence, sex references 13+

Source:Publisher

Other info: Dan has also written the I Am Not a Serial Killer series. Book two in the Partials series will be called Fragments, and should be published next year.

Summary : The only hope for humanity isn’t human. In a world where people have been all but wiped out by a virus created by part-human cyborgs called ‘Partials’, and where no baby survives longer than three days, a teenage girl makes it her mission to find a cure, and save her best friend’s unborn child. But finding a cure means capturing a Partial...

Review: In this world, most of the six billion humans are dead, killed off by a viorus. A few remain, and live on Long Island. The youngest of them is fourteen and every baby is dead by the time they’re three. Three days. Kira is sixteen, a medic in training who is determined to find the cure for the virus, RM. She’s spurred on by the fact that her best friend is preganant. She has nine months to find the cure. However, they’ve exhausted almost every option. All she can think of turning to is a Partial, a genetically engineered soldier that fought in a war a decade ago. But to study one, she has to catch one.

I really enjoyed Dan’s other books, the I Am Not a Serial Killer series. So I was hoping for good things from this one. From the first page, the death of yet another newborn, I was drawn in. Very easily we get a sense of Kira, her morals, and the way she thinks.

We soon understand the world that she’s living in. The last band of humans all living together, without much hope, trying to get the human race to survive longer than the current generation. I like the very dystopian idea of the Hope Act- every woman over seventeen must get pregnant, as many times as she can and as often as she can. Even if her babies all die.

The world building surrounding the War and the Partials wasn’t that good. It took me a little while to understand them, what exactly they were, what they really looked like, and so on. At first I thought that it was meant to be something kept back, revealed later. But by halfway, I’d given up on learning about them fully, and I never got to see that. Shame really.

Kira is a really strong character. She does everything in her power and a couple of things out of it to ensure that she has all the chance she can get to cure RM. Samm was interesting. He’s the Partial. His reactions to everything at first were incredibly sweet, and the logic behind his name is lovely. However, his loyalties towards the end of the book were just really really confusing, what with everything going by so fast.

The pacing was great. Especially from about ¾ of the way through and onwards. While for most of the book, I just wanted to carry on, from then on, I couldn’t put it down. All the little strands were converging, and I just had to see how it all played out.

The ending. Wow. Throughout the novel, I was thinking it would be a great standalone novel. And then we learn a huge thing about Kira. And I just had to know more.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a fast, thrilling, unputdownable book. Must get hold of the sequel. If there is one. There better had be.   ((After writing edit- There is! Fragments!  Yay!!))

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

Book Review-Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium

 Author: Lauren Oliver

Series:  Delirium #2

Published:  1 March 2012 by Hodder & Stoughton

Length: 375 pages

Warnings: Profanity, violence

Source: Library

Other info: Book 1, Delirium, was published a year ago and was reviewed (badly) here. Book 3, Requiem should come next year. Short story Hana is already out. Lauren Oliver also wrote Before I Fall and Liesl and Po.

Summary : I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push, push, push,
like Raven taught me to do.The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Review: SHOULD (emphasis on should.) NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PANDEMONIUM, BUT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR DELIRIUM

Despite the review I gave Delirium (which can be found here, and looking back, is rather harsh. If I re-read Delirium, it would gain strength 4 tea), I've been looking forwards to its sequel and finding out what happens to Lena after the ridiculously sized cliff-hanger at the end of Delirium.

As you may have gathered from other people's reviews, this is told with chapters alternating between Then and Now. Which, to start with, nothing happens in. The Then is boring character intros that take too long, and the Now isn't much of an improvement. Somewhere along the line we get a blow by blow account of Lena carrying water a mile and a bit from a river to camp. Considering the awesomeness of book 1, this is quite a step down. The first third of Pandemonium is generally boring, with not much happening at all.

From the start of the second third, it all becomes a bit more interesting. Lena is forced out of her camp and various things happen and there actually seems to be a point to this novel. The ending is semi-epic, with two rather huge revelations (which were slightly predictable) being dropped just before the end. Lauren really knows how to write cliffhangers.

I didn't really like the fact it switched between Then and Now. While it kind of worked with Pandemonium, it also really messed with my perception of time passing. Which made it a little harder to understand.

The romance in this...I'm sorry, no. I won't tell you how it ends up, but I will say that I'm not a supporter of this pairing. Alex x Lena forever.

The pace of the Now section was very good. Even if it did take me a bit of time at the start to get my bearings with who she was now, in contrast to Delirium Lena and Then Lena. I just kept wanting to know what was going to happen to her, and Julian and the whole resistance. The final Now chapter was...great. So much happened, and then we got that big cliffhanger and...I really want to see what happens in Requiem.

The Then part just wasn't as interesting. Maybe because we knew she'd survive all the terrible things that are happening (because how would she be able to tell us the Now story if she didn't?), or maybe because...I can't think of a valid reason, but I just didn't like those sections that much.

Lena definitely developed. It was kind of sad seeing her always think back to Alex, but nice seeing her move on and get on with her life.

I have a couple more words to say about this, but I won't tell you because I'm trying to keep this review spoiler free.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a book where, if you get over the slowest first third I've seen in a long time, you'll have a great time reading. 

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

Book Review- Legend by Marie Lu

Title: Legend

 Author: Marie Lu

Series:  Legend #1

Published:  2 February 2012

Length: 301 pages

Warnings: violence, romance 12+

Source: Publishers via Spinebreakers

Other info: This is Marie Lu’s debut novel. The first in a trilogy, and film rights have already been bought.

Summary : What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Review: Day is the most wanted criminal in America. June is a young commander who should end up in the highest ranks after being marked as a prodigy. Normally, they’d never meet. But after June’s brother is killed and she vows to hunt down his killer, and Day is put in the spotlight for the crime, they do. And then they discover some more things about their country, ie the secrets they try so hard to keep.

Legend is loosely based on Les Miserables. Apparently. I’ve never read it, or seen the musical, or (I’m guessing) any film, so I can’t comment on it being updated. Sorry about that.

First impressions, there wasn’t anything that really made it a stand-out when looking at concept. But, being a new dystopian trilogy that may be amazing, of course I had to read it. And so they bring it up at a spinebreakers meeting, and I get it.

The tale is told from both Day’s and June’s perspective, which would be very interesting if it weren’t for the fact they’re quite similar. Not too similar, but there wasn’t much of their own voice. Both are intelligent, sporty (not the right word, but neither is active, or any other word to that effect), and do something that you can’t really expect from the average fifteen year old- a life of crime or a life in the military. Fun.

The world building is terrible. Due to my terrible  (read-almost non existent) knowledge of American history, Republicans and Colonies and all that was only very slightly understood. I just had to guess the whole political set up. Luckily, that wasn’t the focus of the book, so I  got by. It would be nice to see what it really was like to get a better understanding of the world.

I also found it quite predictable. The romance, I didn’t like. June was a perfectly good heroine, strong, wilful and intelligent...and then she falls in love. With the guy she is meant to be hunting. Well done. And the ending...the foreshadowing and my mind could already see it happening the way it did. Slightly ruined it, but still enjoyable.

Aside from that, I loved this book. From the start I was interested, a little more in Day than in June. The opening sentence is just...what an amazing hook. And the way it plays out from there is very good too.

The alternate narrative, aside from being similar, was very effective. The double perspective worked in building the story and moving it along, even if it did mean that Day would probably be out of the scene while June narrated, and vice versa.

I think my favourite character was John, even though we don’t get to see that much of him until the end. It’s amazing how much a character can stick in your mind even though he’s minor for most of the book.

The pacing and action scenes were amazing. A pivotal event where you think “it’s all over” happens around halfway through the book, which was quite interesting. And then I spent the rest of it thinking “how is it going to fill out?” But it did, and it wasn’t with pointless things. lots of things happen in the second half. Lots of things happen in the entire thing, if we’re being specific.

Overall: Strength 4 tea to the start of a trilogy with a LOT packed into it-here’s hoping the next two will be just as good.  

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed

 Author: Ally Condie

Series:  Matched #2

Published:  1^st November 2011

Length: 367 pages

Warnings: Violence, romance 12+

Source: Spinebreakers

Other info: I reviewed the first book in the series, Matched, here. Book three should be coming later this year.

Summary : In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.
Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Review: I enjoyed this a bit more than Matched. But considering I didn't really enjoy Matched, it's not saying much.

It's simply a continuation of Matched, where Cassia lost Ky and started trying to find him in the Outer Provinces. Meanwhile, a rebellion is rising, which will most likely engulf them both.

I still maintain that Cassia's society is a rather nice place to be, and that there was nothing wrong with Xander. But, for the sake of plot development, she ran after him. Oh well.

The plot to this doesn't seem to go very far in the second installment of the series. We get Cassia meeting Ky again, and a few more characters, and we also find a revolution rising. But not that much actually...happens. It's just dragging on...and on...and on... Some of the things that happened just didn't seem that interesting. I really hope that the rebellion in the final book will be big, and leave us thinking a lot, because otherwise this series will have been quite boring.

I loved the double point of view. Cassia, by the end of book one, was quite annoying, and Ky's perspective was an interesting addition. I hope we'll see a bit more of him in the next book.

The main characters I never really cared for. While I really want to see what will happen to them, and how their society will turn out, it didn't matter to me if they died at any point.

I really felt for the minor characters, though. Maybe it says something about Ally's writing, but I loved the characters we met in Crossed and only have  a small part in the general storyline a lot more than the characters we knew from the start.

I don't know.

The writing is good, and as I said, I really liked the fact Ky got to narrate the story too. But I did have issues with the fact that the perspective changed without repeated indication. Ok, if you're going for a one-sit read, you're fine. But if you put it down mid-chapter, and then go back... Due to not much difference between narratives,  I got halfway through a chapter before realising that Ky was talking, then had to re-read it with Ky in my head. 

Despite this, I'd still like to see what happens at the end of the series.

Overall:  Strength 2 tea to what I hope is suffering from second-book-syndrome, which will give us an amazing finale.

Links: Goodreads | Authorwebsite | 

Book Review- Birthmarked by Caragh O Brian

Title: Birthmarked

 Author: Caragh M O’ Brian

Series:  Birthmarked #1

Published:  2 May 2011 by Simon and Schuster

Length: 361 pages

Warnings: Violence, executions, a little romance. 12+

Source: Library

Summary : IN THE ENCLAVE, YOUR SCARS SET YOU APART, and the newly born will change the future.
In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother's footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.
A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

Review: In this dystopian world, the lucky live in luxury in the Enclave. Those who don't live outside, struggling to survive. Gaia Stone is one such girl. She's also in training to be a midwife. So the first one she delivers by herself, she delivers to the Enclave. Why? She doesn't know. All she knows is that a quota of babies must be handed in. Soon after, everything changes when her parents are arrested for keeping a code, or record of some kind. Determined to save them, Gaia breaks into the Enclave and, with the help of Leon and some other people, and must unravel the code.

I like the concept to this. Genetics interests me, and so when it's put in a dystopian setting, it's sure to make an intriguing read. Sadly it didn't feature quite as much as I'd have liked, but this was made up by the awesomeness in the rest of the book.

Gaia is a strong, resourceful heroine with a strong set of morals and a huge dose of determination. This makes her a very likeable character that I was rooting for throughout the book.

The system to this dystopia makes a little more sense and is a bit more interesting while actually in the pages and not on the back.

I loved the little code that Caragh thought up, the one that Gaia is forced to dechiper. As well as letting us see Gaia's mind at work, it has the added benefit of giving us some nice backstory regarding the family.

The third person narrative wasn't that engaging. While I got a good idea of what was happening, what the setting looked like, and so on, I just didn't feel like I was in this dystopia.

The ending was great. It ended on a huge cliffhanger with the fate of a rather major character being unknown. And while I think I know what's happened, knowing these books I'm totally wrong. And therefore I really want to get hold of book two.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a really good dystopian with a load of adventure packed in.

Links: | Goodreads | 

Japanese YA Week review- Battle Royale by Koushun Tamaki

Title: Battle Royale

 Author: Koushun Tamaki

Series:  N/A

Published:  2003 by Viz. First published 1999.

Length:623 pages

Warnings: Nearly 40 deaths, almost all in graphic detail. Profanity. A few suggestive situations.

Source: Library

Other info: It has an M rated manga published once by Tokyopop and two films based on it.

Summary : Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan - where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller - Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, Battle Royale is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, now available for the first time in the English language

Review: This is probably the only one of the week you’ve heard of before now. In it there’s elements of Lord of the Flies, and the Hunger Games , and lots of other things. Even the title is used to mean a huge fight. So, maybe you have heard of this. Or maybe you haven’t.

A class of forty 15-year-olds are knocked out with gas on a school trip bus, and wake up in a strange classroom with collars around their necks. Then a relatively cheerful looking man tells them they have to kill eachother, gives them a few rules as to where and where not they can go, and sends them out with food, water and a weapon. Weapon meaning anything from a machine gun to a sickle to a fork. Shuya Nanahara and Noriko team up with mysterious Shogo, and 35 other students work out their own ways of playing THE GAME.

The premise is one that shocked readers when it first came out. It’s also one on which there have been a lot of variations. There’s a lot you can do witht hte kill or be killed idea, and Koushun Tamaki has taken just one route with it.

My favourite thing is the character depth. Almost all of the characters get a long backstory (what did you think the 600+ pages were full of? Thirty deaths in great detail won’t fill all of that!), some of which are funny, some are intriguing and some tragic. With that, and the actions of the students in the game, they all become real flesh and blood people, before they become just flesh and blood.

It’s very fast paced. People betray everyone left, right and centre and it’s really amazing to see what will happen to  people once they’re put into a situation that they weren’t expecting but s till have to fight for survival.

One really helpful bit about this is the fact that at the end of every chapter, it say “X students remaining.” With the X being the number of students remaining. Seriously, if it wasn’t for that, I would have lost count within the first few chapters of the game.

Overall: Strength 5 tea to a fast paced thriller with many many full characters. Can’t wait to see what Tamaki has next. Which is apparently in progress, if the author bio is to be believed.    

Links:  Goodreads

Book Review- The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title:  The Maze Runner 

 Author: James Dashner

Series:  The Maze Runner #1

Published: October 6th 2009 by Delacorte Press

Length: 379 pages

Warnings: violence, gore

Source: Library

Other info: There are two more in the series, The Scorch Trials, and the third to be published soon is called The Death Cure.

Summary : When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything - even the Grievers, half-machine, half-animal horror that patrols its corridors, to find out.

Review: Thomas wakes up in a lift, knowing only his name. And then there's boys surrounding him, some of which have been there for years. Here he's at the Glade, a safe camp in the middle of a maze. No-one knows what they're doing there or why there. Thomas joins the Runners, the group that  goes out to explore, to find a way out, and keep out of the way of Grievers, creatures a mix of animal and machine that you really don't want to spend the night with in the Maze. And to mix things up a bit, a girl, Teresa,arrives with a message that it'll be over soon. What will? Why are they there? And can they ever get out?

So pre-read, I liked the premises. I wasn't really sure how it would work, so I was interested as to how it would fit together.

It started off very quickly and the action always keeps coming at you, not really stopping. The arrival of Teresa wasn't something I expected, as it hadn't been mentioned in the summary. I don't feel bad about telling you now as it happens quite early on, and the plot doesn't move on without it.

The telepathic element wasn't expected either, but it worked for how it was used in this book. Teresa and Thomas' connection was   interesting, and one of the main things making me read on was to see how this connection a)worked and b) was relevant to the whole book. Both of which were explained and developed very well, which kept me going till the end.

When I say it starts quickly, I mean quickly. The lift in mentioned in the summary is literally the first page. We are thrown in without knowing what's going on. We learn things exactly as Thomas does, so the slang that is used by the boys is completely new to us. This brings us close to the him in a new different way as opposed to the first person narrative we are used to, which I quite like.

Despite none of the characters being anything like me, as we progress through the book   I grew very attached to them and their way of life.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a fast paced action story I can't wait to see more of.

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review: XVI by Julia Karr

Title: XVI

 Author: Julia Karr

Series:  XVI #1

Published:  6 January 2011

Length: 325 pages

Warnings: open discussion of sex, forced sexualisation of 16 year old females, slight kissing, violence

Source: Library

Summary : Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world-even the most predatory of men-that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past-one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer

Review: Nina lives in a world where, on their sixteenth birthday, every single girl is given a tattoo. XVI, on the wrist. Marking them as open season for sex. Most girls can't wait. Nina is not one of them. And then her world is turned upside-down. What she'd thought about her family proves to be wrong. Nina is determined to find out, and there turns out to be one boy who can: Sal. But this might be dangerous, and coming of age in Nina's world will be completely different to ours.

I had such high hopes for this. Not many, if any, focus on the sexualisation of young girls, something you can clearly see in todays society, and takes it to an extreme topic. Maybe because it's just a touchy subject, maybe because no-one thought to go there. But for whatever reason, the original concept of Julia Karr's we are given in the summary is amazing.

And then the futuristic world is taken to the extreme. In my opinion, this could be a  world with the same standard of technology and the like, but just with the tattoos. Or maybe they could have just slightly advanced. I don't know. I like the idea of the media being controlled by the government, because it's easy to see that media controls the people. But when I started reading, I wasn't prepared. Verts for adverts, and a whole bunch of new technology. A tier system which wasn't really explained and so you have to guess. All of this pushes the tattoos to the side, making them less important, giving them less of a role, than you'd think if they deserved to be the title of the book.

The mysteries that cropped up weren't too suprising, but it was fun seeing Nina tackle all these problems.

 My favourite character is Wei, the Creative who tattooed around her XVI and learns a martial art the government tried to ban. She's a very strong  character who does her own thing.

The pacing was ok. It wasn't particularly slow or fast;  it kept going at a pace that kept you interested but not a need to know what happens next.

Overall: Strength 3 tea to a book that, while somewhat good in its own way, is totally different to what you'd expect.

Book Review: The Resistance by Gemma Malley

Title: The Resistance

 Author: Gemma Malley

Series:  The Declaration #2

Published:  2^nd September 2008

Length: 323 pages

Warnings: violence, one quick reference to sex

Source: Library

Other info: The first book is The Declaration, which I reviewed here, and the third is The Legacy. Malley has also written The Returners, and her next book is The Killables.

Summary : The year is 2140. Having escaped the horrors of Grange Hall, Peter and Anna are living freely on the Outside, trying hard to lead normal lives, but unable to leave the terror of the Declaration—and their experiences as surpluses—completely behind them. Peter is determined to infiltrate Pharma Corporation, which claims to have a new drug in the works; "Longevity+" will not just stop the ravages of old age, it is rumoured to reverse the aging process. But what Peter and Anna discover behind the walls of Pharma is so nightmarish it makes the prison of their childhood seem like a sanctuary: for in order to supply Pharma with the building blocks for Longevity+, scientists will need to harvest it from the young. Shocking, controversial, and frighteningly topical, this sequel to Gemma Malley’s stellar debut novel, The Declaration, will take the conversation about ethics and science to the next level.

Review: We pick up a little after we left off at The Declaration, my review here . Anna has been made Legal, and is currently living happily with Peter and Ben. Then Peter joins his family business-which is Pincent Pharma, manufacturers of Longevity, the source of all the problems in Book 1. Meanwhile, Anna becomes involved in something that may be a bit more dangerous than she thought, and we meet Jude, Peter's half brother who's the reason for his being a surplus until one of his parents died. A good basis for a sequel to a very good book.

It was done very well too. We see a lot of different things happen which all cleverly intersect at various points in the novel, completely different to in book one but still exciting and relevant to Peter and Anna's world. It takes a lot of twists and turns in the plot; some of which you see coming, some of which you don't.

If you say that The Declaration was Anna's book and The Resistance is Peter's book, then Peter shows up a lot more in Anna's than Anna does in Peter's, which is a shame as I quite liked Anna. I hope that we see a bit more of Anna in book 3, The Legacy. I'd also like to see a bit more of Ben, the baby brother, because although he's not that important right now, somehow I feel as though he should be.

The writing again is in third person, with just the one diary entry from Anna this time. Which is a shame because, even though I shouldn't have expected any when Anna said her final entry in The Declaration,  I really enjoyed reading the diary entries.

It's interesting watching the characters develop a bit more, especially Jude, who starts off being very unlikeable but by the end was one of my favourite characters. I also really liked Dr Edwards, who I also didn't like very much, but has had a huge personality change by the time we're done with him.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a very good sequel that still keeps me wanting to read the final book in the trilogy.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent

 Author: Veronica Roth

Series:  Divergent #1

Published:  3^rd May 2011

Length: 496 pages

Source: Library

Other info: This is Veronica Roth’s debut novel. The sequel, Insurgent, should be out one day.

Summary : Beautrice “Tris” Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the age 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 suprise 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 also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger.

Review: In Beatrice's society, people live in one of five factions; Candor valuing honesty, Amity for kindness, Erudite for intelligence, Abnegation for selflessness and Dauntless for courage. At 16, after being brought up by the rules of their parent's faction, each person must choose what faction they will live in, what rules they will follow, how they live life. As this may be quite hard, they take a test which should give a clear answer as to what faction they are best suited. Should. In Beautrice's case, she was equally cut out for  three. She is different. She is Divergent. She is dangerous.

She chooses in the end to join Dauntless, where initiation is learning to face and control their fears. And half of them will get cut and live factionless. She renames herself Tris and gets on with life in Dauntless. And discovers a plot against Abnegation. And falls in love with her instructor Four. A fairly typical dystopian book here.

But Roth has put her own spin on it. The world is realistic and easy to understand. At first it was a little difficult to remember which faction was which, but I got there after a bit. it was quite annoying that you had to wait until halfway through the book to understand why the factions actually exist. And on a complete side note, was this really Chicago? I never noticed... good or bad, I don't know.

The plot was good. I liked how it takes us thoroughly through all her training, and adds extra little sidestories throughout, not just concentrating on training and, in the later part of the book, the revolution.

The characterisation was very good. I loved seeing Tris get braver, and break free from Abnegation without leaving it behind completely. I liked the way that Four was a nice guy who had his own bad history but not enough to think “he’s pathetic”.

The romance in it was good. I’m glad it wasn’t a love triangle story, because I don’t think it would have worked with all the action. I also really liked the way that, when Four’s past is revealed, it all fits together cleverly.

I liked it being written from Tris’ point of view, where we see how she feels at each stage. She has her own voice throughout, which I think also really added to her character.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to one of the best dystopians I’ve read, that kept me interested throughout, and waiting for the next.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |