Tag Archives: Futuristic

Book Trailer Thursday (66)–The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe & Fever by Lauren DeStefano

24 May

Finding book trailers was easier today, so I’m posting two!  The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe is a new dystopian from Disney-Hyperion and Fever by Lauren DeStefano is the second book in The Chemical Garden trilogy.  I like both trailers and I hope you enjoy them as well :)

Summary of The Way We Fall (From Goodreads): It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you’re dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn’t?

Summary of Fever (From Goodreads): Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago – surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous – and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion…by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price – now that she has more to lose than ever.

Flash Reviews (12)

7 May

Thank you for the Flash Reviews idea, GreenBeanTeenQueen!

Title: Timeless

Author: Alexandra Monir

Source: Finished copy received from the publicist

Summary (From Goodreads): When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.
 
Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Flash Review: My interest went back and forth when I was reading Timeless.  I was intrigued for the first half because it was mysterious with all of the time travel and romance, but after a while the book really slowed down for me.  Michele meets and falls for the man from her dreams, but it’s tough to make it work considering he’s from another time period.  I enjoyed their scenes together, but eventually it felt like the story stalled and wasn’t moving forward.  I needed more from their relationship and from the mystery behind the time travel.  I set the book down for a bit and eventually came back to it after debating whether I was going to finish it.  Once I picked Timeless up again, I started to change my mind about quitting because the story changed pace and the romance and mystery became more intriguing.  I started getting more answers as more questions developed.  In the end, I’m really happy I finished reading Timeless because the story fleshed out.  If you enjoy reading historical fiction, time travel stories, romance, etc. then I think you should give Alexandra Monir’s novel a try.

Title: Revived

Author: Cat Patrick

Source: ARC received from the publisher

Summary (From Goodreads):

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

Flash Review: Revived is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that I couldn’t put down.  I’m normally not into science fiction, but the medical technology developed to bring people back from the dead is really engrossing and kept me reading until the very last page.  I love a book that keeps me guessing and making predictions which Revived did over and over again.  I felt like I was on the same page as Daisy because just as she was questioning something or coming to a realization, I was as well.  I can easily see Cat Patrick’s newest novel becoming a big hit in my classroom and with teens in general for the plot alone.  I can’t imagine being brought back to life and then needing to move, create a new identity, and trying to keep all of that a secret.  It forces Daisy to keep close relationships at bay which is difficult for any teenager.  Readers might also be drawn to Revived because some are labeling it dystopian, but I think it’s more futuristic science fiction.  Either way it’s labeled it can ladder between dystopian and sci-fi titles easily.

Title: Bittersweet

Author: Sarah Ockler

Source: Purchased

Summary (From Goodreads): Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life… and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…

Flash Review: Bittersweet is now my favorite of Sarah Ockler’s three novels.  It’s the perfect blend of romance, coming of age, and all around fantastic contemporary fiction.  Hudson is trying to balance helping her single mom run a diner, taking care of her little brother, becoming a figure skater once again, and deciding between two attractive hockey players.  Make sure to add on keeping a friendship alive, baking cupcakes to support the diner, and training a bunch of hockey players and you have some difficult situations taking place.  Hudson is a likeable character that teens will relate to for a variety of reasons, especially if they want to do it all without having to give anything up.  Even though Hudson makes some errors in judgment, I couldn’t help but root for her and hope she eventually made the right or best choice.  She’s the kind of girl who doesn’t want to let anyone down, especially her loved ones, so you have to admire her for that.  And of course I can’t write about Bittersweet without mentioning the cupcakes.  I wish I had a recipe for every one because I want to make them ALL!

 

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

23 Apr

Insurgent book coverTitle: Insurgent, 525 pages

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 1st, 2012

Interest: Awesome series

Source: ARC received from the publisher

Summary of Insurgent (From Goodreads): One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Exciting.  Gripping.  Thrilling.  These are the best words I can use to describe the awesome that is Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

Let me say first, that if it’s been a while since you’ve read Divergent then I recommend either re-reading the whole book or at least the last few chapters because Insurgent starts right where Divergent left off.  There aren’t any recaps either.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started Insurgent, but let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed!  We’re thrown right back into the chaos we were left with and I couldn’t stop reading.  I think I was about 60 pages in and then BAM!  Major action was happening all around.  It was exciting and non-stop action.  I sat there, awe-struck and completely engrossed the entire time I was reading.   In some ways Insurgent reminded me of Mockingjay in the way the tone changed from Divergent to Insurgent.  It’s not dismal and depressing like Mockingjay was, but Insurgent has more of an intense urgency to it.  Thankfully Roth allowed us some breaks from the action and intensity with scenes full of well-done humor and romance.

I positively love Tris’s character, and in Insurgent we see a different side of Tris—a more vulnerable side.  She’s still reeling from the death of her parents and suffering over the fact that she killed Will.  These deaths haunt her for most of the novel and affect her personality.  She’s not as tough, but she’s still stubborn, adventurous, brave, and reckless (reckless according to Tobias).  We also witness how loyal she is, even if at times she and others question her loyalty.  Tris begins to learn who she really is in Insurgent.  In Divergent she was still figuring that out, especially since she switched factions.  I often worried about Tris, but ultimately I’ve grown to love her character even more because of her supposed weakness which results in immense character growth.  You have to love a protagonist that can overcome her demons.

I don’t want to give anything away, but I can’t write this review without mentioning Tobias.  I still love his character, and I still love him and Tris together.  All I will say is that it’s rocky between Tris and Tobias and I admire Veronica Roth for how she handled their relationship.  She kept it real and didn’t add any extra unnecessary dramatics like so many authors do.  That is all :)

It’s been a week since I finished Insurgent, and my mind is still reeling over everything we learn.  Tris finds out so much more about what it means to be Divergent, but the ending left me with even more questions when I thought many were answered.  But not only am I questioning things about the Divergents, I’m wondering about Amity and Abnegation.  Veronica Roth blew my mind with the ending which is the biggest reason I’m reeling and slightly incoherent.  I need to know more about ALL OF THE THINGS that I can’t discuss b/c it would spoil the book. But ALL OF THE THINGS are exciting and mind-boggling and discussion worthy.  Seriously, read Divergent if you haven’t already so you can read Insurgent and enjoy the awesome!

Dewey’s April Read-a-Thon

21 Apr

I found out about the 24 hour read-a-thon late (of course), but I think I’m going to try it!  Right now as I write this blog post, over an hour late considering this started at 8am EST, I’m listening to an audiobook.  I’m happy I’ve discovered audiobooks because this will help me feel more accomplished while I write this post, put together today’s crock pot dinner, and clean our bathroom during one of the breaks.

Anyway, I decided that since I’m late to the party and have a large stack of books I need to finish, I’m going to work on finishing those for the read-a-thon.  I also brought home a graphic novel to read (they recommend starting with a short book), a short ARC, and some alternates.  Here’s my official list:

Books w/100 or more pages left:

  • Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
  • The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
  • Starters by Lissa Price (on my Kindle)
  • Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer

Fresh books I want to read:

  • The Lightning Thief graphic novel
  • The Forgetting Curve by Angie Smibert (ARC)
  • Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach (ARC)
  • Or maybe others b/c it’s Saturday and I’m fickle sometimes :)

Audiobook for during cooking, cleaning, breaks (Cooking & cleaning I want to accomplish during breaks):

  • Switched by Amanda Hocking

I have no idea if I’ll accomplish this or even stay up for the full 24 hours (yeah I probably won’t).  But I like the challenge and I need to beef up my “Read in 2012″ list.  Is anyone else participating?!

Book Trailer Thursday (59)–Insurgent by Veronica Roth

5 Apr

Squee!  The book trailer for Insurgent by Veronica Roth doesn’t tell us too much about the book, but it makes me extra excited for the release anyway.  This book trailer is, however, better than the trailer for Divergent.  Is anyone else über excited about the release of Insurgent?  Has anyone been lucky enough to read it already?!  If you didn’t already know, Insurgent releases on May 1st!

Insurgent Book CoverSummary of Insurgent (From Goodreads): One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

 

Sophomore Reading Challenge + Top Ten Tuesday

10 Jan

I’m a big fan of Top Ten Tuesday posts (I LOVE lists!), and Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit is one of my favorite bloggers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  Shanyn started a new challenge this year called the Sophomore Reading Challenge.  The goal is to read past debut authors’ sophomore book releases.  You can learn more about it here because Shanyn explains it much better :)   Hopefully you’ll join her challenge if you haven’t already!  This week’s Top Ten Tuesday post is all about authors that we wish would release new books, so I figured these two topics blend well together.

1. Kelly Creagh–I LOVED Nevermore and  many of my students do as well.  Creagh’s debut released in 2010, so I’ve been waiting a long time to read her second book in the series titled, Enshadowed (Goodreads).  It’s set to release on my birthday (yay!) which is August 28th.  I really hope it actually releases this year because it had an earlier release date that fell through.

2. Veronica Roth–Divergent is awesome, so waiting until May to read Insurgent (Goodreads) feels like forever!

3. Kirsten Hubbard–Like Mandarin was one of my favorite 2011 debuts and it really didn’t get enough hype.  Hubbard’s sophomore release is titled Wanderlove (Goodreads) and it releases in March.  I hope more stores will carry this title, so Kirsten Hubbard’s talent is exposed to a wider audience.

4. Denise Jaden–Denise’s debut, Losing Faith, released in 2010.  It was one of my favorites that year, so I’m so excited that she finally has a second book releasing this year!  Her new book is titled Never Enough (Goodreads) and it releases in July.

5. Nina LaCour–Hold Still is one of those books and I positively LOVE it.  It’s extremely popular with all of my students, so the fact that Nina LaCour FINALLY has a new book releasing next month is HUGE!  Her new book is titled The Disenchantments (Goodreads) and releases on Feb. 16th.

6. Kendare Blake–Kendare is one of my favorite 2011 debut authors.  I’m not a horror fan, but Anna Dressed in Blood rocked my socks!  The sequel, Girls of Nightmares (Goodreads), doesn’t release until August 7th.  That’s a long time to wait for more greatness!

7. Ann Aguirre–Last school year my book club decided to read Enclave.  I wasn’t sure if the girls were going to enjoy it and they ended up loving it.  They enjoyed it so much, they told me to look for an ARC of Outpost (Goodreads) at NCTE which I didn’t find. We’ll have to wait until September to read the second book.

8. Michelle Hodkin–I was fortunate enough to read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer in June, but it didn’t release until the fall.  Now I’ve been waiting even longer than normal for the second book to release (Goodreads), but it doesn’t have an official title OR release date.  I really hope it releases sooner rather than later!

9. Tom Leveen–I read Tom Leveen’s 2010 debut, Party, during a plane ride and decided right away that I wanted to read more of his books.  He finally has a sophomore novel releasing on April 24th.  His new book is titled Zero (Goodreads).  It’s not on Shanyn’s Goodreads Sophomore Reading Challenge list, but I’m still counting it :)

10. Kim Harrington–Clarity is a wonderful YA mystery debut with a touch of the supernatural.  It’s hooked some of my reluctant readers, so I’m really excited to read the sequel, Perception (Goodreads) which releases in March.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

20 Dec

Marie Lu Legend

305 pp.  Putnam Juvenile (Penguin)  2011

Interest: 2011 Debut Author

Source: ARC received at NCTE

Summary (From Goodreads): 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’s 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.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Dystopian YA novels have really taken off in the past couple years.  I really enjoy this genre of YA, but I’ve found myself becoming pickier about which titles I’ll read.  I read multiple positive reviews for Legend and a number of teachers and librarians that I trust recommended it.  Fortunately I received an ARC at NCTE and I’m so thankful I took everyone’s recommendations!

One of the reasons I’m picky about reading dystopian is because it gets overwhelming at times.  Some of the stories become upsetting after a while, that being the nature of the genre, which causes me to need a break or to be picky about the titles I read.  Legend is an excellent example of a dystopian novel, but it’s also a little lighter than some of the others.  Yes, there’s death and the fear of death, but there’s also a balanced mix of humor and romance.

Reading novels told from more than one point of view is always enjoyable for me.  So many of my students are requesting titles written in this way.  Day is our male protagonist and June is our female protagonist.  Day is one of the nation’s most wanted criminals and June is one of the nation’s prodigies.  Our seemingly opposite characters will cross paths after the murder of June’s brother, Metias.  Both characters are fighting for their families and discovering unsettling truths along the way.  Marie Lu did a very good job developing Day and June, so much so that not only did I connect with both of them, I was able to distinguish between their voices despite the differences in font colors for each point of view.

Teen guys and girls will enjoy this novel because even though there’s romance, there’s plenty of action and suspense.  So many scenes had me holding my breath and eager to read more.  I can easily picture teens connecting with Day and June’s loyalty to their family.  June wants to avenge her brother’s death and Day wants to protect his family from the plague.  I can picture readers connecting with June’s sense of patriotism for her country, especially at the beginning of the story.  Our readers that question our government might connect with Day and his actions against the government, especially when they understand his motives.  So many connections can be made with these characters and the universal themes incorporated in the novel.

Legend is a fast-paced, exciting debut with a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers begging for the second novel.  Parts of the story were predictable, but that never kept me from fully enjoying it.  Legend is now one of my favorite dystopian novels.

In My Mailbox (27) NCTE/ALAN Edition Part II

11 Dec

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme sponsored by The Story Siren.  It’s a way for bloggers to share what books they’ve received for review, borrowed from the library, or bought from the store.

This post is a couple weeks overdue, but at least I’m getting it done :)

Finished Copies Received at NCTE:

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Goodreads) (My Review)
Poetry Speaks Who I Am: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and Everything Else in Your Amazing Future by Elise Paschen, Dominique Raccah (Goodreads)
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton (signed copy) (Goodreads)
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler (Goodreads)
Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (Goodreads)
Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle (Goodreads)
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai (signed copy) (Goodreads)

**Sourcebooks and HarperCollins really rocked my socks!**

Books Purchased at NCTE:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (signed!!) (Goodreads)
And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky (signed) (Goodreads)
After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel (signed by Carrie Jones) (Goodreads)
Lie by Caroline Bock (Goodreads)
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (signed) (Goodreads)
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce (signed) (Goodreads)
The Sharp Time by Mary O’Connell (Goodreads)
The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (signed by both authors!) (Goodreads)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (signed!!) (Goodreads)
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr (signed!!) (Goodreads) (My Review)
The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titatanic by Allan Wolf (Goodreads)
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (signed) (Goodreads)

Books Received at ALAN:

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (ARC) (Goodreads)
Bronxwood by Coe Booth (Goodreads)
Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender (Goodreads)
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler (Goodreads)
Ravenwood by Andrew Peters (Goodreads)
Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson (Goodreads)
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (Goodreads)
I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena (Goodreads)
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Pie by Sarah Weeks (Goodreads)
Bumped by Megan McCafferty (Goodreads)
The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson (Goodreads)
Money Boy by Paul Yee (ARC) (Goodreads)
Stick by Andrew Smith (Goodreads)
Deviant by Adrian McKinty (ARC) (Goodreads)
Girls Don’t Fly by Kristen Chandler (Goodreads)
Bitter Melon by Cara Chow (Goodreads)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (ARC) (Goodreads)
This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers (Goodreads)
The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald (Goodreads)
Explorer: The Mystery Boxes by Kazu Kibuishi (Graphic Novel-ARC) (Goodreads)
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick (ARC) (Goodreads)
Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (ARC) (Goodreads)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (Goodreads)

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

7 Dec

Tahereh Mafi Shatter Me

338 pp. Harper (HarperCollins)  2011

Source: Finished copy received at NCTE

Interest: 2011 Debut Author

Summary (From Goodreads): Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Tahereh Mafi has written a wonderful debut that will appeal to fans of paranormal fantasy, dystopian, and romance.  Her lyrical writing stands out and breaks the rules, but it works and drew me in.

There’s so much I love about Tahereh Mafi’s writing.  First of all, I’m completely intrigued by her use of numbers.  Not only does she incorporate specific numbers like Juliette going 6,336 hours since touching another person, she also almost always uses the numeric value instead of writing the number(s) out.  I haven’t been able to find any interviews where she explains this, so if you know of any explanation I’d love to know about it.  I enjoyed how Juliette crosses out some of her thoughts.  Some readers may not enjoy this, but as Juliette grows more confident in herself, she does this less and less.  Mafi takes many liberties in her writing.  Many of her sentences lack punctuation, but it works because it adds more emphasis to Juliette’s words.

For readers that enjoy a steamy romance, Shatter Me is definitely for them!  There’s crazy tension between Juliette and Adam.  Much of this tension comes from Juliette’s strong desire to touch Adam while also being in fear of him and the possibility of touching him.  Part of Juliette’s power makes it dangerous to touch her, which often left me thinking of Rogue from X-Men (one of my favorite X-Men characters).  At times I questioned Adam’s intentions, especially since there’s this instant love or attraction between the two of them.  Eventually I was able to look past any doubts in their instant attraction and enjoyed the tension between the characters.  I do have to admit that Adam won me over.

I enjoyed Shatter Me as a dystopian, even with the paranormal elements, but I was disappointed by the stronger focus on the romance over the world building.  The summary is a little misleading because it’s focusing on her power and confusion over the romance, yet so much of Juliette’s focus is on Adam and Warner’s obsession with her.  This may turn off some readers looking for a plot with lots of action and dystopian elements.  Those elements are there, but they aren’t as prevalent until closer to the end of the story.  We also only get snippets of Juliette’s abilities which I hope become more of a focus in the second and third books.  I see a lot of potential for this trilogy in all aspects of the story.  I just hope the rest of the trilogy explains more about The Reestablishment and Juliette’s powers.

Book Trailer Thursday (43)–Legend and Darker Still

1 Dec

I <3 book trailers and so do my students, so I’m posting two today.  I’m featuring the trailers for Legend by Marie Lu and Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber.  I received an ARC of Legend and a finished copy of Darker Still at NCTE.  I will admit that the trailer for Legend could be better considering how good the book is so far.  I haven’t read Darker Still yet, but the women at the Sourcebooks booth made it sound really good (hence the reason I asked for a copy :) ).

Legend by Marie Lu (Summary from Goodreads): 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’s 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.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

 

 

Darker Still by by Leanna Renee Hieber (Summary from Goodreads): The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart’s latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing…

Jonathan Denbury’s soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

 

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