ARC Review: Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken

Pub. Date: October 15^th, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Hardcover

507 pages

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Within the first few chapters of Never Fade I began to realize how many significant details from The Darkest Minds I completely forgot. When I say significant, I’m talking major plot points, primary characters, and the ending of the novel. I literally forgot about 90% of the book. What I think affected my memory the most was how Never Fade in no way picks up where The Darkest Minds left off. All of those little memory light bulbs that go off as characters, setting, and plot details become important again, weren’t lit as early into Never Fade as I would have liked, because the story begins in a completely new location, with an almost entirely new set of characters. I really liked Bracken’s style of jumping right into the action, and I would typically applaud the lack of blatant recapping. But, for one of the first times EVER, I actually really needed a recap to orient myself within the story.

ARC Review: Uninvited (Uninvited #1) by Sophie Jordan

Pub. Date: January 28th, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

384 pages

Hardcover

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

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I was blown away by Sophie Jordan’s most recent novel Foreplay (see my review). For that reason, coming into Uninvited, my expectations were really high. Overall, I truly did like this novel. The characters and the story were interesting and outside the box. But, I had one major issue. I feel Uninvited should have been two separate novels. The novel is split into two parts, which gave me a really disjointed feeling as a reader. Both parts had unique identities, with separate story focuses, separate tones, and almost entirely separate casts of characters. I was enthralled by part one - excited by the story, the pacing, and the intensity of what was going on in the characters lives – and confused by the abrupt shifts when I hit part two.

I was drawn into the story and Davy’s character immediately. We have a pretty everyday girl – albeit one from a well off family – doing everyday things. The all too common in dystopia’s ‘I’m the different/ chosen/ unique/ only one who could possibly complete this task - one’, in no way exists here. Yes Davy has skills, but they’re more everyday skills, like musical ability, that any one of us could legitimately hold.

ARC Review: Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

Pub. Date: November 26^th, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Hardcover

296 pgs. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

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From Pawn’s synopsis alone I saw links to the classist society from The Elite series, a single test defining your fate from Divergent, and the fake identity/ impersonation from The Lying Game. I’m not saying those elements are unique to the novels I mentioned, but the number of links I could make to other stories made me worry that Pawn wouldn’t bring anything new to the table. Was I wrong. Almost instantly after starting reading, Pawn’s uniqueness and ability to captivate me as a reader decimated my worries.

ARC Review: Inhuman by Kat Falls (Fetch #1)

Pub. Date: September 24th, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic

Hardcover

384 pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

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I’ve been dystopia/ post apocalyptic storied out recently because nothing felt fresh. That was before Inhuman. From the beginning the premise really intrigued me. The twist of human error causing the apocalyptic event – and the apocalyptic event itself – is different. Avarice and vanity have lead to death and destruction, which makes it all the more horrifying. Because the apocalyptic element is so different, there’s a level of unpredictability to the story. You never know if there will be a happy ending, which characters will survive, or what’s going to happen. There’s a huge shocking reveal, and so many little twists and turns, all of which keep you on the edge of your seat while reading.

Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Pub. Date: September 3^rd, 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Hardcover

368 pages

This review has taken me a very long time to write. First, because I loved this novel so much that I couldn't properly express my love without just being gushy, and second because I’ve tried to remain as spoiler free as possible. Here goes.

If you could go back and change one moment, what would it be? Would you stop the car accident that killed your parents; would you make your best friend go to the doctor when they first started complaining that they weren’t feeling well; would you kiss the person you always wanted to kiss, no matter the consequences? When the ability to travel through time is discovered, the reasoning was full of good intentions – prevent wars, save lives, do good. But four years later, ego and avarice have taken over. What if you were to discover the one moment you needed to change was the moment someone makes one of the greatest scientific discoveries? And what if the only way to stop the discovery, is to kill the discoverer?