Series: Shatter Me #1.5
109 p.
Publisher: Harper
Published: 10/2/12
Source: Library
$2.99 at Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45. 

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of...

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

My thoughts:

I've been wanting to do a little catching up so I decided to get back into this series since my library is carrying the next audiobook. I had heard to also pick up the novellas as well and I was happy to see my library also carried this novella.

This is where we get to know Warner. It had been a while since I read Shatter Me so it took me a bit to remember which one Warner was but it quickly came back. In this one, I must warn you, the guy you hated in the first one becomes human. He becomes human through Juliette's diary and he falls through her emotions which triggers his empathy. This may spell trouble for those that hate love triangles, but nothing has happened yet and this is just a look into Warner and how his motives change.

I do recommend this short to go with the rest of the series since I have a feeling Warner is going to play a bigger part than we thought. I am curious to see where it goes next. I give this novella 4 stars.

Series: Red Rising #1
382 p.
Published: Jan, 28, 14
Publisher: Del Ray
Source: TBR pile

"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them." 

"I live for you," I say sadly. 

Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more." 

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. 

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. 

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. 

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

My thoughts:

Like a lot of dystopians, in some ways this felt as if it could be a warning in how we treat each other. Also it shows how perception creates our reality. As we separate ourselves from each other we also find that it makes it easier to diminish and see people as "other" which makes it easier to discriminate. In this world, this caste society signified by colors which had been generations in the making with part of the population not even knowing anything outside their own society. Darrow, our hero, who is a low red is basically the slave in the world is given an opportunity to have his blinders removed and live the life of a privileged color. He learns that things aren't as black/white as it sometimes seen and that there are things to be fixed on all levels of society.  He finds that all levels of society have their good and bad parts but his ultimate goal does not wavier since his people do not even know they are slaves.

The book starts with several sacrifices to give Darrow that chance at another life, at being a hero. This sets up his hero journey which then falls into another part of society that is also rarely seen by others for another reason. While he makes his way through this world in a brutal way, he finds out what it really means to be a leader and begins to wonder if his goal should expand to the other colors which separate this world.

This is such an interesting take on what is going on in this world and you wonder if Darrow will continue to be consistent in his goal, if it changes, or if he falls to the lure of luxury and power. You also want to know if you can trust anyone in this world... or if ANYONE can trust anyone else. It is a complicated world which can throw readers not quite used to sci-fi or fantasy but if you stick with it you will find yourself immersed and curious about how everything will turn out. I give this book 4 1/2 stars and you can safely say that I do want that next book in my hands soon. 😁

 🏆

Standalone
768 p.
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: 5/17/16
Source: From Edelweiss and publisher for review

No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it’s Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies—before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe.

Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she’s discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob’s dismay, Harper wants to live—at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child. 

Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads—armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn’t as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter’s jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged. 

In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman's secrets before her life—and that of her unborn child—goes up in smoke.

My thoughts:
I've been wanting to read a book by Joe Hill and when this one came up for review, I thought it was the perfect chance. However, I do think I'll be breaking from most reviews you read of this book. While I did enjoy this book, I did not love it as much as the other reviewers.

I did like the way the author brought us to a dystopian society. Well, like is an odd word for that, but it did entertain and he made it make sense in a fictional way. We follow Harper, a nurse, who is great with kids and has a lot of compassion. Unfortunately she also is a doormat and an emotionally abused wife. What I loved was her transformation into someone who was strong, still compassionate, forgiving and nobody's doormat. I actually think that was my favorite part of the book. I also really enjoyed several of the secondary characters especially a little deaf boy who is smart and adorable at the same time he is onery. There is also a lady Harper befriends who is also compassionate and loves books and gets others to read to take their mind off of things. There is also no safety net for anyone in this story so you have no idea who will survive and what that means for everyone.

The book was long and while that was good in some ways it also seemed to stretch out the drama to its limits. I would have liked it a bit more compact, but I can also see why others enjoyed the length. The story doesn't let you go and that will either make you want to speed things up or enjoy the ride as written. I did not like 2 scenes in the book, but telling you those scenes would spoil things. There is also no solid HEA in the end, but it feels like a solid conclusion... that does leave the book open for a sequel as one major problem wasn't solved. However, it did not feel like a cliffie.

I give this book 3 stars. While it was interesting and I wanted to reach the conclusion of what happens to our heroes and heroines, I just found it to have way more drama than I like. It is a horror book, but nothing that most people cannot handle. I feel is actually more dystopian in nature. I recommend it to those that enjoy Joe Hill's work, dystopian adult genre and horror.

Series: Penryn and the End of Days #2
320 p.
Published: 11/19/13
Publisher: Skyscape
Source: Library

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world. 

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken. 

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go. 

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

My thoughts:
I was hooked after the first book and I had to know what happened next. The ending of the last book was a killer and I recommend you have this one available after that book. I would have loved to have these together.

This book starts where the last book ends. So, you know you are in for a ride from the beginning. I was curious to where this book would lead us especially with her sister Paige. I won't go into why but let me just say it becomes a pinnacle to the story and a turning point for Penryn. The relationship between Raffe and Penryn is basically put on hold because of the events at the end of book one (you'll have to read that one to find out what *evil laugh*) so there isn't much romance but there is some. The relationship issues aren't even close to being resolved in this book and so we look forward to the next. Not just with this relationship but with the rest of the group as well. I'm most impressed with the change in attitude of Penryn with her mom as she discovers more about what she has done to keep them as safe as possible. I think there is more to that story as well.

The ending is a cliffie but not as harsh of a one as the first book. Luckily the last book is out, but unfortunately I'll have to wait a bit because I live in a reading town and that book is already borrowed. How dare they! LOL I will hopefully be reading it soon.

I give this book 4 stars and I think I did like this one more than the first. I think those that don't enjoy angel books but want to will like this series. I also recommend it to those that enjoy dystopian YA.

Standalone
Narrator: Soneela Nankani
12 hrs. 4 min.
Unabridged
Publisher: Recorded Books
Published: 2/10/15
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program

"The Handmaid’s Tale" meets "Blood Red Road" in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder. 

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

My thoughts: 

Series: Penryn & the End of Days #1
288 p.
Published: 8/28/15
Publisher: Skyscape
Source: NetGalley for review

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...

My thoughts:
I've heard about this one for quite a while. People raved about it and so my curiosity grew. I decided to wait until more of the series came out but I couldn't wait any longer when this one came up on NetGalley. Yea, okay, I want to read this one!

I have to admit that it took me a bit to really get into the story. We are thrown into the dystopian landscape without much fanfare. Questions abound but as you follow Penryn and she finds her mission, it is easy to slip within these pages and find yourself worried about her and even her angel friend... even if we don't know for sure if he is a friend.

While it still felt as if I wanted a bit more explanation of what was going on, a bit more exploration into this world, I was still engaged and had trouble putting the book down. It's only more than a couple of hundred pages and those pages go fast. I would have loved a much longer book by the end of this one. While it wasn't exactly a cliffie, it left much uncertainty for the next book. 600 pg book (or more)? Please... if it is good, no problems here! :D Most of you reading this would feel the same way. Oh well, I guess I have to locate the next book.

I give this book 4 stars. It was engaging and just enough possible romance to satisfy those that crave it. It didn't concentrate on it because there was so much action, so I would consider this one more YA UF than PNR. I also recommend it to those that enjoy dystopian books.

Series: Red Queen Trilogy #1
320 p.
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2/10/15
Source: Edelweiss and Publisher for review

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. 

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. 

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. 

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

My thoughts:

This story is a dystopian fantasy which the strong rule and the perceived weak become the enslaved masses who are supposed to be grateful for every crumb they are allowed to get. There is an x-men vibe to the ruling class, the Silvers who bleed silver and have elemental powers. The reds beed red and have no elemental powers. They even have class warfare within the Silvers in which the more powerful rule the less powerful. Alliances made and won also increase their dominion over others.

While this kept me engaged, I did have a few problems with the execution. While I really liked Mare, the heroine, and rooted for her, I had a problem with her being so easily manipulated. I do get that she is inexperienced and that even the most attentive person can fall to manipulation, I would just like a story where on occasion the heroine was one step ahead... even if it wasn't exactly to plan. There were times when I wanted to yell at her about her naïveté. The other problem stemmed from the romance. Those that hate love triangles be warned. There is more than a triangle involved here and it isn't resolved by the end. However, it really didn't bother me so much to take me out of the story. Perhaps it is because I didn't really feel strongly in any direction the book pulled you. I feel that the romance may play a bigger part as the trilogy progresses.

I give this book 3 stars. While I was interested in how things were solved and I was pleasantly surprised in the end, I still had a few problems with the storyline. It wasn't enough to ruin the book for me and I suspect that many of these problems will be solved by the end of the trilogy. I recommend it to those that enjoy YA dystopians and fantasy.

Series: The Registry #2
368p.
Publisher: Wm. Morrow
Available Now
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers for review

How far would you go to control your own destiny?

Mia Morrissey has escaped: America, the Registry, and the role she was raised for— a perfect bride auctioned to the highest bidder. She’s enemy number one to the world’s largest power, and there’s no turning back now. 

From the moment she and her friends Andrew, and Carter cross the border into Mexico it becomes clear their troubles are only beginning. The young men are immediately picked up by a violent and omnipotent militia—The Collection—and it’s Mia’s turn to rescue them. 

With time running out, her ex-fiancé’s henchman on her trail, and a dangerous tide shifting back in America, Mia will do whatever she has to. Even if that means risking everything and putting herself back on an auction block. The price of freedom is never too high…but what if the cost is her life?

My thoughts:
I didn't read the first book and knowing this was a trilogy I did worry that I would have trouble following the book. I didn't have problems at all. In fact I forgot this was the second book. There were only a couple of times when I felt as if I missed something, but even then I didn't think what I missed was a big deal for this book. I think that is because this book marks a beginning for all the characters on a new adventure. So yes, you can read this one without feeling lost.

I did like Mia's character. Willing to learn she starts out as a mouse and really starts to grow into her own person. Even when presented with what seems like an incredible offer she stops to ponder what it means for her and her new life. I liked that rather than jumping blindly into things. In fact, she becomes a pretty good strategist. I also like the secondary characters. Riley was my favorite secondary character and I hope we meet her again in the final book. I really want to know more of her story.

My biggest complaint about the book was the focus on the Registry. Yes, I do understand it is a list which promotes and controls young women in this world. However, I don't think that just taking down the Registry would accomplish taking down a whole country. There were more issues and problems and it just seemed to over simplify things. It just did't make sense to think this was solving a much bigger problem.

I give this book 3 stars. If you missed the first book, don't worry you can read this one easily out of order. I am curious to see what happens next and I'm guessing that it would be more important to read this book before reading the last. Things set up the last book too well. I'm looking forward to the trilogy's end.

Series: Silver Blackthorn #1
368p.
Published: July 1, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: ARC from publisher for review

One girl. One chance. One destiny. 

In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorn takes the Reckoning. This coming-of- age test not only decides her place in society – Elite, Member, Inter or Trog – but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor.But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide?Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . .The heart-stopping first book in a new trilogy by UK author Kerry Wilkinson, Reckoning is the story of one girl's determination to escape the whims of a cruel king, and what she must do to survive against all odds.

My thoughts:
The story to me was a mash other other YA dystopians especially in the beginning. You can easily see a mix of The Hunger Games paired with Divergent. The rest of the story, while engaging, was not surprising. I'm sure with that opening you think I didn't like the book. Even though it was quite predictable and seemed more like a retelling of popular dystopians, I still became engaged and rooted for the kids in this story.

I think my favorite parts of the books were the characters. I did like Silver because she questioned things constantly despite being brought up to think the king and his rule was infallible. I've always liked a character like that and there is always room for growth. I also did like some of the world building. Often you don't quite get the feel of how impossible questioning dystopian authority could be, but in this book you are able to really see and understand the impossibility of it. I think these are the reasons I became so engaged in this book.

I give this story 4 stars. While it may not be original, the writing of the characters and the world seem to really help pull this story together. I recommend it to those that enjoy YA dystopians.

Series: Ashfall #3
466p.
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Published: 4/15/14
Source: From NetGalley and publisher for review

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race. Now, almost a year after the eruption, the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapsed completely. The ham radio has gone silent. Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors' constant companions. 

When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and adults are not facing the stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever — and unthinkable sacrifice. If they fail . . . they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish. 

This epic finale has the heart of Ashfall, the action of Ashen Winter, and a depth all its own, examining questions of responsibility and bravery, civilization and society, illuminated by the story of an unshakable love that transcends a post-apocalyptic world and even life itself.

My thoughts:
This is the final book in the Ashfall trilogy. I had the privilege to read the other two books and I was looking forward to this one. One thing I do want to mention... when I read the first two, I read them back to back. Don't read all these books one after another. It's not that they aren't good, but they were so dark, I needed a palate cleanser in-between the books and I know a lot of people who might need something fluffy for that cleanser.

This one is as dark as the first two. What I liked about these is that it pulls no punches. Yes, you could go into the book and tear down some parts saying that it isn't realistic for some characters to get out of predicaments or injuries that easily... but you can do that in any fictional book. Still, I haven't seen it where you aren't sure that even the main characters will make it out alive and certainly unscathed. All secondary characters are all redshirts (sorry, Star Trek reference, if you aren't a nerd like me, just ignore) so you won't know who survives until the end. The stakes are as high as they have been in the other books and the danger is as bleak. It also feels like an never ending bid for survival... which is realistic. Even so, in this book we do get small snippets of light and a few people who finally come around.

There were some aspects that bothered me at first like when Alex would leave the colony to go on scavenge hunts. This was addressed in the book so I was pleasantly surprised and it added another dimension of politics to the survival story. Also, like in the other books, my favorite part was Alex and Darla's relationship. There is little misunderstanding between them because they are more mature than most and discuss problems before they actually become a problem. Yes, they fight, but they fight fairly and with the want to understand the other. I wish more books had relationships like this in them.

I give this book 4 stars. The book isn't without it's faults. I didn't love the ending, but I certainly didn't hate it. It just felt incomplete to me. Still, I feel that this is a great addition to the series and would love to have a novella to know how the colony fares and what they learned about what happened in the world after this book.

Quarantine #2
400p.
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Source: ARC from Media Masters for review

Nothing was worse than being locked in—until they opened the door... 

McKinley High has been a battle ground for eighteen months since a virus outbreak led to a military quarantine of the school. When the doors finally open, Will and Lucy will think their nightmare is finished. But they are gravely mistaken. 

As a new group of teens enters the school and gains popularity, Will and Lucy join new gangs. An epic party on the quad full of real food and drinks, where kids hookup and actually interact with members of other gangs seemed to signal a new, easier existence. Soom after though, the world inside McKinley takes a startling turn for the worse, and Will and Lucy will have to fight harder than ever to survive. 

The Saints brings readers back to the dark and deadly halls of McKinley High and the QUARANTINE series.

My thoughts:
Ah this book seemed to take some of my criticism of the parts that left me befuddled and gave me some of the answers I craved. We get to know where the parents have gone (some) and how those girls never seem to get pregnant. I'm glad that cleared those major things up so the parts that still are left unanswered didn't bother me as much. I did need a few pieces of that puzzle. I still want to know how they survive without getting infections from their wounds.

In a sense this is much like the last book in terms of the kids behaving in a wild manner. The plot is mostly about what happens when kids are left to their own devices. While I wanted more of the inner workings of the kids I got a bit of it, but not much again. Still, this isn't about character growth as much as it is about survival.

There is one aspect I thought I'd mention. The girls interactions seemed very male to me. They way they spoke and joked with each other was more male than female. However, it didn't bother me to take me out of the story, just something I noticed. I will also say this: At least the girls talked about something other than boys. They were also concerned about survival.

I give this book 3 stars. I did like it a bit better than the first and the ending, while not a cliffie, really left you with some questions that might be answered within the next book. You really do want to know what happens to these characters. I do suggest this one to the older YA crowd due to the prevalence of sex and extreme violence. It can get quite gory.

First in Quarantine series
416p.
Published by EgmontUSA
Source: From Media Masters for review

It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning. 

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school.

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive.

My thoughts:
 This is a different kind of dystopian tale in which the alternate society is limited to a high school where teens are held captive. A virus is let loose that kills adults and is transmitted by the teens. They are left to their own devices and fed at intervals by the government by drops. They are kept within the walls of the school by a quarantine tent and the army. The kids form their own societies with "gangs". It's very Lord of the Flies kind of society.

While I did like the inventiveness about this society I was thinking it would be a character driven book. While this is not entirely wrong, it didn't really feel like an exploration of a certain character or a society. It was mostly about the action and how kids turned on each other quite easily. It was more about that than the coming together of groups for protection or why they chose their behavior. I did like the main character of David but couldn't honestly understand his brother Will. His jealousy just seemed ungenuine and a bit on the annoying side. However, I did like the way Will grew, it just happened a bit late in the book for me to really enjoy this character. There was also a love triangle that didn't quite work for me either, but then I'm not a fan of those anyway.

I did have a problem with this world quite a bit. I can suspend belief with the best of them, but there was just too much that I couldn't ignore. I can deal with the fact that the government acted so quickly. There could be a back story about that we are unaware. Also, where were the parents to fight for the kids? Again that could be backstory so I can accept that much. What I couldn't understand is that the researchers/government now had a microcosm society as well as excellent test subjects to study. I couldn't imagine them not studying what is so dangerous to most of society. You should also have more than one generation (oddly enough no one got pregnant which I couldn't buy) normally and could see how the virus affected infants. Also, the injuries would have killed those kids faster than someone being murdered. With the filth many lived in, the simplest scratch could mean death. There were too many severe injuries for them to not be killed by infection.

As an adventure I can see YA crowd enjoying the adventure and the action. I know a lot of people will love it for that. I can give it 3 stars for that alone. It is quite the adventure. It also ends in a way that makes me curious for the next book. No cliffies, but a huge open thread that makes you want to know more. I just need a bit more characterization and believable world building for me to rate it higher in those areas.

Your heart beats only with their permission. 

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting. 

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid. 

She's different. She survived. Why? 

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy. 

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths. 

Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in order to save the future.

This was an interesting mix of genre. It was primarily dystopian but with a sci-fi flair. It's also written in a way you get hints of the immediate future but was also supposed to throw you off of any conclusions. I enjoyed the world, but I admit the parts ment to throw me actually helped me piece together what was coming as well as what was going on. So when the curtain was finally pulled back I was not surprised. However, I was entertained throughout the book.

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches-- moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley. 

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender-- a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom? 

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico-- escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is shot and forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

Review:

Let me tell you I did not expect this book. I knew it was dystopian and that it would have some dark themes running through this book, but I really didn't expect something so dark. Yes, this comes from someone who has said that YA doesn't go dark enough. Well, this one was close to pitch dark.

Now, for those that don't like it too dark, I do suggest you give this one a try. It's very engaging and you really get a feel for Riley and her situation. You become quite entangled in her adventure and that is why it becomes so dark. You root for Riley, but you cannot see a solution for her that would allow a perfectly happy HEA, only a best case scenario. In this world being a woman is dangerous. You are not human, you are property, period. You will also like the love interest, Clay. I enjoyed his character growth as much as Riley's.

I don't want to give away too much. Some of the interest came with figuring out how harrowing life is in this dystopian world. I would suggest that this is for older YA groups as well as adults. It has talk about rape and some gore. It fits the world though and makes it quite realistic. The ending is pretty complete, but you can see there are threads open that lend itself to a series. Yes, I do want to know what happens next. I give this book 4 stars.

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About Katie French - website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher.

In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English.

Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she’s ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children.

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa

Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre

After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall

Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise. 

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

This is the second book in the Dust Land series with Blood Red Road as the first. When I read Blood Red Road, I honestly didn't think I'd like it. The writing style was unique and I thought it would draw me out of the story too much. I was wrong and that book turned out to be one of my favorite books of last year. So, naturally I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. Especially when I thought it might feature Jack!

Well, I was wrong. It did have to deal with Jack in a prominent way but he wasn't in the book as much as I would have liked. It was more about Jack's motivations and who he really is in his heart and soul. It's also the beginning journey for Saba to find out what is really in her heart and soul. She didn't have time to ponder that the last time and had only survival on her mind.

With this transition in direction we get frustrated. We want all the details at once and yet it would be too much so we had to wait to figure it all out with Saba. Unfortunately some answers do not come in this book although I suspect they will be revealed in the future. However, we do, in the end find out about Jack so that answer helps us survive any other questions we might also want fulfilled.

The author, Moira Young, also knows how to write personalities in animals. Even if they don't have a lot of time on the pages. We also know that it is a harsh environment and not everyone survives. This kept me gripping at the book a lot, worrying about the animals constantly. Granted not everyone is as bad as me, but I swear I didn't breathe until the end of the book. For those who are like me highlight for animal spoiler: Saba's animals are fine. None of her animals dies. :) *end slight spoiler. I know it's not a big spoiler but some people actually like the tension this creates... it's just not me. ;)

I give this book 3 1/2 stars. I was frustrated with the lack of answers, but at the same time I felt it was intentional. This is a transition book. It's Saba's transition, so it works. I'm curious as to the direction the author is going with these characters so I know I must have that next book! Oh and do read these in order. You'll be lost otherwise.

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

This book starts at the end of the last and Alex and Darla's adventure continues. In this one they go to try to find out what happened to Alex's parents. You also think that this adventure might be a bit easier since they know what to expect, but the landscape had changed. Some of the dangers are the same, but others are more tenuous. In fact, in some ways it is more dangerous than the first book. Starvation and disease are still a problem, but the more dangerous factor are the gangs who have turned cannibal.

In this one I have to say I was very frustrated with Alex for most of the book. I loved his kindness and didn't want that to change, but he was careless when trying to be kind and put himself and Darla in danger. At least the author did not ignore this fact and they both suffered the consequences for his carelessness. I just wanted him to stop and think before he acted. This does not mean his character is without growth, but it is a trait of his that I wondered about. Despite this frustration, I do have to say that his lack of forethought made for a on the edge of your seat~ how does he get out of this situation~ type of excitement.

I don't want to give any more away, but I will warn you that this book is anxiety producing. Not in a bad way, but in a way that leaves you breathless wanting to know how they are going to survive. So, I give this book 4 stars. It doesn't end with a cliffie... exactly, but a huge thread lies open waiting for the next book to complete it. The main adventure is complete, so there is no worry about diving off that cliff without any support.

Love can never die. 

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire. 

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

A zombie romance? I mean is that even possible? I mean... ew? I have to admit my curiosity was much more than my ew response, so I started reading this book.

I was surprised how easily I got in to this book. It crosses several genres. It was part zombie (duh), Victorian, Steampunk, and Dystopian. Honestly, I didn't hate it nor did I love this fact. I think it would have been stronger to have just been a Steampunk zombie novel (sort of narrowing it down) only because I just could not believe that people were willing to go back to the way of Victorian society and all it's trappings, especially women. That part bothered me but that was more personal and I doubt it will bother others as much as it did me. It wasn't a big bother, but I did on occasion wonder WHY would they even consider it? An explanation was given... just not to my personal satisfaction. It was admittedly my problem and other people may absolutely love this part of the book's world. Despite this, I really did enjoy this world.

My only other criticism of the book is that it had multiple POVs. It did get confusing on occasion. I would read a section and forget that we changed POV and would wonder why someone was thinking "that" until I realized who I was with at the time. I think fewer POVs (I think there were 5 or 6 people we followed) would have helped. I would have loved some of the POVs as novellas in between books. I think that would have really solidified each story and made them all much stronger. I wouldn't have wanted to miss the POV, just have them a bit separate from the whole.

I have to say the most surprising thing about this book was the romance. Seriously... a zombie romance? Yep. I was throughly convinced that Bram was a suitable romantic lead, even with rotting body parts. LOL I'm still stunned at that fact and never thought it would have been so easily possible. I totally doff my hat off to the author for convincing me. Talk about original!

I give this book 4 stars. If you are curious if a zombie romance is possible... if you want to find some of the secondary zombie characters as delightful... if you want something different in the way of a zombie world... do pick up this book. I think you'll have some fun with this world and the characters!

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don’t realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano, so large that the caldera can only be seen by plane or satellite. And by some scientific measurements, it could be overdue for an eruption. 

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.

 This is quite an adventure for the YA and adult crowd alike. In this story a volcano erupts in Yellowstone and covers much of the west in ash. Surviving the explosions and ash which doesn't seem to stop falling isn't enough, you have to also learn to quickly discern who is friend or foe. Knowing the difference could be life or death. We follow Alex, a brat child who learns quickly what is important in life while journeying to his uncle's house to learn the fate of his family. They were separated but needing to know what happened to them trumps any danger he will find along the way. It's not just marauders he has to avoid, he has to also find food, water and shelter within this newly formed dystopian world. He meets Darla along the way and they form a bond. One that saves both of their lives in more ways than one.

I have to say that this quite an adventure. You wondered how he could survive and make it to his destination even when just going a few miles is tiring and almost impossible. I had a minor problem with him dealing with as much ash as described. I think he would have had much greater breathing problems than he did but for the sake of the adventure, it wouldn't do if he simply couldn't pass while the ash was still falling. Still, despite that criticism, I think the author does an apt job of dealing with how harrowing Alex had while learning how to adapt.

There is also a romance budding within the story. It becomes a romance that reads more true to me than a lot of YA novels out there. It is one based on thinking of the other than just about the self. True consideration is given and I was glad to see this kind of relationship. I really enjoyed those two together.

I do have a word of warning for people like me who love animals. There are several scenes where they butcher farm animals to eat. Those actually make total sense to have in the book. There was one scene that made me almost throw my ereader across the room however that really upset me and curse the author (hint: it wasn't about survival) ;)... so consider yourself warned. *sigh*

I give this book 4 stars. It's an engaging adventure for YA and adult readers. It will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out how our couple survives.