Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor Blog Tour: Review and Favorite Quotes

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

Title: Tarnished Are the Stars Written by: Rosiee Thor Published: October 15, 2019 by Scholastic Press (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The Lunar Chronicles meets Rook in this queer #OwnVoices science-fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Sharon Cameron.  A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher's chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog -- donning the moniker Technician -- to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner's tyrannical laws.  Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner's son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father's respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father's elusive affection is worth chasing at all.  Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner's secrets at any cost -- even if it means betraying her own heart.   When these uneasy allies discover the most dangerous secret of all, they must work together despite their differences and put an end to a deadly epidemic -- before the Commissioner ends them first.

There needs to be more standalone science fiction novels and I was really excited to read this one. It seemed like it was totally up my alley so I was glad to be a part of the blog tour for it. It was an engaging story with great characters and an interesting world.

My favorite thing about this book was the characters and character development. This is one of those books which alternates perspectives. Those can be incredibly tricky because often I like one character more than others, and feel like the multiple narrators make things complex. But that was not the case with Tarnished Are The Stars. Each character added to the story and offered a unique perspective. I never felt like a section was unnecessary or that I wanted to go back to someone else. However, I did have a favorite character. While I liked Anna and Nathaniel, it was Eliza who I loved. She was a kickass female who is trying and often succeeding at being the smartest person in the room. I found myself rooting for her and loved her development throughout the book as she discovered who she wanted to be and then became that person. But that was the case for each of the characters. They were all easy to root for and had great development.

One of the other things I liked about these characters was the LGBTQIA representation. Because seriously, this book is super queer. Not only is there a good f/f relationship that develops throughout the book but we also had asexual and aromantic representation. I firmly believe there needs to be more ark and ace rep in books. I’m constantly feeling like a romance is unnecessary and having a character who states on the page that they are not only not interested in a relationship but not even attracted to anyone was so amazing. Having Nathaniel come to terms with his own identity was part of what I liked about him and the book.

I also liked the world of this book. It is one of those books that reminds you that dystopia is a subgenre of science fiction. It had subtle sci-if vibes with the use of technology to impact the lives of the people, but it also had dystopia feels with a new planet being colonized because of the fact that earth was negatively affected years ago. There was also that ever present shady government adding to the drama and a disease impacting the you people like our main characters. However, as interesting as the world was, I did feel like we weren’t given a lot of information about it. I felt like some of the big reveals were not as impactful as they could have been because there was so much going on and the pacing was so fast. If it had scaled back a little bit and given more information I think I would have liked the world even more.

But my biggest frustration with this book was with the fact that it was so fast paced. I usually like a quick read that moves quickly from element to elements but here it was just jarring. I had no sense of how much time had passed and things just moved on with or without me. Instead of what I assumed was the desired effect of keeping me connected to the story, it actually pulled me out. I kept wondering to myself how much time had passed and whether they had actually spent time making this plan or if they were just winging it. And it even affected the character development at times because I was asking myself how they had gone from enemies to friends so quickly. This is about average length for a YA novel but I honestly wish it had been a little bit longer and was fleshed out a bit more. It was a very engaging story with tons of twists and turns but that was negatively impacted by the breakneck speed.

On the whole, Tarnished Are the Stars was an interesting read and a good debut novel. It had great characters, an interesting world, a fat-paced plot. But I wish the story had been fleshed out a little more.

I give Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor 7 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are looking for a standalone dystopia with queer characters and a fast-paced plot then I would suggest checking this one out.

Have you read Tarnished Are the Stars?  What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stooping by and HAPPY READING!

FAVORITE QUOTES

"A good weapon, she found, needn't draw blood to be effective. A controlled target was better than a dead one."

"Murder comes in many shapes... You don't always have to look someone in the eye and watch them die to be their killer."

"But that was the thing about loss: Death could rip love from life, but those memories stayed behind, burning a hole through the heart."

"I don't give much credence to regret. I can't go back and change what's done. All I can do is take what I learned and do better next time."

"It matters because this is who you are - but it is not all you are. It does not make you weak, nor does it make you strong. You make yourself one or the other through the choices that you make."

"Power is not the same as strength... Some days strength is control, and some days strength is release. Perhaps today strength is understanding that being like your father isn't inherently bad, and two men can be alike and still make different choices."

BOOK LINKS 

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google Books

AUTHOR INFORMATION 

Rosiee Thor began her career as a storyteller by demanding that her mother listen as Rosiee told bedtime stories instead of the other way around. She lives in Oregon with a dog, two cats, and four complete sets of Harry Potter, which she loves so much, she once moved her mattress into the closet and slept there until she came out as queer.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

TOUR SCHEDULE:

https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/08/tour-schedule-tarnished-are-stars-by.html 

GIVEAWAY Prize: Win a signed hardcopy of TARNISHED ARE THE STARS by Rosiee Thor (US Only) Stars: 15th October 2019 Ends: 29th October 2019

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Review: The Fever King by Victoria Lee

Title: The Fever King Series: Feverwake #1 Written by: Victoria Lee Published: March 1, 2019 by Skyscape (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia. The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks—refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son—cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful—and the way forward becomes less clear. Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

I can't remember when I first learned about this book but it sounded interesting enough to add it to my TBR. Then when I saw that it was one of the Amazon First books for the month of March I picked it up without any hesitation and I am really glad I did. This is one of those under the radar type of books that I was incredibly surprised by. I found it gripping and thoroughly engaging.

This is the perfect book for plot-driven readers like myself. It is one of those books that is full of non-stop action and thrilling twists. Seriously, every time I thought there couldn't possibly be another surprise there was. The overall plot kind of felt like three different books combined into one but it never felt jarring or strange to switch between storylines. The author did a great job in developing a flow that created a cohesive book that had me entertained from beginning to end. It was incredibly fast paced as well. There was not a dull minute at all in this book. And the best part is that the plot still built to a huge and exciting conclusion that had me on the edge of my seat.

I think one of the things that made the plot so good was that world was so complex and engaging. There were a lot of great elements to this world that combined some of my favorite things to read about. First and foremost was the dystopian aspects of the story. I don't read a ton of dystopia but I do like the genre overall. This book was dystopia at its finest. It took a modern problem and the treads in our current society and kicked everything up a notch to develop a fictional world that felt current and outrageous at the same time. There were elements of an oppressive government and revolutionaries that were fighting for their rights which all combined to make thoroughly engaging political unrest. Then it through the main character between the two factions which led to a lot of uncertainty in who was right and who was wrong. I love when books make me question rulers and I loved that about this book.

I also really liked the magical system in this book. I love a magical system where the characters each have different powers and they feel like superheroes, and if they get these powers through a virus that kills a bunch of people, all the better. Seriously, when did that become a trope because it definitely is and I am here for it. I loved seeing Noam use his powers and learn about them throughout the book. And each characters powers were fascinating. I like my magical systems to be based in logic and rules and this was one of those times where it was like that. Even if you had powers, in order to use them you needed to know physics and how the forces of the universe worked which was an interesting layer. My only criticism of the powers is that it almost felt like they had endless possibilities. You could unlock new powers with new knowledge and in some respects it just felt like you were giving the characters magic in order for them to get out of situations that there was no other way out of. If you are going to have a magical system like this there needs to be limits.

As far as the characters go, this is a book that had some great diverse characters. First of all, the characters were of different races, genders, and ethnicities which I really enjoyed. Although if I am being entirely honest, this book needed more women. There was really only one or two and they had much smaller parts than the male characters. The main character was biracial, Jewish, and bisexual. Yes, we also had LGBTQIA representation. And Noam was a great main character. He was easy to root for and had been through a lot of hard times before and during this book. He was easy to empathize with throughout the book and that made his development all the more sweet when he came into his own by the end of the book. The rest of the characters were complex and more odious. Because there was so much uncertainty about right and wrong throughout the book it made for characters who walk in a very grey area. Dara was really interesting and I totally ship him with Noam. Lehrer however was the most complex. He's a very charismatic leader with a great set of powers but is also kind of ruthless. All the characters really worked so well in this kind of narrative.

All in all, I really liked this book. It was the perfect change of pace for me with a dystopian world full of magic and mystery. The plot was gripping and engaging, and the characters were complex and engaging. It's not a book a lot of people are talking about and I wish more people would because it's really fantastic.

I give The Fever King by Victoria Lee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This is definitely worth a read for anyone who likes dystopia or is loking for a thrilling read full of diverse characters. It reminded me a lot of books like The Darkest Minds and The Reckoners which are some of my all-time favorite dystopians.

Have you read The Fever King? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Replica by Lauren Oliver

Title: Replica Series: Replica #1 Written by: Lauren Oliver Published: October 4, 2016 by HarperCollins (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Two girls, two stories, one epic novel  From Lauren Oliver, New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy, comes an epic, masterful novel that explores issues of individuality, identity, and humanity. Replica is a “flip book" that contains two narratives in one, and it is the first in a duology. Turn the book one way and read Lyra's story; turn the book over and upside down and read Gemma's story. The stories can be read separately, one after the other, or in alternating chapters. The two distinct parts of this astonishing novel combine to produce an unforgettable journey. Even the innovative book jacket mirrors and extends the reading experience.  Lyra's story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects—Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72—manage to escape.  Gemma has been in and out of hospitals for as long as she can remember. A lonely teen, her life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April. But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family's past and discovers her father's mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two replicas and a completely new set of questions.  While the stories of Lyra and Gemma mirror each other, each contains breathtaking revelations critically important to the other story. Replica is an ambitious, thought-provoking masterwork.

I have been putting off reading this book for a very long time and I don’t entirely know why because it is definitely an interesting and engaging read. Lauren Oliver’s books tend to be hit or miss for me and this one was a hit.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the concept. And I mean that in multiple ways. For one things, this is a very uniquely written book. Multiple perspectives in YA books is nothing new, but it’s not very often that you read one person’s story and then the other. And that’s how this book was set up. I’ve heard you can read it one of two ways. You can read one perspective then the other, or you can alternate. I experienced it the first way because I listened to the audiobook and that’s how they had it. But honestly I think that’s what I would recommend. You are able to connect with one person, then they interact and you are able to seamlessly switch. And the audiobook was really good and helped the whole thing work together.

But the other cool thing about the concept here was the world that Oliver has created. I don’t want to give too much away because I enjoyed not knowing much about it before going into the book. What I will say is it was like a near-future, science fiction, dystopian kind of vibe. Oliver did a great job with unfolding things in a slow and steady way so that it pulled you into the book and into the world. Even with switching perspectives there was still a lot to learn and explore which I liked.

As far as the characters, multiple perspectives is hard for me sometimes because I typically connect with the one I meet first and then am not very interested in the next person. But here because you got more time in the head of each person it worked. Lyra was definitely a good character. She’s curious and inquisitive which works well with her storyline. She definitely doesn’t have an easy life which always makes it easy to root for her. Gemma too was easy to root for. She’s more relatable and kind of feels like the audience stand-in at first. But she’s also really complex. Both characters have amazing development and there are really cool surprises when it comes to their characters which I am curious to explore in the second book in the series.

The only thing I didn’t totally love about this book was the plot development. If you take each perspective as their own story I think the plot was fine. It was interesting and kept me wondering from beginning to end with surprises and some thrills along the way. But as a cohesive story it wasn’t perfect. There was some overlap and storylines that felt like they weren’t connected to the larger story. I liked the way it unfolded and I definitely think it was interesting but it could have been tighter for me as a plot driven reader.

This was definitely an cool and unique story. The concept is very interesting, the world is engaging, the characters are likable, and the plot is full of surprises if a little muddled.

I give Replica by Lauren Oliver 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I really liked this one and would recommend it if you are a fan of near future dystopias with subtle sci-fi elements then I would definitely check this out. If you have a copy you've been holding onto, read it.

Have you read Replica? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

Title: Seafire Series: Seafire #1 Written by: Nathalie C. Parker Published: August 28, 2018 by Razorbill (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: After her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to chart her own course on the dangerous and deadly seas. She captains her ship, the Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, whose lives have been turned upside down by Aric and his men. The crew has one misson: stay alive, and take down Aric's armed and armored fleet.  But when Caledonia's best friend and second-in-command just barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether or not to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all...or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for?

Finally! The book I have been wanting to read all summer. I picked this book up at ALA and I am so glad that I did because it was everything I hoped it would be and more. It was an amazing story about kickass female pirates with a thrilling plot.

Seriously, this book had a completely amazing plot. I'm a plot driven reader and in order for me to love a book I need a plot full of action and adventure and this was absolutely what I found here. There were so many daring escapes and epic battle scenes that all good pirate stories have. There was this great undercurrent of survival amid a story of revenge and friendship. And Parker did a really great job in writing a non-stop narrative that didn't feel too over the top. The book really built to an exciting conclusion with a lot of fun along the way. A lot of the books I have been reading lately fall apart in the plot department and that is where Seafire really thrived.

The other best thing about this book was the characters. Caledonia for one was a great character. It's pretty easy to root for the female captain of a pirate ship. I mean seriously, how could you not love a swashbuckling female who is leading a crew of amazing young women. But what I liked most about her is that she's not perfect. She's vulnerable and makes mistakes that have real consequences. I like the fact that she didn't do everything right and she had to learn from her screw ups and live with the consequences. It made her all the more likable and complex.

But the real heart of this book was the relationships. It's very much a book about family and found family. The crew of the Mors Navis really has built something so great. They care about one another and do anything for their fellow sister. It really is a sisterhood built on teamwork and mutual respect. And they are there for each other no matter if the other person screws up. The best example of this is with Caledonia and Pisces. The two are best friends and have been through so much together. They both make some decisions that the other person doesn't agree with throughout the book but they forgive and come together when it is needed. But not all the relationships here were good. And yes, I am talking about the romance. At first I was so happy that there wasn't going to be a romance in this book and then it got shoehorned in there unexpectedly with the weirdest pairing. There were much better places to take a romance in this book and the decisions the author made felt very forced. But I'm hard on romances in general so take that for what it's worth.

I also don't know how I feel about the world of this book. I was expecting it to be a fantasy but it wasn't really. It wasn't sci-fi wither to be honest. I don't know what this was. It kind of read like a low-key dystopia. There were elements of technology and what felt like modern times but it definitely wasn't. And then there is this whole thing with the villain Aric Athair and his Fivesons who were interesting villains but didn't get the attention they deserved. I think on the whole this world was kind of a less is less situation. It was definitely cool and interesting but I feel like there could have been more attention placed on the world building. Maybe it will be explored more in future books. Honestly, I'm hoping that it is because there is a lot there left unsaid.

But all in all this was a really great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a thrilling plot full of action and adventure, great characters I became very attached to, and a lot of promise for future books in the series. It wasn't perfect but I really loved it.

I give Seafire by Natalie C. Parker 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thrilling an exciting read. If you like books about pirates or are looking for a feminist story about sisterhood and found family definitely check it out.

Have you read Seafire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Through the Dark Series: The Darkest Minds #1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 Written by: Alexandra Bracken Published: October 6, 2015 by Disney Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Don't miss this breathtaking collection of stories set in the world of the best-selling Darkest Minds trilogy, now in paperback:  IN TIME  A desperate young man is forced to make a terrible choice between his own survival and the future of a little girl who won't speak, but who changes his life in ways he could never imagine.  SPARKS RISE   A spark of light brightens a brutal world when a girl named Sam encounters her childhood best friend at the government-run "rehabilitation" camp, Thurmond. Lucas and Sam form a risky escape plan, but sometimes even love isn't powerful enough to overcome unspeakable cruelty.   BEYOND THE NIGHT  The camps are closed. A tyrant president has been deposed. But for many Psi kids living rough, there is no home to return to, no place for them in a country devastated by the past and anxious about the future. Every day is a struggle for Sam, who knew all the rules at Thurmond and has been thrown into a terrifying and uncertain new life. But there's more at stake than Sam's own survival. She once made a promise to someone she loves, and the time has come to fulfill it.   From New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a collection of three hauntingly beautiful novellas set in the world of the Darkest Minds series. In the most harrowing of times, it takes a ferocious strength not only to survive, but to stand up for those who cannot fight their own battles. The characters in these stories-some new, some familiar-face impossible missions, and the hardest of all may be protecting the last flicker of hope in a seemingly endless night.

I love The Darkest Minds series, not only is it one of my favorite series but is among my all-time favorite dystopias. But as much as I love the series I have not read any of the novellas and therefore I hadn't read this book yet. So with The Darkest Legacy coming out I thought it would be the perfect time to read this one. And I was not at all disappointed. It was a great way to get back into the world and learn a little more about the the larger world of the series.

Surprisingly, I would say that In Time was probably my least favorite of the three novellas here. I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved seeing Zu and learning about what she was up to between The Darkest Minds and In the Afterlight. It was good to have a refresher on Zu as well before The Darkest Legacy. She was one of my favorite secondary characters in the original series so anything involving Zu I thought I would be interested in. But this wasn't about Zu, it was about Gabe and I didn't really enjoy Gabe. He had decent character development but I just didn't connect with him and that kind of prevented me from loving this story.

In contrast, Sparks Rise is told from the perspective of a secondary character in the original series. Sparks Rise is about Sam. I feel like Sam is one of those characters who we needed more from. She is only in the first part of The Darkest Minds and the last part of In the Afterlight. I liked Sam but there was so much more to learn about her. In this story we get her backstory and more from her at Thurmond. I loved seeing Sam and how kind and caring she is to those who need her help. Her and Lucas had a nice relationship, although I don't necessarily ship it but I liked seeing them interact and the ending definitely broke my heart a little bit. This is also maybe the story that adds the most to the series. We learn more about the camps and more about the Reds. I enjoyed it and it was probably the story I finished the fastest. My only issue is that I feel like the escape plan could have gotten a little more attention. It's in the synopsis but it was only like 10% of the novella.

If Sparks Rise adds the most to the original series, then Beyond the Night adds the most to the future of the series. In that novella we get to see what the world is like of now that the camps are closed and IAAN has come to it's relative conclusion. It was really interesting to get a peak into what the world is like for these teens now that the resolution from the original series has been resolved. It's not all puppies and rainbows. There is still a lot of really tough things the characters are dealing with. It's something we don't get to experience a lot from our favorite series and I am glad I get to do it with this one. I also really liked getting to continue with Sam and to meet Mia. Mia was really interesting and likable. She's like a fun combination of Vida and Liam. Speaking of those two, I have good news, your favorite characters from the original series are featured in this story as well and it was a real treat to see them again and to add to the gang.

On the whole I think this a good collection of short stories. I think I read it at the right time because it prepared me well for The Darkest Legacy. There isn't really much of a through line with this collection without it really. Sparks Rise and Beyond the Dark do have a lot of connection and those two books probably could have been turned into their own book but In Time really doesn't have much connection to the other two stories. Obviously they all involve The Darkest Minds but it's not a very cohesive collection.

I give Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of The Darkest Minds then you should definitely buy and read this collection of stories. I think that now is the perfect time to read it as well. It's a great refresher before The Darkest Legacy.

Have you read Through the Dark? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff

Title: LIFEL1K3 Series:Lifelike #1 Written by: Jay Kristoff Published: May 29, 2018 by Delacorte (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: On a floating junkyard beneath a radiation sky, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap.  Eve isn’t looking for secrets—she’s too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she’s just spent six months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, and the only thing keeping her Grandpa from the grave was the fistful of credits she just lost to the bookies. To top it off, she’s discovered she can destroy electronics with the power of her mind, and the puritanical Brotherhood are building a coffin her size. If she’s ever had a worse day, Eve can’t remember it.  But when Eve discovers the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic conscience, Cricket, in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, infiltrate towering megacities and scour the graveyard of humanity’s greatest folly to save the ones Eve loves, and learn the dark secrets of her past.  Even if those secrets were better off staying buried.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I have loved every Jay Kristoff book I have read. Whether he is writing fantasy or science fiction, the man knows how to writing a thrilling read full of surprises. I was super excited to read his first solo YA and I was not disappointed. This book was amazing and everything I was hoping for.

The best thing about this book was definitely the plot. It was a totally amazing book and from the very beginning I was enthralled by this book. It has tons of action, daring escapes, thrilling fights, and surprises. Basically it has everything I love. But the best part is the twists. What I love about Jay Kristoff books is that you never know what to expect and every time you think you have it all figured out, he proves me wrong. This book seriously was nothing but unexpected twists and turns that had me reeling. More than once I had my mouth agape looking like a total idiot. It really built to a thrilling and exciting conclusion and for someone like me who is a plot driven reader, I ate it up.

I also completely loved the world of this book. It's one of those hard sci-fi dystopian novels and I love those kind of worlds. This one definitely has a Mad Max: Fury Road sort of feel. It's a post-apocalyptic world where the planet is destroyed and only the strong survive. They do this with all kinds of cool technology. It's a gritty and bleak landscape that lends itself well to any kind of plot really, but definitely one full of surprises and action.

The other thing that this book really showed me is how well Jay Kristoff writes characters. He's really good at creating complex and dubious characters, which naturally are my favorites. This book had three main perspectives and I loved most of them. The main character is Eve, who is this badass girl who fights robots to help her sick grandfather. She's tough and carrying at the same time. She has some great development throughout the book as you learn more about her. The other amazing main character is her best friend Lemon Fresh. Lemon is a streetwise pickpocket who loves pretty things and has a heart of gold. She's more than just a sidekick though and I loved having some of the book from Lem's perspective. The only perspective I could have done without is Preacher. I mean it was fine seeing things from an antogonist's perspective but I think on the whole it didn't add a lot to the book.

But all in all this was a great read. It was full of action and surprises, the world was thrilling and engaging, and the characters were complex and likeable. I was really looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed.

I give LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This book is amazing and you should definitely read it. It's a great science fiction read whether you like hard sci-fi or dystopia. I would recommend this book to anyone whether you want to try more YA sci-fi or you are a huge fan.

Have you read LIFEL1K3? What did you think. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely

Title: Gunslinger Girl Written by: Lyndsay Ely Published: January 2, 2018 by Jimmy Patterson (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: James Patterson presents a bold new heroine—a cross between Katniss Everdeen and Annie Oakley: Serendipity Jones, the fastest sharpshooter in tomorrow's West. Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great.... In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

I love a good YA Western! I was so excited to read another one, especially one with a post-apocalyptic setting. And I am happy to report that this was a fantastic read with a great plot and an engaging world. I think the thing I was most excited and most nervous about this book was the world. I love YA Westerns. It’s such a great setting that is rife for action and adventure. But they are also sometimes hard to do well. This one I think was done well. What I liked about it was that it wasn’t too I love a good YA Western! This is one of my most anticipated debuts of 2018 and I was ecstatic to get a copy at ALA/ I was so excited to read another one, especially one with a post-apocalyptic setting. And I am happy to report that this was a fantastic read with a great plot and an engaging world. I think the thing I was most excited and most nervous about this book was the world.

Westerns are such a great setting that is rife for action and adventure. But they are also sometimes hard to do well. This one I think was done well. What I liked about it was that it wasn’t too over the top. It had elements of Westerns like lawlessness, a saloon style setting, six-shooters, and more but it wasn’t trying to be a historical fiction which I actually enjoyed. This book balanced the elements of Westerns with science fiction naturally. It made for a much more complex world which I really enjoyed.

But this book also had a ton of political intrigue. If you know me, I love when books have political intrigue. And like a lot of things about this world it wasn’t too overwhelmingly. It didn’t get bogged down with details about the second Civil War, it was just one elements that added to the world. It just kind of touched on what happened and why the world is this way. Then it added more to the world with the current political climate. It could have easily gotten too complicated and confusing. It really just added a lot of drama to the world and plot of this world.

Speaking of the the plot, I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It was a book full of action, adventure, and mystery. It’s the kind of book where you are instantly pulled in with the plot. I read most of this book on two flights and it was the perfect book for travel. It’s a fast paced and exciting read. I honestly didn’t want to put it down. Usually when that happens it’s because I am curious about what is going to happen next. I don’t think that was necessarily the case, it was still just very engaging. And I am so interested to see what happens next. Because this book did that rare thing where it concluded the current book and left things wide open for the future.

As for the characters I found them engaging but a little basic. I did connect with Pitt pretty quickly in the book. She had a seriously rough upbringing and came out of it tough, determined, and still compassionate. I wanted to see her get out of that all and have the life she wanted to. As for the rest of the characters they were pretty odious but they didn’t quite make me feel how I usually do with those kinds of characters. I think maybe I just didn’t connect with them so some of the twists and surprises fell a little flat. The characters were likable I was just hoping they could maybe be more complex, but that’s just a personal preference.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was everything I was hoping it would be. It had an interesting world, an exciting plot, and likable characters.

I give Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you like YA Westerns or are looking for a unique dystopian definitely check this one out. It is a fantastic debut and worth a read.

Have you read Gunslinger Girl? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Knowing by Sharon Cameron

Title: The Knowing Series: The Forgetting #2 Written by: Sharon Cameron Published: October 10, 2017 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Samara doesn't forget. And she isn't the only one. Safe underground in the city of New Canaan, she lives in a privileged world free from the Forgetting. Yet she wonders if she really is free, with the memories that plague her and secrets that surround her. Samara is determined to unearth the answers, even if she must escape to the old, cursed city of Canaan to find them. Someone else is on their way to Canaan too . . . a spaceship from Earth is heading toward the planet, like a figment of the city's forgotten past. Beck is traveling with his parents, researchers tasked with finding the abandoned settlement effort. When Beck is stranded without communication, he will find more in Canaan than he was ever trained for. What will happen when worlds and memories, beliefs -- and truths -- collide?

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at ALA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

I loved The Forgetting. It was on of my favorite books of 2015. Therefore I was super excited when I heard it was going to have a companion novel where we find out what happens after the events of the first novel. And it was just as interesting a science fiction novel.

I want to start by talking about the world. Because I really loved the world in The Forgetting and I liked it even more here. Now that we know that this is a science fiction series, all pretense are put aside and we can dive into exploring that aspect of the world. You would think that there wouldn’t be many surprises when it comes to the world after the revelations of the first book but there totally were. Here we explore what Canaan is like now that people don’t have to Forget. And of course that had backfired and made it so the people can’t forget. It once again explored ideas of memory and whether or not that is a good then. Then there was the societies that were created. Yes, multiple societies. It very much had a dystopian vibe still as we delve into those societies and the haves vs. have nots aspect of the way things have become. There was a lot of really interesting stuff in that respect which made for a totally interesting world.

The characters however were not as interesting. Now don’t get me wrong, Samara and Beckett were fine. On their own they were interesting and complex characters. They both had engaging motivations and backgrounds that made them compelling protagonists. I enjoyed watching both of them interact with the world and felt invested in them when trouble arose. But I never completely connected with them. Maybe because there was two of them. From a narrative standpoint it made sense to have multiple perspectives, but I do feel like it maybe stopped me from getting attached to one or both of them. But I also really hated the romance. Oh man, I hated it so much. I’m so picky about romantic relationships and this one did nothing for me. If fact it had the opposite effect on me. Instead of making me engage more, it made me pull away. Unfortunately, the characters just didn’t work for me here.

But the plot did work. There’s a lot here. This is on the longer side of some YA reads but no part of if was boring of slow. Everything really built to an exciting conclusion, plus there is tons of action and adventure along the way that it kept me guessing and engaged. And I have to be honest, there was so much drama, and so many different threads here, that I couldn’t see how they were all going to connect in the climax but they absolutely did. They connected in a big way and made for a thrilling ending that had me wanting to turn pages faster than my brain would allow. I have this thing where I don’t finish books before I go to bed but this one really had me considering breaking that. I wanted to stay up to read the last 30 pages, it was that good.

However, much like The Knowing, I feel like there is just too much unresolved in this book, which is honestly just annoying especially considering this is a surprise companion novel to what I thought was a standalone. The way this book ended did not leave me feeling content and like everything is all wrapped up. It left things wide open and that had me wanting more. I want to know what happens next. I feel like there are two possible directions the story can go in and I want both. Sharon Cameron, please write more. If you need ideas for a premise let me know. I can totally help.

All in all, this was a really great read. A fantastic companion to a book that I loved. It further explores the world and gives us a thrilling plot the had me totally hooked from beginning to end. It wasn’t perfect but it was great.

I give The Forgetting by Sharon Carter 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked The Forgetting, definitely check out this book. It’s super interesting to see how the events of the first novel affected things. And if you haven’t read it and you want a dystopia with an interesting sci-fi world you NEED to read this series.

Have you read The Forgetting? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada Blog Tour and Giveaway

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

This Mortal Coil
by Emily Suvada
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 7th 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction



Links: Goodreads - Amazon -  B&N -  Book Depository -  iBooks -  Kobo -  IndieBound -

Synopsis:

In this gripping debut novel, seventeen-year-old Cat must use her gene-hac king skills to decode her late father ’ s message concealing a vaccine to a horrifying plague.

Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

That’s no surprise, since Cat ’ s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.

When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been ki lled, Cat ’ s instincts tell her it ’ s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat ’ s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much ca n she even trust herself?

I really wanted to love this book. It had so much promise and I was so excited to read it. But unfortunately it never quite delivered on that promise. It was an okay read but I just didn’t love it.

The one really good thing about this book was the world. It was a fantastic science fiction world. You can absolutely tell that the author is a scientist. And if she’s not she sure did her research. If she is, she sure did her research. There are some really elaborate and intricate parts of this world that give it a heavy science fiction feel to it. But there are also some really good dystopian parts of this world. It’s one of those books where society is basically in chaos because of a virus. I love when my dystopia keeps the sci-do feel and I appreciated that about this book. It was an interesting and engaging world.

That being said, I didn’t totally love the world building. There was a lot to this world. A lot of different concepts and technology. Whole that’s a good thing it did make for a world building that kind had to tell you instead of show you what was going on. It definitely had a bad case of the info dumps. Especially in the beginning of the book. I like a complex world but if you’re going to have to explain everything it is going to take me out of the book and impact my enjoyment. Unfortunately that is what happened here.

I think the complexity problem all extended into the plot as well. I never thought there would come a day that I thought a plot was too complex but that day is today. Because there was seriously just too going on here. At times it felt like it was just manufactured conflict to make things intense. While at other times it felt like the big moments weren’t given the amount of time needed for it to sink in. It just moved from point to point so quickly that nothing was really hitting in the way I wanted it. Like even when huge reveals and surprises came around. I was surprised and invested, but then we just moved on to the next thing. By the end of the book I kind of stopped caring a little bit because I just couldn’t devote any more attention to the plot I knew was just going to move on in a few pages anyway.

But I do think a lot of the book was redeemed by the characters. There were some very interesting and complex characters here. Most of you probably know I like my characters dark and odious. That is exactly what I found here. Like most good dystopia there are shady pseudo-government agencies, splinter groups branded as terrorists, and plenty of people whose true allegiance you don’t really know. It made for some fun reveals and character twists. But thankfully the one character who I was rooting for was the main character of Catarina. She was a good main character in that she was determined and smart but still vulnerable. Bad things kept happening to her and you didn’t want them to. She was really likable and made me keep reading. All the characters is what made me keep reading. I wanted to know where they stood in the end.

All in all this was an okay read. I honestly think it was just entirely too complex. If the world was toned down a little bit, the plot was given enough time to percolate, and the characters were given time to develop it would have been great.

I give This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada 7.5 out of 10 stars

 

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Bypass. I would recommend this to fans of YA dystopia with a heavy science fiction element. It’s not the best of the genre that I’ve read but I think fans looking for one more book like that will like it.

Have you read This Mortal Coil? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Favorite Quotes

 

"A breeze dances through the knee-high grass, sweeping in across the water, carrying the cries of the pigeon, the chill of the evening, and the rich deep scent of the forest." (e-ARC p.7)

 

"Like, despite the apocalypse, I'm somehow supposed to be pretty. It feels stupid even thinking about it, but I still find myself tilting my head back and forth in the light from the naked bulb overhead, searching for an angle that makes me look good." (e-ARC p. 64)

 

"Most people are afraid of the guy with the gun, but the person they should be afraid of is the one with the genkit cable. It's software that runs the show in this world, not hardware. People like you are always in control." (e-ARC p.81)

 

"We live in evil times, Catarina. Sometimes we need to embrace that to survive." (e-ARC p. 242)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Emily Suvada was born and raised in Australia, where she went on to study mathematics and astrophysics. She previously worked as a data scientist, and still spends hours writing algorithms to perform tasks which would only take minutes to complete on her own. When not writing, she can be found hiking, cycling, and conducting chemistry experiments in her kitchen. She currently lives in Portland, OR, with her husband.

FOLLOW THE TOUR:

 

• 1 Copy of This Mortal Coil by EMily Suvada
• US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Buried Heart by Kate Elliott Review and Giveaway

About the Book:

Title: BURIED HEART (Court of Fives #3)
Author: Kate Elliott
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Pages: 448
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | TBD 

Synopsis:  The explosive finale to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's captivating, New York Times bestselling young adult series 

In this third book in the epic Court of Fives series, Jessamy is the crux of a revolution forged by the Commoner class hoping to overthrow their longtime Patron overlords. But enemies from foreign lands have attacked the kingdom, and Jes must find a way to unite the Commoners and Patrons to defend their home and all the people she loves. Will her status as a prominent champion athlete be enough to bring together those who have despised one another since long before her birth? Will she be able to keep her family out of the clutches of the evil Lord Gargaron? And will her relationship with Prince Kalliarkos remain strong when they find themselves on opposite sides of a war? Find all the answers in this beautifully written and exciting conclusion to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's debut New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy!

My Review:

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

 I am so excited to be on the blog tour of this book. Especially because I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. It's an incredibly engrossing dystopian book with subtle fantasy elements, and amazing world building. And Buried Heart was a good conclusion to the series.

My favorite thing about this book, and the series of in general, is the world building. This is a series with such a rich world. It's not uncommon to find a fantasy or dystopian series with influences from Greek and Rome, but somehow the author makes it feel unique. Perhaps it's the fact that there such an elaborate and intriguing history and mythology to this series. In the course of three books we have learned so much about this world and the magic and mystery that influence. Here we learned more about Efea and everything we learned was amazing. There's and incredible amount of depth here. So much so that I think we've only just begun to explore it. But Kate Elliott's writing pulls you in and makes it all come alive.

I also really like the characters in this series. In the course of three books I have become quite attached to these characters. First of all, I adore Jessamy, our protagonist. She's such a great hero. She's tough and resourceful, but also fiercely loyal. She cares so much about her family and the people that she loves me that she will do anything for them. There's something so likable about her for those reasons. You want her to succeed and save the day. But she doesn't always get to do that. She's not perfect. There is a subtle vulnerability to Jess that makes her even more complex and likable. She's a great main character and I love her voice.

This is also a series with fantastic secondary characters. There is a pretty big cast of characters here, many of whom you have had three books to connect with them. In particular I really like Jes's family. Her mother, who gets some great development and a really interesting storyline here, and her sisters are great and complex characters. But I think her father might be the most complex and interesting of her family members. There's so much depth to to him. He has some really great development and his daughter is so much like him that everything I love about her, I love about him. Speaking of love, I have to talk about Kal. Their relationship develops further in this book and some of the most emotional moment here come at the hands of Kal. And yet it was still a subtle relationship. The romance didn't take the focus, it just added depth to a book already full of depth.

The focus of this book was on the political intrigue. Seriously, there was so much political intrigue in this book. I love when the plot of final books focus on the politics and these kind of elements. So much of it was about the relationship between to Saroese and the Efeans. There's the war, the court intrigue, who's going to rule, why, and those who have long been oppressed throwing off the shackles of their oppressors. This series has long explored the mistreatment of the people who have been viewed as inferior and it was great to see their rebellion in full effect as this book developed. This is one of the things I like about dystopia and it is was a great part of this book as well. It was a hugely satisfying ending and I loved the way it developed.

However, I didn't totally love the pacing of this book. It is on the longer side for YA, which is totally fine. I love a long book. But I like a book that doesn't feel long. This book however felt long. It dragged in parts even though there was a lot of action. But I think it just didn't have a good flow to it. It felt a little bit like two different stories. There was one in the first half just about the affects of he first book and the court intrigue, then the second half was more about the rebellion. They were both really interesting but only loosely connected. I just would have liked there to be a little bit of a better flow to it.

On the whole, Buried Heart was a really engaging read. It was good ending to a great dystopian series, it has a brilliant and creative world, likable and complex characters, and a plot full of intrigue and action.

I give Buried Heart by Kate Elliot 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked the first two books in this series you will not be disappointed by this one. It's a really good series that I would definitely recommend to fans of dystopia. But even if you are kind of over the genre, give this one a try. It feels classic and creative at the same time. I really enjoyed it and I think you will as well.

Have you read Buried Heart? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. And if you haven't read the book and want to, there is a giveaway as part of the tour. Scroll down for more info and become one of 3 people to win a copy of the book. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

About Kate: 

Kate Elliott has been writing stories since she was nine years old, which has led her to believe that writing, like breathing, keeps her alive. As a child in rural Oregon, she made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, science fiction, and YA, including recent works Black Wolves, Court of Fives, and Cold Magic.

It should come as no surprise that she met her future husband in a sword fight. When he gave up police work to study archaeology, they and their three children fell into an entirely new set of adventures amid dusty Mexican ruins and mouthwatering European pastry shops. Eventually her spouse’s work forced them to move to Hawaii, where she took up outrigger canoe paddling. With the three children out of the house, they now spoil the schnauzer.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Live Journal | Goodreads | Tumblr 

Giveaway Details: 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of BURIED HEART, US Only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Tour Schedule: 

Week One: 
7/17/2017- YA Books Central - Interview
7/18/2017- The Eater of Books! - Review
7/19/2017- Novel Novice - Guest Post
7/20/2017- Just Commonly - Review
7/21/2017- Two Chicks on Books - Interview

Week Two: 
7/24/2017- My Thoughts Literally - Review
7/25/2017- Sarcasm & Lemons - Review
7/26/2017- Stephanie Plotkin - Review
7/27/2017- PaperTrailYA - Excerpt
7/28/2017- Seeing Double In Neverland - Review

Thanks again to Rockstar Book Tours for having me on the tour for this book. I really enjoyed this series. Have you read The Buried Heart? What did you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!