Young Adult | Read. Breathe. Relax. | Best young adult books and best fantasy books review blog

Book Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

May 24 |16:44

If it was up to Wren, Amy Tintera’s Reboot would literally kick you in the face…and other places.

Book Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

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Title & Author: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Genre: YA Fantasy – Dystopia

Release Date: May 7, 2013

Series: Reboot #1

Publisher: HarperTeen

How I Got the Book: Bought

Description:

“Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.”

There’s a lot to like about Reboot. Although I really enjoyed this science fiction-y dystopia, it wasn’t my favorite debut for a few reasons I’ll go into later. I really wanted to LOVE this book, but I just didn’t connect with the characters like I have in other books.

First off, the concept behind Reboot is really interesting: there’s a rampant disease that once contracted can “bring you back to life,” provided you don’t actually die from the disease itself.

People who “wake up” after they’ve died are called Reboots and are not actually human anymore. They feel fewer emotions and have lightening fast reflexes. They’re also drafted to be soldiers in a world that is clearly divided by either being poor or being rich.

The storyline of Reboot is what initially hooked me. I liked Wren, a Reboot who’s considered to be the most robot like of all the Reboots because she took 178 minutes to wake up after dying. She’s the strongest character of the novel, and she grows the most throughout the book.

I know we’ve all read about tough heroines, but Wren puts them all to shame. She is used to having her bones broken and being shot at. She can push the pain away as easily as swatting at a fly. This girl is NOT JOKING around.

So, with a powerhouse character and a super interesting world, shouldn’t Reboot be a homerun? For me, not exactly.

For me, the whole story was very predictable. I’m not even talking about when a twist would present itself in the book and me being able to tell what would happen. I’m talking about the entire novel. From the moment that 22 (Callum) was introduced to the story, I could see exactly how things would progress.

With a book full of fighting, brutality and kill missions, I was sometimes bored and uninterested. I wanted to be really into the story but it didn’t happen naturally, I had to force it.

OVERALL:

I think many young adult dystopia and science fiction fans will really enjoy this book. I had a few problems with the predictability and lack of tension, but I think Reboot had a great originality to it, and I think Wren is a fantastic and brutal heroine.

Book Review: Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Jan 11 |08:50

Although I bit thrown off at first, I couldn’t believe how quickly I read through Cinders and Sapphires! It’s proclaimed as a “delicious” read…well, this taste-tester APPROVES!

Book Review: Cinders and Sapphires

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Title & Author: Cinders & Sapphires (At Somerton) by Leila Rasheed

Genre: YA – Historical, Period

Release Date: January 22, 2012

Series: At Somerton #1

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

How I Got the Book: ARC from Publisher

Description:

“One house, two worlds…

Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada.

For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name—but it would mean giving up her one true love . . . someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting . . . at Somerton.”

Diamond in the Rough

When I peeled back the cover of Cinders and Sapphires, I was under the impression I was getting the same if not a very similar story to Downton Abbey (now playing in the U.S.!!!!).

So, I was really surprised and a bit thrown off when the story of affluent Ada Westlake and her maid Rose Cliffe appeared in front of me.

It is NOT a similar storyline to Downton Abbey AT ALL. This isn’t a bad thing, but it was confusing because the whole back cover promotes it as a YA version of our fave British TV drama.

I did recover quickly, and let me tell YOU, the one thing Downton and Cinders and Sapphires has in common is DRAMA!!

Ada’s calm family life quickly turns upside down when her father, Lord Westlake, gets remarried to a much younger woman…who happens to have three grown children. One of Fiona Templeton’s children is Charlotte, who it should come as no surprise is a total B.

What you can expect from this book: aforementioned DRAMA, forbidden romances (so many!), convincing servants and scheming socialites. HECK YES!

Like I said, after giving this book the ole’ side squinty eye, I ended up loving it. It’s like watching ~~scripted~~ reality TV, only in England during the pre-World War era.

Delicious with a Side of Beef

My teensiest, tiniest beef with this book involves people with good hearts. I realize that there are the designated “bad” characters, who scheme and plot and are generally miserable human beings, but everyone else seemed too good.

One example is that Rose has the opportunity to expose a HUGE secret of Ada’s. It would save herself and her mother’s positions at Somerton but would place Ada in a very uncomfortable spot. Although I loved and appreciated Rose’s loyalty to Ada, it was almost too perfect of a reaction.

Maybe because it was YA that it lacked some of the hard, cold-bloodied actions in Downton. I mean HELLO, O’Brien would CUT YOU in a heartbeat.

Exhibit A:

downton abbey o'brien cinders and sapphires

See what I mean?

Anywho, my other side dish of beef is simply that Cinders and Sapphires is also like reality TV in that it could rot your brain. Well, not rot it, but….soften it. It won’t make you think (hard) or push your boundaries, but it is a WHOLE lot of fun.

OVERALL

Please pick up this late January release. It is seriously SO GOOD! Leave your preconceived ideas from Downton Abbey at home, and start fresh with this YA take on the TV series. Cinders and Sapphires is fun, startling and scandalous.

Book Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Dec 19 |09:19

With it’s unique writing style and voice, Unravel Me had a lot to live up to. I loved Shatter Me and was expecting a lot from this anticipated sequel.

Book Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Title & Author: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: YA – Science Fiction, Paranormal

Release Date: February 5, 2012

Series: #2 in Shatter Me series

Publisher: HaperCollins

How I Got the Book: ARC from Publisher

Description:

“tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it’s almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She’s finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.”

Success: I Am Unraveled

Unravel Me was a great follow up to Shatter Me. The style of writing is just as ~~strange~~ awesome.

What kept me engaged was the strong movement of action. There was a burst then rest, a burst then rest. It was well-paced with tender, intimate moments and loud, raging ones.

Not to mention that there are some serious swoon-worthy moments in Unravel Me. I’m talkin’ MAJOR swoon.

The quasi-love triangle continues, but becomes even more intense and amazing. I know what you’re thinking – NO MOAR LOVE TRIANGLES. And, I hear you, but…if you were to make ONE exception for the whole year, I’d pick Unravel Me. It’s just that great.

I can’t go further in this review without mentioning Mafi’s style. The crossed out words and stream of consciousness are continued in this book. I thought it was a bit jarring at first in Shatter Me, but I’m now a full-fledged believer.

She has such a great way of describing things. If Juliette is upset, her emotions can spill out of her like pennies. Of if she’s happy, she could be a bird in flight. The descriptions tend to interrupt dialogue and plot, but it’s purposeful and smartly done.

X-Men Reduex

Especially know that Juliette is in Omega Point with the other specially gifted kids, the story does remind me a lot of X-Men. Not so much that it bothered me, but enough to surface in my mind throughout the story.

The biggest difference in the storylines, though, is a post-apocalyptic setting and the more in-depth look at ~~Rogue’s~~ Juliette’s life.

Random fact: I love it when books reference other books. With quotes, allusions or anything else. I find it interesting and think it reveals something about the author.

In Unravel Me, Warner quotes Skakespeare, and I think it was so accurate and appropriate for the book, that I have to share:

Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

Accurate, no?

OVERALL:

I was so happy with this book. It had just enough going on to keep the pace moving but not so much that I was overwhelmed. It was balanced and lyrical and beautiful. Unravel Me is definitely a top read of 2012.

Book Review: Rebel Heart by Moira Young

Dec 12 |09:03

How lucky was I that only a few weeks after I read Blood Red Road, Rebel Heart was published! Sounds like fate to me…

Book Review: Rebel Heart by Moira Young

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Title & Author: Rebel Heart (Dust lands) by Moira Young

Genre: YA – Dystopia

Release Date: October 30, 2012

Series: #2 in the Dustland series

Publisher: Margaret K. Eldberry

How I Got the Book: Bought

Description:

“Nothing is certain and no one is safe in the second book in the highly praised Dust Lands trilogy.

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.”

Rebel Heart, Mind & Body

This book could not be more appropriately titled. The characters who you think you know make surprising and completely unexpected decisions. AGH!!! It’s in a good way but also in a bad way.

So, yeah…I’m sure that was helpful. Seriously though, Rebel Heart had all of the same spunk, dialect and ferocity of Blood Red Road PLUS SOME! Also, there’s tons of heartbreak. Gah!

I did feel the narrative drag a bit and that I was pushing myself to finish. It’s not that there isn’t enough going on. It’s that there’s a lot of emotional drama going on.

Rebel Heart is one of the rare books that provided a glimpse into the aftermath of a “victory.” At the end of Blood Red Road, Saba and gang successfully rescue her brother Lugh after he’s captured by the Tonton (who wanted to sacrifice him to the king).

In the continuing saga, she struggles with the question: “Where do we go from here?” And, there’s no easy answer. She and Lugh are fighting to regain the relationship that used to be everything to them, and Saba is hellbent on reuniting with her beloved ruffian Jack.

Between fielding arguments with Lugh – and there are a TON – and leading her misfit team of pseudo-warriors, Saba struggles internally with her decisions and feels literally haunted by the people she’s killed.

Also, this book has so many confusing relationships going on that it’s like more than a little tense. I enjoy this type of tension in books, but I can see how it may get on some reader’s nerves.

OVERALL:

Rebel Heart brings the heat just like Blood Red Road. Despite a few slow spots, I pushed through, and I’m so glad I did. You will laugh, you will cry, you will probably curse. You will (ok…should, I can’t make you) read Rebel Heart.

YA Book Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Nov 8 |08:42

Confession time: I was giving Defiance the ole’ side-eye squint at first. I wasn’t too sure what this book was all about, but I came around. It was more than I expected and hoped.

Book Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

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Title & Author: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Genre: YA Fantasy – Dystopia, Dragons

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Series: #1 in the Defiance series

Publisher: Baltzer + Bray

How I Got the Book: Bought

Description:

“Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan–the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.”

Rebels With a Cause

In YA, there is no shortage of spunky heroines. Defiance is no different – Rachel has been raised by her father (a tracker) to be resourceful, strong and smart. This makes her stand out in the small post-apocalyptic village of Baalboden.

Women there must always be accompanied by a protector and are submissive and obedient. Rachel’s protector is her father, but since he went missing on a recent mission for the Commander, her estranged friend Logan has been asked to take up that duty.

What I loved about Rachel is that she’s tough and sweet at the same time. She fights for what she believes in, but what happens along the way makes her doubt herself and her mission.

For me, I feel most connected to characters when there’s an emotional and personal journey. Characters who stay static and just have a one-track mission, which is replaced by another one in the following sequels are just too plain jane for me. Rachel’s growth and progression throughout the book really held my attention and kept me turning those pages.

Now – I HAVE to talk about the romance in Defiance. It was the best I’ve read in awhile. I think because it starts off with the idea that Logan had already rejected Rachel.

She was young and infatuated with him – and told him! He declined, saying he needed to focus on this work. So instead of Defiance starting with Rachel swooning over Logan in typical YA fashion, she instead is super pissed at him (duh).

So already, the dynamic is completely different. Also, kudus to Logan for being a smart nerdy type! Nailed it!!

Dragons FTW

Normally, I love dragons! But there are mean and killer in Defiance. Also, they are called “Cursed Ones.” I couldn’t help but smirk a bit every time the “wyrms” where called that.

There is some pretty interesting mysteries associated with the terrible Cursed One, so I’m very interested to see where Redwine takes part 2 of the story.

OVERALL:

A solid YA debut. The characters are what drove the story for me, and the action scenes and tracking of Cursed Ones only helped. Defiance looks like the beginning of a beautiful series.

Posts Tagged ‘Young Adult’

Book Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Book Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Book Review: Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed