Cut Off, By Adrianne Finlay ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Horror, LGBTQ, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 11th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: Warcross meets Lost in this haunting young adult sci-fi thriller in which teens compete to survive in the wilderness for one million dollars on a new virtual reality show. When something goes horribly wrong and the contestants realize no one is coming to save them, they must question their very reality—and how much of the game is really for show.

Each contestant has their own reasons—and their own secrets—for joining the new virtual reality show CUT/OFF that places a group of teenagers alone in the wilderness. It’s a simple premise: whoever lasts the longest without “tapping out” wins a cash prize. Not only that, new software creates a totally unprecedented television experience, allowing viewers to touch, see, and live everything along with the contestants. But what happens when “tapping out” doesn’t work and no one comes to save you? What happens when the whole world seemingly disappears while you’re stranded in the wild. Four teenagers must confront their greatest fears, their deepest secrets, and one another when they discover they are truly cut off from reality. Sci-fi, mystery, and romance converge in this high-stakes, fast-paced read that will leave you guessing to the very last moment.

While I thought Cut Off was a little slow to start, by the halfway point the pace picked up and there were some interesting plot twists which made me glad I stuck with it. There were a couple of issues that prevented this from being a more enjoyable read. The first was the formatting of the eARC. Some of the sentences were out of order, especially during the interviews with the contestants, which made things hard to follow at times. The other problem were the characters who weren’t what I’d call one-dimensional, but I did think they were somewhat formulaic. I did wind up connecting with River (the loner) and Cam (the sassy beauty), but even though I enjoyed Trip (the brash genius), I wanted to know even more about him, and Lexie (the deceiver) never had any of her backstory revealed. Despite this, I did enjoy the overall story and it kept me questioning what was real and what wasn’t. I definitely will be trying the next book that Adrianne Finlay comes out with.

Glass Town Wars, by Celia Rees ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Children’s Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 8th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: Tom and Augusta are from different places and different times, but they meet in the virtual world to combine forces in battle, to save a kingdom, escape a web of deceit and to find love. In a place where fictions can be truths and truths fictions, learning who to trust is more than friendship, it is about survival.

Glass Town Wars inspired by the early writings of the Brontës, is a captivating, magical novel by the renowned Celia Rees.

I’m going to start with something positive: Isn’t this an eye-catching cover? I love the colors, imagery, and ominous caption. Unfortunately, once I started reading Glass Town Wars, things went downhill pretty quickly.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I was thoroughly confused for the first 1/4 of the book. I think part of the problem was the plot didn’t really match the synopsis. I thought the setting had potential, but it’s not developed fully. The characters are bland and weak and I never connected with them. And finally, my attention was initially captured by the mention of the story being inspired by the Brontës works, but as this aspect isn’t really explored until the latter half of the book, it wasn’t enough to save the story for me.

To sum things up, Glass Town Wars will most likely be on the list of my biggest disappointments of 2020. Celia Rees is a well-respected author and I’ve enjoyed her previous books. This, while imaginative and original, ultimately fails to live up to the potential that you get all too infrequent tantalizing glimpses of. It left me confused, let down, and quite frustrated, so sadly I can’t bring myself to recommend it. However, mine is simply one opinion, so as always, if you’re intrigued by the sounds of this, I encourage you to read other reviews on sites such as Goodreads.

 

 

The Loop, by Jeremy Robert Johnson ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Diversity, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Saga Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 29th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: Stranger Things meets World War Z in this heart-racing conspiracy thriller as a lonely young woman teams up with a group of fellow outcasts to survive the night in a town overcome by a science experiment gone wrong.

Turner Falls is a small tourist town, nestled in the hills of western Oregon, the kind of town you escape to for vacation. When an inexplicable outbreak rapidly develops, this idyllic town becomes the epicenter of an epidemic of violence as the teenage children of several executives from the local biotech firm become ill and aggressively murderous. Suddenly the town is on edge, and Lucy and her friends must do everything it takes just to fight through the night.

The Loop isn’t simply a Stranger Things/World War Z knockoff. No. Jeremy Robert Johnson has taken the whole teen misfits and zombie tropes, and spun it into something completely unique. This upcoming sci-fi/horror throws in: biological warfare, government overreach, conspiracies, social stigmas, greed and hubris, depraved indifference, aliens… You name it, it’s in here. But instead of devolving into a mess like many stories with a multitude of ingredients, Johnson skillfully blends everything into a compelling narrative that will immediately draw you in from the very first page.

Lucy is at turns vulnerable, yet badass, and readers will root for her. While her backstory is tragic, she refuses to let it define her. Bucket and Brewer as her sidekicks, provide a bit of intermittent comic relief which is needed because the events that unfold mainly over one night are utterly brutal and difficult to read at times.

While the first 25% of the book is spent more on setting up the characters and their backgrounds, by no means is it boring. Thanks to the interesting personalities and snappy dialogue, this serves as a chance to connect with them before all hell breaks loose. The pace quickly kicks into a non-stop, pulse-pounding, frenetic sequence of events that makes it nearly impossible to put this down. I devoured this in just over two hours! The ending is no happily-ever-after, but it’s the only rational outcome.

The Loop is not going to be for everyone. It’s filled with graphic violence and a few scenes had me wincing. And not all the questions raised are answered. Rather, the author leaves a few things up to the reader’s imagination. Because of the savagely gory nature of this tale, I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of sixteen. Otherwise, if you’re a fan of hardcore sci-fi horror, like Stephen King’s The Cell, and things like the Alien movies don’t faze you, I HIGHLY recommend The Loop. Just don’t expect to be able to sleep immediately after you finish!

 

TRUEL1F3 (Lifelike #3), Jay Kristoff ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Children for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 30th, 2020

480 Pages

Synopsis: From the bestselling co-author of The Illuminae Files, comes the thrilling finale in the LIFEL1K3 trilogy—hailed by Marie Lu as “a breathless, action-packed exploration of what humanity really means.”

Best friends have become enemies. Lovers have become strangers. And deciding whose side you’re on could be the difference between life and death. For Eve and Lemon, discovering the truth about themselves—and each other—was too much for their friendship to take. But with the country on the brink of a new world war—this time between the BioMaas swarm at CityHive and Daedalus’s at Megopolis, loyalties will be pushed to the brink, unlikely alliances will form and with them, betrayals. But the threat doesn’t stop there because the lifelikes are determined to access the program that will set every robot free, a task requiring both Eve and Ana, the girl she was created to replace. In the end, violent clashes and heartbreaking choices reveal the true heroes…and they may not be who you think they are.

Without a doubt, Jay Kristoff is one of the most talented YA authors out there, and with TRUEL1F3, he brings his epic LIFEL1K3 trilogy to a spectacular conclusion!

Beginning with a brief and helpful recap of what happened in the two previous books, the action kicks into high gear immediately and despite this being almost 500 pages long, I raced through it in two sittings. Kristoff is known for writing flawed, emotionally tormented characters, and the cast in this trilogy are no different. While Lemon turned out to be my favorite, I found them all to be pretty much unforgettable. My only nitpick is with Eve. After discovering that she’s been lied to her entire life, beginning in the second book she embraced villainy whole heartedly. At the end of LIFEL1K3, she suddenly turns back to the light and all is forgiven. Um. No. Call me vengeful, but when someone turns evil and their actions cause the deaths of innocence, I want to see justice. This is one of the main things that drove me absolutely NUTS about Anakin Skywalker’s backstory in the Star Wars movies. He kills millions of people, including an entire academy of children, and he’s forgiven and goes to Jedi heaven because he saves his son’s life? I don’t think so! Sorry for that digression, but it’s a little like that here. I understand Eve’s anger and feelings of betrayal, but that doesn’t excuse her actions. Yet at the end, apparently everything is hunky dory because she does the right thing and saves Lemon’s life. Argh!

I’m only taking a half point off my rating for that, because the rest of the book is just brilliant! My anger at Eve aside, I’ve grown quite fond of this motley crew of characters and I’m reluctant to say goodbye. I can’t wait to see what Kristoff will come out with next though. One word of caution: these books are extremely dark, and there are several bloody and gruesome scenes, some involving torture, so this may not be for everyone. If your interest is piqued though, I highly recommend this exciting science fiction trilogy with its unique storyline and colorful quirky characters.

 

 

Ghostland, by Duncan Ralston ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

414 Pages

Synopsis: After a near death experience caused by the park’s star haunted attraction, Ben has come to Ghostland seeking to reconnect with his former best friend Lilian, whose post-traumatic stress won’t let her live life to the fullest. She’s come at the insistence of her therapist, Dr. Allison Wexler, who tags along out of professional curiosity, eager to study the new tech’s psychological effect on the user.

But when a computer virus sets the ghosts free and the park goes into lockdown, the trio find themselves trapped in an endless nightmare.

With time running short and the dead quickly outnumbering the living, the survivors must tap into their knowledge of horror and video games to escape…or become Ghostland’s newest exhibits.

Ghostland is a wild and crazy thrill ride that’s most definitely not for the faint of heart! This is no Disney’s Haunted Mansion. No, these ghost commit bloody, gory mayhem with gleeful abandonment, and no one is safe from them, not even infants and children.

The opening scene is one of the best ones I’ve read in a long time. A creepy house moving slowly through the streets of a small town, at first glance, seemingly on its own. That we discover that it’s on wheels and being taken to a planned haunted theme park, is small comfort. The story then picks up a few years later with now eighteen-year-old Ben and Lil once close friends, now worlds apart because of Ben’s close brush with death. They both have their reasons for visiting Ghostland and while they begin the day as near strangers, they are soon united in their determination to make it out of the park alive.

I loved Ben immediately, but it took me awhile to warm up to Lil. I found her treatment of Ben puzzling and abhorrent, but as more is revealed about his near death, I understood her more and eventually wound up emphasizing with her. The rest of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, but this doesn’t really detract from the story that much. It’s Ben and Lil that you become invested in and root for, the others are mostly just fodder for the murderous ghosts.

The world building with its mix of technology and the paranormal is visually stunning and sucked me right into the terrifying theme park. The ebook is cleverly interactive which further fleshes out Ralston’s imaginative world. The pacing is insanely fast and despite this being over 400 pages long, I easily finished it in two sittings.

At the end of the book the author talks about what inspired him to write Ghostland, and how this is just the beginning, which pleases me immensely because the ending has me wanting more. While the two main protagonists are teens, this is definitely not a YA novel, and Ghostland, with all its blood and gore isn’t going to be for everyone. But for horror fans who don’t mind decapitations and loss of body parts, disembowelments, and other assorted disgusting chaos, you should definitely give this a try. I cannot wait to see where Duncan Ralston takes his creation next!

 

Sword in the Stars (Once & Future #2), by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Arthurian Retelling, Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQIAP, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and JIMMY Patterson for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 7th, 2020

368 Pages

Synopsis: In this epic sequel to Once & Future, Ari and her Rainbow knights pull off a heist…thousands of years in the past—without destroying their own destinies.

Ari Helix may have won her battle against the tyrannical Mercer corporation, but the larger war has just begun. Ari and her cursed wizard Merlin must travel back in time to the unenlightened Middle Ages and steal the King Arthur’s Grail—the very definition of impossible.

It’s imperative that the time travelers not skew the timeline  and not alter the course of history. Coming face-to-face with the original Arthurian legend could produce a ripple effect that changes everything. Somehow Merlin forgot that the past can be even more dangerous than the future…

I know. I know. You’re probably thinking: “Not ANOTHER Arthurian retelling!” But, if you love the legend of King Arthur, trust me, you’re going to want to check out The Once & Future duology.

Where the first book was a rollicking adventure set in space, in this sequel, Ari, Merlin, and the Rainbow knights travel back to Camelot to stop the endless King Arthur cycle of reincarnation and to defeat the evil Mercer corporation. In addition, they’re still dealing with Merlin’s curse which causes him to age backwards whenever he uses magic. And if all that isn’t enough, they find themselves smack in the middle of a time period which isn’t exactly known for its tolerance. The diversity introduced in Once & Future is just as prevalent here, only having queer folk from all over the spectrum touch down in the Middle Ages, makes for even more interesting reading.

The story has absolutely brilliant moments of hilarity, with its Monty Python references and witty banter. These perfectly balance the more serious themes of homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and racism.

My major complaint about the first book was the pacing, which I thought was uneven and jarringly awkward at times. That has been mainly remedied here, which makes for a much smoother reading experience. The book finishes on a hopeful note, and in my opinion is a picture perfect way to bring this epic duology to its conclusion.

In summation, The Sword in the Stars is a spectacular sequel that retains all the wonderful elements of its predecessor, while managing to surpass it. I HIGHLY recommend both books to readers who are looking for a creative and utterly unique retelling of the ubiquitous Arthurian legend, that’s filled with diversity, romance, adventure, and excitement.

 

 

The Book of Koli (Rampart Trilogy #1), by M.R. Carey ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 14th, 2020

416 Pages

Synopsis: The first in a gripping new trilogy, The Book Of Koli charts the journey of one unforgettable young boy struggling to find his place in a post-apocalyptical world. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and Annihilation.

Beyond the walls of the small village of Mythen Rood lies an unrecognizable world. A world where overgrown forests are filled with choker trees and deadly vines and seed that will kill you where you stand. And if they don’t get you, one of the dangerous shunned men will.

Koli has lived in Mythen Rood his entire life. He knows the first rule of survival is that you don’t venture beyond the walls.

What he doesn’t know is—what happens when you aren’t given a choice.

M.R. Carey is an author that has never let me down. I loved his urban fantasy/horror Felix Castor series, and as disappointed as I was when that ended, I was blown away by The Girl With All the Gifts, and enjoyed The Boy On the Bridge, and Fellside. I was a little worried that The Book of Koli being another post-apocalyptic novel was going to be too similar to some of his previous stories, but I should have known better, because this is as creative and original as any of his other works.

The setting is what used to be England, centuries in the future. Apparently, our society sent everyone back to the dark ages with climate change and wars. We also puttered around with genetic experimentation which resulted in deadly vegetation. For most of the first half, there’s not a lot of action, but it’s not boring either. There’s much to learn about fifteen-year-old Koli, and this strange world he lives in. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to the vernacular used by Koli and the characters, but it further fleshes them out. Without venturing into spoiler territory, my favorite scenes are with Koli interacting with Monono, the “tech” that winds up getting him in so much trouble. Let me just say that Monono is so much more than ordinary AI. I also loved the pairing of him with Ursula, who’s a wise woman who travels from village to village with her high tech “drudge.” I’m looking forward to learning more of her backstory, because not only does she know more about our time period and the collapse of civilization, but her speech pattern is more in line with ours.

The second half of the book really takes off action-wise, as Koli and Ursula fall into the clutches of a murderous cult. The ending answers some questions, but brings up new ones as Koli, Ursula, Monono, prepare to begin the next phase of their quest. It’s left me extremely excited for the sequel! I highly recommend The Book of Koli to fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, who are looking for something a little unusual.

 

 

Brightstorm (Sky-Ship Adventure #1), by Vashti Hardy – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Death of a parent, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Steampunk

Thanks to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 17th, 2020

336 Pages

Synopsis: Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm receive devastating news: their famous explorer father has died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris. To make matters worse, the Lontown Geographical Society finds Ernest Brightstorm guilty of sabotaging the expedition of his competitor, Eudora Vane. But a mysterious clue leads the twins to question the story they’ve been told—and to uncover the truth, they must undertake the journey of a lifetime.

Joining the ragtag crew of a homemade sky-ship captained by the intrepid Harriet Culpepper, Arthur and Maudie race to South Polaris to salvage their family’s reputation and find out what really happened on their father’s doomed expedition.

Brightstorm is a propulsive and compelling fantasy adventure set among the vibrant landscapes and dynamic characters of Vashti Hardy’s vividly imagined world.

First, how gorgeous is that cover? Doesn’t it immediately make you want to go grab a copy? Well, I’m happy to say that the story lives up to that wonderful cover. Brightstorm is one of the best middle grade reads I’ve had the pleasure of reading in quite a while, and I’m thrilled to feature it as my first review of 2020!

This story is not only a fascinating fusion of fantasy, science fiction, steampunk and historical fiction, it also draws inspiration from the real life story of the Scott Expedition to the South Pole. It’s a thrilling adventure which captivated me from the very first page and had me racing to the finish in just a little over three hours. The characters, from Maudie and Arthur, Captain Harriet Culpepper, and ship’s cook and comic relief, Felicity Wiggety, to the villainous, pink-loving, Eudora Vane, are brilliantly written. Maudie with her scientific genius is a wonderful female role model for STEM, and Captain Culpepper is as well. Arthur, who was born without one of his arms, has never let that stop him from accomplishing what he wants, although his impulsiveness can get himself and his loved ones into trouble. The satient animals like the Brightstorm’s faithful winged companion, Parthena, and the thought wolves are wonderful creations and add even more to an already exciting tale. The ending perfectly sets things up for the next book, Darkwhispers, and that brings me to my good news/bad news. The good news is that the sequel is coming out in February. The bad news is that if you want a print copy it looks like it’s initially going to be released in the UK, but not the US. Thank goodness for Book Depository which offers free shipping worldwide! If you have a Kindle though it’s already available for preorder on Amazon.

So, just to be clear, I haven’t had this high level of excitement after reading a children’s book since I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by Rowling, and Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman. If I wasn’t retired I’d be ordering multiple copies for my library in order to push them into the hands of my young patrons, and organizing book discussion groups! Brightstorm has been receiving accolades in the UK since it was released in 2018, and in my opinion they’re entirely well-deserved. This is a book that will win both juvenile and adult fans. Vashti Hardy is a storyteller extraordinaire who weaves magic with her words and illustrations. If you enjoy authors like Rowling, Pullman, and Lemony Snicket, you need to read this. And if you’re not familiar with these authors but you like the sound of a fantastic rollicking adventure featuring intrepid orphans and plenty of villainy afoot, I urge you to try this!

 

 

The Fowl Twins (The Fowl Twins #1), by Eoin Colfer ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Fantasy, Humor, Middle School Fiction, Science Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 5th, 2019

368 Pages

Synopsis: Criminal genius runs in the family…

Myles and Beckett are eleven-year-old twins, but the two boys are wildly different. Beckett is blonde, messy and sulks whenever he has to wear clothes. Myles is fanatically neat, he has an IQ of 170, and he wears a fresh suit every day, just like his older brother, Artemis Fowl. 

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Fowl family and their adventures?

This Fowl adventure is filled with the most unusual of individuals: an immortal duke, a miniature troll, a nunterrogator, and a Police Specialist that’s 42% elf. And of course, the Fowl twins—one a certified genius with a criminal leaning, and the other possessing an unusual talent that has not been fully explored…yet!

Here begins the second documented cycle of Fowl Adventures.

The first in a breath-taking new series from global superstar Eoin Colfer. Set in the multi-million bestselling world of ARTEMIS FOWL.

The Fowl Twins is a delightful beginning to this new spin-off series from the bestselling Artemis Fowl books. While there are several nods to the original series and characters, you needn’t have read them, although in my humble opinion you really should! Myles and Beckett prove themselves to be worthy of picking up the mantle from Artemis who’s off planet with the ever loyal protector and friend, Butler. This has all the sly humor of the original series and interesting new foes like Sister Geronima from the secret organization ACRONYM, and the horrid Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye for the twins to go up against. Thankfully they have allies like a fierce miniature troll named Whistle Blower, and LEPrecon specialist Lazuli Heitz who is magic-less, or is she? The book is just non-stop action and madcap adventure that both tweens and adults will enjoy. Revisiting the Fowls seven years after The Last Guardian, had me a little anxious, but I needn’t have worried because Eoin Colfer is still in top form. Just like the original books, The Fowl Twins is a wonderful mashup of fantasy and science fiction, with enough over-the-top villains and high-tech gadgetry to make any James Bond fan sit up and take notice. While I do think this book is geared toward a slightly younger age group than the Artemis books, the humor will most likely go over the heads of children under the age of ten. There’s also a death scene (kind of), which makes me hesitant in recommending this to younger readers. Otherwise, I enthusiastically suggest this for tweens and adults who are looking for a unique and refreshing read filled with excitement and exhuberant joie de vivre!

 

 

Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle #1), by Adam Silvera ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, LGBTQ, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 14th, 2020

368 Pages 

Synopsis: Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author’s Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.

Growing up in New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing the essence of endangered magical creatures.

Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence had taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live openly and peacefully.

I can’t believe I’m giving Infinity Son, by Adam Silvera such a low rating. Silvera, the bestselling author of: More Happy Than Not; They Both Die At the End, History Is All You Left Me and What If It’s Us, which he co-wrote with fellow bestselling author Becky Albertalli. As far as diverse YA fiction goes, he’s a reliable author I’ve been able to count on for an entertaining read. When I heard that he was coming out with a fantasy I was so excited, but I was only a few chapters in when I started getting a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

First there’s the world building, or lack thereof. It’s really no different than Silvera’s contemporary fiction settings with a few fantasy/science fiction elements thrown in. The plot has a lot of potential, but in this first book everything is a bit meandering and confusing. My biggest disappointment though is reserved for the characters. They’re all either utterly forgettable or teeth-grindingly annoying. I didn’t connect with any of them and by the time the cliffhanger ending came I found myself thanking God I made it through the book.

It breaks my heart to say what a disappointment Infinity Son was for me. As always though, I recommend that you check out the other reviews on Goodreads. As for myself, I know from experience that even great authors have the occasional missteps. Although I don’t plan on continuing with this series/trilogy I do look forward to future books from this author.