The Book Addict Reviews: Inside by Maria V. Snyder

Genre:  Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Received this book as a gift from my blogging buddy, Jen Ryland from YA Romantics.

In A Nutshell:  
Trella is a scrub.  Trella lives on the Inside.  As a scrub on the Inside, she has very definite ideas about her life.  Some of them come from the education received in her care facility (i.e., uppers are living the life of luxury while she is scrubbing the pipes).  Some of them have come from her interaction with others (i.e., her preference for sleeping in the pipes rather than the crowded barracks).  But her unique strength and her unique talents have given her the unique opportunity to be the instrument of change--if she is willing to take the chance. 

Review:  
Admittedly, I love Maria V. Snyder!  I have not read a book by her that I did not love.  So I had high expectations when I started Inside and Maria V. Snyder did not disappoint me.

First, Maria V. Snyder created a complicated and interesting world where the rules and norms are designed to separate and divide the population.  The distrust is so prevalent that even when they come together against a common enemy, they divide again afterwards and give others the opportunity to destroy them again.  The way that Maria V. Snyder presents this deeply embedded distrust and the way it permeates every aspect of their lives is telling.  It is subtle.  It is not based on any one making a conscience decision.  It is based on these ideas being told in little ways in every aspect of their lives.  It is in what they teach their children, how they interact with each other, and how they interact with people they do not know well. 

Second, Maria V. Snyder created an interesting cast of characters.  In particular, Trella intrigued me.  I felt reasonably confident throughout the story that she was on the good side.  But she is flawed.  She makes mistakes.  She sometimes believes the wrong person.  She sometimes does not believe the right person.  And she sometimes does not take into account the effect her decisions and actions have on other people, particularly those people who chose to follow her when the odds were stacked against them.

Third, Maria V. Snyder created interesting dynamics in the relationships between her characters.  In my opinion, the relationship that most exemplifies this is the one between Trella and Doctor Lamont.  This relationship goes from one extreme to another as each of these characters learns more about how and why they ended up separated.  The lack of trust and understanding mirrors the lack of trust and understanding in the world as a whole.  As the situation of their world changes, this dynamic within their relationship changes.

Finally, Maria V. Snyder always seems to have one more trick up her sleeve.  In all of the books by Maria V. Snyder that I have read, I have found that every time I think I know what is going to happen or who is going to be on the "bad" side--I am wrong.  Things are always just a little different from what I expected--but still realistic and believable within the confines of her story.  This is not an easy combination to accomplish over and over again--but it is one of the biggest reasons I am always excited to hear about a new Maria V. Snyder book.  

Recommendations:
I cannot believe that I missed the release of the second book in the Healer series--I want to read it so bad!

However, buying a new book is not in my immediate plans particularly since I have a Maria V. Snyder book in my box that must be read soon.
 

Short & Sweet: Free Four by Veronica Roth

And to the point! Sometimes it is nice to read a short story or a novella, but it is not always fair to compare them to longer stories with more time for plot and character development.
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Genre:  Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Free Online: Facebook 

Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: 3 stars
Novella available for free at link above.  

In A Nutshell:  
I am glad I read this after reading Insurgent because I would not have wanted to have the surprising fact I learned in Insurgent ruined for me.  But I am also very glad that I read this novella because I think it gave me much more insight into Tobias.  The only downside is that it made me crave more written from his perspective!

Review:  
I just learned about this novella--which meant that I read it after reading Insurgent, and I am not sure that I would have wanted to read this first.  There is an important aspect of Tobias revealed in this novella that is also revealed in Insurgent.  And I am not sure I would have wanted to know that aspect of his feelings about Dauntless before I found out about them in Insurgent.  I enjoyed learning the truth at the same time Tris did.

However, I did really enjoy getting inside Tobias.  I would love to see more stories told from his perspective because in many ways I think they compliment each other well.  Tris seems much more naive and sheltered than Tobias does, but I think that is because she is younger and been away from her family for less time.  In comparison, I think Tobias knows more about what is going on around him but is not always as perceptive as Tris.  Together--I think they give unique, and in important ways, different perspectives on the events going on around them.  And with the complex world that Veronica Roth has created, two different perspectives give us so much more insight into the truth.

Recommendations:
I need recommendations!  I want to find more novellas to read.  Do you know of any good ones?  Please share (pretty please with sugar and honey).  :)

The Book Addict Reviews: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Genre:  Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Borrowed book from a friend. 

Note: There may be spoilers to Divergent in this review.  If you have not read Divergent, please see my review. 

In A Nutshell:  
I do not think I have eagerly anticipated a book this much since the last two Harry Potter books.  I was on a countdown for months waiting for this one to be released.  And all I can say is I was not disappointed--but now I am on another countdown for Book 3 because one again Veronica Roth left me begging for more!

Review:  
Dauntless is divided--those that have aligned themselves with Erudite are wearing blue arm bands and acting as guards.  Those that have not are in hiding, planning, waiting for the ideal time to show their fearlessness and the leadership to make a stand.

Tris is divided--she is hiding the fact that she murdered one of her best friends from everyone (even the person she loves most).  She is struggling with how to honor the sacrifice her parents made with their lives.  She is not sure how to best handle her feelings for Tobias.

Tobias is divided--he does not necessarily want to tell the world who he is but more and more his true name is gaining him access to information.  He is cautious about his feelings for Tris--and the more he feels that she is hiding something important from him the more he feels he needs to pull away.  But he made the decision to stay in Dauntless based in part on his feelings for her--he cannot throw that away lightly.

What I wanted most when I started the book was more information about Tobias.  I loved that Insurgent allowed me more insight into who Tobias was, where he came from, and how all of that affects how he approaches the world.  As much as I loved Four in Divergent, I found Tobias in Insurgent more interesting and more compelling.

At some points, I was frustrated with the lack of trust between Tris and Tobias.  Every time they going got tough or the answers were not readily given, they seemed to be willing to drop each other or at least believe the worst of each other.  For people who claim the level of love and dedication that they do, it seemed they had very little faith in that love, that dedication or each other.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realize that this wish-washiness is more of a sign of their background.  Tobias had very little experience with true love or true dedication.  Tris, as a Divergent raised in Abnegation, came from a family who displayed love in a way that she either did not fully understand or did not fully meet her need for love.  

And that is probably what I love the most about Veronica Roth's writing.  She reveals a lot of the details in subtle ways.  A careful reading of her books is rewarded with more insight and more connection with the characters and the story she has woven. 

And then at the end she drops a bomb--now I cannot wait to read the next book!

Recommendations:
According to Goodreads--Book 3 (still untitled) will not be out until Fall 2013.  I do not know how I can possibly wait that long!  But in the meantime, I just found this short story about Four--and really is there ever enough of him?
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story

The Book Addict Reviews: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Love & Romance
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: First time: 4 stars/Second time: 2 stars
First time: Borrowed the book from a friend/Second time: Borrowed the book from the library. 

In A Nutshell:
This story intrigued me--the idea of love as a disease that must be cured.  My initial reading of this book left me on pins and needles eagerly awaiting the next book's release.  But it is not a book I can re-read often because my second time through I found Lena to be a very annoying narrator.

Review:
Love is a disease--and like many diseases the scientists and doctors have sought for and apparently found a cure.  A procedure that all 18 years old in the established cities have to protect themselves from being infected by love.  But with the loss of the ability to love, they lose some of their memories from before the procedures, their ability to establish meaningful relationships, even their ability to care for their children and families.  

I read this book over a year ago--and I loved everything about it.  Since Pandemonium is coming out soon, I decided to re-read this one to prepare to read the next one.  I found my feelings changed quite a bit upon re-reading.  In particular, I found Lena to be a very annoying character.  She seems incapable to focus on the task or issue at hand.  And since she is the narrator--we have to read all of her scattered unrelated thoughts as we go through the story.  More than one time I wanted to slap her cheek and shake her a little like they do on television in order to get the character to focus.  Focus Lena Focus!!

But Alex kept me coming back for more.  There was something about him that always drew me in--from the first moment that Lena saw him at her evaluation.  I was almost as bad as Lena as I eagerly anticipated the next time that they would hang out so that I could read about him again.

I felt for Hannah.  I think she would have more eagerly accepting of Alex and the opportunities he presented because she already seemed posed to rebel against the life that was prescribed for her.  As I eagerly anticipate Pandemonium, I hope that Hannah is there and that there is something good in store for her.
 
Recommendations:
Despite my so-so feelings after re-reading this book, I cannot wait for the next book.  I am intrigued and excited to see what comes next for Lena, Hannah, and Alex:

The Book Addict Dares You to Read: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

I love having the opportunity to challenge people to read books that I personally found compelling or interesting or just all out fun.  But I want to know what you think?  Have you read the book?  Did it stick with you?  If so, why?  If not, why? _________________________________________________


Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Dystopian
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars
Bought this book after a friend told me about it.

In A Nutshell:
I have told everyone I know who likes Young Adult fantasy or has children who read at this reading level or who have bothered to ask me what I have liked lately to get this book.  I love the message!  I love the characters!  And I would like to reserve my ticket to visit Arteme today!

Review:
I was introduced to this book through my favorite local bookstore, Changing Hands, where Lisa McMann spoke as a special guest for Club Read (the kids club geared towards encouraging 8-13 year olds to read more).  Lisa McMann explained that she was inspired to write this book after her children came home with a letter from their school that announced the arts programs would be cancelled due to budget constraints.  Both of her children were very artistic in different ways and this cancellation was going to have a big effect on how they felt about going to school.  She commented to her family that it seemed like they were being punished for being creative.  This comment led her to express the idea of a world where a children literally were punished for being creative.  To this idea her son added not punished--but killed!

That family conversation led to the start of a unique and fun fantasy story where the value of creativity, of logic, of rules and order, are examined through the striking contrast between Arteme (where magic emphasizes and heightens creativity) and Quill (where law, rules and order have made creativity illegal).

Initially, I feared that the metaphor may be too obvious and superficial, but I felt like Lisa McMann handled this story and this metaphor expertly.  She creates an interesting and varied cast of characters.  The "good" guys do not always do the right thing or handle disappointment well.  They make mistakes and they learn from those mistakes.  The "bad" guys are complicated and in some cases they struggle and question themselves.  And while we as readers can easily tell who is "good" and who is not, the dynamics are more interesting because of the characters' struggles.

The one idea that struck me as inconsistent with the metaphor that Lisa McMann created was when Aaron was praised by the leaders of Quill for his solutions to their beef problem.  The solution he came up with to this problem seemed obviously creative to me--maybe not artistic, theatrical, or musical but definitely creative.  My hope is that this inconsistency (in my humble opinion) will be addressed as the series continues--maybe Quill will come to value creative thinking when applied to the practical concerns that they are focused on?  

Recommendations:
At the Club Reads event, Lisa McMann read from the next book in the series, Island of Silence.  I cannot wait to read it--to find out what happened after she stopped reading (such a cliff-hanger--and so many months to wait!).

In the meantime, I also purchased Lisa McMann's newest YA Teen book and I cannot wait to read it!

The Book Addict Review and Giveaway: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars
Bought this book and had it signed by the author at The Dark Days of Supernatural tour stop.

In A Nutshell:
It's hard to determine my best book of 2012 in January, but Under the Never Sky may very well be the one for me!

Review:
Aria has been falsely convicted--exiled and left to wander alone under the Aether Storms.  Perry has been forced to leave--left to get his kidnapped nephew back.  Their separate upbringings has led them to initially distrust each other--but their circumstances force them to work together.  As their group grows, as they have to escape large groups who want to kill them, as they dodge dangerous Aether Storms--they learn that they may not be as different as they initially thought.

The artist in Veronica Rossi comes out in her striking and visually-compelling descriptions of the world she has created.  The sights, the smells, and the sounds come together to draw the reader into the story--makes them feel like they are part of the group.  I could not stop turning the pages as the characters (who I started to think of as my friends) covered treacherous terrain, dodged cannibalistic covens, tricked their way into guarded pods, learned the truth about themselves, their backgrounds, and their talents.

The only thing that killed me is when it ended--I wanted more.  I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out and tell me what happens next.  This book ended in a cliff-hanger of all cliff-hangers!  The next installment cannot come fast enough for me!

Recommendations:
Since I think this may be my favorite book of 2012--I do not have a recommendation but a giveaway to share the wealth and the experience!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Book Addict Reviews: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Genre:Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars
Picked book up in a Paperbacksawp game.

In A Nutshell:
Since the popularity of The Hunger Games Trilogy, I have seen so many dystopian books coming out that I have started getting a little hesitant to jump into another one.  I kept putting off reading Divergent and now I wholeheartedly regret that decision.  Divergent is one of the best books I read in 2011.

Review:
Beatrice Prior has a big decision to make--a decision that will shape the course of her life.  In the society she lives in, at the age of sixteen each person has to choose a faction that best suits their nature.  And it is a choice they must take very seriously because if they do not choose correctly and do not make it through the initiation into their faction they will be factionless--poor, friendless, uncared for, and considered by many to be the worst drain on society. 

Veronica Roth creates an interesting cast of characters in Divergent.  They feel authentic because they are struggling with some of same issues that all teens go through (finding a place to fit, identifying love) but the world Veronica Roth created makes some of those decisions so striking.  Finding a place to fit in may mean leaving their family forever.  Finding a place to fit may mean doing things that they do not believe in to prove their loyalty.

The reader learns and explores the society that Veronica Roth created, but it never feels boring.  The story is full of twists, turns, and expected revelations.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time--and now I will not wait so long to read the next installment.

Recommendations:
The next installment is available for pre-order here, but they do not have the cover up yet.  If you want to see a picture of the cover you can see it here.

The Book Addict Reviews: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

 
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info:  Website | Goodreads
Rating: 1 star
Borrowed this book from the library.

In A Nutshell:
If I had to put my thoughts about Bumped into a single word, that word would be under-whelmed.  There was not a lot about this book that I liked.  I thought the characters were superficial and annoying who only gained any depth or interest in the last 20 pages of the book.  I had misgivings about the concept from the beginning, but the cheery, happy tone of the book felt out of place in a dystopian novel and heightened my misgivings even more. 

Review:
In Bumped, a virus renders adults over the age of about 19 unable to have children.  So to keep the population from going extinct, a market system has been created where teenagers have children who are then sold or given to older couples to raise. 

I struggled with the idea of teens having children and a market system for babies, but I was optimistic that there was something left out of the blurb that would make this storyline less repugnant to me.  I did not find that.  Instead, I found a cheery, happy tone of the story that seemed very out of place in a dystopian novel.

This cheery tone led the reader through a world that was never fully explained.  Elements and hints of elements were dropped in random places, but very little of the background was explained.  What is this virus?  Where did this virus come from?  How does the MiVu system work?  What are all of these tests that the teens have to take to show prospective parents how valuable their children will be?

This cheery tone attempted to mask the variety of unappealing messages that I found in the book, such as the blatant and sanctioned prejudice based on superficial characteristics.  If you are short--you are not worthy.  Or the messages about sex.  I get that this book is fictional, but saying that teens should have sex to have babies and that sex with condoms is evil does not seem like a good thing to me. 

Then the end of the book came and I found the cliffhanger.  Yep, this one is going to be a series.  Will I read the next one?  I cannot decide.  I was so under-whelmed and unimpressed with this book, but at the end I finally felt a connection to the characters.  I finally cared a little about what happened to them, and now I will not know what happens to them unless I read the next book.  But after over 100 pages where I did not care, I am not sure that the connection I felt in the last 20 or so pages will really lead me to read the next book.  I guess I will have to wait until the next book is released. 

Recommendations:
My friends swear that Megan Mccafferty's Jessica Darling series is much better than Bumped.  So I am going to take them at their word and try this series to see what I think:

Series In Review: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Series are a tricky thing. I have series that I love as a whole, but an individual book within the series did not impress me.  So I am not always sure that reviewing the individual books is fair to the author's vision. However, I do not want to postpone all of my reviews of the books within a series until the end. With those thoughts in mind I decided to start Series In Review. In these postings, I will be looking at more than one book in the series or if possible the entire series at one time.
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**This review may contain spoilers for some of the books in the series**

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Books Released in Series: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, & Mockingjay
Supplemental Books:  The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars
Books given as a Christmas gift, Audiobooks borrowed from library.

In A Nutshell:
I loved this series! I do not re-read a lot of books, but when I decided to write this review I wanted the story fresh in my mind. I was glad I did because I loved it even more the second time around. Suzanne Collin’s storytelling is compelling. I felt drawn in from the first page, and I could not stop until the very end.

Review:
The first time I read The Hunger Games series, I devoured all three in the week between Christmas and New Years Day. When I decided to write a review, I decided to listen to the audiobooks to get the story fresh in my mind. It did not matter whether I read the books or listed to the audio—the story is amazing.

I was quite surprised by this book. When my friend told me about this series, I was turned off. A story about a country who puts children into an arena to fight the death? How can that be good? It is good, though, because Suzanne Collins is an excellent storyteller. She gets the reader right into the heart of the story but effortlessly interweaves the background information necessary to provide the reader with context. She weaves a story that crosses the emotional gambit from shock to love to fear to acceptance and then back again. Over and over I was taken on an emotional ride--and I liked it!

I empathized with the characters and their situation. Katniss and Peeta were forced to fight in a horrific game, fully expecting that one if not both of them would not return. Gale had to watch his best friend volunteer for a game that would probably mean that she would not return. Then all three had to untangle themselves from a love triangle that was complicated by the politics of the Capitol where the wants of the heart do not really matter. It is about the image and the power to control.

I struggled with the characters as well, Katniss in particular. Despite all of her accomplishments, she had a tendency to always see herself in a negative light. She was not good enough to succeed. People would not follow her. I wanted Katniss to see how fantastic she was and how much she had accomplished. She had saved her family while her mother struggled with depression. She had defied the Capitol and saved both herself and Peeta. But as Peeta said many times, she had no idea the effect she could have on people.

I sympathized with the characters too, particularly Peeta. He had always loved Katniss, even when she did not know him well. He saw Katniss’ positive qualities; the qualities she would hardly ever admit she had. He put his love out there for the whole country to see in the hopes that it would save her. But my sympathy came from the moment when he realized that she was playing for the cameras. Not because she was cruel, but because she did not see her own positive qualities. She could not fathom that Peeta really did love her, that he was not just playing for the cameras too.

Recommendations:
I have wanted the supplemental book since I heard about its release.  I own it now but I have not had a chance to read it.  But I will, and then I will write about it!
 

The Book Addict Reviews: Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Zombies, Adventure & Thrillers
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars
Bought this book after a friend told me about it.

In A Nutshell:
I loved this book, which surprised me because I do not usually like zombie books.  However, it ranks as one of the best zombie books I have ever read.  From the moment I started it, I couldn’t put it down.  I read it voraciously.  At the end, I wanted to go back and read it again, this time to savor it. 

Review:
Zombies have overtaken the United States.  The government cannot stop them.  Instead, the government has set up quarantines in the hopes that the remaining uninfected people will be able to outlive the zombies.  When the zombies all die out then the people can retake the country. 

Remy and her brother, Max, are separated when group of zombies organizes and overtakes the quarantine where they are waiting out the zombie epidemic.  Remy has sworn to take care of her brother, so she sets out to find him.  Along the way, Remy is joined by more people who are also trying to avoid being inflected by the zombies.  Together, the group escapes an over-zealous cult leader, violent marauders, and lots and lots of zombies. 

Amanda Hocking did a wonderful job of creating a story that sucks the reader in.  It has something for everyone: action, romance, humor, family, and friends.  The characters are intriguing and likeable.  I was rooting for Remy to find her brother, for Lazlo to have the courage to tell Remy how he feels, for Blue to find a place where he can help people, for the zombies to die out so everyone can be safe and happy again.

I cannot wait to for the next book to come out, so I can see what happens next. 

Recommendations:
I am waiting in anticipation for the next installment of this series.  It is scheduled to come out this year, and I cannot wait.  However, in the meantime I want to read some of Amanda Hocking's other series that are currently available.