Tag Archives: Teen dystopian

Oct 20 2013
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Book Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos

False MemoryTitle: False Memory

Author: Dan Krokos

Series: False Memory #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability. Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter… when there may not be a future.

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The Review:

I was on the fence with this one at first because, although intriguing, the story was a bit confusing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love books with a lot of complexity and plot twists. The difference here was that the explanations were almost always outside the parameters of the understood rules of the world – at least as far as the reader was concerned (anybody familiar with the phrase “jumping the shark?”). What that did for me was take away the fun of trying to figure out what will happen next. All of my theories were squandered every time the rules changed, which happened often. Eventually, I stopped trying to engage in the book and just let it take me where it would.

For the most part, I enjoyed the journey, but I can’t help but wonder how much cooler it would’ve been had I known all the rules up front. There were a few instances where I’m sure the author was trying to provide more information about the situation, but it was a bit ambiguous and unclear – and I don’t think it was supposed to be. I kept feeling like I should know more about the situation than I did (which is definitely part of my overall confusion) so either I was overly dense or the author conveyed it poorly.

This was a really fast-paced book – so much so that if I got distracted even for a second I had to go back and reread because it really was just one thing after another. Ironically, the faster pacing is supposed to be more accessible for those with short attention spans, but I found it had the opposite effect. Anyway, It might have moved a little too fast because it didn’t give me a chance to get emotionally involved with the characters. There’s not a lot of time for inner reflection and development when external conflicts are coming at you left and right. It does, however, get a lot more involved as it goes along.

Now, I’m hoping the second book will provide some answers. I have little patience for books that continually string you along without any payoffs. It’s part of the reason why I quit reading Mazed Runner after book #2 – I just got tired of not knowing what was going on. This book is written in the same vein, so if you’re a fan of one you will most definitely like the other. The benefit of having a super fast-paced book like this one is that there’s never a dull moment – plenty of action and entertainment. My overall impressions were positive, and I can see myself recommending it in the future.

Recommended Reading: for dystopian fans who like a lot of action – this book will really grab you by the hand and run. Also especially for those who loved Dashner’s Maze Runner.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 18 2013
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Book Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

ProdigyTitle: Prodigy

Author: Marie Lu

Series: Legend #2

Genre: Teen Dystopian

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

Prodigy

The Review:

I always find the second book in a trilogy to be the most difficult to write a review for – they’re often little more than transitional stories. The only thing I can really do is compare it to the first one and figure out if I like the direction is going in preparation of the third one. Sometimes you luck out and get a second book that winds up being the best in the series… as good as Prodigy was, that was not the case here.

Not to say it wasn’t a great book. I enjoyed it thoroughly, I just liked Legend a bit more. I think the difference for me was pacing – Prodigy was considerably slower, lacking that fast-paced decision-making I enjoyed so much about the first one. A lot of things happened to advance the plot, it just didn’t feel as pivotal… At least until the end, where the story culminated into a powerful conclusion (which happens to be my favorite part of the series so far).

Another thing I enjoyed was learning about a handful of side characters who had a much stronger role this time around. They really helped broaden the conflicts and kept the story fresh and interesting. I would say what I’m most looking forward to in Champion is to see how all of these characters are going to work together.

Overall, the quality of the writing and the overall appeal of Prodigy was every bit as good as Legend. I am extremely excited to find out how the story ends in Champion coming out November 5!

Recommended Reading: for dystopian fans! Especially those who prefer edgy (rather than romantic) dystopians like Hunger Games and Divergent.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 15 2013
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Coming Soon: Ruins by Dan Wells

RuinsTitle: Ruins

Author: Dan Wells

Series: Partials #3

Genre: Teen Fantasy / Dystopian

Release Date: March 11, 2014

The Overview: As the clock ticks closer and closer to the final Partial expiration date, humans and Partials stand on the brink of war. Caught in the middle, thousands of miles apart, are Samm and Kira: Samm, who is trapped on the far side of the continent beyond the vast toxic wasteland of the American Midwest; and Kira, now in the hands of Dr. Morgan, who is hell-bent on saving what’s left of the Partials, even if she has to destroy Kira to do it. The only hope lies in the hands of the scattered people of both races who seek a way to prevent the rapidly escalating conflict. But in their midst appears a mysterious figure, neither human nor Partial, with solemn warnings of the new apocalypse-one that none of them may be able to avert.

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Hosted by Breaking the Spine:

The first book in this series, Partials, was by far the best YA I read in 2012 (and trust me, it had some stiff competition). I loved the characters, the story, the world-building, the pacing – everything! The second book was every bit as good, and now I am dying to find out what happens next! This series is responsible for reinvigorating my love of dystopians and I recommend it as often as I can. If you loved Hunger Games, Divergent, and Legend, this is the perfect series to try next!

 What book are you waiting on?

Sep 26 2013
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Dystopian Reading Challenge 2013 – The September Edition!

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Hosted by Blog of Erised (one of my favorite blogs), this feature challenges readers to pick up twenty-four dystopians over the course of one year. I don’t know how I’m only just finding out about this now, as I would’ve loved to participate from the beginning. Although, I haven’t missed out entirely because, as a self-proclaimed dystopian addict, I have been sort of participating all year. Here is a look at all the books read so far:

The official tally:

16/24

Level 3: Revolutionists!

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Considering I’ve only read sixty books this year, you can see how much I love the genre (just think how many I could have read had I been actively working towards a goal).

 How many dystopian’s have you read so far?

Aug 8 2013
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Book Review: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

NeverFade by Alexandra Bracken

NeverFade by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Never Fade

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: Darkest Minds #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.  As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

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The Review:

I’m sure I mentioned in my review of The Darkest Minds that I was unsure if I wanted to continue reading. It wasn’t for the hope that things would get better – she took that away completely at the end of the first book. No, what’s kept me reading was the pure appreciation of the side characters. They were vibrant, interesting, and I was excited enough about them to want to see where they ended up. I also liked the main character, but I think certain plot ideas got in the way of her relatability (I’ll talk more about that below). Let me just say this: these are some of the best characters I’ve read all year, and I could definitely learn a thing or two by studying this for my own writing.

So, now that I’ve established how much I love these characters and how brilliant I think the author is at creating them, I’d like to talk a little bit about the things that are keeping this series from being outstanding. At least in my eyes.

The only thing that consistently brings the ratings down for these books is story. In book one, the author left the characters, and therefore the readers, without any hope. It didn’t really give me anything to look forward to in Never Fade and, frankly, I had a hard time deciding whether or not I wanted to read it. While the second one inspired more hope (and convinced me I want to see where the story ends), it still had some story elements that put me off.

For example, I found myself constantly questioning the rationale of the main character. Her decisions often didn’t make any sense. It was almost like the author didn’t know how else to get the story where she needed it to go, so she made it convenient for herself by making the protagonist responsible for the new directions. As a result, the main character came off as highly illogical, unsentimental, and by extension, less relatable. When people have very little, they tend to cling to it more fiercely. Several times throughout the story, the main character went against this norm, pushing away everything she had with no solid reasons for doing so. It might have worked if those odd decisions actually accomplished anything, but all it ended up doing was stirring up senseless turmoil and make her difficult to support.

Overall, I see where Bracken was trying to take the story, and even like the ideas behind it, I think she just could have chosen a better way to get there. It is still an enjoyable series, but I just can’t help but see the opportunities where it could have been stronger.

Recommendations: as far as teen dystopian’s go, this isn’t one of my favorites based on concept and story alone. However, it has superb characters and includes one of the best naturally developing love stories I’ve ever read in a teen novel. I would probably recommend this only if you’ve already read (and enjoyed) my five favorite dystopians below. A warning to the wary, this particular teen book contains an exorbitant amount of language… perhaps a fair bit of violence, too.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 7 2013
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Coming Soon: Burn by Julianna Baggott

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Waiting on Wednesday is a feature hosted by Breaking the Spine. I’ve always loved seeing which books people are looking forward to and am happy to finally be participating. I have been doing a similar feature for about a year now, but somehow it seems more official, haha. This week I am anticipating:

February 4, 2014

February 4, 2014

Title: Burn

Author: Julianna Baggott

Series: Pure #3

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: February 4, 2014

The Overview: The fate of the world is more fragile than ever as Pures battle Wretches and former allies become potential enemies. Inside the Dome Patridge has taken his father’s place as leader of the Pures. His intent had been to bring down the Dome from the inside with the help of the secret resistance force led by Partridge’s former teacher Glassings. But from his new position of power, things don’t seem quite as clear. Perhaps his father had been right. Perhaps if the world is to survive it needs the Dome—and Partridge—to rule it. Outside the Dome Pressia and Bradwell continue piecing together the clues left to them by their parents from the time before the detonations. Soon they will be able to help heal the Wretches, freeing them from their monstrous fusings and the Dome’s oppression once and for all. But their success also depends on Partridge. Can they still trust their friend and ally to see their plan through? Or will a new war begin?

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Nik’s Notes:

Having just finished Pure, the first book in this series, I am eager as ever to read the second book (Fuse) and will likely be doubly eager to read Burn by the time it comes out. I enjoyed the world building, the characters, and the layered plot and think anyone who loved the edgier dystopians like The Fifth Wave and Divergent should definitely check this series out! :-) 

  Pure was July’s Your Pick for Nik! – check out the review by clicking the cover below:

#1 Pure by Julianna Baggott

#1 Pure by Julianna Baggott

by Niki Hawkes