Rebel (Reboot #2) by Amy Tintera

THREE STARS

~Amazon~

SYNOPSIS:

Wren Connolly thought she'd left her human side behind when she dies five years ago and came back 178 minutes later as a Reboot. With her new abilities of strength, speed, and healing—along with a lack of emotions—Wren 178 became the perfect soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation). Then Callum 22 came along and changed everything.

Now that they've both escaped, they're ready to start a new life in peace on the Reboot reservation. But Micah 163, the Reboot running the reservation, has darker plans in mind: to wipe out the humans. All of them. Micah has been building a Reboot army for years and is now ready to launch his attack on the cities. Callum wants to stick around and protect the humans. Wren wants nothing more than to leave all the fighting behind them.

With Micah on one side, HARC on the other, and Wren and Callum at odds in the middle, there's only one option left...

It's time for Reboots to become rebels.
 

REVIEW: 

"I started laughing, a hysterical laugh that got louder as the panic began to fully set in."

I remember enjoying the first book in series Reboot, alot more than this sequel. I started reading excited to see how Wren and Callum continued through the many obstacles, that laid before them. The new characters and situations that were addressed, was exciting at first. However after a strong start, the book throws new elements in that aren't explained or explored well enough. The lack of depth in the descriptions of the new elements to the story, and surface characters left me underwhelmed.

The book isn't all bad, and never wanted to abandon the book all together while reading. The story has a lot of action, most of the book  is action scenes and dialogue. Ms. Tintera's ability to throw in humor among the chaos of the book, comes off as genuine and was well received. The romance was believable, and sweet.  Dealing with the morality involved in killing or saving humans once you become a Reboot continued to be interesting. But there wasn't enough for me to latch on and really care about the characters.

The flow and structure of the book, seemed to be the most problematic part of reading it. Everything happens  too quickly and usually works out extremely well. There was action that was hard to understand, because it was explained too fast. The changing point of views also distracted me at times, because I would have to remember from who's point of view I was reading. I think it would have worked better of the changing point of views were of people not together most of the book. The ending tied things up nicely, but there wasn't enough conflict involved to make it believable. Read if you want to know how the series ends, otherwise it's not really worth it.

Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand

THREE STARS

~Amazon~

Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me.

Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face.

Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has never needed Ven . . . until now.

When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met?

REVIEW:

"To live beyond death, if only in the hearts of loved ones. It's contagious, the concept that death isn't really the end."

I started this book skeptical, the premise is similar to the movie The Island. The conflict, experience, and morality of clones has been explored many times, in many mediums. I liked the story I was interested and engaged right away and through most of the book. Ven is courageous and understands what is right, even as she pretends to be apart of everything that is wrong in her world. I enjoyed the romance because it seemed sincere, and honest. As the story progressed what starts out as engaging , doesn't rise to the strong opening.

I enjoyed the action, the friendship, and the obstacles that Ven overcomes. The writing was good and the action was well paced. I was looking for my appreciation of the journey Ven is on to grow, but it didn't. The book fell short because I never felt fully immersed in the society created. We are given glimpses into the inequality that exists, and into how Imitations are created. But the fast progression of the plot, without enough world building left me unsatisfied as a reader. The many questions I had outweighed my interests in the characters, as I progressed through the book. Instead of  making me want to finish in hope of answers, it made me frustrated.

I know that there is a sequel to the book that will explore the answers I didn't get here. There just wasn't enough substance, for the work to stand alone. I finished the book unsatisfied, feeling as if it was a chapter ending, instead of the end of a novel because of all the loose ends. Despite the book's strong points,  I won't be continuing the series. Clones themselves provide plenty to explore, but there wasn't enough originality within the book to make me want to learn more about the world Ms. Hildenbrand has created.

**This book was provided by the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To

Hosted By: The Broke and Bookish

So many books and so little time. There's so many great 2014 releases  that I will be catching up with this year. The list is in no particular order, but includes books I will be reading soon.Click on the links below to check them out on Goodreads.

• The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur. This sounds like an amazing sci-fi  dystopian, which I often feel like I could read for the rest of my life. Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.

• The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton. I haven't read enough fantasy or historical fiction, but this looks promising!! Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

• Half Bad (The Half Bad Trilogy #1) by Sally Green. This has been on so many 2014 best of list, I have to give it a shot!! Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. 

• The Young Elites by Marie Lu. I enjoyed the Legend series, when I read it but thought it was a bit immature, this is supposed to be great and has been getting great reviews. Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.  

• Rebel (Reboot #2) by Amy Tintera. Reboot is a awesome sci0-fi and action paced read, and this sequel is bout to be great too. Now that they've both escaped, they're ready to start a new life in peace on the Reboot reservation. But Micah 163, the Reboot running the reservation, has darker plans in mind: to wipe out the humans. All of them. Micah has been building a Reboot army for years and is now ready to launch his attack on the cities. Callum wants to stick around and protect the humans. Wren wants nothing more than to leave all the fighting behind them.

• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Won a Goodreads  Choice award so I'm definitely willing to try it out. A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

• In the AfterLight (The Darkest Mind #3) by Alexandra Bracken. I just finished reading the novella in the series before this last book. I know it will be epic,  but been putting it off because I don't want to ruin my expectations. They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids. 

• The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski. The has mixed reviews, but leaning more toward the positive side. As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

• Yes Please by Amy Poehler. Really enjoy her as a entertainer and am trying to branch out into non-fiction more. In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. 

• Station Eleven by Emily St John Mande. This looks amazing, and I'm always interested in end of the world narratives. An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

Have you read any of these books? What was your 2014 release you meant to read but didn't get to?

Panic (Panic #1) by Lauren Oliver

THREE STARS

~Amazon~

SYNOPSIS:

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.
 

REVIEW:

"But maybe you carried your demons with you everywhere, the way you carried your shadow."

This started out great, it had a wonderful premise, multi-dimensional characters and strong writing. Focusing on characters set adrift with Panic, while moving forward after high school, gave great insight into the angst of growing up. The game Panic itself , could have been more thought out. I think it quickly became a backdrop to the characters. I really wanted Ms. Oliver to explore the game concept more. Possibly because it's a contemporary book, it is more character focused than I usually like. I really like action and this did have some riveting moments where I was focused on what would happen next, but overall this wasn't engaging enough.

Unfortunately the book lagged about  half way through. After a slow read in the middle, the rest of the book seemed like it was rushing to get through the story. I didn't know that this was a series before picking up the book, but I won't be continuing with it. The writing was well done, and the characters didn't fall into any annoying tropes. The author fell short of what would have been a great first book in series, because there's too much left unanswered, and not enough information given to care how the characters progress.

I don't read a lot of Contemporary young adult novels, and wander if I am placing unfair expectations on what this book could be, because of my inexperience with the genre.  Emotionally there were moments that reached out to me, but they weren't explored in a way that lasted longer than a few pages. When I'm reading I want to connect and feel more than anything else. While reading this I wanted to hurry up and finish, instead of really immersing myself in the book. Check it out if your a fan of Lauren Oliver, but overall this was just a OK read.

 "It was so strange the way that life moved forward: the twists and the dead ends, the sudden opportunities."

Sparks Rise (The Darkest Minds #2.5) By Alexandra Bracken

THREE POINT FIVE STARS

~Amazon~

SYNOPSIS: 

Sam didn’t think things could get worse at Thurmond rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam’s dark childhood. Lucas has a deadly secret–he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk his everything to save her.

REVIEW:

I really enjoy Ms. Bracken's writing, I relish in the emotions she can bring through her writing. But Lucas and Sam's story didn't connect with me in the same way as Gabe's from her previous novella In Time.  Sometimes things seemed overly rushed and felt like the author wasn't creating in a way that she felt comfortable with. Sam and Lucas are in a dire situation with little left to hope for, they find a bit of refuge in each-other. It's sweet, it's engaging but the characters just weren't quite there. Lucas background as a Red in training wasn't fleshed out enough for me to contrast with all the feelings he's fighting to keep inside. Overall I enjoyed the narrative and more insight into the Rehabilitation camps. It just could have been more, at the end I felt emotional, rather than a emotion. I am interested in whether they will tie in with the final installment of the series In The Afterlight.

My Reviews for Other Books in Series:
Never Fade (The Darkest Mind #2)
In the Afterlight (The Darkest Mind #3) 
Never Fade (The Darkest Mind #2)

Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015

Hosted By: The Broke and Bookish

There's alot of great debuts out this year, and despite my gigantic TBR pile, these are the ones I will definitely be reading. Click on the links to check them out on Goodreads.

1. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes. Anything having to do with cults and my interest is piqued. Definitely a book I'm looking forward too,with awesome reviews so far.
   She has just escaped the strict religious commune run by a cruel man named the Prophet. In exchange for freedom, she leaves behind her family, her home, and Jude--an outsider boy who changed everything. 
2. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera. Eternal Sunshine is one of my favorite movies and this is bound to be a delight. The Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-relief procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto -- miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects.
3. We all looked Up by Tommy Wallach. I read alot of post apocalyptic novels, but this one addresses how to deal with staring at the end coming your way. Also looking to read more contemporary because the genre is so popular right now in YA. Four high school seniors put their hopes, hearts, and humanity on the line as an asteroid hurtles toward Earth in this contemporary novel.
4. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia. I enjoy tasteful explorations of mental illness, and this looks great. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.
5.  The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy. Creepy mystery's help me change up what I'm reading, this fits the bill. Twelve years ago Stella and Jeanie vanished while picking strawberries. Stella returned minutes later, with no memory of what happened. Jeanie was never seen or heard from again.
6. Shutter by Courtney Alameda. Female monster hunter who can see auras. YES and YES. Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat—a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual: the corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. 
7. The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker. I want to read more about Witches they have always intrigued me in film, but have yet to hook me in book form. I hope this changes that. The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.
   Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. 
8. In a World Just Right by Jen Brooks . This looks like great sci-fi and I love parallel reality explorations. High school senior Jonathan Aubrey creates worlds at will. In Kylie-Simms-is-my-girlfriend, he’s given himself everything he doesn’t have in real life-–the track team, passing grades, and his dream girl–-until one day he confuses his worlds and almost kisses the real Kylie Simms.
9. Denton Little's Deathdate by Lance Rubin. Knowing when your going to die can change alot about how you live hoping the writing will be as great as John Green's. Fans of John Green and Matthew Quick: Get ready to die laughing.Denton Little's Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day they will die. For 17-year-old Denton Little, that's tomorrow, the day of his senior prom.
10.  5 to 1 by Holly Bodger. A dystopian exploring gender relations is right up my alley and this one has alternating POV, which I adore.  In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife.

Let me know if what's your most anticipated Debut, if it's not listed above!!!

The Book Theif by Markus Zusak

THREE STARS

~Amazon~ 

SYNOPSIS:

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

REVIEW: 

"Silence was not quiet or calm, and it was not peace."

The writing was great, some passages made me think, others took my breath away. But despite its greatness including the books within the book, I was left underwhelmed. I read this because this is considered Young Adult canon, but I somehow missed all of the awe and tears I was supposed to experience upon finishing the book. Some chapters were far more compelling than others, which makes me think maybe length was the issue. I don't mind reading longer books if I feel the prose is building towards something great, something worthwhile. But the moments I enjoyed the most came far before the end. 

Death as a narrator (AWESOME) and Liesel as the powerful protagonist she was, still wasn't enough for me to enjoy the book throughout. This book took me longer to finish than other recent reads, including ones that I liked less. I wanted to rave and praise the book along with the majority of Goodreads. The story is worth a read, if only to experience a side of Nazi Germany from a in-between perspective, This narrative is told from people who helped Jews by circumstance, armed with slightly more conscience than fear. It's interesting, but the book did not rise to its awesome concept.

Some things were developed which weren't worth the wonderful writing, while other interesting concepts were breezed passed. If your interested in the nuance of characters caught in the nastiness of the Fher in 1943, then definitely read. But there was not enough here for me to rate it higher or sincerely recommend it to others, despite the critical acclaim. I am interested in seeing what other mediums this writer can excel in.

"It kills me sometimes, how people die" Said Death.