"Ashes" by Ilsa J. Bick

"It could happen tomorrow . . .
An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human."-goodreads

Ashes is one of the best zombie books I’ve read, up there with The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Zombie Survival Guide, as well as one of the best post-apocalyptic books I’ve read (and probably one of the more ’realistic’ as well). But Ashes is so much more than that. As I was reading it I thought of it as one of those dolls that opens up and there’s another doll and another doll and another doll and another doll. Every page, there were more complicated (but awesome) things going on. Incredibly fast-paced, sometimes things happened so fast that I didn’t understand them right away-- but I don’t think Alex the protagonist did either, so that just enhanced it. Ashes bled fear, anxiety, tension, action, gruesomeness, creepy, scary, psychological stuff, and shock throughout the whole book. It was incredible! Also, it’s perfect for reading any time but I think I picked a fabulous time to read it, right around Halloween.

Alex is an epic heroine for the story. She’s a strong female character that doesn’t let herself totally give up for any reason, even when falling for a guy. She took charge and survived after the EMP, and helped others along the way. Granted, she also received help from several people, including Tom, the mysterious guy they meet along the way, however it wasn’t a *total* damsel-in-distress moment. Alex showed raw emotion throughout the book without being wimpy or anything like that. Tom was pretty cool too, when we got to meet him, and Ellie as well. Characters in this book (and a lot of similar books to these) are integral to me, I think, because you don’t typically see as many characters as often while they’re fighting their way through the EMP ravaged world.

An original thing that I liked about Ashes is that, while some post-apocalyptic (or dystopian) books avoid the actual disaster, experiencing it or explaining it, it started out from the beginning right before and the reader gets to see the whole thing unfold. I think a lot of the time it’s avoided because sometimes it’s hard to convince the reader and have them be like, ‘yeah, this could actually happen. The world really could end this way.’ and even I’m like that sometimes but Ashes convinced me. I’ll be thinking about the horrifyingly realistic (and horrifying in general) world from the book for a long time.
The bottom line: if you’re looking for an epic book, especially a scary post-apocalyptic zombie novel, Ashes is for you. I can’t wait for the next one! 

"Plague" (Gone, #4) by Michael Grant

*As usual with sequel reviews, the description is spoiler-y, so I haven’t included it. The below review may reveal minor spoilers about the previous two books. YOU ARE WARNED.*

I love this series, I do.  I can’t wait for Fear (April 2012) and Light to come out so I can finally find out the fate of our beloved characters… but (sadly, there‘s a ‘but‘)… Plague. Oh dear. It still had action, it still had different perspectives, and there was still unexpected twists and turns with the punch of a broad cast of characters-- my favorite parts of the series so far, but Plague was a bit of a let down. It wasn’t *bad*. It just wasn’t what I expected, either. At some point in Plague, I’m not sure how far in I was, I started feeling like I was reading about a soap-opera or some other sometimes overly dramatic situation set in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world (inside a dome!)… Too dramatic at times. And Sam’s self-pity and erratic behavior plus a very selfish attitude kept propping up all over the place and I can’t say I like Sam much anymore which is disappointing as I loved him in Gone and Hunger and somewhat in Lies (by the way, I don’t mean loved like, OMG SWOON IT’S EDWARD CULLEN, which I’m seriously not like, by the way, but I thought Sam was a fantastic character). It didn’t feel like a filler book for me or anything like that, there were still new developments and few things resolved, which is fortunate because I would have absolutely hated that.

ALSO, major warning: KILLER CLIFF-HANGER. Fear doesn’t come out until April. That kills me. I think I’m traumatized by the wait, because I was able to read the first four so close together as they’ve been released for a while. Seriously, the cliff-hanger has launched me into a (hopefully short) stand-alone/completed series only kind of mood so I don’t have to see one of those for a while. But the point of a cliffhanger is to make you want more and be excited for the next book, which I definitely am, so I guess it’s effective!

Bottom line: This book in the Gone series just didn‘t resonate with me, but I still can’t wait for the next one, which I hope I like more.

"Vanish" (Firelight, #2) by Sophie Jordan

September 6th, 2011 - HarperTeen

(The description is a bit spoiler-y to the first book. If you’d like to check it out and find tons more info on the book, visit Sophie Jordan’s website here.)

I really appreciate book series where each new book exceeds your expectations and there’s never a dull ‘middle book’. After reading Firelight, and then seeing the cover and summary for Vanish, I had really high expectations for it. I had a theory about who was on the cover, and surprisingly I was right. (Do you have a theory? Maybe you’re right like me. But you’ll have to read it to find out whether you’re also correct or not!) I liked Vanish even more than Firelight!! (Which I liked a lotttt!!)

As the story continues, it just gets better. There was never a dull moment. Vanish is an emotional roller coaster, but in a good way. The ending of Vanish leaves you craving more (as with Firelight). I also found the characters interesting, as they developed a lot more. They fooled me. People I strongly disliked in the first one, I found liking more in Vanish as they developed more. Also, I was firmly Team Will at the end of the first, and not only am I team Cassian now, I think he’s my new favorite character as we saw more of him. (You’ll probably find yourself at least swaying towards his side!) Almost all of the characters changed for me though, and I found myself feeling even more connected to our heroine Jacinda-- her narrative is awesome.

Same as Firelight, I found the draki element very interesting and unique. It continues to develop and we learn more about how that works. And there’s a new draki in town-- you’ll be surprised who it is. Overall, a great sequel that I doubt will disappoint!! Be sure to look for it when it comes out (meantime, read Firelight if you haven't!)
Thank you HarperTeen for giving me the opportunity to review this exciting sequel.

"Hunger" (Gone, #2) by Michael Grant

(The summary for this book is spoiler-y for the first book in the series, "Gone". If you'd like to view it anyway and find out more information about the book, here's the goodreads page for it. As usual with sequel reviews, though I try to keep them spoiler free, it's possible there will be minor spoilers for the first book. YOU ARE WARNED.)

With the same gripping plot style and breakneck fast pace as "Gone", "Hunger" is a really great sequel. It met my expectations, which "Gone" set very high. A lot of the best aspects of the first book were continued in the second, besides the incredible plot and pacing. However, I didn't enjoy Hunger QUITE as much as its predecessor. For example, Sam's humility left me feeling conflicted. While I was glad that he was humble, he was feeling pressures, and he wasn't perfect, like I felt in the first book, too much is well... too much. His tendency throughout the book for self pity got kind of annoying after a while. Then, at the same time, it made sense-- he was grasping for solutions to really difficult problems and searching for answers where there seemed to be none, and that was frustrating for him. Then all these kids have adopted him as their leader and when he starts not being able to fix everything, obviously he felt a little lost. Another thing that left me feeling that way is that a lot of questions were asked, more sub-plots started, which is all fine but then nothing seemed to be getting answered and at times that was just really frustrating to deal with. HOWEVER, these two problems did not really damage my overall impression of the book.

The characters continue to be great for the most part. The setting is so developed, so clear I can imagine the whole FAYZ, and I love that about these books. The continuing developments and the worsening of the situation in the FAYZ were both fascinating and horrifying. Then the problem of 'Freaks' vs. 'Normals', as they started to conflict was obviously intense but also interesting because of the psychology of it all, for me.

Overall, a good sequel! Continued awesome pace, plot, and characters; even if a few elements left me feeling a tad conflicted at times.

"City of Ashes" (The Mortal Instruments, #2) by Cassandra Clare

*The description for this book has spoilers for its predecessor, City of Bones, so I won't disclose it here. If you would like to read the description or find out more about the book, visit the goodreads page for it here. This particular review is spoiler free.*

My experience thus far with The Mortal Instruments has been wonderful. "City of Bones" was brilliant, and I consider "City of Ashes" even better. 'Better?', you may inquire; to which I would respond casually: "Heck yes."

I think what I like best about The Mortal Instruments, "City of Ashes" in particular, is that they have a little bit of just about every element but it's still done remarkably well. There are vampires, werewolves, and demons. They are a lot like their stereotype, which is actually a good thing because that means NO *sparkly* vampires.Of course, there are also the fascinating shadowhunters, unique to TMI. All of the greatness present in the first book is back for the second, such as great pace, interesting and broad cast of characters, and deep-running emotions; probably even more of a thrilling page-turner than the first. There were more action filled fight scenes than in the first, all keeping you on the edge of your seat. An ongoing theme in the books seem to be that nothing is ever as it seems, and so I've heard, it stays that way.

All-together, an awesome book. I only bought the first two together and now can't wait to get the third. And, related question (please don't answer with a spoiler), to anyone else who has read TMI, isn't Valentine reminiscent of Voldemort? (Granted, I can draw a comparison to Harry Potter from pretty much anything...)

"Angelfire" by Courtney Allison Moulton

"When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.
A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.
While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember."-goodreads

Angelfire was action packed! There were crazy awesome fight scenes. But those aren't the only elements that made Angelfire such a great book. An interesting cast of characters and a rather unique plot contributed to the awesome as well. I liked Ellie and Will individually and then, awww. I also liked Ellie's mom, which is random, but it's actually kind of significant because so often in YA we find the mom that we hate or just feel indifferent about and there usually aren't likeable moms or dads (granted, the dad wasn't likable. At all. But I won't rant about that.). The characters were each quirky in their own ways, from Ellie naming her car Marshmallow to Will's thing for root beer floats. I appreciated how the monsters and the reality of their presence actually complicating Ellie's life and her social life. Sometimes, in the paranormal books, the character is fighting monsters at night and in the day everything is perfectly normal, no changes, which isn't realistic... The reincarnation aspect was interesting, and I'm curious to find out more about that and Ellie's memories in the sequel. The sequel, Wings of the Wicked, comes out in February 2012. (Which is almost forever from now *exaggeration* but I'm excited for it!)

"The Power of Six" (Lorien Legacies, #2) by Pittacus Lore

August 23rd, 2011 - Harper Teen

(The description for this book is rather spoiler-y to the first. If you’d like to read the summary, visit the goodreads page here. This review also probably contains minor spoilers for the first book. YOU ARE WARNED.)

The Power of Six was a good follow-up to I Am Number Four. I liked it as much as the first book. It shared many of the great qualities of its predecessor! Playing out like a really good action movie in your head, The Power of Six unfolded with a ton of surprises and action.

My favorite thing about The Power of Six is that it’s not just in Four’s perspective. You also get to see parts of the story (almost every two chapters, then they get closer together) from Number Seven, Marina. That made the book a bit fresher, because it’s always nice to see things two ways, or see completely different situations going on and see how they come together. That bit was fascinating. You grew to know Marina and we saw a lot more of Number Six as well. Number Six and Sam are my favorite characters. Sam is so dorky and he’s in pretty much the whole book this time. He grows stronger as a character and in the story, learning to fight and not just be the alien obsessed one. He’s so funny.

I felt kind of disconnected with Four this time around. I’m not sure if that’s a result of his not being the only perspective or his emotions in the book, actually. I know he missed Sarah but at times it would be like he’d think of Sarah at in-opportune moments and it could be kind of annoying. I was really surprised about what happened with Sarah--- that was probably one of the biggest shocks of the book. (What happened, you ask? I’m not telling. *evil laugh*)

The Power of Six has a breakneck pace. It’s around 400 pages, yet it’s a SUPER-fast read, reminiscent of the Maximum Ride series (in pace and action scenes!). If you liked I Am Number Four you should definitely read the sequel, The Power of Six is not a let-down.  
Thank you HarperTeen for giving me the opportunity to review it!

"Ashes, Ashes" by Jo Treggiari

June 1st, 2011
"Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her."-goodreads

There is a difference between Post-Apocalyptic fiction and Dystopian fiction. While they run together frequently, dystopias often being the result of an apocalypse, and apocalypses normally creating at least slight dystopias in the way the world is run. Ashes, Ashes has elements of dystopia but is a post-apocalyptic book for the most part (to me, anyway!) and I liked that a lot. I also believe it's a stand-alone, although it could easily be a series, which is always refreshing (I can't stress that enough, can I?).


Ashes, Ashes is horrifyingly realistic seeming. All of the situations, the survival, the way the plague took over the world-- they're all very vivid, very real situations. The main character, Lucy, often reflects on how at first, when the plague originally started, the news would show happy people, nurses and doctors calmly working at the hospital. She then adds that when her parents died, they were nothing like that. Just dying people, failing medicine. The news reverted to pre-recorded footage. I think that's a really important part of the book, or any post-apocalyptic book for me, contrasting the difference between then and before. It really puts the book into perspective. 


I just mentioned Lucy. Lucy is very cool. She was a very strong and developed character, and she was also likeable. One of my favorite parts of the book is that Lucy is a strong female character. There is no Bella syndrome, and I think that's important. Even books like The Hunger Games, in which Katniss is also a strong female character, along the way, she tended to kind of lose herself in her feelings toward Peeta and Gale. Lucy does no such thing. The book has romance, but it's not like, hey I was really awesome before and defending myself and now there's a guy so he'll be my knight and shining armor. Ha! Oh, and no love triangle. Thank goodness.

Aiden and all of the other characters were great as well. The book was fabulously written, all vivid and detailed. It was really easy to picture the post-apocalyptic New York. It was interesting, filled with action, and just a good book. Also, I'd like to add that I liked the cover before I read the book, and after reading the book I think it's absolutely perfect, a great reflection of the book. (Feel free to judge this one by it's cover, I'd say.)


If you'd like a good book that's interesting, realistic seeming, vividly written, and filled with survival, try out Ashes, Ashes in two weeks when it comes out! Also, this is definitely on my list of 'things to recommend to people that liked the Hunger Games'. 
Thank you Scholastic for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

"Scorpia Rising" (Alex Rider, #9) by Anthony Horowitz

"Scorpia has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. They killed his parents, they did their best to con Alex into turning traitor, and they just keep coming back with more power. Now the world's most dangerous terrorist organization is playing with fire in the world's most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how best to get to Alex like Scorpia. Until now. 
The chases have never been more intense, the fights more treacherous, or the risks so perilous to mankind. And this time, Alex won't get away."-goodreads

I have practically grown up reading the Alex Rider series. I read the first book, Stormbreaker, the first time when I was 8. I love this series. I'm going to admit that I was NOT a fan of Crocodile Tears, the last book in the series. Actually, I was very disappointed with it, for a multitude of reasons. I was hoping that for the last book in the series, Mr. Horowitz would redeem himself. He totally did! Alex Rider is back, for the thrilling end to this amazing series.


This whole series has been fast paced, exciting, surprising, and jam-packed with action in vivid writing that reads almost like a movie (not in the bad way, where it seems like a script or something). The conclusion was no exception. I liked that the writing I liked without the obvious moves and product placement (did anyone else see that every 5 seconds in CT?) had returned. Scorpia was my favorite of the series, so that organization being back was cool.


There is a major character death. It is very sad, but it was kind of necessary, I think. A little bit. I also want to say that the ending wrapped everything up nicely, there's pretty much no way that there will be another one-- I really don't like it when the series ends and it's left open enough that something can happen and there would be another book. I just like the end being the end. 


I really can't say much more, I don't want to spoil stuff from the rest of the books or this one. If you haven't read the Alex Rider series, I do recommend it. If you just haven't read this one-- you definitely should!

"Clockwork Angel" by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices, #1)

Tessa Gray's parents are dead. She lives with her Aunt in New York. Her brother, Nathaniel, went away a while ago to London for work. Her aunt has died and she's going to travel across the seas to her brother so they can live in London. Little does she know, her brother doesn't wait for her in London, but terrible forces do. There's evil and lots of knowledge waiting for Tessa in London; along with her brother. She'll also meet up with a lot of shadowhunters, including an attractive; seemingly emotionless one. That's how Clockwork Angel starts.

Clockwork Angel is the first book in a planned trilogy that is going to be a prequel sort of series to The Mortal Instruments. The other two books in the Infernal Devices series are going to be called "Clockwork Prince" and "Clockwork Princess".

I have a confession: I haven't read the Mortal Instruments yet. I plan to, especially after reading this book, but I haven't yet. My friend told me there weren't any spoilers and I could start with Clockwork Angel if I liked. I decided to.

It was really good. I haven't read a whole lot of books regarding demons, so that was a plus. There were vampires, but not cheesy sparkly ones. There was talk of warlocks, which is cool. The thing I like about that is the multiple types of paranormal, not just one.

Tessa, Jem, and Will were fascinating characters, as were pretty much everyone else. I enjoyed their back stories, all unique. Tessa's unknowingly not being totally human. Jem's disease due to poison and torture. Will's mysterious background.

There was a lot of fighting and action, along with mysteries and good stories and descriptions, so that was good. A lot of enjoyable elements. It's another book set in the 1800s, which was kind of cool after having just read The Vespertine. It was very creepy and gothic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think I will appreciate it even more after I read The Mortal Instruments! (Which I plan to do. Soon!) I'm also very much looking forward to Clockwork Prince!

"The Iron Daughter" by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey #2)

"Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart."-goodreads

I liked "The Iron King" and "Winter's Passage" but I loved "The Iron Daughter"! It had all of the great elements of characters and writing styles, etc... without half the book setting the plot up as in the first book (which was fine, it was necessary!), this one was a lot easier to get into.

I really liked this book, and it took very surprising twists and turns. THE END OF THE BOOK, PEOPLE!?? It was late and I was reading it and I was like...'what!?'. That was surprising. I can't say what happened, you would all hate me for spoiling it but it was really surprising.

I though Puck got a bit more attention in this book which was nice, but on the other hand Meghan was kind of... obsessed with Ash. The whole time. Most of her thought process in the book is kind of...'something, Ash, something, Ash, Ash, Ash, Puck, Ash, something.' regardless of what is going on. That's fine, because that's the way Meghan's character is supposed to be now. It was cute. It was just kind of weird at times.

Regardless of Meghan's obsessiveness over Ash, I'm still team Ash. He got even more complex in this book. I almost became a Puck fan, I have to admit. I felt bad for him. It's kind of like The Hunger Games, I was almost a Peeta fan just because I felt bad for him... Anyway, the whole book (although a lot of it...) does not revolve around Ash and Puck.

The Iron fae are back. Winter and summer are still fighting! There's plenty of adventure and action to enjoy. Grimalkin the cat comes back in there somewhere, if you were a fan of him.

I would write other things but I'm trying to make this relatively spoiler free. It's kind of hard. Overall, I'll say if you enjoyed The Iron King then you should read The Iron Daughter! :D

Review copy through reviewing program at my library. Thank you!

"The Dark City" (Relic Master #1) by Catherine Fisher

May 17, 2011
"Enter the world of RELIC MASTER.
Dark, dangerous and deadly-welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are revered by the people but hunted by the governing Watch, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. A master and his scholar, searching for a relic to save the world, will be tested beyond their limits, for there are monsters-some human, some not- that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it."- the back of the ARC (Won in Early contest on LibraryThing)

I had very high expectations for "Relic Master: The Dark City" and I can honestly say that they were met! I held these expectations because after reading the amazing "Incarceron" and "Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher, I realized that she had this really whimsical, kind of poetic writing style that I absolutely adore. When I picked up this book, I realized it could be very different, I've read books by authors when they have separate books and you can't even tell they're by the same author, the writing is so different.

No, no. If part of the reason you loved "Incarceron" was the writing, then that's one reason you'll like this book. It's very similar! One of my other favorite parts of those books was the poems/excerpts before each chapter, and those are here too!

The story itself was really cool, a classic sort of YA/mid-grade fantasy, that fans of "Inkheart" and "Eragon" will probably enjoy. I liked the characters, my favorite was probably Carys, because I liked how she started out thinking one thing as she was taught to but throughout the story her mind opened to the new ideas, those ideas that the Keepers weren't as the Watch told her. I also liked Galen because the way it turned out how in the know he was the whole time even though you never expected it.

The idea of the 'relics' was interesting, and so was the rest of the world, with the Watch and the Order, it was an interesting book! I liked the occasional journal entries from Carys because that's how we saw how she was changing throughout the story.

Also: In a note that isn't entirely related to the books themselves; the cover. The cover is very cool as it's an element from the book AND IT'S SHINY!!! The next three are supposed to be that way to. Shiny books are just nice, they catch your eye, it's good marketing, it's nice on the shelf, they're fun to look at. The plan with the map pieces on the inside of each book is really great too.

Anyway, to end, I really liked this book and very much look forward to the other three. (and their shiny covers, of course..)

To learn more about the series, go here. Look for it in May and the other three each following month!

"The Dark and Hollow Places" by Carrie Ryan

"There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.
Except, Catcher has his own secrets—dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah—can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?" -author Carrie Ryan's website

"The Dark and Hollow Places" was probably the best book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy so far. What better way to end the series? As I've read the three books each one has gotten better, it almost makes me wish there were going to be more- and I would love for there to be more- but at the same time, I loved the ending. It was rather eloquent, it left questions but not the 'live or die because the character is about to fall off a cliff' questions, but more the 'where do they go from here? at least they're ALIVE!' type of questions.

I thought that Annah was the most likeable character to lead the story so far, and her relationship with Catcher was really sweet. I also kind of enjoyed that this time there was no love triangle sort of thing unless you count past feelings for Elias.

I also definitely thought that this was the most emotional driven one yet, the whole novel, all of the writing, it was just so real and emotional. I could feel what Annah was feeling because of the amazing way it was written; even though I have never experienced such fear or desolation or really strong feelings as Annah was.

Of course, there's one of my favorite elements throughout the whole series of the character's abilities to feel and strive for hope where there is none, and defeat all odds through hope. It's just inspiring. Also, an ongoing element that I adore is the fact that while the three books contain tons of zombies, they capture so much thoughts and speculations about said zombies, and also all of the characters manage to fight the zombies and think about the zombies and it's NEVER cheesy. How often can you say that about anything that involves zombies?

 All in all, an AMAZING, EMOTIONAL, INCREDIBLE end to the trilogy. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

If you would like to find out more about The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy go to author Carrie Ryan's website. If you'd like to see my reviews for the first two books, The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves click those <--- book titles! Also, there's that post where I talked about the Dark and Hollow Places tour here.

"Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher

Note: I'm going to try and make this review as spoiler free as possible! If you haven't read "Incarceron" though, you might just want to check out that (admittedly to short to do it justice, but I just... couldn't put my thoughts into words for it properly) review!
"Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique." -goodreads

I think that Sapphique was an awesome sequel to Incarceron. It had all of the my favorite elements of Incarceron- the characters, the complicated but very enjoyable plot twists, the mysterious worlds of the Realm and Incarceron, and the amazing writing by Catherine Fisher. At first I was weary about just one more book coming out after Incarceron- I was convinced that there had to be more- it just seemed too complicated to fit into two books. The incredibly broad (Or should I say small?) world created by Fisher didn't seem like it could be contained by just two books. All of my questions could not possibly be answered!

All of my questions were NOT answered, and the world could NOT be contained in two books. Did I care? No. The questions I still had at the end of the book and the world that just didn't seem sealed properly into the two books were not a bad thing, I thought they were the best way to end it. The way it ended you wondered what the characters were going to do about the state of the world, and you wondered what the world was going to be like, but in a good way. Maybe you'd wish for an answer, but at the same time it was wonderful, perfect for your own speculation and imagination to come up with the answers.

I liked the way all the characters turned out and the way it was decided who Prince Giles was, by which there wasn't really a *true* answer, I thought that was great in the same kind of way that you just had to decide for yourself. Jared. JARED! AT THE END! That was awesome. I can't say anymore about that, or I'll spoil everything. Everything about Sapphique and the ending. That was just really cool. I know I sound cryptic but you have to read them and find out!

If you like the way this sounds you should really check out Incarceron and if you have, then you HAVE to read Sapphique!

"Divergent" by Veronica Roth

May 3rd, 2011
"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her." -goodreads


Divergent was epic! Another thrilling dystopia (you must think I'm getting out of hand with this, but I promise, no more dystopia reviews for... a week or so!). It was exciting, surprising, suspenseful, filled with action and adventure and even romantic. Sounds cool, right? Not only was the story itself cool (and told EXTREMELY WELL), the characters were great. Triss (Beatrice) was awesome, a strong heroine to lead the story, kind of like Katniss in The Hunger Games (except I found Triss a lot more likable) or Max in Maximum Ride. Four was great too, quite the complex character. Divergent ended with a rather good cliffhanger. 


The part of the story I found most fascinating was probably the factions. Not only were they rather unique and thus interesting, they were also really cool because I kept wondering to myself, which one would I choose? I think that question comes up with most readers though. And then the whole Divergent thing... That was the best. This book was filled with twists and turns that will make you want to do nothing but read it until it ends. If you want an exciting YA read that helps you cope with your Hunger Games deficiency and get more great dystopias, Divergent is a must-read! Yay Divergent!


If you'd like to learn more about Divergent, check out author Veronica Roth's blog.


Note: Thank you HarperCollins/Katherine Tegan Books for sending me a copy to review. 
Reader's Notice: This does not in any way effect my review, it is unbiased! (As always!)

"The Forest of Hands and Teeth" by Carrie Ryan

"In Mary's world, there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
   But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
   Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?" -the inside flap of the book

"The Forest of Hands and Teeth" is definitely one of my new favorite books, and one of the best books I've read so far in 2011! It's packed full of interesting and what I consider well formed characters, action, excitement, intensity, suspense, romance, danger, darkness, and scary elements all over. It's not just a book about zombies, by any means. It's not just a post-apocalypse novel. It's a post zombie apocalypse adventure filled engrossing novel filled with darkness, emotion, romance, and suspense (that should be stamped across the front of the book so that everyone knows). Mary's world is a terrifying, but realistic seeming take on the small world that might still exist after a zombie apocalypse occurred.  This is not one of those zombie books that's just packed with action, or guts, or gore; those elements are present in the book, but in the most beneficial way that it's perfect for the story. The way the Unconsecrated behave, the way they infect, their relentlessness.. it's just incredible. The Sisterhood and their mysteriousness, their usage of religion and threats of a divine power, God, to control the people in the village (though they don't really know it) were brilliant is well.... I could go on and on about how awesome this book is, but I'd spoil everything and you'd probably get bored, so I'll stop here and just say that I definitely rate The Forest of Hands and Teeth 5 stars, and say that I'm so looking forward to reading The Dead Tossed Waves (which was released last year) and The Dark and Hollow Places which comes out this month!

If you'd like to learn more about "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" go to Carrie Ryan's website.

"The Replacement" by Brenna Yovanoff

"In the story, Emma's four years old. She gets out of bed and pads across the floor in her footie pajamas. When she reaches her hand between the bars, the thing in the crib moves closer. It tries to bite her and she takes her hand out again but doesn't back away. They spend all night looking at each other in the dark. In the morning, the thing is still crouched on the lamb-and-duckling mattress pad, staring at her.
It isn't her brother.
IT'S ME." -the back of "The Replacement"

I got interested in this book because it's part of Penguin's "Breathless Reads" campaign, which I came across because of my love for "Matched" by Ally Condie (which is also, obviously, part of the campaign). I saw it on the list, so I looked it up and added it to my TBR list, and got it from the library a couple of days ago. I'm glad I did get interested in this book, because it I did like the story! It was very interesting, the whole 'creature' being swapped for a baby every 7 years in the town of Gentry. It was a really creepy spooky story.  The problems I had with it, is the story was really kind of complicated to the point of being quite confusing sometimes. Other then that it was enjoyable (in a really really creepy kinda way). I also enjoyed reading of Mackie's rather dysfunctional family (not in a humorous kind of dysfunctional, just that), and thought his mother's relationship with the replacements and his father's seeming ignorance towards Mackie, then there's Emma, who was cool. I give it 4 stars. Also, the cover is pretty cool, and if I'd seen it without knowing anything else about the book, that probably would've intrigued me enough to pick it up and read it- I love awesome covers.

"Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

"Set initially in a future shanty town in America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being dissembled for parts by a rag tag group of workers, we meet Nailer, a teenage boy working the light crew, searching for copper wiring to make quota and live another day. The harsh realities of this life, from his abusive father, to his hand to mouth existence, echo the worst poverty in the present day third world. When an accident leads Nailer to discover an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, and the lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl, Nailer finds himself at a crossroads. Should he strip the ship and live a life of relative wealth, or rescue the girl, Nita, at great risk to himself and hope she'll lead him to a better life. This is a novel that illuminates a world where oil has been replaced by necessity, and where the gap between the haves and have-nots is now an abyss. Yet amidst the shadows of degradation, hope lies ahead." -the goodreads summary

"Ship Breaker" was totally awesome. I've been meaning to read this for a while now, first when I stumbled across the summary a while ago, and then I found out it won the Printz award, which is rather prestigious and immensely impressive, they're usually awesome books (the Printz award winners and nominees), I mean, they win for a reason. "Ship Breaker" on first glance, looks like another book about pirates or something like that, and when you read the description, it seems like another story involving poverty and hard life for the lead character, set in an odd place. There's a lot more to this book than that though. I thought the characters were pretty deep and considered the setting really well developed. As the story unfolded I liked how we learned and figured out a bit more as to the story of how the world ended up that way- although I wish I'd known more. Nailer and Nita were awesome. I thought it was really interesting/terrible how the ship breakers were spending their lives. I also thought the book conveyed emotional things rather well. Also, there should really be a sequel! Both because I want to read more and the ending - while satisfying - was a bit of cliffhanger. 

I'm assuming this book would be considered kind of post-apocalyptic, because something big must have happened to the world, including the storms Nailer talked about. I liked that. It was kind of a Hunger Games type of scenario where some big stuff went down and then kind of how the world worked after those things. I give this book 4 stars! 


If you want to learn more about Ship Breaker go to Paolo Bacigalupi's website here.
Notes: Thanks, Little Brown, for the review copy. 
THIS REVIEW IS IN NO WAY BIASED.  

INTERVIEW: Angie Smibert (Author of "Memento Nora")

Hi everyone, it's Cat here, for a break from the regularly scheduled programming (REVIEWS!). Remember how I reviewed the amazing "Memento Nora" just a few days ago? Well, I contacted author Angie Smibert asking if she'd like to do an interview and she was very nice and willing to do an interview, so here it is!!! (As if it's not obvious, the questions in italic are my words, the regular print is her answers!)

What inspired you to write "Memento Nora"? Were their any specific ideas from the real world that gave you the idea for the TCF, etc...?
The idea for the story came from current research in the area of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  In PTSD, the patient has gone through a traumatic event (or events)—such as a car accident or combat—that haunts them. They experience a variety of symptoms, such as anxiety, flashbacks, night terrors, and depression.  Researchers are exploring drugs that can “unstick” the memories and help the patient get on with his or her life.  These drugs wouldn't erase memories but just decrease their intensity.

I just took it a step further. I had this image in my mind of a Starbucks-like place on every corner that dispensed pills that could erase select memories. And you could earn reward points with every visit. 

Did you study Latin, or did something else inspire you to use "Memento" as a major plot word and"Memento Mori"?

I did take Latin in high school (and I love all things ancient Rome).  In classical times, the phrase "Memento Mori" was thought to have been used  to remind a victorious general that he was still just a man. (Kind of like telling someone he's gonna die just like the rest of us mortals.)  Later Memento Mori came to refer to a kind of art that reminds you of your mortality. (The phrase translates as "remember, you must die.")  The English word, memento, comes directly from the Latin. And a memento is a keepsake or reminder of past events.  So I was playing around with the many meanings of the word. 

Do you have a favorite character to write about, or just a general favorite character from "Memento Nora"?

Although they were all fun to write, my favorite character from Memento Nora is probably Winter Nomura. She's smart, manic, and artistic. She definitely sees the world a little differently. 

Would you believe someone if they told you a whole story that you forgot because of a pill, like if you'd done everything Nora had done?

 Maybe not. I can't say anymore because I might giveaway something about book 2. ;)

Do you like to read any other books that involve a Dystopian Society?

Yes, I do. I've read most of the classics: 1984, Brave New World, Handmaid's Tale, etc. My favorite YA/MG ones are Lois Lowry's The Giver, Hunger Games, Feed by MT Anderson, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

BTW, I blog about dystopian and science fiction at the League of Extraordinary Writers (leaguewriters.blogspot.com), a group blog for debut YA dystopian writers.  Our members include Beth Revis, Julia Karr, Elana Johnson, and Jeff Hirsch. Beth's and Julia's books came out in January--and they are both excellent!

Do you have any advice for young writers, who might want to publish their own book some day?

Be persistent. If you don't keep writing and keep sending it out into the world, you'll won't get published. And while you're writing and sending out, you're work will be getting better and better.
 ____________________________

Thanks so much to Angie Smibert for doing the interview for the blog! I encourage all of you to pick her book up when it comes out in April- it was awesome! Hope you guys enjoyed it! -Cat

"Memento Nora" by Angie Smibert

Release Date: April 1st, 2011

"On an otherwise glossy day, a blast goes off and a body thuds to the ground at Nora's feet. There are terrorist attacks in the city all the time, but Nora can't forget. So Nora goes with her mother to the TFC-a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take the pill that will erase it. But at TFC, a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take that pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to REMEMBER.

With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. Memento is an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?" -the back of "Memento Nora" 

Readers: You've probably all figured out that I immensely enjoy the new Dystopia stuff that has been coming out. Everyone else seems to like it too -I think it's probably the new vampire. That being said, this is another great one!! I think anyone that liked "Matched" or "The Hunger Games" will adore this. "Memento Nora" is a fast-paced, thrilling novel by debut author Angie Smibert. The book is only 184 (ARC) pages long, which at first kind of surprised/worried me, because I was worried that a story in a book that short simply couldn't be that well developed. I WAS SO WRONG. The characters were pretty well-developed to me, and so was the setting and the story itself. The comic strip was brilliant. Not taking the pill. A rebellion. Using Memento, latin for "remember", and the whole Memento Mori, remember you'll die... AHHH. This book was exciting. The storyline and characters were memorable. I also really liked the original language kind of like that of "Uglies", like the word "glossy".  FOUR AND A HALF STARS!!!

This book was even a bit SCARY. In the way that, alright, the Hunger Games and the capitol seem so far away. Living in Cassia's world (Matched) (by the way, the red pill!!!!), seems lightyears away. The TFC, and the situations that follow, that seems pretty realistic. In a sad, scary, kind of way.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL. This is one I really recommend you go out an get when it is released APRIL 1ST! If you want to find out more about "Memento Nora" go to Angie Smibert's website (where you can read the 1st chapter) and the official website for "Memento Nora".

Thank you very much Marshall Cavendish publishing company for sending me an ARC of "Memento Nora", and giving me the opportunity to read and review this awesome book. 
readers: I can't stress enough that receiving a review copy in NO WAY alters my review or opinion!