Genre: Dystopia

Sophia Rose Review: Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff

Posted June 23, 2019 by Lily B in Reviews / 18 Comments

Sophia Rose Review: Lifel1k3 by Jay KristoffLIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff
Series: Lifelike #1
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on May 29, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction
Pages: 398
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4.5 Stars

From the coauthor of the New York Times bestselling Illuminae Files comes the first book in a new series that's part Romeo and Juliet, part Terminator, and all adrenaline.
On an island junkyard beneath a sky that glows with radiation, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap. Seventeen-year-old Eve isn't looking for trouble--she's too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she spent months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, she's on the local gangster's wanted list, and the only thing keeping her grandpa alive is the money she just lost to the bookies. Worst of all, she's discovered she can somehow destroy machines with the power of her mind, and a bunch of puritanical fanatics are building a coffin her size because of it. If she's ever had a worse day, Eve can't remember it. The problem is, Eve has had a worse day--one that lingers in her nightmares and the cybernetic implant where her memories used to be. Her discovery of a handsome android named Ezekiel--called a "Lifelike" because they resemble humans--will bring her world crashing down and make her question whether her entire life is a lie. With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic sidekick Cricket in tow, Eve will trek across deserts of glass, battle unkillable bots, and infiltrate towering megacities to save the ones she loves...and learn the truth about the bloody secrets of her past.

Dystopian future, old family secrets coming to light, and a quest journey with a band of misfits. I am all in for that adventure.

Lifel1k3 set the scene of a scorched earth future after nukes leveled the planet, big corporations replaced governments, and the remaining humans are simply scrounging to survive on the trash heap that is now their world. In the midst of this, lives a teen girl, her sick grandfather, her best friend, her bot buddy and her bot dog. Eve Carpenter scavenges and fights her impressive bot fighters in the coliseum for the money to pay for her grandpa’s treatments. But, the loss of her bot fighter and the exposure of her deviance to a huge crowd makes her life come unraveling fast. Truths come out and a past she never knew about expose even more secrets. In the middle of trying to survive everyone who comes after her and her friends, she must save her grandfather and figure out what to do with the truth of her past.

The author wrote a raw, gritty, and dark future where survival is the name of the game. The descriptions of settings is so apt that I could not just see the places and the people, but taste and smell it all, too. There is a constant sense of danger and desperation.

The action was tense, hard-hitting and pulse-pounding. There were moments for reflection, but always back to the action so there was never a dull moment. Even when the action wasn’t physical, the author told this story in layers allowing the reveals and twists to peel back with many aha moments. Though none of those were as big as the one this book ended on.

The heart of this story was the friendship of the motley crew of characters. Eve is the main character, but getting much page time is her sassy best friend, Lemon Fresh, the wry little service bot, Cricket, her faithful bot hound, and a mysterious boy from her past.

Eve and the others encounter many colorful types along the way to rescue Grandfather Silas including some formidable antagonists. Some of those remained even in the end so I can’t wait to see what comes next, especially after that jaw-drop ending. Be prepared to want the next book ASAP and fortunately it is available.

All in all, this was fabulous and I’m itching to dive right back into book two. If you like a blend of futuristic sci-fi set in a dystopian world, you won’t want to miss this one.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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New Releases Round Up #1

Posted March 15, 2019 by Lily B in New Releases Round Up / 7 Comments

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend. The last two days here have been nice and warm and we finally got to spend some time outside and even cleaning up our garden. My health issues are still there, but I am not letting them get in the way of living my life. My son has been enjoying the trips to the park and this weekend we are heading out to the city for more birthdays.

New Releases Round Up will be something new to try on my blog to feature new releases coming up that I am currently really excited about and why I am excited about them. What are you patiently waiting to come out?

New Releases Round Up #1The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner
Series: Standalone
Published by Berkley on March 19, 2019
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Elise Sontag is a typical Iowa fourteen-year-old in 1943--aware of the war but distanced from its reach. Then her father, a legal U.S. resident for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, where, behind the armed guards and barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything beloved and familiar, including her own identity.
The only thing that makes the camp bearable is meeting fellow internee Mariko Inoue, a Japanese-American teen from Los Angeles, whose friendship empowers Elise to believe the life she knew before the war will again be hers. Together in the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko hold tight the dream of being young American women with a future beyond the fences.

I love Susan Meissner and her writing. I have read and reviewed several of her novels before and I feel like they are just getting better and better. She is currently one of my favorite writers. Her novels just really have a way to draw me in. This one is set during WWII it sounds just as amazing and emotional and I cannot wait to read it.

 

New Releases Round Up #1The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
Series: Standalone
Published by Graydon House on March 19, 2019
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 448
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the Russian refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows. It’s a decision that will alter her destiny…and it’s a lie that will remain buried until the next century.
Since she was nine years old, Alina Dziak knew she would marry her best friend, Tomasz. Now fifteen and engaged, Alina is unconcerned by reports of Nazi soldiers at the Polish border, believing her neighbors that they pose no real threat, and dreams instead of the day Tomasz returns from college in Warsaw so they can be married. But little by little, injustice by brutal injustice, the Nazi occupation takes hold, and Alina’s tiny rural village, its families, are divided by fear and hate. Then, as the fabric of their lives is slowly picked apart, Tomasz disappears. Where Alina used to measure time between visits from her beloved, now she measures the spaces between hope and despair, waiting for word from Tomasz and avoiding the attentions of the soldiers who patrol her parents’ farm. But for now, even deafening silence is preferable to grief.
Slipping between Nazi-occupied Poland and the frenetic pace of modern life, Kelly Rimmer creates an emotional and finely wrought narrative that weaves together two women’s stories into a tapestry of perseverance, loyalty, love and honor. The Things We Cannot Say is an unshakable reminder of the devastation when truth is silenced…and how it can take a lifetime to find our voice before we learn to trust it.

I have actually not yet read anything by Kelly Rimmer, but do own some of her books and have heard some amazing things about her beautiful and emotional writing. Another novel set in WWII that looks promising weaving between two timelines. I love dual timelines and so looking forward to this.
New Releases Round Up #1Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
Series: Girls with Sharp Sticks,
Published by Simon Pulse on March 19, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Girls of Innovations Academy are beautiful and well-behaved—it says so on their report cards. Under the watchful gaze of their Guardians, the all-girl boarding school offers an array of studies and activities, from “Growing a Beautiful and Prosperous Garden” to “Art Appreciation” and “Interior Design.” The girls learn to be the best society has to offer. Absent is the difficult math coursework, or the unnecessary sciences or current events. They are obedient young ladies, free from arrogance or defiance. Until Mena starts to realize that their carefully controlled existence may not be quite as it appears.
As Mena and her friends begin to uncover the dark secrets of what’s actually happening there—and who they really are—the girls of Innovations will find out what they are truly capable of. Because some of the prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns.

All girls boarding school, dark secrets. Bring it on. I’ve not yet read a Young novel before. Eak I know, but this looks so good and I miss my Dystopia novels.
New Releases Round Up #1To Best the Boys by Mary Weber
Series: Standalone
Published by Thomas Nelson on March 19, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.
In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.
With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.

A maze competition? This looks like so much fun! I enjoy YA fantasy and I love the premise for this. Plus this cover, isn’t it gorgeous?
New Releases Round Up #1Desperate Paths by E.C. Diskin
Series: Standalone
Published by Thomas & Mercer on March 19, 2019
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In Eden, the truth can have deadly consequences.
Brooklyn Anderson knows it looks bad. She was found wiping down a gun. Her father now dead. His blood on her hands. The incomprehensible nightmare has started.
Seven days earlier, Brooklyn had returned to Eden to care for her beloved father, who lay helpless in a hospital bed. Her estranged sister, Ginny, said he fell. But as Brooklyn soon realizes, Ginny is prone to lying.
Former Eden resident Darius Woods was in the hospital too. The famous actor had written a screenplay that would lay bare all the secrets of the town, but within hours of his return, someone shot him.
As the Woods investigation proceeds, and Brooklyn starts to question everything she believes about her family, her neighbors, and her home, secrets and lies begin to unravel. But nothing can prepare her for where those lies will finally lead.
And sharing the truth of what happened the night her father died might just make things worse.

The blurb has me hooked. I want to know how it happened. It sounds chilling. I love a good thriller and these cold nights is perfect for these type of reads.

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Review: Nil by Lynne Matson

Posted April 18, 2018 by Lily B in Reviews / 10 Comments

Review: Nil by Lynne MatsonNil by Lynne Matson
Series: Nil #1
Published by Henry Holt on March 4, 2014
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.
Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.
Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.

A few points about Nil

 

  1. The basic premise of this book was kind of exciting, a bunch of teenagers trapped on an island that is not suppose to exist and they have to find their way off the island. There is danger on the island and as far as they know, no one survived more than a year on the island. The rules seem to be simple, you must catch a gate, or you die.
  2. There is a large cast of characters, but we only get two POVs in the book. We get Charlie’s POV and Thad’s. Charlie is a new arrival at the beginning of the book, Thad is the current leader of the group and he seems to keep everything running smoothly and fairly. Of course, there will always be a person or two who do not like following the rules.
  3. The romance was the most frustrating part of the book. It seemed to be instalove but the characters act like petulant children and refuse to give into their feelings. Honestly, they start pouting, brooding and avoiding each other. Other people on the island have to step up and tell them to get it over with because they are tired of their moods.I honestly found myself rooting against the romance because I just did not like it.
  4. The setting and the plot were interesting to me. I did feel this had a bit of holes that were left to uncover in other books, which I guess makes me want to read the other books. The author was brutal and did not hold back any punches when it came to character death. It kept me flipping through the pages and reading.
  5. Overall, not too bad of a story - if you can grit your teeth at the romance, because the premise and the setting I actually did find enjoyable.

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Guest Review: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Posted November 15, 2017 by Lily B in Reviews / 20 Comments

Guest Review: Stars Above by Marissa MeyerStars Above by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4.5
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 2nd 2016
Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4.5 Stars

The enchantment continues....
The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?
With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.
--The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The PrincessThe Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Stars Above was a delight. Sheer delight. For a fan of The Lunar Chronicles who just had not gotten enough of the series whenWinter was read and done, this collection of novellas came as a delicious dessert.

Stars Above is a compilation of nine stories. All, but one are prequels of sorts. Several were already released as in-between stories setting up the reader for the newly releasing full-length novel coming behind it while perhaps six were new and never before released.

Each of the stories is a snippet into the lives of many of the characters before they became the older heroes and heroines of the full-length novels. Only two novellas fall outside that. The Littlest Android is a Little Mermaid retelling and is a standalone story parallel to the beginning of Cinder and Something Old Something New is a long epilogue- sequel to Winter.

I loved each and every story for how it enriched the series and I definitely needed that last one, Something Old Something New, because Winter ended in a way that I felt needed just a bit more. But, surprisingly, the story I loved the best was the bittersweet standalone, The Littlest Android.

For the most part, the stories are expansions on shorter references within the novels so that I was familiar with each to a certain extent. It was fascinating getting the stories from the different points of view and feeling like I was right there when it was happening rather than the shorter summaries the characters gave in the later novels.

So, this is great for a nice follow-up to the series, bringing together all the shorter stories from before and adding several new ones. Definite fan gift from the author and worth the read whether the reader reads them in release order with the bigger novels or waits to read them after the series is over.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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Review: Rook by Sharon Cameron

Posted June 11, 2017 by Lily B in Guest Post, Reviews / 27 Comments

Hi Guys, hope everyone is having a great weekend. I don’t have much time today but I do have Sophia Rose on the blog with a YA Dystopia Romance review. Gosh.. I miss Dystopia books. Going to have to look into some I have not read yet myself. Anyway. I hope you enjoy your weekend and weather and leave this girl some love <3

Review: Rook by Sharon CameronRook by Sharon Cameron
Series: standalone
Published by Scholastic Press on May 31st 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance
Pages: 464
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:one-flame

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. The mysterious Red Rook is a savior of the innocent, and a criminal in the eyes of the government.
Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy's arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.
As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow ever higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.
Daring intrigue, delicious romance, and spine-tingling suspense fill the pages of this extraordinary tale from award-winning author Sharon Cameron.

I discovered Rook had a connection to the old classic, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and it became a must-read for me. I love the old tale of a hero in disguise saving people from death during the time of the bloody French Revolution and I was keen to see how the basic elements of that story would play out in a dystopian YA context. Rook is a separate and independent story so a reader doesn’t have to have read the old classic to appreciate this one.

Rook opens on an intense and exciting first scene where the reader gets a first glimpse of the Scarlet Rook saving innocents from the prison just before they are meant to be executed and then leaving her disguise behind to play an entirely different role back home. It’s a story full of intrigue, plots, spies, and no one seems to be whom they pretend to be and most have a private agenda.

This was one that I had to pay close attention to what was going on, always. There are narrative shifts, swiftly changing scenes even from paragraph to paragraph (this was a niggle), and it’s a large cast of characters though Sophia (ha, love that) Bellamy is the main character. There are main plot threads and smaller ones. Things get confusing near the end and then a series of twists and reveals take place that left me both nodding my head because I saw some of it coming while others were shockers for me.

The dystopian world came about through the shift of the magnetic poles bringing our current world to a crashing halt and centuries later the world of Rook is the result. I found the big natural disaster followed by the domino effect it wrought on humanity was well-done and the social situation of Rook made sense within that context. The theme of this whole book could be that history has a way of repeating itself.

I liked the characters and how there is some depth to them. Sophia was a strong female lead with both brilliant and impetuous moments. Like many YA characters, she has youthful confidence that slips into arrogance at times. She started her double-life because of the excitement and danger before she settled into needing to help the desperate. It worked in this story because she also was given vulnerability and felt fear and uncertainty. She knew she and her friends were the only ones willing to step into the gap and do something for the poor folks getting slaughtered on the guillotine so a few corrupt officials could steal their holdings and keep the mob in a blood frenzy.

There is romance in this one, but it’s complicated by the fact that both individuals are living double-lives and aren’t sure where they actually stand. There is a sad unrequited love also. I do like that the ‘love’ word isn’t tossed around early or lightly especially with all the other things going on in this story.

All in all, this was a great tribute to the classic, but also an engaging story in its own right. A little slow and could get confusing at times, but also exciting and twisting. This is YA dystopian, but the setting is more like French Revolutions era so I think it would also have some appeal for those who enjoy YA Historical Romantic Suspense.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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3 Mini Book Reviews

Posted May 1, 2017 by Lily B in Reviews / 17 Comments

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
3 Mini Book ReviewsA Wedding for Christmas by Lori Wilde
Series: Twilight, Texas #7
Published by Avon on October 25th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday
Pages: 384
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:2 Stars
Heat:three-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The whole town is ready for the holidays: The Cookie Club is baking, Main Street glitters with lights, the carolers sing . . .There’s even a Christmas wedding.
When bodyguard Ryder Southerland sees his best friend’s sister Katie at an L.A. Christmas party, he mistakes the slinky blonde for a celebrity stalker and tackles her. Then they tackle each other . . . at his place. The next morning, Katie’s gone, and Ryder tells himself it’s for the best. It isn’t. Now, one Christmas later, Ryder’s falling for the woman he’s been missing in the town he hasn’t missed at all . . .
Katie Cheek’s outgrown the romantic fantasies she had about Ryder when she was fifteen. Katie’s packed their hot night away in a box labeled “fling”—or tried to. But Twilight’s bad boy is the best man in her brother’s wedding. And up-close and personal, Ryder’s impossible to ignore. So Katie can either go into hiding—or surrender to Christmas magic.

This book is kind of a follow up to what happens in the last book when two women from two different worlds exchange houses for Christmas. It can however be read as a standalone.
I did not like this one as much as I liked the one before. I do feel like this was Wilde’s weaker book in this series.
I really liked Ryder, I thought he was swoon worthy. He did come with some packages. He left town when his best friends sister kissed him and it freaked him out, especially since he always pictured their family as his, after living in their house for a while due to his own family issues. His father blames him as a kid for his mother’s death, that was very unfortunate and very sad. I hated his father for what he put the kid through, especially since Ryder already blamed himself.
I hated Katie, she destroyed this book for me. She goes to LA, has sex with Ryder and disappears. When he shows up in town for his best friends wedding, it gets complicated. Ryder went to the military, he grew up, he changed, but Katie keeps making him pay for his past. I hated her stupid treatment of him and her stupid rules. I never felt that he deserved the way she handled things.

3 Mini Book ReviewsIf You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins
Series: standalone
Published by HQN Books on August 25th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Chick-Lit
Pages: 411
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3.5 Stars
Heat:one-flame

Sisterhood in all its drama, hilarity and tears is at the heart of New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins's thoroughly captivating new novel, featuring the wit and romance that readers have come to expect from the much-loved creator of the Blue Heron series...
Wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate understands the happily-ever-after business, yet somehow she's still involved in her ex-husband's life. In fact, Owen's new wife may—inexplicably—be Jenny's new best friend. Sensing this, well, relationship isn't helping her move on, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll be able to bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life…and hopefully make one of her own.
Her timing couldn't be more perfect, since Rachel will need her younger sister. Her idyllic marriage has just fallen to pieces in spectacular fashion after she discovers her husband sexting with one of his colleagues. Second chances aren't in Rachel's nature, but the desire for an intact family has her rethinking her stance on adultery, much to Jenny's surprise. Rachel points to their parents' "perfect" marriage as a shining example, but to protect her sister Jenny may have to tarnish that memory—and their relationship­—and reveal a secret about their family she's been keeping since childhood.
During this summer of secrets and lies, temptation and revelation, Jenny and Rachel will rely on each other to find the humor in their personal catastrophes, the joy in their triumphs…and the strength to keep hanging on.

After reading On Second Thought, I really wanted to read the other book related to this town and found If You Only Knew.

This follows Jenny and Rachel. Jenny is divorced, but remains friends with her ex-husband and his new wife. At the beginning of the book she is in her replacements baby shower and ends up delivering the baby.

I found that I really liked this book and the authors writing and the people, but I did not love this one. It is the weaker of the two.

I had a problem with the way Jenny treated Loki the dog and all her stupid remarks about him being old and when is he going to kick the bucket? She had this inner fantasy dialog that I found irritating and desperate at times. She really wanted to get married.

Rachel story was kind of heart breaking, but also on the annoying side. Her husband cheats on her and she keeps forgiving him until she finally has enough. When Jenny stands up to him, Rachel takes the losers side.

There was a bit of slut shaming in this book aimed at the woman who had the affair with Rachel’s loser husband.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
3 Mini Book ReviewsShadow Falling by Rebecca Zanetti
Series: The Scorpius Syndrome #2
Published by Zebra on August 30th 2016
Genres: Post- Apocalyptic, Dystopia
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars
Heat:three-flames

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her skills as a hunter of men had gone from merely brilliant to full-on uncanny. Her mysterious rescuer wants her to put them to the test. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.
If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk.
And the way his arms wrap around Vinnie tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

This book continues with the events happening in book 1, I do not suggest to read this series out of order or a standalone because it has an ongoing story and conflict that keeps growing.

This was Raze’s story, but as much as I was excited about it - I found it to be a bit on the disappointing side.

Raze needed Vivienne Wellington in order to exchange her to the mercenaries for his sister. Despite the fact that he knew about his sister’s life being in trouble and what he had to do it did not stop Raze from sleeping with this woman and getting attached fairly quickly.

I found that stupid, reckless and made me think that they should have not gotten together in that kind of circumstances. Also, makes me really thankful that I do not have a brother to screw me over like that if god forbid something like this happened. Cause Raze only thought with his penis to begin with and not his loyalty to his family.

Also, just the whole set up, if I closed my eyes and listened to the book and ignored the names Vivvy and Raze - the set up and the personalities (including the spanking?) were pretty much exactly like the last two characters in book one.

I liked this because I loved the background conflict, but as far as the love story in this, I did not like it at all. Which was a shame, since I loved Raze in book 1, but did not think he would lead with his penis. I was hoping for a more back and forth, tug and pull and not straight to bed kind of thing.

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Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Posted November 27, 2016 by Lily B in Reviews / 20 Comments

Review:  Scythe by Neal ShustermanScythe by Neal Shusterman
Series: Arc of a Scythe, #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 22nd 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia
Pages: 448
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
Rating:3.5 Stars

In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional reapers (“scythes”). Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythe’s apprentices, and—despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation—they must learn the art of killing and come to understand the necessity of what they do.
Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice. And when it becomes clear that the winning apprentice’s first task will be to glean the loser, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another in a fight for their lives.

I didn’t know how to start or write this review, I didn’t think it was easy to put my thoughts together for this book, as you see, it was a bit complicated.

The book is about a Dystopian world set in the Age of Immortality and what happens when the mankind has achieved about literally everything, including immortality.

There is a group or an organization of people called the Scythes, who are professional reapers that glean people by random and they are the only ones that can cause permanent death.

After both Citra and Rowan run into Scythe Faraday during his gleanings and he sees something in them that would make both a great apprentice. It’s unusual for a Scythe to take on more than one apprentice, but Faraday takes a risk anyway. Unfortunately, only one of the two can become a real Scythe and earn the ring - so both Rowan and Citra have to pass three tests before being granted the ring.

When a Scythe at the annual Scythe enclave points out that it’s unheard of, Citra and Rowan now face an even greater risk of one of the winners being forced to glean the loser and puts a lot of things at stake.

I thought the concept was interesting. I liked the world that the author had created and I kind of wanted to know more about it. It felt just a tad bit confusing at times. I did not understand how revivals in the world worked. I get that people could not die, but some of the deaths seemed really unrealistic for people to come back from no matter how you swing it.

The pace of the book itself was a bit slow and well over 400 pages, at times I found myself completely dozing. Most of this book is about Citra’s and Rowan’s apprenticeship and it moves at a snail pace.

Half the time you are just waiting for something, anything to happen.

The romance was awkward and felt forced. There was no need for it. There is no build up. So if you are a lover of romance, I wouldn’t recommend this book based on that. It plays a really minor part of the whole picture. I felt like the author threw it in as an afterthought because he believed that somehow it’s a must to have romance in books - it isn’t and it could have done without it. Really, I would have been okay with just friendship in this.

The format and the writing of the book is well put together. The character development was really well done as well. Both Citra and Rowan end up being shaped by their experiences and their training and both in the end come out completely different people with a different kind of purpose.

There is a conflict going on between the Scythes with those who believe in a different kind of gleaning and their ‘leader’ was a monster. I think that is where the book got a little weird for me. I understood the purpose of showing those kind of monsters and what happens when you get the power to kill people, but it was still hard. That being said, yes, there was lot’s of killings in this book and the author tried to paint a picture of what happens what you get the power to kill people. The mass murdering was just absolutely hard to read.

Overall, it was interesting and a decent start. Hopefully I will get to pick up book 2, and hopefully it will move at a quicker pace.

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Review: The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

Posted November 9, 2016 by Lily B in Reviews / 23 Comments

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Series: Stand-alone
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 1st 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction
Pages: 416
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars
Heat:half-flame

A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.

A science fiction, standalone novel that uses politics and religion to build a unique, brutal world, but ultimately falls short.

Nemesis is a diabolic, a genetically engineered humanoid that is built with one purpose in mind and that is to protect the person they are bonded to until their very last breath.

When Sidonia, a senator’s daughter is called to court as a hostage - because of her father’s meddling in trying to bring back the study of science - Nemesis finds herself impersonating the one person she would give her life to make sure she is safe. Nemesis thinks she is heading to court to her death, but ends up finding an entirely different, vicious reason for why she was called to court along with the other heir’s of the ruling families.

It’s been a while since I read a science fiction novel, let alone a young adult science fiction novel, so when I saw The Diabolic, I knew I had to read it right away. Unfortunately the book started off on a rocky ground for me and continued to crumble along. It did not help that it sounds like it is in fact a standalone and has left me with more questions than answers.

I didn’t really know how to rate this book, and I didn’t really know how to review it. Even as I sit here and write it now, it has taken me a few days to chew over my thoughts and try to put them out there as a written word.

I liked the fact that the setting of the book took place in outer space, but where the setting could have really shined - it barely played a big part of the book. The story is that the emperor has suppressed the education of sciences, so the current technology used by the people is so old they don’t even know how to fix it. All these ships that carry people through space break down and cause a rip in the space itself - they call it malignant space that closely resembles a black hole and people are scared that as it expands it will eat up their existence.

But this is just a background story that sets the brutal mood of the book. Most of the story takes place on Chrysanthemum, which is where the Emperor lives and I believe it’s a ship? I found that a little unclear.

I felt like the author was trying to make some sort of political and religious statement here as both play a large part and NOT in a good way. The people are very religious and devout and the political control these people with an iron fist to the point where the emperor and his followers have no qualms when it comes to killing a lot of innocent people. There is a statement that the author makes that the moment people expand their knowledge and discover their capability there is a political revolution and they try to overthrow the current government and that is something the emperor is so afraid of that he even killed his own family members to get to where he is today.

There was a lot of killing, brutal killing and a lot of innocent people and animals alike die in the hands of more powerful. I don’t know why I didn’t like this, it didn’t settle well in my stomach and maybe it’s because it hit too close to some kind of a twisted reality that we are trying not to acknowledge, and I hope that is not the case, but that turned me off from the story.

I didn’t understand Nemesis character. Was she a machine or a human? She has no tear ducks, but many times it mentions that her eyes blurb when she doesn’t blink. She is suppose to have one mission in life and that is to be a cold heartless killer in order to protect the one person she is bonded to. Okay, but as the story goes on, Nemesis has a conscious and she can think, act, and even feel as we grow to find out. This baffles me a little, as the other Diabolics in this book don’t seem to exhibit similar traits. What made her so different?

I was also a bit confused about the issues in this book. It mentions people now knowing even how to fix the current technology, but how did they survive this long on such old ships? Things break down, period, even the ships they live on should be able to break down and they should be able to fix them - so this idiot didn’t make sense to me. If they didn’t have the basic of knowledge on how to fix their ships, then they couldn’t have survived as long as they did - even the ships they live on would have broken down. Even general maintenance need some sort of knowledge.

I felt there were a lot of holes. The romance was meh to me at best. I felt when it finally happened, it was a bit quick, but I guess these two deserved each other.

Overall, I was hoping to be more impressed and I wasn’t. The writing was good, but the pacing faltered at times. I spent have the time wondering if it was over yet or when it will be over. I felt there was a lot of holes left in the story and the ending happened kind of quickly, things just fell together for the characters a little too well.

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Review: The Isle by Jordana Frankel

Posted January 24, 2016 by Lily B in Reviews / 1 Comment

Review:  The Isle by Jordana FrankelThe Isle (The Ward, #2) by Jordana Frankel
Series: The Ward #2
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on January 19th 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3.5 Stars

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The heart-racing and thrilling sequel to The Ward about a teenage female drag racer who will do anything to save her sister—and a flooded futuristic Manhattan.
Drought season is coming....
The Ward is in trouble—its streets filled with seawater after a devastating flood and its impoverished inhabitants suffering from a deadly disease called the Blight.
Ren, with the help of her scientist friend, Callum, and her racing buddy, Derek, has discovered a cure—miraculous spring water—administering it to her sick sister, Aven. But when Aven is kidnapped by Governor Voss, the malevolent dictator of the United Metro Isles (UMI), Ren must go on a dangerous mission to save her sister, again.
The mysterious healing water is the only source of freshwater throughout the entire UMI—water that Ren had been tasked by the government to discover. Although she refuses to give up the water’s location, Governor Voss has his own selfish reasons for wanting it. And he will do anything to satisfy his thirst for unquenchable power.
But Ren and Aven have more enemies than the governor. An ancient order, the Tètai, has been guarding the magical water for hundreds of years. And they will kill to protect it. With the Ward in desperate need of freshwater and wracked by disease—and deadly enemies at every turn—the sisters face a dangerous journey, marred by mysterious secrets and horrifying truths, to save their friends and neighbors, and a city.

The Isle

It feels like forever since the first book came out, but imagine my joy when I finally saw the announcement of the sequel that it felt like I have been waiting for forever for. I almost wished I re-read the first book to brush up on what it left off because The Isle starts shortly after the events of the first and when it takes off, it really takes off.

I found the second book of the series to be pretty faced paced, because before I knew it, I have devoured it in no time. It sets the tone from page one, and it pretty much for the most part, sticks to it.

I warmed up to Ren a bit more. She is still pretty reckless, but I admired her dedication to the people she loves and cares for as well as the lengths she would go to keep them safe, even if the price is her own safety most of the time. I loved the sibling relationship that is going on between Aven and Ren, how true to form it is. This book also happens to be from the point of view of Aven and Ren together, but it was easy to follow.

The romance does take a bit of a back seat in this book, but that’s okay, I did not mind it much. Do I wish there was more? Of course I do, I always do. But, I enjoyed continue to watch Ren develop into the person she becomes at the end of the book. I enjoyed the action and the adventure, and it felt a bit final, so I am guessing this was only meant to be a duology. Sure, there were still moments that made me angry, but the tear jerking moments, and some heartwarming scenes, definitely balances the book out.

I did have a hard time with Aven at some parts. She did remind me a bit of Ren from the last book. A bit reckless, and a total kid when it comes to not getting things her way. To be fair, I believe Aven is 14 in this book, so for the most part, it makes sense. She let her feelings sway her, she made promises she probably couldn’t really keep, and she endangered Ren because of these promises. I can’t say that I didn’t want to throttle her when she asked Ren to save the people when she knew the mission is dangerous, it was like expecting your sister to give up her life for others, it just didn’t seem fair to me.

Overall, I did enjoy this one. I wished it came out quicker than it did, it seemed like a long time to wait for this sequel. I did find it worth it. I enjoyed the authors writing, imagination and the world she had created with this series. I will miss it, but I am looking forward to what else she has in store for us next.

Giveaway:
3 Finished copies of THE ISLE
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

1/11: Night Owl Book Cafe - Review

1/12: Swoony Boys Podcast - Q&A

1/13: Live To Read - Review

1/14: Seeing Double In Neverland - Top 10

1/15: Take Me Away To A Great Read - Review
Week 2

1/18: The Cover Contessa - Review

1/19: The Irish Banana Review - Guest Post

1/20: Reads All the Books - Review

1/21: A Leisure Moment - Guest Post
1/22: Emily Reads Everything - Review

This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Café

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