Book Review: The Legacy Human by Susan Kaye Quinn

 

Goodreads Summary: What would you give to live forever?
Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender--a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid--after all, they're smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he's yearned for within reach... including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel... until he's running for his life and wondering who he truly is.

The Legacy Human is the first in Susan Kaye Quinn's new young adult science fiction series that explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world... and how technology will challenge us to remember what it means to be human.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.93 stars with over 1,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Apocalyptic

Goodreads Challenge: 38/50   

2021 Reading Challenge:  #23 Read a book with Human, People, or Person in the title (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hi Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I can't believe it's already October. I feel like this year has flown by. That means the 2022 challenge will be launching in just a few months! The lovely  Co-conspirator, Tress, and I already have a list started with goodies for next year. 

I initially put The Legacy Human on the Science Fiction prompt, but I realized that we had #23 for Human. It also dawned on me that I probably intended to read this book for that one initially. I expected this to be a lot shorter of a read than it actually was. I'm not sure if it was just a glitch in the matrix, but the book made it seem like page 408 was the last page; however, that was at around 80%.  There ended up being quite a bit of story left. There is not really a point to me mentioning this.

I'm still trying to piece my thoughts on The Legacy Human together. The more I over-analyze it, the less I'm going to like the book. For most of the story, I thought the concept was interesting. Humans figured out how to combine AI technology with Genetics and live forever. The Ascenders, as they're called, run the world and basically control how the Legacy Humans (non-AI population) live. I was entertained while reading it, but there were a lot of issues I had with it. I'm making no promises about keeping spoilers out of this review. Sorry.

For the vast majority of reading this book, I felt like I was reading a weird Hunger Games or Divergent knock-off. In Legacy Human, the ordinary people are all mainly creative people like artists or writers. Every year there's the Creative Olympics, which have replaced the regular Olympics. Teenagers can compete in their chosen art, and the winners of each group get to ascend. This is the only way to Ascend. There's this whole political aspect behind the games where Sponsors are getting to use their Legacy as a bragging right and maybe some nefarious activities to tip the scales. There's also a group of the resistance trying to fight the AI overlords and some big reveal about Elijah's lineage. The big secret made zero sense to me. I understood what was being said, even expected it. However, I just felt like the Science made little to no sense. 

I never really felt like any of the book's Science was actually explained. I felt like I was just supposed to know and understand it without an explanation. For example, Elijah kept referencing being in a "Fugue State." This is supposed to be a YA Science Fiction, so I would expect the Science wouldn't be highly complicated. I'd expect it to at least be summarized enough to where the average teenager or young college student can understand. Most days, I consider myself to be reasonably intelligent and have a vast understanding of things. I had no idea what a fugue state was. The whole time I thought it was some word the author made up that was slang for the story. I googled it after I finished reading the book. Per Britannica, "Dissociative fugue (psychogenic fugue, or fugue state) presents as sudden, unexpected travel away from one's home with an inability to recall some or all of one's past. Onset is sudden, usually following severe psychosocial stressors." Now that I know what it is, it makes sense, but I don't feel like the context was there for the average reader. This is just one example where I think the vocabulary needed to be better tailored to the audience. 

I felt like the most developed character was Cyrus. Everyone else fell a little flat and started to blend together. I didn't really feel like anyone had their own individual voice. I had to scroll back up to the summary to even remember Elijah's name. Everyone else has kind of escaped me. I think this is a case of an interesting concept and not great execution. I didn't hate the book (despite how this review probably seems), but I didn't really love it either. At best, I can describe it as ok but fell flat in a lot of aspects. I sort of enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I think I've talked myself down from 3 stars to 2 stars after writing this review. 

Book Review: The Kill Order by James Dashner

Goodreads Summary: Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.
Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there's something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it's mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there's a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they're determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you're worth more dead than alive.

Goodreads Rating: 3.72 stars with over 153,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Other Reviews on the Series: Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure

Goodreads Challenge: 11/60 books

2020 Reading Challenge: #22 A book by an author named Jim/James or a variant (See the full challenge here)

Book Review: 

Boy, did I pick one hell of a time to read The Kill Order by James Dashner. In a lot of ways, I liked the fourth book better than the last two in the Maze Runner series. While The Kill Order follows different sets of characters before the Flare, I think that the other three books need to be read first to appreciate this prequel. 

I had a lot of theories about who Mark and Trina were. My friend, who is letting me borrow the series from her, asked if I had figured out who they were once I started reading it, so I knew they were connected somehow. My theories ranged from founders of WICKED, actually, Teresa and Tom even though the age/time frame didn't make sense, and Tom's parents. There were probably other theories, as well. I won't tell you if any were correct. 

I enjoyed The Kill Order, but I didn't retain much of it. This isn't the book's fault. I was reading it in the car while driving back and forth from Minnesota to Indiana for a funeral. I will say it was a bit more gruesome in parts than I was expecting. It was interesting to see the Flare from the eyes of characters who went through it. Readers get a glimpse of what happened during the solar flares from Mark's dreams. A good portion of the book is how The Flare started. I feel like a lot of dystopian novels are post-apocalyptic, so it was a nice change to read the story of it's beginning. 

I didn't really feel particularly attached to any of the characters. They all felt a little generic to me. Alec probably had the most personality in the story. Mark and Trina felt a lot like place holders. They were prominent in the story but could have been replaced with really any characters, and it would have had the same effect. They weren't bad but just weren't particularly fascinating.  I don't know that character development is James Dashner's strong suit, but at least in The Kill Order, there wasn't the Glade's made-up language like in the other two books.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I've got whatever the fifth book is on hand and will read it here soon. I probably would have started it right away, but when I finished this, I was in a car and didn't have it with me. If you like Dystopian series and just want a quick read, I highly recommend it. I would just be sure to read the first three books in the Maze Runner series first. They are also quick dystopian reads, but reading them first will give a better appreciation for the apocalyptic world in The Kill Order. At least, it did for me.

Book Review: The Death Cure by James Dashner

Goodreads Summary: It's the end of the line.
WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it's finally over. The trials are complete after one final test.

Will anyone survive?

What WICKED doesn't know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it's enough to prove that he can't believe a word of what they say.

The truth will be terrifying.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He'll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over.
Goodreads Rating: 3.77 stars with over 315,000 reviews
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Previous Reviews on the series: Maze Runner by James Dashner, Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Goodreads Challenge: 10/60 books
2020 Reading Challenge: #3 A book with a blue cover (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

I've picked an ... interesting time to start The Maze Runner series back up. I set it down for a bit so I could get some other books on the challenge read. The Death Cure takes place right after the Scorch Trials when Tom is captured by WICKED. One of the things I've come to appreciate about this series is it takes almost no time to get back into it. The story moves fast, and the chapters are pretty short, which for me makes it grab my attention pretty quickly.

I don't know that I was as into The Death Cure as I was Maze Runner or Scorch Trials. It was good, but I didn't find myself bargaining how many more chapters I could read before I had to put it down and go to bed. There was a lot of warfare type of activities, and all I could think was, "Where did these teenagers learn to strategically shoot guns?" Yep. I'm officially old.  Throughout the entire story, I was curious to see what the cure would ultimately be if we would find out if it worked, or if they'd even develop it. I'm trying to not give spoilers, but it wasn't what I expected; however, it made a lot of sense.

I thought it was interesting that the story came full circle in the end. I don't know that a lot of series do that, but The Death Cure tied up a lot of loose ends. Newt's part in the story made me sad, but I think it was a necessary catalyst for the story. I feel like I should probably be upset about what happened to Teresa, but I'm not. Honestly, I kind of brushed past her final scene. I was ready to be done with her in Scorch Trials. There's a character that pops back into the story that I found very unexpected. It helped to close the circle.

I think the thing that disappointed me with The Death Cure is the memories. At one point in the story, everyone's given the option to retain their memories. I really thought this would have been a bigger deal. Not everyone opts to get their memories back, and for me, I really wanted to dive more into this. I think it'd be interesting to not only finally find out more of what the characters went through but to also see some of the psychology behind them finally remembering everything. I concede that this is all probably too advanced for a YA series, though. Again. I'm old.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It's entertaining and moves quickly, which after the daunting 1,000ish pages of Drums of Autumn, I needed. It's easy to get into, and I think it presents an interesting twist to the Dystopian theme of disease outbreak and how to survive it.

Book Review: The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Goodreads Summary: It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.
Goodreads Rating: 4.3 stars with over 16,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy
Previous Series reviews: Scythe, Thunderhead
Goodreads Challenge: 3/60
2020 Reading Challenge: #6, A book that is set in the future (Find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

I'm mildly sad that the Arc of Scythe is over. Yes, The Toll is the conclusion in the series. It ends how it should, but I love the trilogy so much that I want more. The Toll sort of takes place right after The Thunderhead ends. There are five parts to this book and for the most part, the timeline is linear, but there is a small part that jumps forward three years to bring Citra and Rowan back in the mix (sorry, spoilers, but you didn't really think they'd stay in that vault did you?) A large part of the book follows Grayson, Faraday, Goddard, and Rand.

Goddard is ever the petulant child in The Toll. I thought he was bad in the other books, but he somehow managed to become even viler in The Toll. I kind of liked Rand in The Toll. She still doesn't really care about anyone but herself, but somehow tries to be the voice of reason on Goddard's team when he lets his power get to his head. Anastasia ends up dropping some bombshells of knowledge about how vile Goddard really is, which I thought was interesting. I like the way this information was delivered as well.

A new character is introduced who I really liked. Captain Jericho, who ends up being one of Citra's closest friends. Jericho is gender fluid, and I think that the way Neal Shusterman explained it was really elegant. Especially with this being a YA book, I love that a fluid character was included. I'm assuming it probably gives fluid teens someone to relate too. Shusterman takes the time to not only explain what fluid means but when to address Jericho as a man or woman. He also made it so their entire culture is genderless. The other characters are very accepting of this, but some of them are a little confused by how their fluidity works. For Jericho, it's elegantly described as when it's a sunny day or they're under the stars they feel like a woman. When it's cloudy out they feel like a man. Beyond the development, I liked how loyal Jericho is. They're young but work hard to get what they want, and are smart to boot. Jericho may have been one of my favorite characters in The Toll.

The Thunderhead evolved a lot in The Toll to the point where I found it a little creepy. It was necessary but still creepy. It finds workarounds for some of its laws and with not communicating with unsavories. It never outright communicates with anyone but Grayson, but it's still there for the people of the world, just not always in the way they want. I thought it's the solution to the earth's problem was interesting and really brought the story full circle, especially when combined with the fail-safe that Faraday finds. Really, I felt everything came full circle and worked out how it should. It brings a new age, where instead of Scythe's killing for population control it's to bring peace. Faraday's final scene had me tear up a little bit. 

If you've read the other two books in the arc of Scythe trilogy then definitely read the Toll. It's a really good YA Dystopian/Fantasy series. It's witty, interesting, and unique. I'm just sad it's over. I wish there was going to be an epilogue of sorts that takes place after Rowan and Citra's last scene, but I don't think there will be.

Book Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Goodreads Summary: Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.
Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.
Goodreads Rating: 3.92 stars with over 400,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Previous Review on the series: Maze Runner
Goodreads Challenge: 35/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #48 Free Space, Pick any Book! (Find the full challenge here.)

Book Review:

I was really hoping that I would be able to make a larger dent in the challenges, but I don't think I'm going to get much past 36 or 37 before the year is up. We'll see though. Tress and I are working on the 2020 Reading Challenge and I hope to have that finalized within the next week. I was surprised that  2019's challenge was viewed around 8,000 times. Holy crap!  Anyways, We'll post the challenge up on both blogs once it's finalized and I'll do my year in review post around New Years Day.  On with The Scorch Trials!

Like The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials moves pretty quickly. It takes place right after the kids leave the Maze. They're sent into some secret location and held captive and then forced out into the world to survive with The Flare- a disease that the world contracted during the solar flares that destroyed most of the world. Their objective is to reach the Safe Haven in two weeks.

I think it took me a little longer to get into the Scorch Trials than it did The Maze Runner. I thought a lot of aspects of it were very predictable. It was still good and enjoyable, but I kind of felt through most of it where the story was going. I especially thought that Teresa's part in everything wasn't much of a surprise. Brenda's inclusion in the story was interesting, but she felt odd to me the entire time. There's a little bit of a cliff hanger with her story that I assume will pick up in the third book. Right now, I don't really trust her. 

It's a little hard for me to go into the character development of the story because I don't really know that there is any. Thomas gets some of his memories back, but they're in pieces. I think that's the most interesting part of the story for me. I'm curious to know more about the behind the scenes aspect of the Maze and the Scorch. The survival aspect is interesting, but for me I want it to lead back to how it all started. I'm assuming that's what the Prequels are for, so I'm really anxious to finish up the series and read them.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. I didn't enjoy it as much as The Maze Runner, but still enjoyed it. It's an easy world to get sucked into and reads pretty quickly. There's not a ton of character development, but it's not really necessary. I think the lack of character background is kind of interesting because it plays into the memory loss. It's a good dystopian read. 

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Goodreads Summary: EVERYTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE....
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is empty.

But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade,a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they've closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas's arrival. But the next day, a girl is sent up- the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might find their way home... wherever that may be. But it's looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable.

And something about the girl's arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he might just have some answers- if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars with over 920,000 reviews
Goodreads Challenge: 34/50
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction,
2019 Reading Challenge: #59 A book with the letter Z in the title (See the full challenge, here)

Book Review:

Happy Thanksgiving, readers! A friend of mine let me borrow the entire Maze Runner series from them, so I'm trying to make my way through it. I finished the first book a couple nights ago. I really enjoyed it and ended up starting The Scorch Trials shortly after.  I will say that the first five or so chapters of The maze runner were a little disorienting, but I think that was by design. 

There's not a ton of background story for the characters in the book, so it gets right into the action, which means it moves really fast. I think the entire book takes place over maybe a week or two tops. The first five chapters are basically Thomas trying to understand where he is and what is happening to him. It's disorienting to read, but like I said, that's by design. He's confused as to where he is and who he is, and you can feel that when reading the story. Once Thomas starts to get used to the flow of how the Glades works, everything is thrown upside down again when Teresa is sent to the Glades. 

I found myself really engaged in The Maze Runner. At one point, I was bargaining with myself on how much to read. I'd tell my things like, "okay, I can read three more chapters, and then I have to go to bed." Of course, three chapters would turn into several because it'd be too much of a cliff hanger to stop where I had intended. The whole having to sleep and get up for work thing really gets in the way of my reading.

I think that the most interesting part of the story for me was the self-sustaining aspect of the Glades. It ran like clockwork, and the Gladers assigned themselves leaders, and each person had a job to do to keep it running. They got some supplies from "the box," but it was mostly self ran by the teenagers. I haven't read it, but I gather this is very Lord of the Flies-Esq. I thought their own creation of language was intriguing, as well. I'm trying to not dive into the rabbit hole that is the sociological aspects of this book. I'm a giant nerd.

The characters were interesting, but without a back story, I didn't get really interested in them, just the overall story. With how action-packed everything is, there really isn't time to dwell on the lack of character information or development. The entire story is very focused on what needs to be done to survive.

Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I'm excited to move on to the Scorch Trials. I've read a few chapters in it but not gotten very far yet. This is a good read for anyone in need of a YA dystopian story with lots of action. It moves fast and is easy to get through.

Unrelated note: Stay tuned for the 2020 reading challenge. Tress and I are working on it!

Book Review: The Rule of Many by Ashley and Leslie Saunders

Goodreads Summary:  Born to a death sentence in a near-future America, rebellious sisters herald a revolution—if they can survive.

Twins Ava and Mira Goodwin defy the Rule of One simply by existing. The single-child law, ruthlessly enforced by Texas’s Governor Roth, has made the sisters famous fugitives and inspirations for the resurgent rebellion known as the Common.

But the relentless governor and his implacable Texas State Guard threaten that fragile hope, as Roth consolidates his power in a bid for ultimate authority.

As Ava and Mira relinquish the relative safety of their Canadian haven to stand against Roth, new allies arise: Owen, a gifted young programmer, impulsively abandons his comfortable life in a moment of compassion, while Zee, an abused labor camp escapee, finds new purpose in resistance.

The four will converge on Dallas for a reckoning with Roth, with nothing less than their destinies—and the promise of a future free from oppression—on the line.

Disobedience means death. But a life worth living demands rebellion.
Goodreads Rating: 3.97 stars with over 1,000 ratings.
Genre Listing: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult, Fiction
Goodreads Challenge: 21/50 (Gahhh almost halfway there. Maybe I can meet my goal.)
2019 Reading Challenge: #32 A book that takes place in a large city (See the full challenge here.)
Review on other books in the series: Rule of One

Book Review:

It feels like I've been reading Rule of Many forever. It's only been a few weeks, though. This is not in any way, shape, or form the book's fault. It was a lack of sitting down and reading on my part. Mainly because I had to finalize my capstone project and graduate!!!! Hurray! I'm done with school. It's a massive relief for sure. I hope that means more time to read in the future!

I picked up Rule of Many by Ashley and Leslie Saunders as soon as I finished Rule of One. The first book was more getting to know the world Ava and Mira lived in as well as their life as forbidden twins. Rule of Many you get to see their life as rebellion leaders, America's most wanted, and figuring out who they are as individuals. 

I don't feel like there was ever a dull moment in Rule of Many, but it does switch between characters quite a bit. I think that Rule of One only switched between Ava and Mira, but I can't remember. Rule of Many includes perspective from "Zee" and Owen. Zee's introduction is a fascinating one, and I like the addition of her character in the story. Owen's point of view was okay. I didn't get really into it, and at times I found it kind of annoying. It wasn't super detrimental, but it didn't really feel necessary. I didn't fully get his motivation for joining the Common. It was kind of forced like his joining was because he had no other option.

I don't think this is the end of the story, and I hope it's not. I'm curious to see where the Common's Rebellion goes. There were some exciting additions to Ava and Mira's world, and I'd love to read more about them. Not to give too much away for The Rule of Many, but there's definitely a traitor in the Common. I'll be honest, I wagered a guess and was completely wrong on who it was.

I think the thing I like the most about the Rule of Many is just how quick it moves, which was similar to the Rule of One. It's under 400 pages and jumps right into the action. There's not a ton of rehashing what happened in The Rule of Many. I like reading through Mira and Ava's journey of figuring out who they are as individuals now that they don't have to pretend to be the same person.  Also, as far as dystopian/ Sci-Fi, it feels entirely plausible. I think if you're a fan of Hunger Games and Divergent you'd enjoy this series. So definitely check it out!

Book Review: The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders

Goodreads Summary: 
In their world, telling the truth has become the most dangerous crime of all.

In the near-future United States, a one-child policy is ruthlessly enforced. Everyone follows the Rule of One. But Ava Goodwin, daughter of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division, has a secret—one her mother died to keep and her father has helped to hide for her entire life.

She has an identical twin sister, Mira.

For eighteen years Ava and Mira have lived as one, trading places day after day, maintaining an interchangeable existence down to the most telling detail. But when their charade is exposed, their worst nightmare begins. Now they must leave behind the father they love and fight for their lives.

Branded as traitors, hunted as fugitives, and pushed to discover just how far they’ll go in order to stay alive, Ava and Mira rush headlong into a terrifying unknown.
Goodreads Rating: 3.78 stars with over 7,800 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction
Goodreads Challenge: 20/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #18 A book with a number in the title ( For the full challenge visit here.)

Book Review:

Woohoo! I got to finish two books in a week, and I wasn't even reading them at the same time! I started The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders right after finishing The Blue Period, because frankly, I needed a pallet cleanser. The fact that it filled something on level two of the challenge was just a bonus. 

The Rule of One was a very refreshing read. It's just under 300 pages, and it moves very fast. It alternates between Ava and Mira, twin sisters. In their world, due to a climate issue and over-population, families are limited to one child, hence "The Rule of One." Obviously, because of this law, they can't be out in the open about being twins. Like many post-apocalyptic stories, citizens are microchipped, and their every move is tracked. Ava is the microchipped twin and Mira is the second born, aka the secret, no one knows about. The girls are raised by their father and take turns being Ava. 

I thought this was a fascinating and original premise. I think a lot of books tackle the limited child rule, but I feel like the secret child is usually kept at home the entire time. I liked that the girls switched off and perfected the art of being completely identical. It also made me feel really sorry for Mira because she doesn't really get to have her own identity. When it's her turn, she has to pretend to be her sister. I think this made me really drawn to the twins.

I'll be honest, this book actually scared me a little. The situations that created Mira and Ava's world felt so plausible and so current. I highlighted a ton of quotes in this one, so if you're on Goodreads send me a friend request and check those out. A lot of what I highlighted is what gave me chills. I won't get too political or whatever with the quotes, but one example is about 75% through the book. "The United States was once the most idolized superpower in the world. Our power lay in our equality, our liberty, and our democracy of the common people.," Rayla says, her quiet words emanating strength, drawing Ava even closer. " And look what we've become." I'm not sure if this will work, but feel free to check out the rest of my highlights here.

I have to give a ton of kudos to Ashley and Leslie Saunders with The Rule of One. I can't remember the last time I read a young adult book that did not have romance. You read that right. There is no romance. It's two young women fighting for their right to survive. This makes me so freaking happy. Nothing will kill a book quicker for me than misplaced romance for the sake of having romance. 

I think my most significant issues with The Rule of One is the transitions and the background story. These are minor annoyances, but the whole time reading I felt like the story transitioned weird. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it was like scenes were cut short in some places. I would have also liked to have gotten more of a background story. We understand that their mom is dead, but I'm not sure if she was murdered for having twins or died in childbirth. I get the impression it's the former, but I don't know that it outright says in the book. The girls are also really good at survival skills, and it doesn't seem natural to me. It's such a small thing, really. Yes, they had to be good at surviving and not getting detected, but because their father worked for the government, they still seemed to have a pretty sheltered life. They are really good at school and studying to be doctors, but I don't know that what they've had to do thus far translates into the knowledge they had about surviving. It would have been interesting to know if their father like made some game with them to help teach them, knowing they'd need it someday.

Overall, I  loved this, and as soon as I finished, it started reading the second book, The Rule of Many. I think that Divergent fans would really like The Rule of One. It reminded me a lot of the series while I was reading it. 

Book Review of Paperglass by A.R. Ivanovich

Goodreads Summary: Surviving a narrow brush with death convinced Katelyn Kestrel that she must never return to the war-torn Outside World. Safe again within the sanctuary of Haven Valley, she has forced herself to forget Rune Thayer, the young Dragoon soldier who had sacrificed everything to save her.
Katelyn’s struggle to adapt to a peaceful life is undone when she is assaulted by a classmate, triggering her powers with devastating consequences. The authorities learn of her rare Abilities, and a web of troubling mysteries unravels around her. She finds that an unfortunate twist of fate has delivered Haven prisoners to the Prince of Shadows, and he will stop at nothing to discover the valley’s secret location. Katelyn must find and rescue the captives or witness the destruction of everything she has ever loved.
Goodreads Rating: 4.15 stars with just over 1,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Steampunk
Goodreads Challenge: 4/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #2 Read a YA Fiction (See the full challenge here.)
My Reviews on the city: Haven

Review:

So, I did a little rearranging on my challenge. I realized that Haven, the first book in the series, has a Tree on the cover. So, Haven is now taking up #58 so that I don't have to find another tree book. This also will save me some free spaces when I finish the series. Is it cheating? Maybe. Do I care? Not really.

I felt that Haven moved really slow when I read it, but Paperglass moved quickly. It takes place several months after Haven when Katelyn is trying to regain a sense of normalcy. I liked the pace set in Paperglass. Since I was already familiar with the characters and the scene, it was easy to get into.  I think where Haven is more of getting into the characters and the world, Paperglass gets into the history and the political structure. I really appreciate the steampunk details in both Haven and Paperglass. However, there's quite a bit more of it Paperglass. The world really starts to feel like what I would imagine a steampunk world to be like.

I really enjoyed that Katelyn and Dylan were forced into working together. The lack of trust they have for each other really shows, and I liked the dynamic it caused in the story. I actually thought a lot of their interactions were comical. I thought Sterling's inclusion was interesting as well. I'm really hoping that's his name because I'm drawing a blank at the moment. Anyways he was sort of a love/hate character for me. His earlier actions made me hate him, but his later actions made me love him. Rune was fairly neutral for me in this book. I'm excited to see where his story with Katelyn goes.

I think what I enjoyed most about Paperglass is the details. I mentioned it briefly earlier, but I really liked the world building in this book. It got into the background stories about the powers, especially within Haven and how they've been kept a secret. I liked the mystery behind how people got their information about the outside world. I thought it was a fascinating story development. I definitely can't wait to read the next book in the series. This is easily one of the better Steampunk worlds I've read. 

If you want a good fantasy that's not a massively huge book, I definitely recommend this. Haven builds slow, but the pace in Paperglass is really fast and action-packed. The characters are enjoyable and have a nice depth to them, but the world-building  details are where it's at.

Book Review of Haven by A.R. Ivanovich

Goodreads Summary: From missing socks to missing people, nothing could remain hidden from seventeen-year-old Katelyn Kestrel for long, but after locating a forbidden passage out of her isolated country, Haven, she discovers for the first time that there are some things that should never be found. Outside the safety of her homeland's borders, Katelyn meets Rune, a young soldier who will die without her immediate aid. She never considered that helping him would lead to her capture. While being held prisoner by the handsome Lord Dylan Axton, she learns that the outside world is rife with war and controlled by people with extraordinary powers. It becomes clear that there was a very good reason the founders of Haven locked their people away from the rest of the world. The depth of her peril reaches a fever pitch when a ruthless Commander wants Katelyn dead. Her only hope is to return to Haven, but can she survive long enough to find her home?
Goodreads Ratings: 3.89 stars with over 2200 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Dystopian
Goodreads Challenge: 3/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #2.) Read a YA Fiction (find the full challenge here)

Book Review

Woohoo! Book three of the year is complete! For those of you wondering what order I'm doing the 2019 challenge that Tress and I created, I'm kind of just going at it with reckless abandon. I have a hard time deciding what I'm going to read ahead of time. I kind of just go with what sounds interesting at the moment. I am trying to be a little more structured about it this year, as opposed to 2018 and have an idea of what category I want to try and cross off when I go looking for a book.

Given that YA Fiction is my go-to genre for reading, I figured this would be an easy category to get out of the way. Enter Haven, an odd series on Kindle Unlimited that caught my attention. At first, Haven felt kind of familiar in a generic sort of way. I knew I hadn't read the story before, but I felt like I had. It starts with Katelyn's life in Haven and how they'd been isolated for 750 years. It doesn't really go into why just kind of a blanket that's the way it is and no one leaves. It was interesting enough, but the beginning of the story didn't wow me. I kept feeling like it was familiar and a little generic. My brain sometimes oddly associates things, and when I was reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about the later seasons of the show The 100. Once Katelyn reaches the outside world, and these different towns and kingdoms are fighting. That combined with the abilities aspect of the story made it feel like a druid-esq version of the show.

Somewhere around 150-200 pages in, the pace of the book changed for me. It started to really pick up, and I got really interested in the story. I think it was around the time that Katelyn began to really get into with her abilities. I really like how defiant Katelyn was and how she tried to cover things with humor. I always felt sketched out by Dylan even from the beginning of his appearance. He seemed like he was trying too hard to win Katelyn over. It just didn't seem natural. Not to give too much away, but I feel like a show of cowardice is almost worse than what the villain usually does. I liked Rune and Katelyn's connection with him. I kind of felt like their abilities matched each other. I liked the struggle that Rune showed with having to be an isolated Dragoon as well as being a person.

I really enjoyed the world building that was presented in Haven. I thought that A.R Ivanovich did an excellent job of really keeping Haven and the outside world separate. Haven was very much isolated by the Mountains, and even though it was a steampunk world it definitely felt more relatable and "normal" of the two. Haven was very community oriented, and everything was for the good of the people, but there were houses and families, jobs and school, and teenagers being dicks to one another. The outside world is completely different and felt like the warzone that it is. The outside seemed a lot more steampunk and pieced together. I pictured it dingy and dirty with things just being built out of what was laying around. Given the steampunk theme, I thought the idea of commanders losing their humanity and having it replaced with metal was interesting and creepy.

I loved the idea of the lurchers and the little shadow creatures. I thought they were both creative and were nice touches to the world. The little shadow creatures sound adorable, and the way they were described as wearing the abilities made me picture Pascal from Tangled as a shadow wearing electricity as clothes. I really wasn't kidding when I said my brain makes weird associations, by the way. I'm going to blame insomnia, but it's probably just the fact that I'm weird.

I would say that if you are looking for a good steampunk fantasy with a lot of interesting world-building details, this is a good option. It's under 400 pages, so it's not particularly daunting, but if you need to be drawn into the story right away, it may be a challenge. It's an interesting story, and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it starts out relatively slow. It's worth giving it a chance though. As soon as I finished Haven last night I downloaded the second book because that's kind of my thing with series.

Book Review: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Goodreads Summary: Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.
Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?
Goodreads Rating: 4.54 stars with just over 18,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction
Number of Pages: 504
Book in series: 2/unknown
Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Goodreads Challenge: 21/30
Other reviews on the series: Scythe

Book Review:

Before Thunderhead, I couldn't tell you the last time I paid full price for a book. I'm going to wager a guess and say it was last time I was in Canada (so roughly a year ago?) But I was at the grocery store and saw the iconic cover and about freaked out. I had to buy it right away. I love this series so much. I'm a bit bummed the third hasn't been published yet, but I can only be so mad since Thunderhead just came out at the beginning of 2018.

A little recap of the series: The first book in the Arc of a Scythe series is called Scythe. It takes place in a futuristic earth where we've combated death and illness. Everyone's immortal, but for population control, there still has to be death. That's where the Scythdom comes in. They are expected to be compassionate and uncorrectable. Each Scythe has a quota of people they must glean (kill). They take their names from historical figures of the mortal times.

Thunderhead starts off around six months or so after Scythe ended. Citra's already a force to be reckoned with as a Junior Scythe. She gives her gleaning victims a lot of compassion, even though it creates more work for her in the end. The way that Shusterman describes her chosen way to glean effectively shows why the New Order is (or should be) concerned with her. I like how she becomes Scythe Anastasia in Thunderhead. Before it felt like she was more play-acting at being a Scythe, but now it feels more like she's left Citra in the past.

I LOVE Rowan's choice of Scythe name when he goes Rogue. Rogue Scythe Apprentice going around killing corrupt Scythes while wearing the forbidden Scythe color of Black and going by Scythe Lucifer? Perfection. I also really enjoyed what other names Scythes took. 

In Scythe, each chapter was started by a journal entry of several scythes. I love how in this book the journal entries are thoughts from the Thunderhead. It gave an interesting perspective as everything goes to hell. You get both sides of what could be the downfall of the perfect world. 

The setting for the entire novel of Thunderhead is captivating. Shusterman paints a picture of not only the MidAmerica region that was the focus in Scythe, but you also get to see the Texas region, which is a lawless experiment of sorts. Other areas explored are D.C. and what's become of it since the Thunderhead took over and did away with traditional government. Towards the end, Shusterman even takes readers on an adventure to the Scythe capital Endura. 

If you like Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, or YA books I can't recommend this series enough. It's a lot of fun to read, but it's also clever and puts a fascinating spin on the Dystopia genre. I'm pretty sure that I've told everyone to read Scythe right away so they can read Thunderhead. I'm obsessed with this series, and I can't wait until the third book comes out! From the looks of it, it looks like it will be called The Toll. If that is the title that could have a few different implications. So excited!

Book Review of Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Goodreads Summary: Thou shalt kill.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.
Goodreads Rating: 4.29 stars with over 9,900 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy
Get the book: Amazon, Book Depository
Reading Challenge: #40 A Dystopian Novel
Link to Book Haul: Canadian Book Haul

Review:

I'm not sure what it says by me as a person that I'm completely fascinated by anything involving a grim reaper type of being. Scythe by Neal Shusterman was no exception to this. I was instantly drawn into this dystopian adventure. I think something that instantly drew me in was the concept that everyone was immortal because science and technology had advanced so far. The average person is several hundred years old, and life for them is just about maintaining. The Scythedom is supposed to be a compassionate group that's incorruptible, but we soon find it's anything but.

I liked so much about this book that I'm probably going to gush. I thought it was extremely clever and well thought-out. I was constantly surprised by it, and it never felt like I was able to predict what was going to happen next. I really liked the idea that the scythes were supposed to be these compassionate beings who suppose to be morally above everyone else. The details in the book were very interesting, including each Scythe getting to chose the color of their robes and the method of kill they used. It all made for a very nice touch.

Character wise I think Scythe Curie was my favorite, and I appreciated the different insight into the Scythe life that she and Scythe Faraday provided. I really enjoyed the different Sychte journal entries that were provided to give a more in depth view of the characters. I didn't really feel like I related to Citra or Rowan, but I didn't despise them. I thought the romance between the two of them was kind of silly, but it provides the necessary motivation for a lot of the key pieces of the story. Overall, I just didn't feel like Citra and Rowan had a lot of depth to them initially, though I ended up really liking both of them in the end.

I felt like Citra's choice in Scythe name was excellent. In my mind, I was trying to piece together who she would pick, and I wasn't even remotely close. I think there's a bit of tongue and cheek humor with a lot of the book, and I appreciated it. I had told one friend while I was reading it that it was "deliciously morbid."

I have a feeling that this series is going to be one of my favorites. I can't recommend Scythe enough.

Book Review of 1984 by George Orwell

Goodreads Summary: The year 1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision in 1949 of the world we were becoming is timelier than ever. 1984 is still the great modern classic of "negative utopia" -a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing, from the first sentence to the last four words. No one can deny the novel's hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the power of its admonitions -a power that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time.
Goodreads Rating: 4.13 stars with over 1.9 million ratings
Genre Listing: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Politics, British Literature
Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Book Challenge: #6 A Book that's considered a classic

Book Review:

I finished a classic! Woohoo! I feel like I should get some kind of award when I actually finish a classic. I don't know what it is, but I have a hard time reading them. 1984 by George Orwell was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. At times I found myself completely engaged in it and not able to put it down, but then there were a lot of occasions where I felt like it was painfully boring and I just wanted it to get on with the point. I really didn't find myself getting into it until around 40% and after that my interest in it was sporadic at best. 

Given that this book was produced in the late 40s early 50s, it's actually a bit terrifying. There were definite places that I could draw some connections to modern day. I can also see why this year purchases of it have skyrocketed, but I'm not going to dive any further into that subject. You all can infer what you want from it, and leave it at that.

I thought the idea of Winston's job was really interesting and how there are entire organizations to altering previously recorded information. The workers in the party just seem to go with it and update it as needed and no one but Winston seems to question it. I also found it interesting, and terrifying, that the entire culture was built on hate and fear. The world that Orwell created seems dark and awful, which I suppose is what Big Brother intended. 

The imagery created was something I really enjoyed. I thought that Orwell went into a surprising amount of detail about the devices used, the scenery, and just the every day to day life of an outer party member. The gadgetry almost seemed a little steampunk to me, but given that this would have been 30 years into the future for Orwell, I thought it was pretty incredible that he created it. 

I didn't really get the relationship with Julia, and I really disliked her. She seemed really vapid to me and like she just hated the party because it was something to do, and nothing to do with her actual thoughts. I honestly could have done without her in the story, but I suppose Winston's relationship with her is what progressed him into diving further into his own thoughts. 

The ending surprised me quite a bit. I was expecting something completely different, but I'm not disappointed in the actual ending. It fit really well with the darkness and bleakness of the story, and honestly, I think it made everything a bit more interesting.  The one thing that really threw me off was the chapters that were written from "the book." I felt like they were dreadfully boring, and honestly, I mostly skimmed them so I wouldn't fall asleep.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I can see why it's a classic. It's not going to be my favorite book ever, but I'm glad I took the time to read such an important classic. I definitely think that it's the backbone and inspiration of a lot of dystopian books that are out today.

Book Review of Legend by Marie Lu

Goodreads Summary: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Goodreads Rating: 4.20 stars with over 250,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic
Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Book Haul link: Book Haul 1/1/2016
Book challenge: Pop Sugar 2016 Challange, 6/40 - YA Best Seller

Review: 

Edited 12/1/2016

I feel like I should get some award for actually reading a book from one of my book hauls. I'm so terrible about that. Seriously. I hoard books and never actually read them.

I'm not nearly as impressed with this book as I would have hoped to be. I'm kind of wondering if that's the book or if it's me. It has excellent ratings on Good Reads, and a lot of my friends on their loved it and spoke highly of it. I just wasn't super impressed with it. Maybe I've just read too many books in this genre, and now they all seem the same to me. Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the book. I'm just not in love with it.

I want to take a minute to start out with something I liked. This book gave two distinct points of view, and it let the reader know who's view it is. Not only does it have their name in huge letters across the top of the page, but the font changes. I can not tell you how helpful that is. It drives me nuts when there is just like a star or nothing at all to signify a change in character view. If I have to sit and wonder about who's perspective I'm reading from it takes my concentration off of what is going on.

I didn't feel that connected to Day or June. They weren't awful characters; I just didn't find them to be great characters. I felt like they were robotic through most of the book. Having always to read about how pretty the other was drove me nuts. What little emotion there was in the book, I just didn't get a feel for. That being said, it was a nice change of pace to see two strong lead characters. I never felt like either one was helpless and needed the other to save them and make them look strong. They held their own pretty well and were fighters.

For the most part, I thought that the plot was pretty predictable. It was interesting, but I wasn't drawn into it until close to the end of the book. I'd say the las 100-150 pages is where it got good for me. I mostly found myself wanting to know the history of the circumstances. Why did the U.S. fall apart? What caused them to be divided in such a manner? ?hat were the numbers on the doors underground for? How are things in the Colonies and with the Patriots? - These are all questions I wanted answers to. I may have missed the answer to the number question. I have a pretty good idea what it was for, but my reading comprehension is probably not that high right now.

I will most likely read the next book in the series, but I'm not going to rush right out and buy it. It's going to have to wait until I can get to the bookstore and buy it. I have a weird quirk about series. If I start the series in one format, I have to finish it in that format.

Overall, it was an entertaining read. I enjoyed it, but I'm not in love with it. I have a lot of questions about the history of the apocalyptic nature of things.

Book Review of Son by Lois Lowry

Goodreads Summary: They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive? She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice.

Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver, as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil.

Goodreads Rating: 3.96 stars with over 44,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Children's, Adventure
Get the book: Amazon, Book Depository
My other reviews on Lois Lowry's books: Messenger, Gathering Blue

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm glad to be finished with this quartet. I hadn't planned on reading Son, but I needed to know the conclusion. I guess it has a conclusion or something that vaguely resembles an end with the words "The End" tacked on to it.

The first part of Son had my interest. I liked Claire's story and going back through her and Jonas' community. It felt very Giver-Esq to me, more so than the previous two books in the quartet. I enjoyed her time post-community story when she was in the village remembering who she was and training to "climb out." My problem with her story is post-climb out to her being in the Village. She just kind of shows up in the Village and a lot of unaccounted time has passed.

The story eventually makes it way back to Gabe and Jonas. I found their parts in the story rather boring and rushed. There wasn't anything exciting that happened. Gabe's encounter with the Trademaster, in the end, was probably supposed to be exciting, but it wasn't at all. I was hoping that Kira would have been in this a bit more, but she was pushed way into the background where all she did was offer food and take care of her kids. I didn't expect her to be a main component of the story, but it would have been nice to see a little more of what made her so special originally.

I don't think Lois Lowry likes writing conclusions. I guess in Son it was all wrapped up, but it was still pretty vague. I wasn't particularly impressed with this book. Overall, I just don't think the remaining books could follow the hype of The Giver. Each book seemed to drop off a little more, resulting in a pretty disappointing series. Son started out with promise but quickly fell short of it.

Book Review of Messenger by Lois Lowry

Goodreads Summary: Messenger is the masterful third novel in the Giver Quartet, which began with the dystopian bestseller The Giver, now a major motion picture.
Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Village once welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must risk everything to make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

Goodreads Rating: 3.88 stars with over 69,000 ratings

Genre listing: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Children's books, Adventure

Get the book: Amazon, Book Depository
My reviews on other Lois Lowry's books: Gathering Blue, Son

Review: 

Edited 12/1/2016

I don't have much feeling towards the Messenger by Lois Lowry. I'm pretty glad that it was relatively short. I think it would have lost my attention if it hadn't been. I was pleased to see that this had a connection to Gathering Blue. It follows Matt around and his life with Christopher in Village. I was sad to see that all of Matt's boyish charm from Gathering Blue was gone. I found him to be very dull in Messenger.

I find myself just repeating myself in this review. There wasn't a whole lot that I liked about this book other than I could finally see a connection between the first two books. I don't even want to read Son, but I feel like I need to finish the series and see how it all ends. My guess is Leader and Kira start a life together, and it's about their offspring.

I feel like I'm cheating everyone out of a review on this one, but I don't have anything else to say on it. Sorry, readers!

Book Review of Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Goodreads Summary: Lois Lowry's magnificent novel of the distant future, The Giver, is set in a highly technical and emotionally repressed society. This eagerly awaited companion volume, by contrast, takes place in a village with only the most rudimentary technology, where anger, greed, envy and casual cruelty make ordinary people's lives short and brutish. This society, like the one portrayed in The Giver, is controlled by merciless authorities with their own complex agendas and secrets. And at the center of both stories, there is a young person who is given the responsibility of preserving the memory of the culture--and who finds the vision to transform it.

Kira, newly orphaned and lame from birth, is taken from the turmoil of the village to live in the grand Council Edifice because of her skill at embroidery. There she is given the task of restoring the historical pictures sewn on the robe worn at the annual Ruin Song Gathering, a solemn day-long performance of the story of their world's past. Down the hall lives Thomas the Carver, a young boy who works on the intricate symbols carved on the Singer's staff, and a tiny girl who is being trained as the next Singer. Over the three artists hovers the menace of authority, seemingly kind but suffocating to their creativity, and the dark secret at the heart of the Ruin Song.

With the help of a cheerful waif called Matt and his little dog, Kira, at last, finds the way to the plant that will allow her to create the missing color--blue--and, symbolically, to finds the courage to shape the future by following her art wherever it may lead. With astonishing originality, Lowry has again created a vivid and unforgettable setting for this thrilling story that raises profound questions about the mystery of art, the importance of memory, and the centrality of love.
Goodreads Rating: 3.79 stars with over 100,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Children's books, Post-Apocalyptic: Amazon, Book Depository
My other reviews on Lois Lowry's books: Son, Messenger

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

I went back to using Kindle Unlimited this week, and I've discovered that even though it takes me hours to find something I want to read, it's excellent for my binge-reading habit. I completely forgot that The Giver was a part of a Quartet, until searching for a book today.

I found Gathering Blue delightful. I liked the primitive vibe that it had going on. It reminded me of a game I use to play called Virtual Villagers (I'm not sure why exactly, but it did.)  The book was fast-paced and fascinating to read about.

Matt was by far my favorite character in the story. I thought I'd be annoyed by the way he talks, but I found it cute and endearing. I found him to be a sweet character, and I wish I could have read more about him.  I found Thomas fairly dull and didn't feel like he added a whole lot to the story other than to give Kira someone else to talk to. I didn't feel like Kira was all that remarkable either. That being said, I still liked the story and found it interesting to read.

The ending was a big let down to me, and I could kind of feel that it was going to happen. When the book ended I found myself saying "Wait, that was it?" and "Shouldn't more have happened, the book did just end." If I recall correctly, I think I felt similar when I read the Giver as well. I haven't  read the summaries for the remaining books, so I'm hoping that it all ties in together somehow. If the rest of the quartet is on KU, I'll probably start reading the third book tomorrow. I hope it is on there, because if not I'm just going to be confused until I can finish this quartet.

Book Review of Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee

Goodreads Summary: In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.69 with over 1600 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Romance, Mythology, Paranormal, Dystopian,

Get the book: Amazon,  Book Depository

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

It's been a while since I've read a decent dystopian. The genre is becoming more and more popular, which means sifting through a lot of crap to find the gems. All of the ones I've been reading have been similar to me lately. Gates of Thread and Stone was a refreshing change of pace in the world of Dystopian novels.

Kai is a strong female lead who can kick ass. She's street smart and a bit of a true survivor because of how she has to live in the labyrinth. Kai never once came across as weak to me. Throughout the book, she's consistently determined, stubborn, and does what she has to get by. I liked that a lot in her. There's a love interest, and it's mentioned a few times, but it never steals the storyline. It's always just in the background. I liked this, because as I've said before, nothing bothers me more than unnecessary romance scenes.

I thought that the details of the book were fantastic. I could tell that this world was gritty and dirty, and potentially even hell on earth. I thought that the twist of the Infinite was fascinating and different. It combined some of my favorite things to read about, strong characters, magic, mythology, and post-apocalyptic civilization.

Kind of a spoiler: I did not trust Avan at all during this book. It's not that I disliked him, but he seemed fake and like he had ulterior motives to helping Kai. The entire time I was wondering when his true colors showed. I guess they did in a way, just not the way I had expected.

I don't know how I feel about Reev. The whole story was about him, but he wasn't there. When he was around, there wasn't a whole lot of emotion. He was just there.

One thing that did bug me about this is all of the actions seemed like they were too convenient. Obviously, a lot of that was because of the way the end of the story worked out. But it still would have been nice to see some kinks thrown into plans. (Sorry, that's vague. I'm trying to do this without spoilers). It made a lot of events rather predictable.

Overall, I enjoyed it and will probably be on the look out for the next book.

Four out of Five Moons