30 September 2012

Monthly Wrap Up: September 2012

Unfortunately, September didn't go as well as I had been hoping. I started out by reading four books in the first week, and then UnWholly put me in a horrible reading funk because it was just SO. FREAKIN'. GOOD. But I still read loads of awesome books!

Books Read in September:

1. Blackwood by Gwenda Bond (Bland)
2. Storm by Brigid Kemmerer (Essential)
3. Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer (Short)
4. Spark by Brigid Kemmerer (Essential)
5. Survive by Alex Morel (Enjoyable)
6. Breathe by Sarah Crossan (Essential)
7. Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz (Bland)
8. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin (Essential)
9. UnWholly by Neal Shusterman (All Time Favourite)
10. Black Heart by Holly Black (Enjoyable)

At the time of writing this, I'm also in the middle of reading My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, so I may have finished that by midnight!

Book of the Month:


Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

I was expecting to love this as much as I did. I mean, I thought I'd like it, sure, but I did not expect to find it AMAAAAAAAZING. You guys, this book is awesome. If you haven't read it yet then I urge you to do so. I would be hosting a giveaway for multiple copies of this book if I could. EVERYONE should read this!

Reviews:

29 September 2012

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman


UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
Unwind #2

Release Date: September 27, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books 
Source: Publisher
Rating: All Time Favourite


Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa — and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp — people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simultaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.

Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.

Rife with action and suspense, this riveting companion to the perennially popular Unwind challenges assumptions about where life begins and ends—and what it means to live. - Goodreads


How do I even begin to review such an amazing book?

As well as Risa, Connor and Lev, there are some new characters that are introduced. There are new antagonists, as well as some old ones. Starkey is one of the new antagonists, and he is the absolute worst. I don't think I've ever hated (or loved to hate) a character as much as him. He is pure evil and he makes me so angry.

There was only one character in this book that I neither liked or loved to hate and that was Cam. I think he'll probably be in the third book, so I am kind of looking forward to what trouble he can cause for Roberta, and he was all right, but I didn't feel connected to him. I often wanted to punch him because he was a spoilt brat. I guess that's not totally his fault, though.

The ending is AMAZING. There was so much action and I was holding my breath. It was like an episode of Spartacus which, by the way, usually give me panic attacks. It was told from several points of view, and that meant that we got to see it from many different angles. It was honestly the most brilliant ending.

I'm so sad because my favourite new character didn't make it. I won't mention this character at all because I don't want to spoil anyone. Just know that someone dies and it made me cry because this someone was flawless.

How on earth is the third book going to bring everything together? I have no doubt that Neal Shusterman will pull it off flawlessly, but I just don't know how. Can I have the next book NOW, please?

Has anyone else read this? I NEEEEEED to find someone to talk about it with, so if you have then leave a comment. This is set to become one of my all time favourite trilogies!

The Unwind trilogy: 
1. Unwind
1.5 UnStrung
2. UnWholly
3. UnSouled

27 September 2012

Unwind by Neal Shusterman





Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Unwind #1

Release Date: June 2, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books
Source: Bought
Rating: All Time Favourite

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.
Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.
In UnwindBoston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive. - Goodreads


I. Adore. This. Book.

Things I Loved:

- The characters. Each of the main characters is flawlessly (expect to see the word 'flawless' used several times in this review) developed and thought out. Connor, Risa and Lev are all characters I fell in love with, and I love that we got to spend lots of time with each of them.

- The writing style. Honestly, Neal Shusterman's writing is unlike any I've ever read. He's definitely one of the best, and after reading this book I'm definitely compelled to read everything else he's ever written or will ever write. The man is supremely gifted, pure and simple.

- The action. This book was INSANE. There was so much going on, and there isn't any point in which you could put the book down to take a break. Whenever it seems like there isn't going to be anything happening, something explodes.

- The way Shusterman connected everything at the end. It's not often that I read a book in which there are clues and references thrown around form the very beginning. At least, not unless it's in a totally obvious way which doesn't leave me surprised at all. In Unwind, the author puts things in and you don't even realise they are important until later on in the book.

- The dystopian society. Guys. GUYS. This could totally happen in real life if we had the resources to do it! It was creepily realistic in some ways, and like I said I could totally see the government banning abortion. I don't see them allowing kids to be unwound (i.e. pulled apart and donated to needy people), but who knows what people could be pushed into doing?

Things I Hated:

- NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS FLAWLESS.

What You Should Do:

- BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. FLAWLESS.

The Unwind trilogy: 
1. Unwind
1.5 UnStrung
2. UnWholly
3. UnSouled
*Note: They've changed the covers because they enjoy causing me pain. I've chosen to feature the old cover because that's what copy I own, but the new ones are awesome and you can see the new cover for Unwind in the Amazon link above!

25 September 2012

Breathe by Sarah Crossan



Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Breathe #1
Release Date: October 11, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Publisher
Rating: Essential

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart. - Goodreads

Daph read this months and months ago, and I had been absolutely DYING to read it after she recommended it to me. I'm so happy and grateful that I received a review copy from the publisher so I could read it sooner than I would have normally, even if it was only a month earlier! 

Breathe was everything I was expecting, although nothing more. The plot was engaging enough. It was told from three points of view: Alina's, Bea's and Quinn's. I applaud Crossan's decision to do this, as it really gave us a view of three different societal structures inside this world. Quinn is a rich guy whose father is high up in the government, and so he has never had to know what it's like to live on limited resources of air. Bea is his best friend who is poorer, so she lives in a different section of the pod. Alina is a rebel, and that's all I'm going to say about her. I loved every one of them, and while I do think Alina made some silly decisions (which ticked me off at the time), I think it worked well to get the story going and for a bit of character growth.

Sarah Crossan's writing style is what really sets this book apart from the rest. The storyline that pretty much followed the same set outline as most dystopian novels, making the plot itself generic and predictable. But Crossan's writing style swooped in and saved the day, hooking me in from the very first page. The way the words flowed off the page was fabulous, and I am DEFINITELY going to be checking out her other works because she's very talented.

My absolute favourite thing about the novel was the world it is set in. This along with the writing style made for fantastic reading. There is nothing more scary than a world without air, and the thought of having people control your air supply is terrifying. There were times as I was reading when I felt claustrophobic and as though I was the one without enough oxygen. It was amazing.

There is a love triangle in Breathe, but I think it's handled very, VERY well in comparison to most. It didn't feel as though it was in there just for the sake of it. It pushed the characters onto their correct paths and made for some excellent realisations towards the end. I also love that it wasn't a 'I-Will-Die-For-You' thing for all the characters involved in the triangle. I hate that. One of the characters didn't even have feelings for the one who had a crush on them, so that was something new and refreshing as well. 

Overall, this is a brilliant book. It's not an all-time favourite purely because, like I said, the plot was average and predictable. But the world building and the writing were some of the best, so I'll definitely be reading the second book to see where that takes us. I recommend this to everyone, obviously.

The Breathe series:
1. Breathe
2. Resist (2013)

24 September 2012

New Releases: September 25 - October 1, 2012



Apparently this would appeal to fans of The Maze Runner (and Matched, it which is a weird combo).

I'm seeing several different release dates for this one, so this may already have been released. 


This is a cancer novel. I'll probably check it out eventually, but it's one of those books I have to be in the mood for. I've also seen a couple of different release dates for this one as well. I'm not very accurate this week!


This is a third in a series, so be careful if you read the summary!

Another sequel!


This is set on an isolated island and the cover looks creepy, so that means I'm probably going to have to read this!

The sequel to Croak.


Is the model in the middle of falling over, or...? Anyway, this is another sequel, so I can't read the synopsis.

The sequel to Ashes. What's with all the sequels this week?


What starts with S and ends in equel?

Finally, a first book in a series!


The sequel to A Beautiful Dark.

I have a copy of this for review, and it looks really good! I love zombies.

Thoughts and feelings? Have you read any of the prequels to these releases? Are any of these on your wishlist? Let me know!


22 September 2012

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz


Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Spellbound #1
Release Date: September 7, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Source: Publisher
Rating: Bland

What’s a girl to do when meeting The One means she’s cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she’s irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can’t stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma’s been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else. - Goodreads
I didn't end up enjoying this one in the slightest. I'm struggling to write a decent review on it, so I'm just going to split this one up into bullet points and hope that it gets my point across. Have any of you read this book? I heard such good things about it, but it turned out to be... not so good.


  • ClichĂ© story telling, making it very predictable.


  • No likeable characters, including the secondary ones. I didn't feel connected to any one of them, and Emma was one of the most annoying teenage girls I have ever read about. She's a bit of a Bella Swan, unfortunately, in that she's 'plain' and yet everyone loves her, the most mysterious/hottest guy in school falls for her, etc.


  • Emma's life revolved around the Brendan - the popular, most good looking guy in school, of course - and when he refused to talk to her she wouldn't stop thinking about him. It was borderline obsessive and I didn't like it at all. At one point he stops talking to her for one reason or another, and she is STILL constantly thinking about him. I would have got a restraining order if I was him. Independent girls/women are so much better than those who worship the ground these guys walk on. Does that really need to be said? It certainly shouldn't have to be.


  • I would insert the usual rant about insta-love here, but I think most people know how I feel - and how everyone else feels - about that by now. No thank you. 


  • Emma's back-story seemed kind of pointless. We were told that her mum died in a car accident, her step dad was a drunk, yadda yadda yadda, but none of this seemed to have an impact on the present day story.


  • I thought the writing was fairly decent, but it was pretty unremarkable. The dialogue was a little boring, though. There were no funny moments, and the way the characters said things just didn't show any emotion.

So. I don't recommend this book at all. I think it's unoriginal, boring and the characters are all idiots. This is like Twilight with witches, and yet it still lacks the draw that Stephenie Meyer managed to accomplish.

18 September 2012

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer



Storm by Brigid Kemmerer
Elemental #1
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Source: Bought
Rating: Essential


Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming. - Goodreads

I absolutely adore stories about people who can wield the elements in some fashion, and while I definitely went into this expecting to like it, I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did! The entire book had me hooked, and the amount of emotions I experienced while reading it was insane.

I feel as though I'm about to fangirl, but I shall rein myself in. Just for you.

The story is told from the points of view of both Becca (the girl who's bullied after a rumour is started about her sleeping with the football team) and Chris (Merrick. That is all.) Both points of view were a wonderful read, as I adored both of the characters and the events that happened in their chapters.

It was a little difficult to read at times because Becca had absolutely no idea about Chris being able to control (which is a bit of a strong word for what he can do right now, but still) water, but I already knew all that. There was no big AH-HA! moment for her either, and she just sort of accepted it when she found out. This didn't feel out of place, though, because so much stuff had happened between the two of them and she would have been an idiot if she hadn't caught on eventually.

I just have to say, I absolutely adored the Merrick brothers. They're my new favourite siblings, next to the Winchesters. Each one of them had their own unique personality and their own background, and they were all given a lot of time to shine considering that all but Chris were secondary characters. I'm not sure if I have a favourite out of the four of them, although while reading this I definitely liked Gabriel the most. Now, I think I may be in love with Michael.

I should probably also mention that I read this book and the sequel (and the prequel novella) one after the other, so my feelings are a little mixed up. That said, the fact that I did read them like that should show you that I ADORED this book! It was action packed, and full of awesome family feels (which I adore all of the time) and the characters were THE BEST.

There is a love triangle in this book, but don't let that put you off. It's really not that awful, and Becca does go backwards and forwards a TINY WEENY bit, but it's not Twilight or The Vampire Diaries. You needn't worry.

I'm trying to think of something else to say so I won't break into fangirling mode, which is usually reserved for Twitter and Tumblr. Erm... THIS IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK YOU GUYS I AM IN LOVE WITH THESE BROTHERS AND THIS AUTHOR /fail.

In all seriousness, GO AND PICK THIS UP NOW.

The Elemental Series:
0.5. Elemental
1. Storm
1.5. Fearless
2. Spark
2.5 Untitled (2013)
3. Spirit (2013)

17 September 2012

New Releases: September 18 - 24, 2012



I wrote a review on this which you can read here. I thought it was pretty good!

I've only read one book by this author, and I can't say I'm a fan. I might give this a go eventually.


This is the sequel to All These Things I've Done. I won't be reading it because I had some serious issues with the first book.


EEEEEEEEEEEEP

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP


I'm intrigued by the title! And I think the cover is really cute.

I need to read the first book first!


Again, I haven't read the prequel.

I wasn't a fan of Shiver or Linger (I stopped reading after Linger because oh my GOD, it was dull) but this does sound interesting and I've heard that there's little romance?


I've never heard of this one before! It's a sequel, so be wary when reading the summary.

Not gonna lie, I want this for the cover. 


I loved Jenny's Summer trilogy, so I have high hopes for this one! I love a good contemporary.

I think I must be the only person left who hasn't read anything by this author. Apart from her tweets. I must fix that!

Which books are you looking forward to this week?


15 September 2012

Stacking the Shelves (4)


hosted by Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews


Bought: 
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

For Review: 
UnWholly by Neal Shusterman 
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

I AM READING UNWHOLLY RIGHT NOW AND I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Feel free to leave your links below! Let me know what you received this week.

13 September 2012

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang



What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
The Hybrid Chronicles #1
Release Date: September 27, 2012 (UK)
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Source: Publisher
Rating: Enjoyable


NEVER LET ME GO meets HIS DARK MATERIALS in a beautiful, haunting YA debut, the first book in The Hybrid Chronicles.

Eva and Addie live in a world where everyone is born with two souls, but where only the dominant one is allowed to survive childhood. Fifteen years old, and closer even than twins, the girls are keeping Eva, the ‘second soul’, a secret. They know that it’s forbidden to be hybrid, but how could they ever be apart?

When a dramatic event reveals what really happens to hybrids if they are discovered, Eva and Addie face a dangerous fight for survival, neither wanting to be the one left behind… - Goodreads

What first caught my eye about this novel was the interesting concept of two souls sharing a body. The whole idea of the government going after the anomalies (those with recessive souls that had not faded away) was so intriguing and kind of exciting, in a way. What would happen to the siblings once they were taken away? And what does happen once a soul fades, anyway? Are they lost forever, or can they all be coaxed back? The idea of a child completely disappearing after spending several years with their siblings and parents is scary.


Eva and Addie were both adorable, and I loved them from the very first page. The thing I liked most about them was their relationship with each other. Sure, they'd get into some disagreements and fall out, but they'd always come back to each other. They loved each other so much, and it made me want to run and hug my little sister after I read some of the scenes in this novel.

Interestingly, What's Left of Me is written from the point of view of Eva, the recessive soul who can't do anything except watch and 'talk' as her sister controls their body. I thought this was a fantastic choice by the author, because I think if the novel had been written in Addie's POV - or even alternated between the two - I don't think it would have had the same effect.

The pacing of the novel felt pretty calm throughout the whole thing. Even at the end, when there was a little bit of action going on, I never really felt that exhilirating feeling that I get when really great novels reach their peak.

I'll definitely be reading the second book in the series, because I really want to know what happens to Eva and Addie, as I've grown slightly attached. I also want to know what happened to some of the other characters as well, although I can't say who because that would spoil you! I am hoping that one of the characters who appeared towards the end of the novel will have a bigger role in the sequel, because I am really intrigued by them. I'm crossing my fingers!


11 September 2012

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond



Blackwood by Gwenda Bond
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Publisher
Rating: Bland

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back. 

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island's most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can't dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America's oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance. - Goodreads


After reading Lies Beneath and finding it completely dull, I was hoping I wouldn't come across another novel like that any time soon. As you do. I picked up Blackwood because I received it for review, and I feel pretty much the same way about this book as I do about Lies Beneath. Just without the creepy male protagonist and the idiot female who falls in love with a stalker.

The premise was so, so intriguing; I was excited to pick this up because of it. I'm a HUGE fan of the TV show Supernatural, and there are a couple of episodes in which the Croatoan colonists are mentioned. I love unsolved mysteries, and this is one that fascinates me. Where did they all go?! Needless to say, I was really looking forward to reading this because it sounded like something the Winchester brothers would investigate. But, unfortunately, it fell flat.

Like I said, the premise was intriguing, but I think I was put off by the writing style. I can't pin point exactly what I disliked about it (being a terrible book reviewer and all), but I just couldn't get sucked in no matter how hard I tried.

I don't even have any strong feelings about the main characters, because I honestly felt nothing for them. Miranda did, however, have a nice collection of DVDs, which I appreciated. The references to those were funny.

Give this a go if you think the storyline would be your cup of tea, but read some other reviews first because I wouldn't want you to go into this thinking it's awful. It's just not something that could captivate me.


10 September 2012

New Releases: September 11 - 17, 2012









                                                               Avery
 

I totally thought that was Holland Roden from Teen Wolf on the cover of the newest Secret Circle book! My eyes aren't working today. I don't know much about any of these, but I do know that I HAVE to hurry up and read Hidden's and Flesh & Bone's sequels. Which books are you looking forward to?

07 September 2012

Stacking the Shelves (3)


For Review: 
- When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

RAK:
- This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers
I was sent this by Andrea King from Virginia, and that's all I know! There wasn't any information on which blog you run (if any) or how I could contact you... If you are Andrea, then could you please let me know so I can thank you SO MUCH for sending me this book, and I need to link you up :) I tried searching for you on the RAK spreadsheet but that didn't turn up anything.

As always, feel free to leave your links or a comment below to show me what you got this week!

06 September 2012

Zom-B by Darren Shan


Zom-B by Darren Shan
Zom-B #1
Release Date: September 27, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: Publisher
Rating: Essential


Zom-B is a radical new series about a zombie apocalypse, told in the first person by one of its victims. The series combines classic Shan action with a fiendishly twisting plot and hard-hitting and thought-provoking moral questions dealing with racism, abuse of power and more. This is challenging material, which will captivate existing Shan fans and bring in many new ones. As Darren says, "It's a big, sprawling, vicious tale...a grisly piece of escapism, and a barbed look at the world in which we live. Each book in the series is short, fast-paced and bloody. A high body-count is guaranteed!". - Goodreads

Full disclosure: I'm a HUGE Darren Shan fan (and a poet, apparently). I've been a fan ever since the final book in The Saga of Darren Shan book was published and I read them all in one go. That's twelve books, people. So my review may be SLIGHTLY biased, because I love all his books.

Also, I'm not going to write an 'in-depth' review, because it'll be hard not to spoil the mind blowing twist that happens towards the end. And Darren included a note and asked people not to mention that the main character is actually in a coma and he's dreaming the whole thing. Wait... what?

Haha, just kidding, but my previous statement still stands. I'm not going into too much detail with this review.

I think before reading this book, you should be aware that there's a lot of racism and parental abuse. B's father is extremely racist, and he's raised B to be just like him. B is slightly conflicted, but for the most part he's racist as well. It's all very uncomfortable, and I think some people will be put off by it, and understandably so. Nevertheless, it is a character flaw and it's important, so don't worry about it being there just for the sake of it.

It's VERY hard to like B. However, I do hope that as the series progresses we'll see B grow as a person.

There are two twists in this novel, the one towards the end being the most shocking. The twist/outcome of the novel at the very end wasn't expected either, and it really makes you wonder what's going to happen next because there are eleven more books to go and... yeah. But the first twist - the extremely shocking one - makes you rethink everything you've just read. I sat there blinking at the page for at least ten minutes, trying to figure out what had just been said.

Overall, this is a fantastic book. It's action packed and awesome, although there aren't as many zombies as I would have hoped. But the ending was AMAZING.

Zom-B series:
1. Zom-B
2. Zom-B Underground

And have you seen the awesome cover for the second book?


04 September 2012

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan



Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Sky Chasers #2
Release Date: July 17, 2012 (US)
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
Source: Bought
Rating: Essential


Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancĂ©? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her?

In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end... - Goodreads

I read Glow when I received it for review last year, and I adored it. I remember being slightly put off at the beginning because the characters lived in such a strange society, where teenagers could get married and everyone accepted and even pushed it. Because babies are important on a spaceship, y'all. 

Anyway, this review will contain spoilers for Glow, because Spark is a sequel and I can't contain myself. In any case, go and read Glow if you think it sounds like your sort of thing. Like I said, I personally loved it, although it's definitely not for everyone due to the themes involved. 

On with the Spark review...

Was anyone reading my status updates on Goodreads? If you are following me on my personal twitter account, then your whole timeline would have been filled up with my tweets as I read the last fifty pages of this novel. IT WAS AWESOME. And I went a little crazy. 

Spark picks up where Glow left off, with the girls back on the right spaceship but the adults still on the other one after being kidnapped. Kieran is still leading the ship (boo!) and Waverly is trying to lose herself in her new job as a mechanic. Seth was still in the brig, but someone lets him out and he turns into a runaway. As much of a runaway as you can be, that is, on a relatively small ship.

If you've read my review of Glow, or have spoken with me about the book, then you'll know that I DESPISED Kieran in that book. He was the worst. And he still is. I still absolutely hate him, and I don't think anything could change that. He's still as controlling as ever, and he is NOT fit to be a leader because he makes such stupid decisions, and yet he wants to be in charge. Idiot. POWER HUNGRY MORON. Ehem. Yeah, I don't like him at all and I want to throw him off the ship so he suffocates out there.

Waverly is as awesome as ever, though! I love that the author wrote her to be affected by her time on the other ship, because that's not something you just get over overnight. She's a badass, though, and definitely one of my female characters. She has MAJOR issues and flaws, which is also awesome because it means a) character growth and b) lots of interesting scenes. 

I also love Seth. I despised him at the beginning of the first book, but he really grew on me towards the end of it and I've come out of this one absolutely worshipping him. Well, not quite. But I do think he's an awesome character. Again with the flaws thing. I adore the character growth he's been put through, and there is still potential for me. He really came a long way in this book and EEP. I love him. Surprisingly, he has become the most level headed out of the three main protagonists. 

Is the third book going to be the final one? Because at the end of Spark it says "Check out the third book in the series at such-and-such a date", but it didn't say "the third and final book". Does anybody know? 

If it IS the final book and this is just a trilogy, then I really hope that minimal amounts of time are spent talking about Waverly's love for Kieran. Because no. I don't like it, and really she should be well over him by now because he's an ass. 

This book is action packed, and while some found the pacing to be a little off, I thought it was fantastic. It reached its peak at about 65% - 70% of the way through, like most books do, and then shit just gets crazy. 

I'm going to just leave my status updates here, because I feel they're important.
You can also check out my initial (and insane) thoughts, which I wrote just after finishing the book. 



So. Yes. If you can't tell already, then I do recommend this book. *happy dance* And now I just have to wait for book three. 

Sky Chasers series:
1. Glow
2. Spark