Category: Speculative Fiction
Altered by Gennifer Albin
(Cover picture courtesy of Xpresso Reads.)
Life. Possibility. Choice.
All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.
In this thrilling sequel to Crewel, Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.
Usually I expect the second books in trilogy to be boring. Slow, sometimes with more character development and sometimes not. Usually they’re just set up books for the final book. Usually.
Altered is anything but usual. With a book as awesome as Crewel I knew it would be hard for Gennifer Albin to write a follow up that could top it, but she did. Altered is a lot different from Crewel in part because Adelice is finally able to make decisions for herself. She isn’t constantly being monitored by other Spinsters or having Cormac leering down at her at every turn. It takes her a while to discover that steel within herself, but when she’s able to make her own decisions she does mess up occasionally and learns from her experiences. Adelice knows she isn’t perfect and tries to be a better person for her experiences.
The plot dragged a bit in the middle, but there was never really a time when I felt like I was about to go to sleep. There was always some new twist or turn, some new knowledge about the origins or Arras or another interesting character being introduced that made me want to keep reading. And the twist at the end? Wow, I can’t wait to read Unraveled because of that. The first part of the plot twist was not entirely unexpected but the second part dealing with choices certainly was. I won’t give anything away, but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing some more dysfunctional family dynamics in the third book.
The thing I liked most (other than the character development) was Gennifer Albin’s world-building. In Crewel we were introduced to the basics of Arras’ creation but in Altered we actually go into a lot more detail and learn about the surprising origins of the project and its leaders. Trust me, the scientist behind the project is not who you’d really expect but it’s a pleasant surprise. We also get to learn that not only women are born with the ability to weave, but men called Tailors can alter the world around them. They can’t create like Spinsters but they have some very interesting abilities and many of them have been persecuted for their talents.
So overall? This is an awesome second book. I can hardly wait until Unraveled, coming this October!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Crewel by Gennifer Albin
(Cover picture courtesy of Xpresso Reads.)
Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.
Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.
Because tonight, they’ll come for her.
This time I can honestly say it was not the cover of this book that caught my attention. Rather, it was the title. Crewel. What’s a crewel? Is it a dystopian city, a deliberate misspelling of cruel for some sort of theme in the book or something else? It was my curiosity that made me read the blurb and I soon learned it was a weaving term. A teenage girl in a dystopian world where time itself is woven? That’s pretty unique. So of course I bought the book.
Gennifer Albin’s book is one of the very few dystopian novels I’ve read that has such an amazing, unique premise. If the rest of the book were trash, you could read it for her world-building alone. Good thing the rest of the book wasn’t trash, though. She doesn’t dump too much info on you at once and just when you think you know all about Arras, you learn something completely different that throws the conventions for a loop. And you know what? All the shocking behind-the-scenes things that ordinary citizens in Arras don’t know about make sense considering the kind of beautiful yet horrible world they live in.
Adelice was an interesting protagonist. She was defiant but she also learned when to fight and when to keep her mouth shut as she began her apprenticeship as a Spinster. Yes, she made some pretty big mistakes because of her naivete but she learned from them and became a better person. Adelice saw through all of the glitz and glamour and actually tried to find a way to hide her talents so she could escape. Finally, a smart YA protagonist! And when she falls for a guy that’s obviously not a good choice for her, she learns to smother her feelings and move on. What a novel concept!
The plot starts off pretty fast in the beginning but then it slows down a little to allow you to catch your breath in this crazy new world. As Adelice learns about the world around her, so do we and it’s a more natural pace than a lot of books. Crewel focuses heavily on character development but it’s never at the expense of the plot. There’s always this feeling of suspense and dread just lurking in the background, ready to materialize and wreak havoc on Adelice’s plans. Especially toward the end of the novel when Cormac’s true intentions are made painfully clear as he goes from run-of-the-mill pervert to something a little more dangerous.
This is Gennifer Albin’s debut novel so I think we can expect great things from her in the future. I can’t wait to read the rest of the Crewel World trilogy!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.
There are very few books out there that I would say insulted my intelligence, but this is absolutely one of them.
First off, let me start with the premise. Some disease mysteriously kills pretty much all children and teenagers but those that survive get mind powers ranging from math skills to erasing memories. I could live with that somewhat unbelievable premise if not for what happened next: all the kids in the country that survived were rounded up and taken to internment camps. Sure, some parents would be terrified by their kids but honestly? I very much doubt that the majority of parents would willingly give up their surviving children to the government as Alexandra Bracken imagines. Also, the sheer cruelty all of the guards in the camp show toward the low-risk children (blues and greens) is ridiculous. There would be some displays of even a little bit of human compassion but Bracken just made a total caricature out of the guards.
I could ignore the premise if the writing wasn’t so awful. But it was awful, truly awful. There are big long scenes where absolutely nothing happens then action appears out of nowhere and suddenly we’re back to a boring scene with no transition in between. When the skip tracer appears and Ruby hits her head (or something like that) I flipped to the next chapter and went ‘huh?’. She was suddenly back in the van with no explanation as to what happened. Transitions are important, people!
You’d have to go through The Darkest Minds with a fine tooth comb to actually find anything vaguely resembling a plot. It’s basically a futuristic road trip with talking heads in a dark room! Alexandra Bracken doesn’t feel the need to describe pretty much any of the characters Ruby meets when she runs away from her captors until at least 300 pages in or so. It was like listening to a bunch of people talk in a pitch black room. People that all sounded the same. There was really no difference in the patterns of speech of Suzume, Chubs and Liam. They all sounded like the same character.
As for Ruby, don’t get me started. She hates herself and feels like she can’t trust anyone, which is completely understandable because she lived in what turned out to be a concentration camp for children. Yet Liam waltzes in and in no time at all she trusts him completely! I don’t trust people that quickly and I haven’t experienced anything anywhere near the level of what Ruby has experienced. It’s just not believable. And when they finally meet the Slip Kid and Ruby learns who she is, she immediately trusts him. As if someone with his background could be trusted! Does she remember who his father is? Ugh, just kill me now.
I can’t recommend this book to anyone. It’s a waste of paper and ink and is an insult to the intelligence of its target audience.
I give this book 0.5/5 stars.
The Last Bastion of the Living by Rhiannon Frater
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
The Bastion was humanity’s last hope against the fearsome undead creatures known as the Inferi Scourge. A fortified city with a high wall, surrounded by lush land rich with all the resources needed to survive, protected by high mountain summits, and a massive gate to secure the only pass into the valley, the Bastion became the last stronghold of the living on earth. But one fateful day, the gate failed and the Inferi Scourge destroyed the human settlements outside the walls and trapped the survivors inside the city. Now decades later, the last remaining humans are struggling to survive in a dying city as resources and hope dwindle.
Vanguard Maria Martinez has lived her whole life within the towering walls of steel. She yearns for a life away from the overcrowded streets, rolling blackouts, and food shortages, but there is no hope for anyone as long as the Inferi Scourge howl outside the high walls. Her only refuge from the daily grind is in the arms of her lover, Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary. Both are highly-decorated veterans of the last disastrous push against the Inferi Scourge. Their secret affair is her only happiness.
Then one day Maria is summoned to meet with a mysterious representative from the Science Warfare Division and is offered the opportunity to finally destroy the Inferi Scourge in the valley and close the gate. The rewards of success are great, but she will have to sacrifice everything, possibly even her life, to accomplish the ultimate goal of securing the future of humanity and saving it from extinction.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I love zombies. I love a good action movie. I also love a good story with a well-developed protagonist and excellent world-building. The Last Bastion of the Living is all of the above in one awesome, heart-pounding package.
Maria Martinez is a kick-butt protagonist. Not only can she literally kick butt, she can think her way out of most situations. She’s not always the perfect obedient soldier that everyone wants her to be, even if she appears to be on the outside. At the same time, all she really wants to do is protect the Bastion and those living inside of it. Even if it means sacrificing herself to do it. Maria can be emotionally vulnerable, but I love how she’s also capable of sucking it up and just continuing on when work needs to be done. And even though she tries her best to ignore the facts staring her in the face during her mission, when there’s no way the inevitable can be denied she throws herself into the situation to work for the greater good.
Even if the rest of the book was awful, Maria would more than make up for it. Except that Rhiannon Frater has created a fascinating world of scary, futuristic zombies (staying true to the novel’s tagline). The technology is advanced, but is decaying within the Bastion as the living lost access to their natural resources outside the main citadel. There are signs of decay throughout the novel, both cultural and technological and it makes for a dark, brooding sort of atmosphere. Even though there are happy moments and glimpses of hope, Rhiannon Frater maintains that brooding atmosphere throughout the novel and I have great admiration for that. She does things like have Maria’s crew joke around without really breaking the tension she slowly builds up in the background.
The world-building here is amazing. The Last Bastion of the Living is no typical zombie novel, believe me. The combination of technology and plain old-fashioned zombie killing makes for a thoroughly enjoyable, refreshing sort of zombie novel. I never have pretended that I’m strong in the sciences and I never will, but I loved how Rhiannon Frater did include some scientific explanations for how Maria and her comrades can possibly succeed in their mission to kill all of the zombies. In addition to the science, the history leading up to this awful zombie apocalypse was well thought out, if not extraordinarily detailed. Really, I didn’t feel the need for a lot of detail and most of my questions were answered, but I just love the ending’s potential for a sequel.
If you love zombies and/or science fiction or have ever even thought of trying a zombie novel, this would be a great introduction. You couldn’t ask for a better one, believe me.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Defiance by A. G. Henley
(Cover picture courtesy of Bookworm Confessions.)
It hasn’t been long since Fennel, a Sightless Groundling, and Peree, her Lofty Keeper, fell in love and learned the truth: the Scourge, and their world, are not what they seem.
Fenn and Peree are determined to guide their people to the protected village of Koolkuna, but first they must convince them that everything they believe is a lie. An impossible task, especially when someone seems hell-bent on trying anything–even animal sacrifice and arson–to destroy the couple’s new bond and crush the frail truce between the Groundlings and the Lofties. Not everyone wants to uproot their lives in the forest, and those who stay behind will be left terribly vulnerable.
Fenn and Peree’s resolve to be together, and the constant threat of the Scourge’s return, push both groups to the breaking point. Unable to tell friend from foe, Fenn must again decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to ensure the future of the people of the forest.
Only this time, the price of peace may be too high to bear.
[Full disclosure: I liked the first book so much that I asked A. G. Henley for an ebook copy of The Defiance in exchange for an honest review.]
Oftentimes series with great first books never really measure up to the potential that I see in the first book. Usually the second book lets me down in what I like to call Book 2 Syndrome. Fortunately, The Defiance didn’t suffer from this at all. In fact, it should probably be held up as an example of how second books should be written.
The Defiance starts off pretty much where we left off: with Peree and Fenn back in their respective tribes, trying to tell people that the Scourge are really just sick people and not real zombies. Trying to tell someone something that would change their entire worldview is very difficult and that fact is reflected in the slower pace of the story. Even though her very life is at risk, Fenn tries so hard to convince everyone that they should go to Koolkuna when she and Peree leave. She wants everyone in both tribes, even the truly horrible people, to go and live a good life.
I’m not someone who is big on romance, but I love how Fenn and Peree’s romance has progressed. It’s gone from a sweet, budding sort of young love to a more mature, secure love. You can tell that these two people love each other no matter what, even though their respective tribes will do practically anything to keep them apart. What’s so interesting about the whole Brilliant Darkness series is the fact that Fenn is blind and yet we get such a vivid picture of the characters and the surroundings. It’s sort of refreshing that the main character isn’t constantly describing how perfect her love interest’s looks are. No, Fenn focuses on who Peree is as a person and that is just what I like to see in YA.
The plot starts off a little slow like it did in The Scourge, but things quickly heat up. The mysterious threats about Peree and Fenn’s relationship, the plotting of several community members as well as the impending move to Koolkuna made me read The Defiance all in one sitting. It really was that good and I hated it when I knew the book was about to end. And on such a cliffhanger! I can’t wait for the third book, The Fire Sisters!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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