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  | Title: Breathe Author: Sarah Crossan |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . . The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.
Alina has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.
Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.
Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.
And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?
Review:
The premise of Breathe hooked me and made me what to read it. I am a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and though I have been disappointed by many of them lately, Breathe kept me completely engaged in the plot. That’s not to say that there weren’t any flaws, because there were quite a few, but I was so caught up in the story that I overlooked most of them. One that was hard to overlook was the personality reversal of Petra, the leader of the Resistance. When the chips were down, she went from being tough as nails to completely caving in and giving up. I don’t understand how she was the leader of this rebel group for so long, how she sent her people out on dangerous, life-threatening missions that lead to many of their deaths, when she couldn’t even find it in herself to fight back when she’s confronted with a war. Yes, the odds were so against her people that it didn’t look like they had a chance in Hell of winning, but just rolling over and giving up without a fight made me dislike her even more. How she ever became the leader of the resistance in the first place is beyond me.
When Bea and her best friend, Quinn, head out of the pod for a short camping trip, their plans are disrupted by Alina, a member of the Resistance, who is fleeing from the Ministry. Alina’s crime? She stole some plants. Yup, in this horrific vision of the future, all plant-life has been destroyed, the oceans have been polluted, and as a result, there isn’t enough oxygen left in the atmosphere to support life. The oppressive Breathe, the corporation that developed the pods and the life giving machines that fill them with breathable air, making a fortune selling air to the citizens of the pod. If you think having a gas meter or an electric meter is a pain, imagine having a monthly bill for the air you breathe. The poor struggle to make ends meet, while the wealthy have so much money they can splurge on personal air tanks so they can jog or play sports. Stewards patrol the streets, punishing those who walk too fast, or carry burdens without a permit. In the public areas of the pod, there are strict rules dictating how quickly you can move or what you can do because you are sucking up all of that valuable free air into your lungs. I love the concept behind this story!
After Bea and Quinn help Alina, their lives are thrown into chaos. Quinn’s father holds a high ranking position in Breathe, and as a Premium, there is little that Quinn has had to do without. Bea, on the other hand, has parents who are working themselves to death to pay for her air. As she attends school and works hard to be promoted, Bea is consumed with guilt. Her parents are always so tired, and always so worried about everything. When she fails to secure a spot in the Breathe Leadership Program, she is devastated. That was going to be her ticket to an easier life for her and her parents, and she blew it. So a trip outside, to the Outlands, sounds like just the thing she needs to clear her head and forget her disappointment. Quinn is providing everything she needs for the trip, so she might as well go and enjoy herself. And she is, until they run into Alina. Quinn, a very clueless, privileged young man, sees Alina, finds her beautiful, and immediately falls for her. He’ll do anything in his power to help her. Even hurt his best friend, Bea, who has loved him forever.
The love triangle did get a little annoying, because I didn’t think Quinn was worthy of Bea’s unyielding devotion, and Alina wasn’t my favorite character. While I thought that Quinn and Alina deserved each other, I didn’t want to see Bea hurt, because she is so kind. She is willing to risk herself for others, without hesitation. Neither Alina nor Quinn have her best interests at heart when they both have the power over her to keep her from harm. That was disappointing, because after everything that they had been through together, I expected better behavior from both of them. Plus, Bea would have put herself in harm’s way to protect both of them, and they didn’t deserve that.
The ending is one of those non-endings that seem inevitable in YA books, and it left me disappointed. I have been trying to resist starting new series until most of the books are out, but this was sitting on the library shelf, and despite a few reservations, I checked it out. Now. When I knew the next book won’t be out until later this year. Ugh. I am glad that I read it now, but I worry that I won’t be in the same frame of mind when Book 2 hits shelves.
If you are in the mood for a fast-paced dystopian with a compelling premise, give Breathe a try. I gobbled it up in a few short hours, and was engaged in the plot the entire time.
Grade: B
Review copy obtained from my local library
Lots of nice stuff here! I am looking forward to The Space Between Us, Zom-B, and Crewel. What’s on your want to read list?
Beta by Rachel Cohn (Oct 16, 2012)
Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters (Oct 16, 2012)
Crewel (Crewel World) by Gennifer Albin (Oct 16, 2012)
Game Changer by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Oct 16, 2012)
Have a Nice Day by Julie Halpern (Oct 16, 2012)
Hidden (House of Night) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Oct 16, 2012)
The Innocents by Lili Peloquin (Oct 16, 2012)
The Islands of the Blessed (Sea of Trolls Trilogy) by Nancy Farmer (Oct 16, 2012)
Kiss, Kiss, Bark! by Kim Williams Justesen (Oct 16, 2012)
Lily the Silent: The History of Arcadia by Tod Davies and Mike Madrid (Oct 16, 2012)
Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara (Oct 16, 2012)
Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos (Oct 16, 2012)
Sanctum (Book 1 in the Guards of the Shadowlands series) by Sarah Fine (Oct 16, 2012)
Shadow of the Hawk (Wereworld) by Curtis Jobling (Oct 16, 2012).
The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski (Oct 16, 2012)
The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez (Oct 16, 2012)
Starstruck: A Fame Game Novel by Lauren Conrad (Oct 16, 2012)
This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees (Oct 16, 2012)
TimeRiders: The Doomsday Code by Alex Scarrow (Oct 16, 2012)
Zom-B by Darren Shan (Oct 16, 2012)
Daniel X: Armageddon by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Oct 15, 2012)
There are a ton of awesome releases this week, so I split the adult list into two parts. First up are the PNR/UF and Fantasy titles. So many of these are on my wish list! What’s on yours?
Check back tomorrow for new romance releases.
Click on the covers for the Amazon product page.
Dark Currents: Agent of Hel by Jacqueline Carey (Oct 2, 2012)
Daughter of the Sword: A Novel of the Fated Blades by Steve Bein (Oct 2, 2012)
Death’s Rival: A Jane Yellowrock Novel by Faith Hunter (Oct 2, 2012)
Ember’s Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel by Deborah Cooke (Oct 2, 2012)
Ghosts of Memories: A Vampire Memories Novel by Barb Hendee (Oct 2, 2012)
Ironskin by Tina Connolly (Oct 2, 2012)
London Eye (Toxic City Book One) by Tim Lebbon (Oct 2, 2012)
Mate Claimed (Shifters Unbound) by Jennifer Ashley (Oct 2, 2012)
Mortal Ties (Lupi) by Eileen Wilks (Oct 2, 2012)
Phantom Shadows (Immortal Guardians) by Dianne Duvall (Oct 2, 2012)
Revelation (A Novel of the Seven Signs) by Erica Hayes (Oct 2, 2012)
Savage Hunger by Terry Spear (Oct 2, 2012)
Skarlet: Part One of the Vampire Trinity (Vampire Babylon Trilogy) by Thomas Emson (Oct 2, 2012)
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone (Oct 2, 2012)
Werewolf in Denver: A Wild About You Novel by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Oct 2, 2012)
Wicked Whispers (Castle of Dark Dreams) by Nina Bangs (Oct 2, 2012)
Courting Trouble by Jenny Schwartz (Oct 1, 2012)
Mark of the Witch (The Portal) by Maggie Shayne (Oct 1, 2012)
Wild Hearts in Atlantis by Alyssa Day (Oct 2, 2012)
Here are this week’s YA releases. A ton of these are on my wish list, including Breathe, Death and the Girl Next Door, Poison Princess, and Fall to Pieces. Which titles are you most anticipating?
Click on the cover for the Amazon product page.
The Assassin’s Curse (Strange Chemistry) by Cassandra Rose Clarke (Oct 2, 2012)
Breathe by Sarah Crossan (Oct 2, 2012)
Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson (Oct 2, 2012)
Broxo by Zack Giallongo (Oct 2, 2012)
Dark Lord: The Early Years by Jamie Thomson (Oct 2, 2012)
Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones (Oct 2, 2012)
Emily’s Dress and Other Missing Things by Kathryn Burak (Oct 2, 2012)
Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant (Oct 2, 2012)
Fall to Pieces by Vahini Naidoo (Oct 2, 2012)
Fangirl by Ken Baker (Oct 2, 2012)
Feedback by Robison Wells (Oct 2, 2012)
Fire Season (Star Kingdom) by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (Oct 2, 2012)
Forget Me Not by Carolee Dean (Oct 2, 2012)
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente and Ana Juan (Oct 2, 2012)
Kiss & Make Up by Katie D. Anderson (Oct 2, 2012)
Live Through This by Mindi Scott (Oct 2, 2012)
The Last Dragonslayer (Chronicles of Kazam) by Jasper Fforde and Jane Collingwood (Oct 2, 2012)
Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass (Oct 2, 2012)
Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom, & the Challenges of Bad Hair by C. C. Payne (Oct 2, 2012)
Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow (Oct 2, 2012)
Poison Princess (Arcana Chronicles) by Kresley Cole (Oct 2, 2012)
Poltergeeks (Strange Chemistry) by Sean Cummings (Oct 2, 2012)
Promised (The Birthmarked Trilogy) by Caragh M. O’Brien (Oct 2, 2012)
Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt (Oct 2, 2012)
Shifter (Wicked Woods #6) by Kailin Gow (Oct 2, 2012)
Son by Lois Lowry (Oct 2, 2012)
The Suburban Strange by Nathan Kotecki (Oct 2, 2012)
Through to You by Emily Hainsworth (Oct 2, 2012)
Villain School: Hero in Disguise by Stephanie Sanders (Oct 2, 2012)
Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls Novel (Quality)) by C. C. Hunter (Oct 2, 2012)
Amber House by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larkin Reed (Oct 1, 2012)
Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick (Oct 1, 2012)
The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron (Oct 1, 2012)
League of Strays by L. B. Schulman (Oct 1, 2012)
Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch (Oct 1, 2012)
Pinned by Sharon Flake (Oct 1, 2012)
Samantha Sutton and the Labyrinth of Lies by Jordan Jacobs (Oct 1, 2012)
The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda (Oct 1, 2012)
Skinny by Donna Cooner (Oct 1, 2012)
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (Oct 1, 2012)
Undertakers: Queen of the Dead by Ty Drago and Eric Williams (Oct 1, 2012)
Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler (Oct 1, 2012)
By: Julie,
on 10/9/2012
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There are a couple of big buzz titles this week. Velveteen, Mystic City, and Valkyrie Rising are at the top of my wish list. What’s on yours?
Click the covers for the Amazon product page.
All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin (Oct 9, 2012)
After by Ellen Datlow (Oct 9, 2012)
Samurai Awakening by Benjamin Martin (Oct 10, 2012)
The Bridge by Jane Higgins (Oct 9, 2012)
Bushman Lives! by Daniel Pinkwater (Oct 9, 2012)
Guardian (A Halflings Novel) by Heather Burch (Oct 9, 2012)
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh (Oct 9, 2012)
The Katerina Trilogy, Vol. II: The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges (Oct 9, 2012)
My Own Revolution by Carolyn Marsden (Oct 9, 2012)
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence (Oct 9, 2012)
The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab (Oct 9, 2012)
Paradise by Joanna Nadin (Oct 9, 2012)
Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay (Oct 9, 2012)
A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Gonzalez (Oct 9, 2012)
Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (Oct 9, 2012)
Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson (Oct 9, 2012)
Velveteen by Daniel Marks (Oct 9, 2012)
What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton (Oct 9, 2012)
Demon Eyes (Witch Eyes) by Scott Tracey (Oct 8, 2012)
Foxfire (An Other Novel) by Karen Kincy (Oct 8, 2012)
The FitzOsbornes at War (The Montmaray Journals) by Michelle Cooper (Oct 9, 2012)
Here are some horror or post-apocalyptic young adult titles to get you in the mood for Halloween! All priced under 4 bucks. Click on the covers for the Amazon product page.
Sudden Independents by Ted Hill – .99
Jimmy never thought he’d be spending the apocalypse farming in Nebraska and worrying about Hunter. But when the plague killed their parents, along with everyone over the age of seventeen, Jimmy suddenly became head of the household.
Then the oldest kid in town turned eighteen and the plague chased him down. Now Jimmy has one more thing to worry about—and he’s running out of time.
Hunter finds a little girl named Catherine under a cottonwood tree in the middle of nowhere. When Catherine magically heals Hunter’s broken arm, Jimmy hopes he will survive his eighteenth birthday if he can protect her from the horseman responsible for unleashing the plague.
The Scourge by A G Henley 2.99
Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She’s never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets. She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings’ tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be.
And she’s always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone.
The Sightless, like Fenn, are mysteriously protected from the Scourge, the gruesome creatures roaming the forests, reeking of festering flesh and consuming anything—and anyone—living. A Sightless Groundling must brave the Scourge and bring fresh water to the people of the forest. Today, that task becomes Fenn’s.
Fenn will have a Lofty Keeper, Peree, as her companion. Everyone knows the Lofties wouldn’t hesitate to shoot an arrow through the back of an unsuspecting Groundling like Fenn, but Peree seems different. A boy with warm, rough hands who smells like summer, he is surprisingly kind and thoughtful. Although Fenn knows his people are treacherous, she finds herself wanting to trust him.
As their forest community teeters on the brink of war, Fenn and Peree must learn to work together to survive the Scourge and ensure their people’s survival. But when Fenn uncovers a secret that shatters her truths, she’s forced to decide who and what to protect—her people, her growing love for Peree, or the elusive dream of lasting peace in the forest.
A tale of star-crossed lovers, strange creatures, and secretive, feuding factions, THE SCOURGE introduces readers to a rich and exciting new world where nothing is as it seems.
The Outside by Shalini Boland – 3.99
A post-apocalyptic romance thriller.
The world of the future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky, if you’re outside life expectancy takes a nose dive.
Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through the Perimeter and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable than she ever expected.
Cut to the present day where Eleanor’s world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won’t be quite so civilised . . .
The Burn by Annie Oldham – .99
The Burn is full of nuclear fallout, roving gangs, anarchy, unreliable plumbing. That’s what Terra’s father tells her. She has lived her whole life in comfort in a colony at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. She hates it. And she would pay any price to leave. But when Terra finally escapes the colony, she finds out her father is right. She finds a group of survivors that quickly become friends, and every day with them is a race for survival. But then she witnesses and commits unspeakable acts, and she must decide where her loyalty lies: with the colony she despises or The Burn, where every day is filled with nightmares.
Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn – 2.99
When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden underworld of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
The Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin – 2.99
Everything is in ruins.A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.So what does Araby Worth have to live for?Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.
Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?
London Eye by Tim Lebbon takes place after a crippling terrorist attack. I love the sense of devastation and bleakness. I like that the models are front and center, and how the landmarks behind them are in complete ruin. The cover is really, really cool.
In stores October 2012.
|
Two years after London is struck by a devastating terrorist attack, it is cut off from the world, protected by a military force known as Choppers. the rest of Britain believes that the city is now a toxic, uninhabited wasteland.
But Jack and his friends — some of whom lost family on what has become known as Doomsday — know that the reality is very different. at great risk, they have been gathering evidence about what is really happening in London — and it is incredible. Because the handful of London’s survivors are changing. Developing strange, fantastic powers. Evolving.
Upon discovering that his mother is still alive inside London, Jack, his sister, and their three friends sneak into a city in ruins. Vast swathes have been bombed flat. Choppers cruise the streets, looking for survivors to experiment upon. the toxic city is filled with wonders and dangers that will challenge Jack and his friends… and perhaps kill them. But Jack knows that the truth must be revealed to the outside world or every survivor will die.
|
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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
I love Kat Falls, so Inhuman is high, high, high on my gotta have it list. In stores 2013.
| In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit. America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.
Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught. Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy. |
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Sarah Crossan is the author of Breathe, a post-apocalyptic read chronicling a dark future where people have to pay for the very air they breathe. This book sounds fantastic, so I asked Sarah if she could answer a few of my questions. Check out what she has to say below:
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Sarah Crossan] Young adult author of novels. Irish but grew up in England, now living in New Jersey. Former English teacher missing the classroom.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Breathe?
[Sarah Crossan] Breathe is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic future at a time when the earth’s oxygen levels have plummeted and humans are forced to live in pods and breathe chemically manufactured air which they must pay for. Sadly, some people can afford a lot more air than others.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Sarah Crossan] Like many people, I fear for our planet. After seeing logging firsthand, whole mountainsides cleared, I wondered what life would be like on earth with no trees at all. The idea of living without an abundance of oxygen was a concept I found very frightening and the novel unraveled in my mind from there.
I don’t remember creating the characters. They seemed to exist before I imagined them. Quinn was the first character to come to me though, and his voice was always entirely clear in my head.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the most challenging aspect of writing Breathe?
[Sarah Crossan] The world was easy to imagine. The challenge was writing about it so readers could see what I see. That’s always the challenge for a writer, I suppose.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Alina?
[Sarah Crossan] Tough, impatient, dependable
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Quinn would never have in his pocket?
[Sarah Crossan] Quinn is the kind of person who could be carrying anything. Those pockets of his are probably brimming with unusual odds and ends.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Bea’s single most prized possession?
[Sarah Crossan] Bea doesn’t care about material possessions. She is a people person. She prizes relationships above all else.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Sarah Crossan] I am inspired by nature, whether I am writing about it or not. I love the countryside and the ocean. Bleak weather isn’t necessary, but it helps!
Obviously I find myself inspired by the arts too: books, plays, art, music—anything that provokes emotion.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Sarah Crossan] Time, space, and tea.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Sarah Crossan] The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. It is so darkly funny and yet sad and true. It fully deserves all its accolades.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Sarah Crossan] Paul Zindel’s The Pigman was the first book to made me cry, and I remember staying awake at night worrying for the characters. After that I became a voracious reader and found myself constantly impacted by literature.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Sarah Crossan] I paint a little, love to travel, and practice yoga. I have been learning Greek for over fifteen years, but I’m still a beginner: it’s a difficult language!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Sarah Crossan] Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Crossan/266594186686482
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/SarahCrossan
Email sarah@sarahcrossan.com
Web www.sarahcrossan.com
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
You can preorder Breathe from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below. Available in print and digital.
By: Julie,
on 9/12/2012
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Here’s a small round-up of nicely priced YA eBooks for your Kindle or Kindle app.
Eve by Anna Carey ($2.99)
Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.
In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in Eve’s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.
.
Partials by Dan Wells ($2.99)
The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what’s left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.
Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.
These Harper Collins’ contemporaries are at a lower price point, so check them out. I enjoyed both of these.
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley ($5.69)
Meet Corrinne. She’s living every girl’s dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .
When Corrinne’s father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she’s stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she’s supposed to be living. She doesn’t care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.
A Long Way from You (Where I Belong) by Gwen Heasley ($5.69)
For too long, Kitsy has had to satisfy her dreams of becoming a real artist by giving her friends makeovers before prom. So when her best friend Corrinne’s family offers to sponsor her for a summer art course in New York City, Kitsy bids a temporary good-bye to Texas to say hello to the West Village.
Between navigating the subway and the New Yorkers—namely, the Art Boy who has a nice trick of getting under her skin—Kitsy knows that this summer is going to be about a lot more than figure drawing.
Here are some cheap YA dystopian reads for your Kindle reader or Kindle app.
Memento Nora by Angie Smibert ($1.99)
On an otherwise glossy day, a blast goes off and a body thuds to the ground at Nora’s feet. There are terrorist attacks in the city all the time, but Nora can’t forget.
In Nora’s world you don’t have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC–a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take a pill to erase it so she can go on like nothing ever happened. But at TFC a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora’s life. She doesn’t take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember.
With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. Memento is an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?
Angie Smibert’s remarkable debut novel takes readers on a thrilling ride through a shadowy world where corporations secretly rule and consumerism is praised above all.(
The Forgetting Curve (Memento Nora) by Angie Smibert ($1.99)
Aiden Nomura likes to open doors—especially using his skills as a hacker—to see what’s hidden inside. He believes everything is part of a greater system: the universe. The universe shows him the doors, and he keeps pulling until one cracks open. Aiden exposes the flaw, and the universe—or someone else—will fix it. It’s like a game.
Until it isn’t.
When a TFC opens in Bern, Switzerland, where Aiden is attending boarding school, he knows things are changing. Shortly after, bombs go off within quiet, safe Bern. Then Aiden learns that his cousin Winter, back in the States, has had a mental breakdown. He returns to the US immediately.
But when he arrives home in Hamilton, Winter’s mental state isn’t the only thing that’s different. The city is becoming even stricter, and an underground movement is growing.
Along with Winter’s friend, Velvet, Aiden slowly cracks open doors in this new world. But behind those doors are things Aiden doesn’t want to see—things about his society, his city, even his own family. And this time Aiden may be the only one who can fix things… before someone else gets hurt.
Watersmeet by Ellen Jensen Abbott ($3.99)
From her birth, Abisina has been outcast–for the color of her eyes and skin, and for her lack of a father. Only her mother’s status as the village healer has kept her safe. But when a mythic leader arrives, Abisina’s life is ripped apart. She escapes alone to try to find the father and the home she has never known. In a world of extremes, from the deepest prejudice to the greatest bonds of duty and loyalty, Abisina must find her own way and decide where her true hope lies.
The Centaur’s Daughter by Ellen Jensen Abbott ($3.99)
Abisina had found a home in Watersmeet–the community her father led until he was killed by the evil White Worm. But now, Watersmeet is as divided as the village she fled as an outcast. The land faces a new threat, and an uneasy alliances between the humans and the creatures will have to be formed to survive. If Abisina doesn’t become the leader Watersmeet needs, she may lose everything. But can she take her father’s place? This powerful and moving fantasy deals with timely issues about identity, prejudice, and war. This is the sequel to Watersmeet, which was an IRA Young Adult Book Award Notable and a YALSA Teens’ Top Ten Nominee.
By: Julie,
on 9/19/2012
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Laura Bickle is a favorite around the virtual offices, and I’m always delighted when she has time to drop in for a chat. Today we are going to talk about her soon to be released young adult title The Hallowed Ones. This is a scary glimpse at the end of the world! I enjoyed this thrilling, frightening, exciting read, and I wanted to ask Laura a few questions about it, so let’s see what she has to say.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Laura Bickle] Cat-rancher, Tarot enthusiast, and sometime salamander chaser. Writing urban fantasy and YA as Laura Bickle and Alayna Williams.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Hallowed Ones?
[Laura Bickle] Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there…and it is making a killing.
Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: no one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elders’ rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Laura Bickle] I was thinking about what would happen if the end of the world came…I know this is a common thing to think about on an everyday basis! But that’s part of the joy in being a writer. I get to think about odd things.
I was wondering who would be best-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster. It occurred to me that the Amish would be uniquely equipped to survive. They are incredibly self-sufficient and are not dependent upon things we take for granted in our world, things like electricity and cars.
I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like. And that’s where Katie came from.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you research Amish culture and traditions?
[Laura Bickle] I spent some time visiting the Amish settlement near where I live. I also did a good deal of reading…there are a lot of great books out there that look at the Plain way of life from a sociological perspective. National Geographic has also done a number of very good documentaries about the Amish. Many of the ideas were very foreign to me. For example, the Amish do not wish to be connected to the outside world, so power lines, phone lines, and electricity are not used. That kind of voluntary isolation is fascinating to me. The only parallel I can draw in my own life is when storms came through our area and we were without phone, cable, electricity, and internet for a week. It was very still and very peaceful.
I’m acutely conscious that I can’t know or understand everything about the Amish, never having lived in an Amish community. But I learned enough to develop an immense respect for the Amish way of life.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Katie?
[Laura Bickle] Katie is strong, quiet, and resolute. She’s a young woman growing into her power.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things would Elijah never have in his room?
[Laura Bickle] Hmmm…Elijah is the boy Katie has grown up with, who she expects to marry someday. Elijah is something of a straight arrow. He’d never have the keys to a car, a secret stash of Star Wars action figures, or anything with a remote control.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Alex would never have in his pockets?
[Laura Bickle] Alex is an injured man Katie finds outside the boundaries of her community. Katie brings him inside her barn to recover, but can’t be sure what kind of evil he’s bringing in with him.
Alex is a graduate student in anthropology. You wouldn’t find any of the following in his pockets: more than twenty bucks, a comb, or directions to the nearest church.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Katie had a theme song, what would it be?
[Laura Bickle] Hmmm. Katie doesn’t spend much time listening to popular music, but she was caught by her father humming “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones while milking the cows.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Laura Bickle] My herd of cats would say they’re my greatest influences. There’s always one or two draped on me while I’m trying to type, trying to hit the delete key.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Laura Bickle] Quiet, Coca-Cola, and someplace to sprawl out.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Laura Bickle] FEVER by Lauren DeStefano. Her voice is so incredibly powerful – I can’t wait for the third book in the Chemical Garden trilogy. Both WITHER and FEVER were books that lingered with me for a long time after I finished – I love it when a story takes up real estate in my head and haunts me like that.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Laura Bickle] My all-time favorite is Robin McKinley’s HERO AND THE CROWN. I read it when I was a pre-teen, and fell in love with fantasy ever after. It was the first book I’d read that had a female protagonist who slew her own dragons. I was hooked.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Laura Bickle] In my day job, I work in a library. I get to pet all the new books and come home with armloads of books to read for research and pleasure.
My husband and I are amateur astronomers. We were excited to finally get a break in the cloud cover to see a bit of the Perseids meteor shower this year.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Laura Bickle] I love to connect with readers! My website is www.laurabickle.com. I blog about nerdy stuff like my action figure collection at http://laurabickle.com/category/blog/ I’m also on Twitter and Facebook.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
You can order The Hallowed Ones from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below.
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
I am such a sucker for post-apocalyptic books! I don’t know that I would be setting off on the adventure of a lifetime in a pair of shorts and a tank top, but Solstice by P J Hoover looks intriguing anyway.
In stores June 2013
Piper’s world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.
Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.
What are you waiting on?
| Title: The Hallowed Ones Author: Laura Bickle |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.
Review:
This book had me extremely freaked out at several points during the story, and I could not put it down. Well, I did have to put it down once, because everyone else had wandered off to bed, it was dark, and I was FREAKED OUT. I just could not sit in the living room by myself and continue to read, damn my easily frightened heart. So I carefully marked my place, set the book down, and waddled off to bed, already counting down the hours until I would be home from work and able to read again. It was probably for the best; it was a work night anyway, and the weekend beckoned just a few hours away.
I loved Embers, also by Laura Bickle, for both the heroine and for her cuddle-worthy elemental, Sparky. I read a lot of books, and if I can remember most of the plot and even character names months after I have finished, it was a great reading experience. When I saw that she had a YA title coming out, I was beside myself with excitement. Would I enjoy it? The Hallowed Ones intrigued me for another reason, too. Katie is Amish, and she is about to set off on her Rumspringa, the time that young Amish are permitted to live with the English away from their communities, in order to determine whether or not they wanted to return and be baptized, and fully accepted as adults in their society. Being baptized also meant putting aside non-Amish things, and having additional pressures to conform to accepted behavior. I wondered if I would find Katie an interesting person. She is supposed to be humble and agreeable, and not make waves. Guess what? She is a fascinating heroine, strong, brave, and more than willing to make waves when she thought that an injustice was being committed. This got her into a lot of hot water with the Elders, but Katie just could not step aside when she thought that someone needed her help. Unfortunately for her people, everybody needed help after a devastating catastrophe befalls the Outside.
I can’t remember having read another book with an Amish protagonist, so I don’t know how authentic Katie is, but I liked her a lot. She never backed down when she was needed, regardless of how unpleasant, and in several instances, how downright horrifying, the task was. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, because I want you to be as freaked out as I was. Let me just say that there are evil, awful monsters Outside, and they are ravenous. They are scary. They are strong. And worse of all, they are smart. With the Elders denying that a darkness has descended and threatens to survival of the human race, things are looking particularly grim. An Amish community, with its wooden houses and lack of technology, isn’t the first place I would choose to make my last stand with the world ending around me. There are no radios, TV, or internet for the news, and cell phones? Forget it! You aren’t going to be able to send urgent, terrified text messages to your friends and family because they don’t have those there! Several times I was struck by how difficult communication would be even without the end of days. Heck, if I wanted to talk to my neighbors on the other end of the community, I would have to walk there. Or hitch up my horse and drive there. Thank goodness I know how to drive a buggy.
I thought the beginning of the story was a little slow, but now that I have finished the book, I don’t think that anymore. We needed that calm before the storm, to establish both Katie and Elijah’s personalities, their role in their society, and what their hopes were for the future. Katie firmly believed that she and Elijah would go on Rumspringa together, and after kicking up their heels, they would both be baptized, and then eventually they would be married and start a family of their own. Everything was laid out in a simple path, and all she had to do was follow it. But then the unthinkable happens, and there is no Outside anymore. When the Elders, in an abundance of caution, closed off their community, Katie begins to question everything that she once accepted without a qualm. She disobeys the Elders, and soon she has first hand knowledge of the evil they are up against. Things don’t look good, and Katie thinks that it is just a matter of time before everyone in her knows and loves suffers an unspeakable end.
While I liked Katie, I think that the Hexenmeister is my favorite character. There is just something about a crazy old guy who turns out to be a magical bad-ass that appeals to me. While he lived on the fringes of his society because he was quite odd during times of peace and contentment, during the end of the world he was just the guy to have on your side. He, too, was strong and unwavering, even when confronted with the corruption that seethed within their community.
The Hallowed Ones is an exciting, and at times, terrifying read, with a strong heroine ready to do whatever is necessary to save the lives of her family. Without technology on her side, Katie has to rely on something many of us have forgotten how to use; her own cunning and common sense. I enjoyed this book very much, and can hardly wait for follow-up.
Grade: B+
Review copy provided by publisher
If you think the economy is bad now, just imagine if
chocolate was hard to find in the United States. Even worse that that: illegal! I think I would join Anya Balanchine's gangster family that deal in the illegal importing and selling of chocolate. (Me shuttering!!!) Coffee is illegal also, but that is not a big deal. (I used to believe it turned your knees black, so what is the allure? But I digress.) Anya's older brother, Leo, was permanently disabled in a "hit" meant for his father. In the same hit, their mother was killed. To add to the family trauma, as Anya and her little sister were playing under their father's desk, hit men broke into their home and executed him while he sat at the same desk. All over the control of chocolate and coffee. Anya's life is further complicated by a lousy boyfriend who is a villain. She is pursued by the son of the assistant DA, a star-crossed lovers situation if I ever saw one. Her grandmother, who should be the head of the family business, is slowly fading away. Even though Leo is older, Anya has to take on the burdens of her family. The lousy, now ex, boyfriend? He causes so much trouble that Anya ends up in jail at "Liberty House." The extended family are not helping Anya's dire situation either. I think the reader will really feel the pressure of a teenager who has far too many worries and responsibilities for her age, the horror of Liberty House, the economic decline of New York City, and the insanity that creates criminals.
ENDERS' Rating: **** Gabrielle's Website
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda looks like awesome-sauce. The premise is intriguing – how does the protagonist hide what he really is, when he is so different from everyone around him? I’ll have to wait until May to find out!
| Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them. Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood. When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity? |
Expected in stores May 2012
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| | Title: Above World Author: Jenn Reece Publisher: Candlewick ISBN: 978-0763654177 |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
| Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is in doubt. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people. But can Aluna’s warrior spirit and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt—growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains—here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true. |
Review:
After reading Dark Life by Kat Falls, I became fascinated by the idea of living in the ocean. When I saw Above World by Jenn Reese, I was chomping at the bit to read it. In this Middle Grade adventure, Aluna, a girl who lives in the ocean, must venture Above World to discover why the technology that allows her people to breathe underwater is failing. I loved the spunky Aluna, and I also thought that her best friend, Hoku, was a wonderful character, too. Both of them have to deal with very frightening situations, and as they face down death time and again, the thought of saving their people gives them the courage to continue on their journey.
When Aluna finds the body of one of her friends, she discovers that the elders are keeping a secret from the residents of her city – the breathing tech that allows the Kampii to live underwater is failing. Each Kampii has a bio-tech breathing necklace that keeps them from drowning. Several of the necklaces ceased functioning, and the elders, including Aluna’s father, have quickly covered up the resulting deaths, not wanting to start a panic. Instead of trying to discover why the necklaces are starting to fail, the elders are firmly denying that there is a problem. The Kampii in her city have kept themselves hidden from the Above World for generations, and they don’t want to have anything to do with the surface world. Aluna runs away from home, determined to save her people.
I loved the world building in this post-apocalyptic adventure. As the population swelled and the available land was consumed by growing numbers of people, new environments were exploited with the help of bio-technology. The Kampii, who are like mermaids, were allowed to live under the water with their necklaces. Centaurs were engineered to live in the desert, and Aviars were given wings so they could live on top of mountains. Disease swept through the human population, and chaos followed. Now the remaining life forms are at war, battling for control of the old technology.
Aluna is a strong, determined protagonist, and I liked her a lot. She is impulsive and stubborn, and these flaws work to get her out of many dicey situations. She isn’t able to give up, and and she can’t accept failure. That’s just not an option for her. The thought of quitting never occurs to her, even when she is standing up to very scary enemies that would have had me running, screaming, in the opposite direction
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
I love the cover for Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Tayler. November seems like a long way off, though, doesn’t it? What’s on your list this week?
| Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent, and the coal is running out. Plus, there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome, or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren’s friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome’s way of life. But Alex’s final words are haunting. "The sky is blue." What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome, and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence |
In stores November 2012
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Galaxy Craze is an actress as well as an author. Her latest book, The Last Princess, is in stores now. Galaxy dropped by the virtual offices to chat about her post-apocalyptic tale, and she brought a present! She brought a copy of The Last Princess for one of you to win, so after the interview, enter for your chance to take this book home!
[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about The Last Princess?
[Galaxy Craze] The Last Princess is a super fast-paced action-adventure YA book (for readers age 12 and up). It centers on sixteen-year-old Eliza Windsor’s (the youngest daughter of the King and Queen of England’s) fight to find her brother and sister and avenge her parents’ death.
[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Galaxy Craze] I worked closely with Joelle Hobeika, my editor at Alloy. They asked me to write this book and when I met with them they already had the title but our idea of the story changed a lot over time.
[Manga Maniac Café] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?
[Galaxy Craze] I don’t know if all writers feel this but the constant self doubt running through my head. I hear myself say "Why bother, there are enough books," or just the mantra of "I can’t do this!" That’s the hardest part—getting over the doubt.
[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Eliza?
[Galaxy Craze] Determined, passionate, and loyal.
[Manga Maniac Café] What is Eliza’s single more prized possession?
[Galaxy Craze] Well, I guess a horse isn’t really a possession but I’ll have to say her amazing courageous horse Caligula.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Galaxy Craze] To be honest I’m struggling now with finding the focus and inspiration. When I became a mother, instead of seeing the beauty in things, now I see the danger. I used to get a lot of inspiration from nature but the last time I was at the beach with my children I was constantly on guard, looking at the ocean in a suspicious and fearful way I never had before.
[Manga Maniac Café] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Galaxy Craze] Strong English black tea ( I used to drink with whole milk but now I use soy milk), a pen or pencil, and paper. Oh and of course the ever elusive FOCUS.
[Manga Maniac Café] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Galaxy Craze] More than long fancy sentences and words I have to look up in the dictionary, what I look for in a writer, is clear picture. This is why I love Jean Ryhs author of The Wide Sargasso Sea. Her concise and simple prose create a clear picture and unbreakable atmosphere. Lines, moments and vision ring clear and true in her novels.
[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Galaxy Craze] Charlotte’s Web. I remember sleeping over at a friend house in the English country side and crying into the pillow so I wouldn’t wake anyone.
[Manga Maniac Café] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Galaxy Craze] I like to run or take a really faced past Yoga class (I’m not sure I LIKE either but it’
Monument 14 day continues at Manga Maniac Cafe! To close the day’s festivities, I have a copy of Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne for you to win!
To enter for your chance to win, just fill out the widget below! You can earn extra entries by following. Contest open to US addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Emmy Laybourne is the author of Monument 14, a new YA post-apocalyptic tale about a world gone mad. Natural disasters and toxic chemical spills make life very difficult for the young protagonists scrambling to stay alive. Emmy dropped by the virtual offices to chat about her book.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Emmy Layton] I’m a YA novelist, musical theater writer, and recovered character actress who is also a mom to two kids and a lizard (adopted)!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Monument 14?
[Emmy Layton] Monument 14 is the story of fourteen kids who get trapped in a superstore (think Target) during a series of environmental catastrophies that leaves the world outside the store hostile and dangerous. It’s the story of how the kids come together and try to survive and take care of each other, despite their differences.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Emmy Layton] The idea for M14 actually began as a musical! I wanted to write a musical about a small colony of people living in a Wal-Mart. But then I decided to write it as a YA novel and everything changed. The only character who remains from my original notes and ideas for the musical is Astrid! In the musical idea I had a wild girl living up above the ceiling tiles. Astrid is that wild girl!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?
[Emmy Layton] It was hard to take characters that I created (and really ended up loving) and put them through so much anguish. Especially the young ones. As an author, I knew that the story needed to really move fast, the characters needed to be in danger and the tension needed to stay high until the very end. As a mother, well, I just wanted to make everything okay. The mommy part of me wanted to make NORAD find a way to quell the airborne chemicals and have Mrs. Wooly show up in a new bus to take all the kids home to their loving parents!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Dean?
[Emmy Layton] Observant. Kind. Honest.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Jake would never have in his pocket?
[Emmy Layton] Great question! A calculator. A pack of raisins. A condom.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Alex’s single most prized possession?
[Emmy Layton] The analog alarm clock he took apart and put back together when he was five.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Emmy Layton] Authors Anne Lamott, Kent Haruf, and Lynda Barry; UCLA professors Howard Suber, TIm Albaugh and Richard Walter; and the ten years I spent as comedy improviser.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Emmy Layton] At least 4 straight, uninterrupted hours; a good breakfast with plenty of protein; and my Classical Radiohead playlist on Pandora!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Emmy Layton] Hold Me Closer Necromancer, by Lish McBride. I loved the characters, the tone, the setting AND the story! It was such a cool world – it made me want to move to Seattle and work in a fast food joint and you really can’t say that about every book you read!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
| Title: Monument 14 Author: Emmy Laybourne Publisher: Feiwel and Friends |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
| Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner. Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.
But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran. Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart. |
Review:
I am fascinated by post-apocalyptic stories. I enjoy books where the disaster is unraveling without warning, forcing the protagonists to find hidden strengths and somehow survive the ensuing chaos. In Monument 14, Dean, a high school student, is running late for the bus. In his America, set a short-time in the future, there is a gas shortage, so everyone takes the bus to school. His mom is yelling at him to hurry up and get outside, or he’ll miss his ride to school. Racing out the door, he doesn’t even have time to tell her good-bye. As one disaster after another plays out, he begins to regret that he didn’t take that extra time. It is starting to look as though he won’t ever see her again, let alone live to tell her about his really, really bad day. I liked the urgency of the opening paragraphs – Dean doesn’t have time to do anything but barrel to meet his fate, and making that bus is going to have some alarming consequences for him.
A freak hailstorm destroys the bus and almost ends Dean’s life. Saved from a certain and painful death, Dean ends up in a superstore with a group of very different kids, running a spectrum of ages. With nobody but themselves to depend on, they have to work together to survive as one disaster after another wreaks havoc to the world outside. They actually have it good, considering the magnitude of the disasters that are unfolding outside. Secure in the store, they are safe and have plenty of supplies as they wait to be rescued. But as it becomes apparent that there isn’t going to be a rescue, they must take matters into their own hands. Should they stay safe inside the store? Or should they venture out into the unknown and look for their parents?
I enjoyed this read, despite some pacing issues. I also had to suspend disbelief in order for this story to work for me. The prose was strong enough that I decided to just sit back and follow along as Dean narrated his adventure. Circumstances weren’t all that dire for the kids
The Last Princess Galaxy Craze
First there were the Seventeen Days-- 17 days of hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. So much ash was spewed into the air they rarely see the sun anymore.
Eliza's mother, the queen, was poisoned while Eliza watched. Her unborn little brother was quickly born, but is forever ill because of the poison. Food and water and fuel are scarce.
As the book opens, Eliza, her older sister Mary, and brother are returning to London after spending a carefree summer at Balmoral. Before she leaves, Eliza's best friend warns her about what the adults have been keeping from them all summer-- there's a brutal rebel group that's gaining ground and territory and its leader is the same man who assassinated the queen. Once they return, the palace is overrun by rebels, the king is shot (again in front of Eliza) Mary and Jamie are captured and the palace is burned to the ground.
Eliza swears revenge for her family and knows the only way to get to the leader is by joining the rebel forces. She walks straight into the enemy camp but hiding her true identity is harder than she thought...
Fun action adventure, light romance, and a destroyed London. I want to know more of the politics of the rebel group and also why the King had that much power-- much more than any modern king has held. The twist about the romantic interest was easy to spot, but I didn't mind. I liked how that story played out. The end was a bit tidy, but ah well. I don't have a lot to say about it. Eliza was pretty awesome. A few of her moves were a bit beyond belief, but they were so awesome I DON'T CARE. It was a very fun read and am very much looking forward to the sequel.
Book Provided by... my local library
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ZOMG!!! Stop the presses! The cover for Veronica Rossi’s Through the Ever Night has been revealed!! Under the Never Sky is one of my favorite books – EVAR!!!! I am so excited to read Through the Ever Night!!! January can’t come soon enough!!!! I love this cover and feel that it compliments the first one perfectly. What do you think? Are you looking forward to reading this??
Check out Veronica’s website to learn more about her books, and if you haven’t read Under the Never Sky, what are you waiting for??
Today I’m hosting Laxmi Hariharan in celebration of her new release The Destiny of Shaitan. Check out the interview below and make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post for a chance to win either a $15 Amazon Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of The Destiny of Shaitan
[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Laxmi Hariharan] A chai-swigging writer, technophile & futurist who is spiritually in tune with herself and with nature.
[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about The Destiny of Shaitan?
[Laxmi Hariharan] Partially set in a futuristic Bombay, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story, painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path. Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight. The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan’s ultimate destiny be fulfilled?
[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Laxmi Hariharan] I lived in Hong Kong for a few years. When I arrived there, it felt as if I had been dropped into a cauldron of seething emotions, like an alien planet. During my time here I met some really interesting people. To give you an idea; one person from the UK who renounced the corporate world to become Buddhist monk; another actress from Argentina who performed a one act play called ‘Sex’ at the local fringe theatre in the city; yet another from China was a professor of physics but also an accomplished salsa dancer. The range was incredible and inspired me to write a series of short stories, featuring fictional characters who mirrored the real life ones. When I read out the stories to my writers’ group, a friend pointed out that all the characters belonged in one story. Thus the Destiny of Shaitan was born.
[Manga Maniac Café] What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?
[Laxmi Hariharan] The most challenging aspect was completing it. Writing the finishing scenes took me forever. It was as if I had to grow up first and face a few of my own life experiences before I could give the characters closure in their story.
[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Tiina?
[Laxmi Hariharan] Free-spirited, feisty & intense.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Yudi would never have in his pocket?
[Laxmi Hariharan] Iphone, razorblade, wallet.
[Manga Maniac Café] What is Tiina’s single most prized possession?
[Laxmi Hariharan] Her long-sword, with the ruby in the centre of the hilt. She calls it her third-eye.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Laxmi Hariharan] The stories from Indian mythology which my grandmother narrated to me as a child growing up in Bombay. The Russian scifi novels Day Watch & Night Watch by Sergey Lukyanenko is probably my single biggest creative influence. Later the movies I s
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