Not Your Typical Graduation

Cia survived the Testing, but the worst was still to come. In the conclusion to Joelle Charbonneau's Testing series, Graduation Day, Cia is given the responsibility of the entire country, but she has no idea who to trust and how to proceed. 

Cia knows the truth behind the Testing. They were supposed to wipe her memories, but she remembers, and she knows the Testing is evil. Kids forced to kill one another, put through hell, and if they fail? They just disappear. She knows the Testing should end, but she has no idea who to trust. There is an entire group of rebels trying to stop the Testing, but their leader might be the worst of them all, secretly trying to control the rebels to actually preserve the Testing. 

Meanwhile, the President has a task for Cia. She is to find a way to get rid of the highest ranked Testing officials so they can get rid of the entire process. Only the list Cia gets is suspect. She knows she will need some help to get rid of the officials, but who she can trust among her University classmates is still a mystery. Besides Tomas, no one is completely trustworthy, not even her best friend. Still, she can't do it along. She is going to have to trust someone... but first, she must have her own little version of the Testing. With no one's allegiances clearly drawn, the fate of the country is clearly on precarious ground. 

Well, my biggest concern about this conclusion isn't really the conclusion itself. It felt pretty final, and while there were a couple of twists to keep you interested, it wasn't anything overwhelmingly fabulous. It was good, just not spectacular. My biggest pet peeve was that it felt like 250 pages were devoted to Cia's self-doubt and suspicions of the people around her and not enough was given to the actual coup she was supposed to be going through with. I kept finding myself thinking, "Really girl? Really? You have to assassinate 12 people, but let's snog our boyfriend and fret about whether our old roommate is a true friend or not!" It was frustrating at times. When the action did happen, either throughout the book, scattered around, or the big finale, it was very well written and interesting, but it didn't feel like it was the focus of the book. 

The biggest let down was that both subsequent books were just never as good as the first. I LOVED the first book, despite all its Hunger Games similarities, and this one just felt like Charbonneu grew tired of the story. At least the ending was one I could be satisfied with. I was sad to see less of Tomas, because he has always been more important to me than Cia in this series. There is a lot of moral ambiguity in this story that would be great conversation and discussion pieces. It is also middle reader friendly while still being a complex story. I look forward to reading Charbonneau's next project, but I really hope it remains steady in terms of entertainment factor!

A Final Champion

June and Day were born on opposite ends of the social spectrum, but they were drawn to each other. They have made sacrifices to save their country, and now that it is officially on the brink of complete destruction, they must sacrifice even more in Champion, Marie Lu's conclusion to the Legend series. 

They haven't seen each other. June has been elected the Princeps Elect. She is loyal to Anden, who carries the weight of his father's abuse of power, but is himself a smart and capable leader. But she thinks of Day. Often. Day is a military official. He has accomplished his one goal: Eden is safe. But now Day is the one suffering. With a fast approaching expiration date, Day knows the upcoming peace treaty between the Colonies and the Republic is more important than ever. Each time Day pushes himself too far, he goes to the brink of finally succumbing to what is killing him. But the one person he wants to spend his final moments with doesn't even know he is dying: June. 

Meanwhile, a plague worse than ever before breaks out in the Colonies. While they had a precarious peace with the Republic before, the new illness is violent and deadly, and it has led to a new development. Peace will never be achieved when the Republic sits back and watches the Colonies die. Invasion of the Republic is imminent, but Anden still believes he can find a way to stop everything. If he develops a cure, he can halt the invasion and return to the peace treaty. There is one very big problem. Day's brother Eden is the cure, and Day won't allow anyone to hurt Eden ever again. 

The most interesting part of this series has always been Day and June. In an easier, more cookie-cutter novel, we would see them battling back to back, taking on the world in any way possible. But that is a paint-by-numbers kind of a story, and Lu wants to give you more. Instead, the path Day and June have traveled is bumpy and fraught with secrets and lies. Yet their connection is undeniable. Both have a deep connection to each other, but their duty to their families and their countries are put before their own desires. It was poetic and heartbreaking all at once, and it made this story as un-cookie-cutter as you could get. 

When you have been reading a series since its inception, you have an investment. You want to see an ending the characters deserve and have earned, but you also want the author to surprise you. How can they give you both? Well, Marie Lu found a way. This isn't the conclusion I ever expected, but it was respectful to the losses both Day and June had suffered, and it was a story that did them both, and their relationship, justice. As it began to unfold, I am not going to lie, I was angry. How could you do this to Day and June after everything they have been through?! But it was almost as if Lu was whispering through the pages, "Shhhh. Calm down and have patience." And I did. And it  was fabulous. This is a series young adults and adults alike would love, because Lu has a plan. And it's one heck of a plan!

Break on Through

An extreme of any type of society is bound to lead to a heavy hand in enforcing the cultural expectations. When the country swung from a focus on freedom to a focus on morality, the means of upholding forced morals went too far. In the sequel to Article 5, Breaking Point is a story of just how fast Ember is forced to grow up when she is on the run from a government that thought she was a criminal just for being born. 

Ember knows Chase had a hand in her mother's murder, but she also knows he had no choice. Tucker, on the other hand, is as sadistic and guilty as the worst parts of the government. They were happy to be free of him, but even on the other side of the fence, they find themselves surrounded by people whose decisions are questionable at best. In the resistance, everyone must work to end the government's moral indoctrination of society. As a bunch of societal misfits, criminals, and AWOL soldiers, the resistance needs people like Ember and Chase. Everyone is expected to work and fight in order to turn the tide of of the moral oppression that believes anyone who breaks an article is subject to imprisonment or death. 

The Resistance is confident in their ability to sway public perception, but they underestimated the power of the government. Their safe houses and ability to smuggle "packages" (people) out of the government's control gives them a false sense of security under the heavy hand of moral directives. All that security comes crashing down on them when their safe house burns to the ground and soldiers surround the building. Ember and Chase have been on the run before, but they almost didn't make it. With what they have lived through before they came to Wallace's safe house, they are facing a terrifying proposition: is there really any place safe for them to go? The government would like the answer to that question to be NO!

It was a long time between when I read the first book in this series and this sequel, so I had to look up a plot summary of the first story in preparation for this book. I think that was part of the reason the first 1/4 of this story was a little slow for me, but the other part of that problem was because the beginning of the story was indeed a little slow. Luckily it turned itself around and picked up the pace to what I so fondly remembered from the first story. Unfortunately, that slow beginning might be a struggle for a student who has difficulties sticking with a book. If they can hang in there, though, they would really enjoy a story that basically has Ember and Chase on the run for most of the book. We saw a lot of that in the first book, but in this sequel, the risk is elevated once Ember is named as one of five enemies of the state and her face is plastered all over the place with a reward for her capture. When people are starving and displaced, their sense of loyalty is disposable. 

The idea of being hunted by the government and moral police compared with being a hero to the resistance was an interesting angle. This is a book where religion took over the government and the separation of church and state was abolished to make way for moral and religious indoctrination. In contrast to our own politics or the politics of countries where religious police already exist, it is a book that could produce many topics for discussion or research while still being entertaining and interesting. And best of all, I really like the characters of Ember and Chase. Ember puts herself in harms way more often than not in the name of what is right, and Chase is her voice of reason. Together they make the perfect hero, and I love the dynamic that the two of them bring to each adrenaline pumping situation. Now I am looking forward to how the story wraps up with the final book!

The Flame Still Burns

When you have lost everything, is there anything left to keep you on the right path? For Waverly, Seth, and Kieran, life on the ships headed to a new planet has been nothing short of devastating. But it doesn't end there. In Amy Kathleen Ryan's conclusion to the Skychasers series, she gives us Flame, which you are sure to burn right through. 

As Waverly and the other girls approach New Horizon, Anne Mather's ship, they leave the blown up bits of their ship, the Empyrean, behind them. People have died, their home is destroyed, and they are forced into the home of their enemy, a woman who had no qualms about drugging the Empyrean girls and harvesting their eggs to repopulate New Horizon. Living with them is deplorable, but it is the only option. They aren't even sure who made it onto the ship and who is lost forever thanks to the New Horizon terrorists who planted the bomb. While the people of New Horizons welcome them with open arms, it is hard to forget what happened to them on that ship, and who was responsible for it. 

Seth managed to get on the ship undetected, but quickly, the authorities on New Horizon were notified of his existence. They don't know where he is, but they know they don't want him roaming around on his own. Waverly can't let go of what they did to her, and seeing her mother, whose mind has obviously been tampered with, makes her resentment grow into an unmanageable beast. When she is approached by a group of insurgents who wish to take down Anne Mather, she finds herself embroiled in a treasonous plan that could easily destroy her. Kieran, kind, trustworthy Kieran, is the most misunderstood and underestimated kid on the ship. Anne believes she can use him to win the faith of the entire ship, but what she doesn't realize is that Kieran may be the strongest of all of them. Never underestimate a boy who was born to lead. 

Well, Ryan certainly knew where she wanted to go with this story, and she went there, all right! While the beginning of the series trifled with a love triangle, the end of the series was nothing short of world-making. Ryan took her young, naive characters and forced them to grow up, and grow up quickly. They were teenagers, but in these circumstances, they were the most responsible and humane of any people on those ships. It was a beautiful transformation to witness, and I whole-heartedly enjoyed it. I also really loved the conflict between these teens and the adults around them. Most of my young adult readers know what it feels like to not be taken seriously because of their age. They fall victim to mall curfews, decisions made about them, not with them, and they struggle to find their place in a world that expects them to act like adults while treating them like young children. It is a difficult point of their lives when their identities are being shaped, and Ryan's characters are a quintessential example of those circumstances. I think my students would find a lot of themselves in this story, even if it is a dystopic space opera!

This is a fabulous series for any teen, male or female. I think the subject matter is appropriate for younger readers with stronger language skills as well. It is an excellent story with characters you wish you knew in real life. As with any ending, you have a way you hope it ends. I think we all have a little disappointment with series conclusions, not because they didn't end well, but because we are sad to see them go, and I feel just that for this final book. The ending was perfect, in my opinion, but I wish it didn't have to end here. I won't ruin the ending, but when you get there, you will agree with me that you want to see more of these characters. The ending was beautiful, but it isn't done for me. I want more!

Where Does Your Allegiance Lie?

The city formerly known as Chicago has been divided into factions for generations, but it was never more divided than when a group of factionless, led by a tyrant of a woman, forced the factions to disband. In the conclusion to the Divergent series, Allegiant is Veronica Roth's chance to wrap up the stories of Tris and Tobias. 

With the factions disbanded, the people of the city are struggling to find their rightful place. When Evelyn locks the city down, Tris, Tobias, and a number of others designated the "Allegiant" or rebels against the factionless, decide to escape the city in the hopes of some help from the Vast outside. What they find outside the city, however, is something none of them could have expected. They have known all along the Divergent were special, unique. They also knew the Divergent were being hunted, but they assumed those people were lost forever. When Tobias runs into the Divergent who helped him when he joined Dauntless, he can't believe he is alive. But outside the fence, there are even more secrets to be uncovered.

Very quickly they learn Chicago is only one city of many experiments. All were treated differently, and not all had factions, but the most terrifying thing is the organization outside the fence is just as devious and cold as those factions inside the fence. When a war is on the brink of eruption in Chicago, they have plans to "reset" the experiment. Tris, Tobias and the others are stuck on the outside watching their friends and family inside being treated like mice in a maze. But if you know anything about these brave kids, you know they don't just sit idly by and watch tyrants mess with their lives. They are going to do something about it. Even if it means risking their lives. 

I have a truly strange relationship with this series. I loved, I mean adored the first book. The second book was good, but it just didn't have that magic for me. And again, I liked this book, but it just didn't have that spark of the first book. I will, however, say that for all of you out there who hate the romance or the relationship angles of these dystopian books (can't harm the sacred 10 people who we love so much!), you will be happy to know Roth ended this story in a way that leaves no question where her loyalties lay. She is dedicated to her story, not her characters. She is dedicated to the world, not the relationships in it. While I struggled to truly LOVE this book like I had the first, I totally respected her dedication to the world she built. I am sure it wasn't easy for her to do and she will get a lot of flak for it (much like Robert Kirkman gets for his ruthless treatment of his characters in The Walking Dead). 

I think the struggle with this story lies in the huge amount of conflicts all intertwined but still independent of one another that are going on. Sometimes they contradicted one another, which made the whole situation a little more confusing. For instance, there was more than one rebel movement in the fence, more than one outside the fence, people pretending to be on one side but really on a different side but actually secretly working for a third side?! Sadly, in an effort to make the story intricate and complex, it got lost in a convoluted mess. That being said, however, it wasn't a bad story. I actually enjoyed it and was content with the ending (although I predict many readers will hate it). I just don't think the rest of this series lived up to the amazing first book, sadly. 

To Study or Not to Study: Is There a Question?

Cia made it through the Testing, but that doesn't mean her life is easy. In Independent Study, Joelle Charbonneau takes Cia's accomplishments to the next level: her studies. 

After the Testing, the people who passed had their memories wiped. The people who didn't... disappeared. But Cia managed to hold onto her memories through the recording device she has hidden. Her memories were wiped, but from the recordings and the flashes of memories that weren't erased, she knows the government is doing dangerous things with the testing. Now, a University student, she must go through initiation. Just when she thought she had survived the worst ordeal of her life, she is forced to join forces with people she doesn't know and doesn't trust and go on an expedition for her initiation. Whenever the government gives them a test, it is clear they aren't afraid to risk their lives as well. 

Finally, Cia is given her course load and an Independent Study location. What she doesn't expect is to be swamped with nine class when everyone else has six, given the hardest independent study, and most importantly, picked by the Government as its only intern. There are people out there who want to see Cia fail because they fear the bravery and will to protect people she harbors. To them, anyone willing to stand up to the establishment, even if in the smallest of ways, such as being able to figure out their tricks too easily, is a threat. And there is nothing more dangerous than being on the threat list of the government. But Cia has bigger things to worry about. With a rebel army amassing and Cia caught in the middle, she doesn't know who she can trust. In order to survive, however, she is going to have to learn to trust someone...

I thought this was a really interesting next step in this series, but I also found the beginning of the story with the initiation to be a lot more exciting than the parts after the initiation. The initiation was very similar to the actual Testing in the first book. They had a small quest with different deadly obstacles and such a desperation to pass that students would do anything to be first- even hurt each other. After that was over, it became more of a psychological thriller. Cia spent a lot of her time pondering the thought processes of the government, ways they were trying to trick her, and how to counter their moves. She also spent a lot of time skulking about campus trying to get information. I found it a little unrealistic that these crazy masterminds would be having these serious conversations full of important details in places where a girl in a hallway could hear them, but oh well! It was interesting!

This is a good series for anyone who likes dystopias and corrupt government stories. Again, I am glad to see a strong female lead who actually wants to do something to stop a corrupt government, not a reluctant hero who just wanted to be left alone. I like a hero who actually fights for what she believes in. There is some obvious brutality and violence in this story, but this one less so than the first book. Still, it isn't a story for young middle readers. More made for young adults. Lucky for all of us Charbonneau is pumping these books out every 6 months! Next one is right around the corner!

Beneath the Maggot Moon

Sometimes a story has more layers than an onion, with more and more meaning to peel away and peel away. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner is just such a story. But you might not like what you find under each layer. 

Standish Treadwell isn't bright. At least, it is safer for Standish if you think that. In the alternative Britain he lives in, there isn't much of anything that could be considered "bright". No color, no fun, no happiness. But for a boy who can't read and write, this cruel world is particularly cruel. That is, until Hector comes along. As the only boy Standish has every called a friend, Hector is the most important person in his life besides Standish's grandfather. 

The world doesn't take kindly to friends. With the Greenflies buzzing around and teachers who are willing to beat a little boy to death for laughing, the world is a cold hard place. But when Hector disappears, Standish refuses to stand by and let it happen. He watched his own parents disappear after his mother was taken and returned disfigured, and he isn't going to let the same thing happen to Hector. Standish is the only one who can help. He is the only one who can help because he is the one who is underestimated the most.

Have you read Animal Farm? If you have, you know there are two (or more) layers to that story. You have the weird story about the talking animals taking over the farm, and then you have the deeper allegory into the world's political figures. Maggot Moon is the same kind of story. Honestly? This is NOT a book for young kids or even most young adults. It is deep, complex, violent, bizarre, confusing, and I am not even sure I really liked it, but it had my mind spinning all day. The author is severely dyslexic and she speaks of her learning disability quite candidly. Not only did she make a world with a dyslexic hero, but she also created this dyslexic world inside a dystopia. If you let yourself run with the way the book is written, it feels different, confusing at times. I love the statement this makes about the dyslexic mind... layers and layers of meaning hidden behind simplistic language and a confusing story.

That being said, I actually didn't enjoy this book in the way I enjoy other stories. It was difficult and painful at times, but you shouldn't let that to scare you away. It is the kind of book that will make your head spin if you let it, but you can't fight the odd story and characters. Like Animal Farm there is something deeper here that you have to find yourself. What does this story mean to you? Are you a Standish Treadwell? Is your brother or sister? Student? 

The dystopia angle of this story is very odd and won't appeal to many kids who likes the popular dystopias out there (Hunger Games, Maze Runner, etc.). It really shouldn't be classified as a dystopia, and in fact, I think this book defies most categories. But it's strange and interesting, and I still can't stop thinking about it!

The Burden of the Prodigy

If a group of rebels is to ever overthrow a corrupt government, they must have a better option waiting to fill the void. In Marie Lu's Legend, Day and June became the poster children for the revolution against the Republic. In Prodigy, they become the heart of the people who demand something better from their government. 

The Republic has always been run by the Elector with an iron fist. June was his prodigy, and now that she has joined a common street thug, Day, whose Robin Hood-esque antics have always made him the Republic's nuisance, she is on the wrong side of the Elector. Then the Elector dies. When his son, Anden is tapped as the new Elector, he becomes a target for the Patriots, the rebel group fighting to overthrow the Republic. June and Day barely escape the rest of the Republic that is hunting them, but they finally find themselves in the hands of the Patriots. They are wary of the Patriots intentions, but Day needs medical attention and June will do anything to save him. The Patriots fix Day, but under one condition. June and Day are to assassinate the new Elector. 

As a former insider in the Republic, June is planted as an inside woman. With an elaborate plan to bring her back into the Elector's fold in order to distract him with a fake assassination plan while the true plan runs its course, June becomes the heart of the Patriot's plan. But something isn't right. From the moment she speaks to Anden, she becomes aware he is nothing like his father. She cant explain why exactly she trusts him as much as she does, but something tells her there is something very wrong with the plan to assassinate this man. She has realized it, but will Day? Especially when part of her cover is to play on Anden's obvious affections for her? 

Wow! This series could not possibly have more twists, turns, and surprises if it tried! I loved Legend, but it is amazing how Prodigy took the series in a whole new direction while still staying true to the amazing story Lu created in the first place. It truly was a fantastic follow-up to a great first book, and you won't be disappointed because there is absolutely no sophomore slump happening here! One of the best parts of this book is how connected Day and June are. Even when he has no reason to believe her about the fishiness of the assassination plan, his trust in her shines through. He won't let anyone tell him to trust or not to trust June. She is the one person whom he doesn't doubt. And June feels the same way. A lesser couple would have doubted one another, but these two really have an amazing connection that I can't get enough of!

The world building is also a huge strength of this series. We see more of the former United States in this novel, and I was glad to get more about the history of the Republic and the Colonies than I did in the first book. There is so much alternate history wrapped up in this story of rebels and patriots that even if you didn't have the fabulous connection between June and Day, you would still love this story. I find myself wanting Lu to write a whole history book separate of the June and Day story so I can learn more and more about this world. And that, my friends, is a true testament to an amazing world an author has created! I really enjoyed this book and this series as a whole and I am looking forward to the final leg of the journey. But if they ending of this story has anything to do with it, I can tell it is going to be a doozy! Can't wait!

The Unravelling of a Great Story

Juliette might think she is crazy, but the world she lives in is crazier. At the conclusion of Shatter Me, she learned her own ability to kill a person with her bare skin was only just the beginning. In Tahereh Mafi's sequel, Unravel Me, the true nature of Juliette's gift has only barely been understood... until now.

Omega Point tries to be different from the Reestablishment in every way possible. Even their leader tries to maintain a peaceful leadership that protects their kind rather than exploits them. Juliette was happy to be free of her prison, but she can't let herself trust the people around her quite so easily, nor can she trust herself not to hurt them. Her power is so terrifying that she is glad she can at least touch one person- the boy she loves, Adam. Of course, she tries to forget that Warner, the man who held her captive for all those years, could also touch her. Adam is the only one who matters to Juliette. 

When Kenji takes Juliette to the labs and she sees them hurting Adam, she loses it. She barely holds her cool most days, but this led Juliette to a place she had never been before, and with that anger she was able to tap into powers she never knew she had. Her extreme strength and power could literally move the earth beneath them. Omega Point plans to use Juliette's powers to help them in their plans to eventually overthrow the Reestablishment, but what they weren't prepared for was what was happening above them on the surface. Warner's father has arrived, and as supreme commander, his presence is nothing to go unnoticed. Juliette doesn't want to admit it, but there is something inside her that is drawn to Warner, even though she knows just how ruthless he can be. It is almost like the connection between them is as powerful, if not more, than her connection to Adam, especially when she learns Adam might not be as immune to her power to kill as she thought he was. How can a relationship exist if she can't touch the man she loves without killing him?

The devil who knows your demons is better than telling the angel you love about those demons. For Juliette, having to be damaged in front of Adam is harder than having to be with sadistic Warner. She doesn't fully understand it, but she can't help but be drawn to Warner, even if the guilt about her feelings is drowning her. I love Juliette as a character, in all her damaged, semi-psychotic, caring loveliness, and I really liked this "anti-love triangle" that had even me questioning Warner's weird devotion to Juliette. It was a hard one to wrap your head around and it definitely made me want to come back for more.

If i had one complaint about this series it would be the lack of world building. There is supposed to be this incredibly corrupt, world-dominating force, but we don't see much of it. Instead the whole story has been inside Juliette's head. And don't get me wrong, that is fascinating, but the idea of this world out there is too and I just want more of it. This book can be a little scattered because it is told through he head of Juliette, so you see her indecision and guilt through Mafi's use of the strike out (although not nearly as much as in Shatter Me). It would be best for a strong reader who can wade through her occasional psychosis to really enjoy this truly unique story. I can't wait for the conclusion, but I am dreading it at the same time!

After Doesn't Always Have Good Beginnings

What would you be doing when the world as you knew it came to an end? Most likely something simple, mundane, or every day. In Demitria Lunetta's phenomenal breakout novel, In the After, the world crashes to a halt. And everything outside wants to eat you.

Amy was watching TV and eating bagel pizzas when it happened. She was annoyed when the show she was watching was interrupted by a Presidential address, but then she realized something was seriously wrong. Luckily, her prepper mother and her greenie father created the perfect fortress around their suburban Chicago home. Complete with an electric fence powered by her father's solar panels, Amy is able to survive without Them finding a way in. Outside is a different story. With the aliens roaming the entire country just waiting for their next meal to tear apart with their claws and teeth, the sickly green skin is the last thing you have to worry about. But food runs low and outside is the only place to get it. Amy barely survives her first venture outside, but she gets better. Still, as adept as she is at sneaking in and out of her protective fence, the last thing she expects to find is a toddler. 

She considers leaving the child for fear of any sound alerting the aliens with their insanely sensitive hearing, but she just can't bring herself to be alone anymore. And it quickly becomes clear that the child knows to be silent. Once home, Baby and Amy develop a bond that could not be any closer even if they were full-blooded sisters. Complete with their own version of sign language to communicate without sending aliens crashing into their fence, they develop a semi-normal life together. As normal as you can be in a world surrounded by savage, flesh-eating aliens. But then it all changes. Forced to escape their stronghold, Baby and Amy are on the run, and when they are captured by a spaceship, the last thing they expect is to be rescued. Once they arrive at New Hope, the compound that considers itself the cradle for a new chance at civilization, Amy realizes there may be as many monsters inside New Hope as there were outside. Only these monsters don't look like aliens. 

Holy crap, Batman! I picked up this book last night and was so enthralled by this story, I couldn't put it down until I fell asleep on it (drooling probably). This book just instantly grabbed me with fangs and claws and wouldn't let me go! I am serious. I read a LOT of YA and a whole lot of PA, but this book? Scared the crap right out of me! Those aliens were some terrifying kind of zombie/extra-terrestrial mix that is quite possibly the only thing that could scare me more than your typical, run-of-the-mill zombies. I mean, these things are green for goodness sake! There is a whole twisted backstory involving the aliens that will leave you gaping in shock and awe, but I don't want to give away too much- you deserve to have the same crazy experience of finding it all out on your own!

I really liked Amy, too. She was your typical bratty know-it-all (self-professed) who just happens to survive. She shouldn't have, but her fortres of a home kept her safe. I love her transformation that makes her a survivor BUT doesn't completely change her! It was fabulous! When she arrived at New Hope, she knew there was something fishy about the place, and she had no intention of sitting idly by as the director led a whole different behind-the-scenes kind of compound kept top-secret from the rest of the people living their in ignorant bliss... even if that meant risking her own life. Amy was awesome. She was tender, motherly, and yet she was a butt-kickin' lady who at the tender age of sixteen had no qualms about standing up against or exposing the wrongs in this false utopia. I loved it! 

And who should read this? Oh boy. I could give this to any student who needs a gripping story to keep them interested (just not the scaredy cats. Think green, fang-filled nightmares and monsters under the bed). Give this story to any boy who struggles to find an interesting book, and I promise you, a reader this story will make! In fact, it was such a great, crazy fright train of a story that I already emailed the mother of one of my students to give her the title as one of his summer reading books. Seriously. Adults who like horror stories and apocalyptic stories will love this book. Young adults will love this book. Everyone who picks it up will love this book! So what are you waiting for? It's time for you to find yourself In the After. 

The Magic of a Dystopia

Magic is a fickle thing. A world open and full of magic can see it corrupted and misused. A world with no open magic can find it persecuted and hunted. But what about a world that needs magic and has lost it? In Skylark by Meagan Spooner, magic is something everyone needs, but only a few can create it.

Lark has never been harvested, and at her age, that is incredibly uncommon. When the city decides to harvest your magic to power the protective wall and their various machines (including pixies- little bug-like machines used to catch citizens if they break the rules), it is an honor to give up your magic and help the city. When Lark is finally up for harvesting, something is very different about her experience. They keep her and harvest her magic more than once- no one has ever needed more than one harvesting because no one is Renewable. When Lark, almost drained of everything that makes her Lark, stumbles upon a woman trapped and being drained of her magic, she realizes this will be her fate- a renewable to be held and hooked to wires, sucked dry. When one of the guards gives her the key to escape, she doesn't hesitate, but it lands her outside the wall. And she has heard the stories all her life about what lies outside the wall.

Without the wall to keep the magic in, people have lost their minds. Their magic dissipates, driving them crazy. Lark has heard the stories, but she isn't sure what to trust. When she finds a place to hide, she is discovered by a pixie, she manages to remove its tracking device. Nix, the pixie, cannot report back to the city, but it can help her find the Iron Wood, the place said to be a haven for refugees like herself. But she needs more than Nix to survive. When a ragged boy arrives and helps her, she can't believe people could survive out in the wild. Orin agrees to take her to the Iron Wood, but he is scared of such a place and won't be finishing the journey with her. But there is a lot of land between the city and Iron Wood, and that land is full of cannibalistic madmen who look more like monsters than the shells of the people they used to be. An with a whole city after her, crazy cannibals trying to eat her, and her own companions a surly boy and a traitorous machine, how can Lark possibly find a place where she feels like home?

I have to say, this book was certainly a new take on the dystopia and the magic angle! I really enjoyed the way Spooner wove all these elements together. It seems like they shouldn't go together, but Spooner creates this brilliant web that brings them into one complete story. It was really a great story, and the element of magic made it all the more mysterious. The story was broken into three distinct parts: the city, the journey, and the Iron Wood. This separation made the story a little broken up, but I actually liked it! The only thing I struggled with a little bit were the characters. I liked Lark, but she wasn't the most memorable of characters. You don't get enough of Orin to really want her to stay with him despite the dangers. And that all made me love the story, but not become totally devoted to them. Although, I will tell you that ending is exciting and will have you on the edge of your seat waiting for the sequel!

This is a good book for a variety of readers. It is completely clean, although there is a smidge of violence with the monsters in the wild. The idea of harvesting your citizens to power the very thing that protects them is an ethical conundrum. It would provide a number if interesting research, writing, and discussion topics for you and the student reading the book. Spooner does a great job at building such a complex world, and there is still much to be learned and understood, so you will be anxious to read the rest of the trilogy! 

Little Brother Doesn't Answer to Big Brother!

How can one survive in a world full of terrorism without sacrificing their privacy? Are the two mutually exclusive? Does destroying privacy actually make us safer? These are questions our generation and the generation coming up will be dealing with as technology increases and the world becomes more and more hostile. In Cory Doctorow's Little Brother, we see just how quickly things can get out of hand in the name of safety, and you will be impressed by who chooses to stand up for their freedoms!

Marcus has always enjoyed the land of computer games, tech systems, and even Live Action Role Playing games. In particular, he loves finding ways around his high school's borderline illegal security systems that track where the kids are every minute of the day. But when a terrorist attack blows up the Bay Area bridge on the very day Marcus and his friends skipped school for a game, they find themselves on the wrong end of the Department of Homeland Security. They are all swept out of the city and held off-shore for days. Held without lawyers or even a phone call to their parents, the kids realize their rights have become optional in a world of terror.

When Marcus is released, he is told to keep his detainment secret from everyone, including his parents. DHS warns him that they will be watching his every move. Although he is scared, Marcus knows a thing or two about hiding in the digital world. At first he starts using gaming systems and techniques to hide his conversations for safe internet, but as DHS takes more and more control over the city, he realizes how important it is for them to fight back. The adults have been lulled into a complacency by DHS under the assumption that their whittled away freedoms are keeping them safe from more terrorist attacks. But Marcus and the other kids can see what is really happening- without rules, rights, and safeguards, DHS is free to take, hold, and interrogate anyone they want in any way they want. At first they start fighting back in small, mischievous ways, like swapping identities on subway and bus cards, but then they realize this isn't enough. To fight an out of control, lawless government is hard enough, but when the adults all believe in that government, the task becomes that much more difficult and dangerous. But these kids, while they can be scared, refuse to be broken! Big Brother might be watching, but Little Brother fights dirty!

OK, I can admit I am not the most technologically savvy individual. In fact, our IT guy is a good friend and he is frequently frustrated by my lack of tech knowledge, so this book seemed like it would be out of my realm. It is all about systems and understanding how to manipulate them, and my "system" ability is turning on my airport and hoping for the best! But this friend of mine has been talking about this book for weeks, and he doesn't read YA... ever! So I felt compelled to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. And I have to say, I was really impressed! I must admit I didn't understand a blessed bit of the explanations about bypassing systems and creating private systems within a public systems and all the other jargon, but it was explained well enough for me to get it well enough to understand the story. And according to my friend, it is really accurate too! What doesn't actually exist already really could exist (and he has been tinkering around since reading the book to check it out!). So while this book would really appeal to a kid or adult who is interested in the technological aspect of our world today, I think it could appeal to even more people as well.

The most important part of this book, though, is the discussion about privacy. We live in a world where true privacy is hard to achieve and becoming more and more challenging each and every day. The fine line of what people can ferret out about you and what is off limits is perpetually blurry and changing. Our kids don't understand that employers and college admissions offices can see the photos they choose to post on social media sites. They don't realize that a little personal information can open the door to all of their information. And the easiest way to get you to give up your right to privacy? To scare you. After 9/11 we were ready to sign anything if it meant we wouldn't have to experience terror like that again. But does the lack of privacy keep you safe? Or does it allow corruption to thrive and create a whole new level of "unsafe"? These are questions we should be encouraging our students to think about now, because very soon, they will be the generation who makes the decisions about what has the right to be private and what doesn't. As the next generation to take the helm, they need to start thinking about these problems they will face.

And this book gives them clear and present problems with which to think about them through. It is not only current and politically relevant for the world we live in today, it was fun to read and exciting! Marcus was the kind of hero who was thrust into his role, but who takes it seriously. He worries about other kids taking too many risks, but when given the chance to abandon it all, he can't bring himself to do it. I was really impressed by marcus and this book as a whole! I look forward to reading the second book, and I hope to not be so intimidated about the technology I use in the future! (Doubtful, but a girl can dream, right?!)

After the Ash Begins the Winter

Alex and Darla made it through the insanity following the volcano in Yellowstone blowing, but they were far from unscathed. In Mike Mullin's Ashen Winter, Alex and Darla will risk their lives again (and again and again) for each other and for a little sense of normalcy in the madness they now call life.

The world is cold. With a year long winter after the eruption, the snow continues to fall and people struggle to stay alive, let alone stay warm. Even though they feel relatively safe at their aunt and uncle's house, there is something missing: Alex's parents. Before he and Darla arrived, his parents head left to look for him, heading out into the post-apocalyptic wake left by the volcano. Now Alex is convinced he has to go look for them. Knowing all the dangers out there, he is terrified to think of his parents all alone searching for him. Despite trying to convince Darla to stay behind, she won't leave Alex's side. Together they set off on a fool's mission against all kinds of monsters and demons... unfortunately, these are the incredibly human variety.

They don't make it far before they encounter trouble. The world has taken a deep turn for the worse and  the reality of that fact doesn't take long to soak in. They don't take unnecessary risks, but still, it isn't long before Alex's inability to sit by and watch an ambush of cannibals against innocent people leads to an accident where Darla is shot, falls off an overpass, and lands on top of the cannibals' truck. Alex will do anything to get Darla back, even if it means abandoning hope of finding his parents. But his travels are dangerous and give him an unwanted view of the way the world is, complete with kidnapping, rape, slavery, and most repulsive, the trafficking in human meat. Will Alex save Darla, or is he doomed to lose everyone he loves in this frozen, ash-covered world?

I must warn you that if you aren't prepared for a dark post-apocalyptic story, this isn't the series for you. It is brilliant and realistic, but it is certainly mature. If you question a student's ability to handle this dangerous and violent world, I would save it for when they are a little bit older. That being said, this is an amazing portrayal of what could really happen if the supervolcano were to blow. Do you think it would be all kittens and tulips? Then you would probably be one of the first to go at the hands of flensers or bandits. So, I have to say that while I would choose the student to pass this series onto carefully, I would be sure the right student would be just as enthralled with it as I was.

Since the first book, the situation has gotten worse. And why wouldn't it? Are our governments really so selfless that they wouldn't tuck and run as everything swirled down the toilet? But the thing I love the most is these characters. Even though Alex wants nothing to happen to Darla, he can't seem to help himself from sticking his neck out for other people. And there are others, too. People they come across who are willing to help others, and it is those people who will struggle with this new world the most. They will crave teh morals of a world that has passed and despise the new world order that makes them a dying species. It is a terrifying and fascinating examination of the human species, and I will bet you won't be able to stop thinking about it when you finish the book. I know I couldn't. So if you are a fan of serious post-apocalyptic literature, pick up this series. You won't be sorry. But you might be terrified. I certainly was.

Bitterblue is Our Queen

In a world where people are Graced with special abilities and a man controlled his kingdom in a thirty-five year reign of terror, how is an average eighteen year old girl supposed to run her kingdom? And how can she and the rest of the kingdom ever recover from the terror her father imposed on so many people? In Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore, we get to see how the main character, Bitterblue, is fairing eight years after that fateful day Katsa and Po saved her from her psychotic father in Graceling.


Bitterblue became queen at the age of ten, so she has spent her adolescence relying upon the help of her advisors to run the kingdom. Now that she is older, she feels like something is missing. She trusts the men who advise her, but at the same time she thinks they are keeping things from her to protect their young queen. Not one to sit idly by, she decides to take matters into her own hands and explore the city. Dressed in disguise as a young boy, Bitterblue hits the streets where she encounters a pair of young men, one of whom is Graced. The Graceling, Saf, is a bit cantankerous, but his friend Teddy is delightful and trusting. Through the unlikely pair, who don't know Bitterblue's true identity and refer to her as Sparks, Bitterblue learns more about her own kingdom in a few short meetings than she has in years in the castle. 


When Katsa and Po return from their mischief and mayhem in the world at large (actually overthrowing tyrannical kings, but they like to think of it as mischief), they find Bitterblue in a state of confusion. It is clear people have been lying to her, and there are things going on in her own city, let alone the entire kingdom, that she won't accept, but she doesn't know where to seek the truth. Bitterblue knows her father's 35 year reign will unlock the keys to everything that is happening in her kingdom, but no one wants to talk to her about the atrocities her father made them commit with his mind control. Slowly, Bitterblue uncovers the truths everyone has worked so hard to hide, but that doesn't necessarily mean she will want or need to know those truths to be the queen her kingdom needs.


We loved Graceling because of Katsa and Po and their amazing graces and incredible world. We loved Fire because of Fire herself and the fascinating and morbid lives of the monsters in the Dells. Now we love Bitterblue for an entirely different reason. While the world and the graces are still there, this is a very different kind of story. It is the story of a young girl who has the weight of responsibility crushing her and she doesn't know how to survive it. She knows her father was to blame for all the evils in her kingdom, but she can't handle the fact that atrocities are still being committed in his name even after his death. The beauty of Bitterblue is that she wants to be a good queen. She wants her people to be well fed and well educated, and most important, she wants them to heal. I love how caring and determined she is and I just wanted everything to work out for her... in particular, where Saf is concerned. This young girl has a lot of horrible circumstances to deal with, but she isn't going to lose herself in them. And that is what makes me love Bitterblue. She is a great female character for all our young girls to read about.


I have heard people scoff at the relationships Cashore portrays in her novels, saying they are too mature for YA audiences, but I totally disagree. She has men loving men, women loving women, and men and women having caring relationships without marriage. To be honest, to Cashore, the emotion of love transcends an official "marriage" and focuses on something deeper and more pure. I love how tactfully she does this and think those nay-sayers should pipe down and appreciate the strong, caring, multi-dimensional relationships Cashore has created. I appreciate this diversity! I also appreciate the understanding that students are surrounded by relationships beyond the typical "man/woman/marriage" and should see such reality reflected in the books they read.


But mostly I just love this series. This is certainly a more realistic and less fantastic story, although the fantasy is still there, around the edges. You may be surprised by the differences in this story vs. the first two books, but I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised. I also had the privilege of meeting Kristen Cashore last week at our local indie bookstore and was absolutely blown away by her! She was so honest and humble about her writing process, and meeting her made me love her stories even more than I had before! So if you haven't started this series yet, good god(desses), what are you waiting for! But be sure you have some time to devote to the series because once you start, you won't be able to stop!

Is Ignorance Bliss or Just Plain Ignorant?

Lena chose love and feeling and pain over the simple bliss of surgically altered numbness, but it cost her. Not only did she cut herself off from every sense of normalcy and family she ever knew, but now she has lost Alex as well, the very reason she abandoned her life and took to the Wilds. But Lena has a lot more to learn about the world at large as well as herself in Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.


Then: Lena must survive, but survival isn't easy in the Wilds. They know they are constantly hunted by the officers of a government who wants to take away what they treasure most- their ability to feel emotions and care deeply. They depend on supplies from sympathizers inside what they jokingly refer to as "Zombieland". And the toughest part of all is life in the Wilds is flung into the dangerous world of centuries ago with no hospitals or even the simplest of medicines... and sometimes no food. But the people who find Lena want to help her. They know how hard it is to transition from Zombieland and that her loss is the greatest thing she has ever experienced. But in the Wilds, they can't afford "transition time". Lena must pull it together or she endangers everyone. But how can you pull it together when you have lost everything you ever cared about in one fell swoop?


Now: Lena's job is to keep an eye on Julian, the poster boy for the Cured. He, to his father's particular delight, is getting the Cure even though countless doctors have told him it could very easily kill him. He is meant to speak at a rally for the Cure, but when protestors and rebels turn the rally into a coordinated attack, Lena follows Julian into the tunnels. What she gets for her efforts is being held prisoner right alongside him. While being a prisoner isn't exactly the best situation, it allows Lena to get to know Julian. Now she feels like she has to protect him. Unfortunately, that might be harder than Lena could have ever imagined. 


I love that this book flies between present time and flashbacks to tell both stories in the most efficient way possible. I thought at first that these flash-arounds would be difficult to keep track of, but Oliver does a great job of making it easy to follow. It also gives you a chance to see Lena in two ways- the raw and emotional Lena and the Lena she becomes: mature, determined, and not nearly as afraid. It was a brilliant way to tell of a personal journey without having to detract too much form the action to sink into character development! 


This book gives you more of the dystopia that you wanted to see in the first book. It also gets to the heart of the initiative for the Cure and just how far they will go to make the population dull and pliable. But most interesting was the fact that the rebels have moments where they cross a line in order to get what they want too. It makes them more real and fallible, blurring the lines between who is good and who is not so good. I think this series continues to be a great story for any young adult reader with decent skills. It remains interesting and you feel invested in the characters by the time you are done. But you can't wait for more! Oliver has a knack for leaving you hanging with the very last word to the point where you keep flipping the final page back and forth hoping there is more to the final chapter!

Shattered My Expectations

If your very touch could end a person's life, would you think you were cursed, or just plain crazy? What if everyone you knew and love thought you were a monster? Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me explores the world of a girl whose touch is so dangerous, she hasn't seen the light of day in almost a year.


Juliette hasn't spoken to another human being for over 200 days. She has been locked in the asylum for so long, she thinks she really is going crazy when they give her a roommate- a boy roommate. Adam tries to talk to her, but it has been so long since she had any human contact that she can barely even look at him. Most of all, she must make sure he doesn't touch her because the consequences are deadly. When officers barge into their cell, Juliette is taken away to one of the Reestablishment's leaders. What she expects least of all is to find out Adam is one of the soldiers. 


Warner, head of a Reestablishment sector, wants to use Juliette's "gift" to help him deal with prisoners and enemies, but she doesn't have any interest in hurting anyone. Now that the Reestablishment has destroyed and starved most of the population, they find themselves at war with the rebels who will do anything to stop the destruction of the country and its people. But Juliette simply cannot give herself to Warner and his evil plans, especially since his attachment to her borders on obsession... OK, actually is creepy obsessive! Juliette thinks she has no way to be free to Warner, but help may arrive in the most unlikeliest of places.


At first, I really struggled with this story. When Juliette is in the asylum, her stream of consciousness is not only disturbing and frantic, but Mafi uses the cross out feature to show her scattered thoughts... a LOT. It started out being just a little annoying and became incredibly frustrating after a few pages. Thankfully, after Juliette left the asylum, the cross-outs reduced dramatically. I get the choice to use this feature to show the mental state of the character, but I have to admit it was pretty distracting at first. I actually almost put it down because the cross-outs annoyed me, but I am very glad I kept with it because the story beneath this strange choice was really, really good.


The characters are a little difficult to get to know: Juliette because of her shattered mental state and Adam because you aren't immediately sure of what his game is. Once you get about half-way into the book, though, you find yourself very invested in the story and therefore totally invested in the characters, especially when Adam proves his worth to Juliette. The book certainly ends on a cliffhanger and in a way I never saw coming (I think if you read some reviews, someone may have given it away, but I won't do that to you!). The rest of the trilogy has the potential to be quite amazing. I think the dystopia classification is a little lost, though. There is definitely a dystopic world out there, but the scope of the world is hidden behind Juliette most of the time. I think there will be more of the dystopia in the upcoming books, but if there is one thing I am sure of, it is that once you finish this book, your curiosity simply won't be able to prevent from reading the next book.

It's Gonna Be Legendary!

A story as old as time. Two people, from opposite sides of town, who were never meant to know each other, let alone care about each other. And when they can't bare to let the other one go, they have to experience great sacrifice in order to be together. We have heard the story before, but that doesn't mean we don't want to hear it again in Marie Lu's Legend.

June is a prodigy. She is years younger than her classmates because she was moved forward so many times in school. Her perfect score on the Trial's is unheard of, and the Republic wants her to be their model soldier. Day is a criminal, according to the Republic. To the people he helps, he is a modern day Robin Hood. He steals from the evil, corrupt government and gives to the poor people caught in the crossfire of a war that would have been considered a civil war in times when the United States was one whole country. But Day is careful. No one knows what he looks like or who Day really is, including his family who thinks he is dead, and he never hurts anyone. All he wants is to level the playing field. When a desperate attempt to get plague cure from a heavily guarded hospital goes awry, he has to break his one rule- he has to wound a soldier to get away, but he makes sure not to kill him.

That soldier was June's brother Metias. He died that night. June has been enlisted to go under cover in the poor districts and see if she can find the elusive Day. She is all too happy to find the man who killed her brother. What she doesn't expect is to get caught in a paid fight, stabbed, and need to be saved by a mysterious but alluring boy. Day had no intention of saving her, but he couldn't help himself. Eventually June realizes who her saviour is, but not before he shares some very dangerous theories about what the Republic is really doing in the poor sectors, especially about the spread of each year's new plague. When Day is taken into custody, June can't help but think her brother must have known about this all. She begins digging through his journals, but she isn't ready for what she finds. June's whole world is turned upside down, but she can think of only one thing- saving Day.

Lu created a really interesting dystopia where the country we know has split in two. In that fight for land and power, they have made their citizens pawns. The Trials were a way to separate the weak from the strong. All kids have to go through the trials and their scores determine where they go from there- either to the labor camps if they fail, or to be a Republic officer if they do well. In fact, reading about the trials made me think about the SATs. The SATs have the ability to make or break a student's college applications. One test, one very biased, convoluted test can determine their futures. I have seen incredibly smart, intuitive, creative thinkers bomb that horrible test. Hopefully there is a college out there willing to "take a chance" on them despite those SAT scores, but you never know. Why do we use the SATs and GREs to measure people's worth and potential? Every person even remotely involved in education knows there are smart kids who don't test well and anyone who preps kids for the SAT hates the test with unbridled passion, so why is it still being used? Unfortunately I think it has something with our need to fit everyone into neat, predictable categories. But what do we know about neat, predictable categories when it comes to people? They don't exist! But I digress. I will continue to hate the SATs, but I will still administer it as I am supposed to, secretly hoping colleges will ban together to boycott its use. Hopefully it will happen someday!

So Lu's world, while fictionalized and exaggerated, isn't far from our own. Control and power are slippery slopes to terrifying times, as history has shown us time and time again. This would be a good book for any student who enjoys dystopias and other cautionary tales of what can happen when people are given too much power. It is appropriate for any middle school through high school student and uses average young adult caliber language. But remember something when you read it- if we all strive for conformity, we lose those amazing individuals who have given us all those comforts and toys we love so much!

New Laws to Control Your Whole Life

A dystopia these days is nothing out of the ordinary. A superb dystopia? Now that is something truly special. Article 5 may be Kristen Simmons' first novel, but she wasn't kidding around. The world she created will make your hair stand on end and make you grateful for all the freedoms you have living in these United States instead of the ones Ember Miller lives in.

Ember lives in a United States that is much different from the one you may be used to. The Bill of Rights is gone, freedoms no longer exist, and a moral code has been inflicted upon the country that gives the government freedom to arrest you for things like skipping school for a religious holiday or having a child out of wedlock. When Ember and her mother are arrested until Article 5 because Ember's mother never married Ember's father, they thought things couldn't get any worse. That is, until they see who is arresting them. Chase. Ember's childhood sweetheart- the very same one she wrote letters to and missed so much when he was recruited and taken by the government to enforce the compliance of their rules. 

Ember feels betrayed by the boy she once loved, but when she is separated from her mother and thrown in a rehabilitation center, she truly begins to realize the trouble she is really in. She tries to escape but is caught and thrown into solitary confinement. She is about to be "disciplined" but the orders come in for her to be transferred to her trial about the Article 5 noncompliance. Imagine her surprise when Chase, the very same one who arrested her, has come to transport her. Imagine her even bigger surprise when they leave the rehab and Chase reveals he has gone AWOL and is taking her to a safe house to find her mother. Ember is nervous about trusting him, but with the lawlessness of starving civilians and terrifying constriction of the government officials (and those who follow them), she knows she has no choice. The only thing she can think about is getting back to her mother. Can she make it through parts of the country that have been either abandoned to starve or taken over by an overzealous government? Will she ever see her mother again? Can she trust Chase?

I simply couldn't put this book down. I read it in two big chunks and had I not been working and forced to leave the house, I would have finished it in one sitting. The story is very well paced and exciting to read. You never know what is going to happen in each and every place Ember and Chase have to stop for gas or supplies. I also liked that Ember embodied a girl who grew up in a fairly comfortable home with her mother, oblivious to the true nature of the world around her, but still she was one tough cookie. She was terrified but didn't hesitate to react when the proverbial feces hit the fan. It made the story very realistic and made me think about what I would be doing in a situation like hers. Would I fight back and try to get to my mom? I certainly hope I would be as brave as Ember was!

The story is appropriate for any high skilled middle school student through high school student. It is an average reading level for a young adult story with no real sex or violence. There is a hint of guards and officers taking "girlfriends", but it isn't handled in any great detail. The discussion possibilities of this story are tremendous. Our children assume their freedoms are a given, take them for granted, but how would they feel if they had to live in Ember's United States? Which rights would they defend the most? How would they survive? Who would they become in the story? The best stories are those that force us to transport ourselves into the world the author created and make us live the story with the characters. Simmons and Article 5 did just that. Excellent breakout novel. Can't wait for the next book in the trilogy!

The Solution to the Maze

There is something so bittersweet about the final book in a series you loved so much. When the final Harry Potter book came out, I was thrilled and heart-broken at the same time! With The Death Cure, James Dashner's final book in the Maze Runner trilogy, I am sad to see the series end, but I started it hopeful the ending would be as I had hoped- finally a little peace for the kids who had been at the mercy of the evil corporation WICKED.

Thomas and his friends survived the Maze (an experiment to judge their responses and hopefully find a cure to the Flare) and the Scorch (the terrifying desert filled with sick crazies). But now that they are back in the hands of WICKED, the company using them as lab rats to find the cure to the Flare, they know nothing good is going to happen to them. Held hostage and isolated for weeks, they finally find a way to escape, but to do so they have to trust Brenda and Jorge- WICKED employees planted in the Scorch to keep an eye on them. But with no other options, they find Brenda and Jorge hate WICKED as much as they do. Unfortunately, the world is a cold, dangerous place for Munies- those immune to the Flare.

Once they manage to escape, they make there way to Denver which has become a walled, protected city free from the sickness. Unfortunately, the safety in Denver is all an illusion. The sickness is slowly starting to take over. When Thomas is contacted by the Right Arm, an organization devoted to take down WICKED, he knows they have to risk their lives and go back to the lab to destroy the evil people who test kids and have no qualms about watching them die. But can Thomas and his friends, the kids who lived through so much, make it through this final trial? Can they get rid of WICKED once and for all? And even if they do, what will be waiting for them on the other side?

Oh Dashner, you rapscallion! You had me hanging through the whole book PRAYING you didn't leave those poor kids in a worse situation (and me totally ticked off) by the end of the story. Thank goodness you took it easy on those kids (and me!). We needed a good ending! This book was a great culmination in the trilogy we spent so much time waiting for (im)patiently and while I am sad to have it end, I am glad it ended the way it did.

This series is phenomenal for any student, but I think it will be particularly successful with male struggling readers. The excitement and commitment to the young characters makes the story more than just plot twists and action. The kids I know who have started this series haven't been able to put it down. In fact, the adults I know who read these books couldn't put them down either! Dashner is an evil genius, but the ending of this series proved he wasn't as evil as I originally thought- he loved his characters as much as I did!

Underwater Mystery

Imagining life under the surface of the ocean is an interesting activity. Personally, I would love to live in a sub-surface community. My soon-to-be husband Kevin? Won't even put his little pinky toe into water! Terrified of the ocean and everything that might be lurking right under the surface. Of course, I like to tease him about this, but in reality I imagine there are many people who would be terrified to live under the water. Rip Tide, Kat Fall's sequel to Dark Life, has all those scary elements like sharks, saltwater crocodiles, giant squid, and murderous outlaws, but there is something so nice about the communities themselves, you will find yourself dreaming of the ocean!

Although Ty and his parents took Gemma in, she can't bring herself to live underwater. Something about living sub-sea terrifies her. But life in the underwater settlements has improved since Gemma first came along. The government has recognized the settlements as territories and now allows them to sell their farmed and caught food on the open market (instead of using the food as taxes and letting the government keep the profit). Ty's parents are eager to prove to the rest of the community that the trade between the underwater settlers and the "serfs" will be safe and profitable for everyone. Settlers fear the serfs who live on floating cities called townships, and serfs hate the settlers for pushing a new law that prevents them from fishing anywhere on the continental shelf. It is hard enough for them to get enough food to survive, and with government rations cut in half, the new law means they are barely surviving. Ty's parents go on their first trade, but something goes wrong. Someone interrupts the trade and kidnaps his parents, while Ty and Gemma barely get away.

Now Gemma and Ty must find a way to get his parents back, but no one seems to be able to help them. With the incompetence of the Seaguard (police), they decide to do some investigating themselves, fearing the worst for Ty's parents. As they go deeper into the world of reconditioned oil rigs, extreme boxing matches, and the horrible people who run them, they realize just how bad life is for the serfs. When they come upon a terrifying gladiator-esque game where serfs choose to battle enormous saltwater crocodiles for a little extra food for their townships, Ty and Gemma realize something has to change for the serfs. With the weight of the world's problems on their shoulders, they refuse to stop searching for his parents. But will they make it in time?

I was wondering how this sequel was going to follow-up on the previous story, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a mature but accessible route that really let the story grow up but still work for younger students. I loved the politics of the division between the serfs and the settlers, and how the government was so easily corruptible with no regard to the people it is affecting. It will open up great discussions, but isn't to abstract or mature to miss that "middle reader" crowd. The writing and content is perfect for a wide range of students from middle readers to upper high school. It dances around the fringe of science-fiction or supernatural fiction, but it isn't too far from reality. Therefore I think these two stories would really be great for a huge array of readers. I am interested to see if Kat Falls stops here, or keeps the story going!