Alienated - Review

	Title Alienated (Alienated #1) Author Melissa Landers Genre YA SyFy, Romance, Fantasy Publisher  Disney Hyperion Publishing Date February 4th, 2014 How I Got This Book NetGalley Paperback 352 Pages Stand alone or Series Alienated #1    My Average 39 pg/day    Reading Difficulty 2 (on a scale of 1-5 5 = dictionary vernacular)
Integration of the Third Kind

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.
 
Amazing new take on a real world issue. I fell for alien love & was sad to see the novel end. I guess I'll just have to twiddle my fingers until INVADED comes out.

So I was totally reminded of a movie from my youth when I was reading this novel, The Color of Friendship. This Disney movie was all about an exchange program between America and South Africa. At the time of the exchange, South Africa was going through it's apartheid, and it was quite a culture shock for both girls. The big difference, the crazy hordes are larger and scarier in Alienated, there's romance, and it's not really the characters who are having race issues, it's everyone else around.


Woohoo!:
So yeah, I am so happy I was blessed to read yet another (back-to-back) novel with real issues nestled within the plot of the fantasy novel. This novel had an interesting take on Racial Integration, or should I say Species Integration. As I read this novel, I imagined myself thrown into a school during the 60s, when schools began integrating. How scary that was. The author did a phenomenal job of painting an image that could have been in the 60s instead of a fictional future.

How can you fight an angry mob of scared humans? You can't. All you can do is run. Find a safe distance and try to persuade them to open their minds. That's why I gave the "villain" in this novel top rated. Unstoppable. Unpredictable.

Meeh:
The character development felt a little one-sided. Cara went above and beyond a good host. She tried everything to make Aelyx feel at home, while Aelyx seemed to snub Cara. Aelyx relationship with Cara grew from tolerable to couldn't-live-without. Great growth for Aelyx, but Cara didn't really seam to grow much.

(blush) I really wanted that steamy scene. I was hoping for it at the end of the novel but was cut short. Sigh. I'm thinking that's not something that we will see in any of the proceeding novels, though one can dream & hope.

There were times that I felt like I needed to be reminded of what Cara and the other humans looked like. Excellent description of Aelyx, though. I understand the need to continuously remind us of what Aelyx looks like. He sounds mostly human on paper, so the author needs to remind us that he isn't. At times though, I forgot what the other characters looked like.  

Rating:A

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About the Author
Melissa Landers

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives just outside Cincinnati and writes adult contemporary romance as Macy Beckett.

These Broken Stars - Review & Giveaway

 

Welcome to the first day of Christmahanakwanzika! Today I have a review & giveaway of THESE BROKEN STARS, by Amie Kaufman. 

	Title These Broken Stars Author Amie Kaufman Genre YA Science Fiction Publisher Disney Hyperion Publishing Date December 10, 2013 How I Got This Book NetGalley Paperback 384 Stand alone or Series Starbound #1    My Average 38 pg/day    Reading Difficulty 3 (on a scale of 1-5 5 = dictionary vernacular)
An out-of-this-world Adventure!

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.
 
THESE BROKEN STARS is a unique adventure you don't want to miss!

This novel was unlike anything I have read. Its as if the Titanic meet an episode of Star-Trek. I was concerned at first that it seemed centered around traveling from point A to point B, and there was a lack of a definite villain. When novels center around the characters feet moving forward, there's a chance it can be bland. THESE BROKEN STARS is anything from bland. There's character development, face-smacking conflict, and just a hint of romance. Just what a girl like me needs.


Woohoo!:
Fantastic character development. This book had the best character development I have seen in a while. It's amazing to read how the characters grow and adapt to the environment, to each other. One minute, the tabloid princess is hiking up hills in high heals, the next, she navigates her way around the inside of an unlit mass grave.

I was a little concerned in the beginning when I realized this would be a ADVENTURE JOURNEY novel, but the inner-conflict, environmental-conflict as well as outer-conflict filled in all of the manotaney. Not only are the couple trekking through

Meeh:
It wasn't until the end of the novel that I really found anything wrong. I really thought the ending was a copout. Like reading War of the Worlds and thinking, how in the hell are they going to survive this? What amazing plan will they have to overcome this hopeless attack? Oh, the common cold... WTF! Like the author did something (no spoilers here) beyond repair, then went "oh shit, I can fix that."

I don't really know how the author can continue the story? There's definatly another novel in the series, but I don't know how it can be continued. It seemed to me, all the loose ties were tied off. All conflict resolved. 

Rating: B+

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Author
Amie Kaufman

I'm a young adult author from Melbourne, Australia, represented by Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. I write fantasy, science fiction and all things speculative.

My favorite procrastination techniques involve chocolate, baking, sailing, my dog Jack, gardening, plotting and executing overseas travel, napping, my music collection and reading. Also my husband.

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***Giveaway***

One (1) copy of THESE BROKEN STARS, US only. 
This giveaway is brought to you by Kaufman's fantastic agent at Disney.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Bane - Review

First off, check me out on Facebook! I just created the page this week. 
Okay, now on to the review. 

	Title The Bane Author Keary Taylor Genre YA Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia Publisher  Keary Taylor Books Publishing Date March 5, 2013 How I Got This Book NetGally Paperback 352 pages Stand alone or Series The Eden Trilogy #1    My Average 27 pages/day    Reading Difficulty 2 (on a scale of 1-5 5 = dictionary vernacular)
We Are The Bane. Resistance is Futile.

Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter. It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world. Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold. The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born. The Bane won't stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction.

Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. But she doesn't need memories to know this world is her reality. This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time.

Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love. There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets. And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind.

The Bane is The Terminator meets The Walking Dead with a heart-twisting romance.

Previously published as Eden, due to reader demand it has been revamped and rereleased as The Bane: book one in The Eden Trilogy.


This electrifying novel will have you on the edge of your seat, blazing through it's pages like a forest fire.

First off: Noooooooooo! She chose the wrong man. The wrong man! Dammit to hell. I'm through with this poppy cock. No, no. I kid. I kept reading. Still the wrong man. Uugh! Okay, I'm done ranting. To the review.

Woohoo!:
This novel had an incredible pace. I couldn't manage to put the book down, and in the end, isn't that what we all want? Something to grab us by the throat and drag us into the story? To forget about the real world as we sink deeper into fantasy.

I found myself pining over ONE (I won't tell you who since I ranted about it above) of the love interests. My heart ached every time he touched Eve and all of those feelings blossomed within her. The author did an excellent job of portraying the blossoming love the character was feeling. Almost Nora Roberts-esk.

Look, look! I made my own animated image.... yeah!

Fantastic Cover art.

Mind blowing idea. Well... people have done it before, but never quite like this. I'm a huge SciFy nerd. Grew up in a family of scientists. Immediately when I cracked this book open, I thought 'Wow,  it's like if The Borg from Star Trek had a baby with a zombie' and thus, (Pow!) my mind was blown. Zombies would probably suck more, simply because they're eating you ALIVE. If I had to choose, I would prefer to become a Bane over a Zombie. What an idea, science fiction meets fantasy. Humans create technology that takes over (The Borg, Terminator, Battlestar Galactica...) but then it has the ability to 'reproduce' with a simple touch. Amazing.

Okay, last nerdy comment: If The Bane = The Borg, then Eve = Data.


Meeh:
On to the parts that I didn't care for as much. Even though this novel got an excellent score, there were several issues I had with it.

At times, the story line got a little unrealistic. With this book, too many things fell into the main character's lap. Someone from her past shows up, wakes up a part of her she never knew possible, reminded her of a past she had no memories of. A book shows up with detailed instructions on a mechanism that will destroy the Bane... Everything seemed too easy. Nothing was out of reach for the characters.

The main character becomes this sort of super human the instant she realizes what she is. All of a sudden, she can't be killed, can't be harmed. She needed more flaws than just the inability to decipher emotions. An Achilles heal. Something that will shut her down in an instant. Something to make the reader squirm in their seat the moment someone gets even a foot from that Achilles heal.

Also, there was a lac of location and description. Since this novel happens not to far in the future, we really needed to know where they are. Many of the characters make treks into the Bain-infested city of ??. Then they journey from a forested area through a desert to LA. Woohoo, we finally have a pin the the US map.

Why don't we know where they're living before this? Also, there is little description of the bane. Do they all look different? Do they look like The Borg from Star Trek? That's what I imagined at least. How can you tell someone is a Bane from 50 yards away? There's got to be something that gives them away. A gleaming metallic eye piece maybe?

It's also hard to see the age range of all of the characters. Avin is around 30, Eve and West are 20-ish, some of the other characters are 40 and 50. You don't see this. They all sound alike. Their mannerisms are so similar that the age difference escaped me.


Rating: A

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Author
Keary Taylor

Keary Taylor grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now resides on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two young children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.

Keary’s books have landed on numerous Amazon top 100 lists. Her novel BRANDED was the number one bestselling fantasy Kindle book. In addition she has been listed on Amazon’s 100 most popular fantasy authors. She was listed in The Wall Street Journal in December of 2011 as a “Self-published Big Seller” alongside Amanda Hocking and John Locke. Her novel EDEN (republished as THE BANE in 2013) has been optioned for a major motion picture by Mark Morgan (The TWILIGHT saga) and Kami Garcia (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES).

Quarantine: The Loners

	Title Quarantine, Book One: The Loners    Author Lex Thomas    Genre YA, Science Fiction    Publisher EgmontUSA    Publication Date July 10, 2012    How I Got This Book NetGalley    Electronic Copy 410    Stand alone or series Series      My Average 26 pg/day      Reading Difficulty 2 (on a scale of 1-5 5 = dictionary vernacular)
The Forgotten

It's Will's first day of high school and he can't be more excited, his brother David, though, just wants to crawl under his sheets and go back to bed. Things turn for the worse after a massive explosion leaves the students scattered, the teachers dead, and the doors and windows of the school locked. There is no leaving McKinley High. After a few days of not knowing anything, the government steps in and informs the students that the reason they are in lock-down and have all lost their hair and all the teachers (and some of the students) are dead is because they are all carriers of a deadly virus that kills adults instantly. Once a teenager enters into adulthood, he/she is no longer immune and begins to slowly die.

I am going to change things up for this review.

It Has:

1. Sex (sort of)
2. Violence
3. Drugs
4. Vivid descriptions of smells & sounds
5. A great idea!

It's Missing:
1. A strong plot
2. A definite main character
3. Showing -- instead of telling
4. More Science-y stuff (that's the technical term!)

The NeverEnding Story meets Children of the Corn

This novel tripped over the realistic line into the, It-would-never-happen-this-way realm. Once you get past the idea that there is a virus that uses teenagers as carriers and kills all adults... there are many other things to hurdle over. 

Issue #1 There is no regulation of the children. Parents, humanitarians and many other nosy adults would have put their foot down on the way the students were treated in this novel. No way the government would only drop food and leave the kids to fend for themselves.

Issue #2 The lack of leadership throughout the school. I don't believe the clicks would have split up into separate militia the way they did. Yes, there will be clicks because they already existed. People are comfortable with what they know. But, I believe the "Varsity" crowd would have set up a hierarchy with Sam as the leader and everyone else peons (sort of like King Arthur). Food would have been rationed out, of coarse Sam would have gotten the best and most amount of food, and some might not have gotten more than a morsel... 

Issue #3 Where are all of the babies? There is rampid sex throughout the school during this novel. Yes, there is mention to condoms... but who is supplying them? Surly they aren't arriving in the care packages from the government. And there is no way every single teen is using protection. 


I try not to dwell on the different writing styles of authors... but I have a hard time when the first word of every sentence in a 7 sentence paragraph starts with "She" or "He." This lands in the same field of "show me, don't tell me." I felt like there was a lot of telling the scene instead of showing.


An interesting way the author could have added more science fiction to the novel, since they shifted from viewpoint to viewpoint anyway, would have been to see the events from the scientist's perspective. What happened, what are the adults doing to fix the problem?

Rating: D+

Probably half the reason I didn't like this as much as some is because I am lacking that Y chromosome. This novel really appeals to the male sex. 
 

If you like Outbreak; Ashes, Ashes; The Way We Fall, & Survivors, you might like this novel.

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About the Author

Lex Thomas

Lex Thomas is the pen name for the writing team of Lex Hrabe and Thomas Voorhies. Lex received a BA in Drama and English from the University of Virginia and has worked as an actor, director and writer. Thomas graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, and now writes, and exhibits his realist oil paintings in Los Angeles. Lex and Thomas met in a writers' group in Los Angeles. Their friendship developed as they tried to blow each other's minds with clips from bizarre movies. In 2005, they became a screenwriting team, and found that writing with a friend is much more fun than doing it alone. Quarantine: The Loners is their first novel.