Tag: dystopia

Book Review

Book Review: Skyhunter (Skyhunter #1) by Marie Lu

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-fi
Length: 374 pages
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Release Date: September 29th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a world broken by war, a team of young warriors is willing to sacrifice everything to save what they love.

The Karensa Federation has conquered a dozen countries, leaving Mara as one of the last free nations in the world. Refugees flee to its borders to escape a fate worse than death—transformation into mutant war beasts known as Ghosts, creatures the Federation then sends to attack Mara.

The legendary Strikers, Mara’s elite fighting force, are trained to stop them. But as the number of Ghosts grows and Karensa closes in, defeat seems inevitable.

Still, one Striker refuses to give up hope.

Robbed of her voice and home, Talin Kanami knows firsthand the brutality of the Federation. Their cruelty forced her and her mother to seek asylum in a country that considers their people repugnant. She finds comfort only with a handful of fellow Strikers who have pledged their lives to one another and who are determined to push Karensa back at all costs.

When a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? Or could he be the weapon that will save them all?

FANTASTIC.

A nod to the audio for this one as well. I loved it.

This book was great. I have a hit and miss vibe with Lu’s books, this has renewed my faith that I do love her writing and story telling. I was captivated from the first chapters for Skyhunter. It’s so easy to fall into the writing style and to be captured by how everything starts out.

I loved the scheming and plot. I knew what the story was about and loved the shock value moments of finding out new information. Talin was such a formidable heroine. She is strong and memorable. Talin and Red are a new fav ship that better be sailing off in the next book. Their connection and friendship really helped drive the story as two people from different sides of the land. There’s so much action, and twists and turns. For a sci-fi/dystopia novel I was enraptured (it’s usually not my go-to). The flow kept things moving and I don’t remember anything ever dragging.

But also, THAT ENDING. Talk about a cliffhanger. I have no idea where things are going now and I kinda love it. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult dystopia / sci-fi
  • Language: a little
  • Violence: physical, creature attacks, zombie (referred to as ghosts) attacks, depictions of battles; bloody/gory but not overly so

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Book Review

Book Review: Rebel (Legend #4) by Marie Lu

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-Fi / Dystopia
Length: 384 pages
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Expected Release Date: October 1st, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel.

With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.

As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . . 

SATISFIED.

First of all y’all. I thought my babes June and Day ran off into the sunset, figured things out, and were this fantastical happy ever after.

This was not the case and that was probably my biggest gripe. THOUGH, I will say, there was a *perfect* ending to them so I’m fine. It’s fine. I can overlook this issue because at least this book closed that fact.

What I was loving was the relationship between the brothers, Eden and Daniel. I love the focus on them and figuring out how to really be in each other’s lives again after the horrors of the war in the Republic. There was a lot of struggle, miscommunication and tender moment between the two. Their bond deepened over the story and I just adore a great brother dynamic. It’s super charming.

I’m so excited we got more of June and Day too. I NEEDED CLOSURE (see first two paragraphs). I got that and more. They were like cute kids falling in love all over again and I’m totally smitten with Daniels’ confessions of love. HERE FOR IT.

I wasn’t sure this book was wholly necessary (still on the fence), but I don’t think it was completely unnecessary either. Sometimes you get continuation of series books that really don’t fall in line. I’m grateful that this one was a good story and really gave the whole series a finale it deserved.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult sci-fi / dystopia
  • Language: none
  • Romance: a few kisses, a no detail fade-to-black scene
  • Violence: murder, kidnapping, physical, stabbings, knife fights, gun wounds, descriptions of war

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Book Review

Book Review: DEV1AT3 (Lifelike #2) by Jay Kristoff

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult science fiction
Length: 419 pages
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Expected Release Date: June 25th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past.

Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world. 

I LOVE LEMON FRESH.

And I love that this book focused more on her.

This book started out with a nice little refresher of who was who and what happened (which I appreciate because lets face it, when it takes awhile to get to the second book some facts slip my mind).

So many twists yet again. I couldn’t keep up and was on my toes waiting for the next moment when I would stare at my page saying whaaaaat, nooooooo. I was kept guessing as to who some characters were and where others were located. I love the mystery of it all and it really helps me want to continue reading and flipping pages.

Lemon Fresh got a lot of the spotlight this time and she’s seriously, the best. I love her spunky personality and her loyalty to her friends. We got to see her struggles and her triumphs as she navigated meeting others like her. The dash of romance thrown in for her was sweet and not overdone. I totally ship them.

Ezekiel might destroy me by the end of this series. Frankly, this may be the case for any of our main four (Lemon, Ezekiel, Cricket and Eve). There is heartbreak and disaster literally around every corner and I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL GET A HAPPY ENDING. Going in blind to the last book may hurt, but I’m also stoked for it. The reveals and action can only go up from here.

The pacing is on point and the way information is rolled out never feels like an info dump or not quite enough to go off of. We’re given direction as needed and I love the world-building around a defunct society. It’s got a level of creep, some radicals, and those just trying to make it through the day. I’ve been real hesitant to read any dystopian as of late, but this one is definitely a hit.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult sci-fi / dystopia
  • Language: very little light language (some cases of using funk as a bad word)
  • Romance: a kiss
  • Violence: robots fighting, fire, magic, physical, swords, explosions, guns

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Book Review

Book Review: LIFEL1K3 (Lifelike #1) by Jay Kristoff

GoodeyReads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆  
Audience: Young adult Science fiction/Dystopian
Length: 402 pages
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 29th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On a floating junkyard beneath a radiation sky, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap.

Eve isn’t looking for secrets—she’s too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she’s just spent six months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, and the only thing keeping her Grandpa from the grave was the fistful of credits she just lost to the bookies. To top it off, she’s discovered she can destroy electronics with the power of her mind, and the puritanical Brotherhood are building a coffin her size. If she’s ever had a worse day, Eve can’t remember it.

But when Eve discovers the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic conscience, Cricket, in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, infiltrate towering megacities and scour the graveyard of humanity’s greatest folly to save the ones Eve loves, and learn the dark secrets of her past.

Even if those secrets were better off staying buried.

A SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN WIN.

I was wary of picking this up because Kristoff has vastly different types of books and wasn’t sure what I would find with this one. Y’all, it was really good!

It started off with a lot of action and rarely slowed up. I absolutely loved all of these characters. Eve was brave and a bit reckless. Lemon Fresh was sassy and kind. Ezekiel was strong and heartfelt. Cricket was quirky and loyal. This was a great group of friends that I caught myself even laughing at some of their interactions.

The setting and world was trippy. A dystopia world filled with robots. Robots totally freak me out and this was no different. I thought it was well done and enjoyed learning about how all of the different types came about and what their strengths and weaknesses were.

Plot twists though. A few I figured were going to happen, then we hit the last 50 pages where my jaw dropped at the reallllll twist of the book. I MEAN WHOA. Those left me shook and demanding that my library get book two ASAP. I think it’s crazy cool and if it’s going the way I think it is, I would be completely obsessed with this series. I love the nod to the Romanov’s. The names and situations made me think that’s what Kristoff was alluding to. It was a little Easter Egg that was a fun find.

I’m all over the place on maybe relationships, maybe their a villain, and maybe they die. I love that this book kept me guessing and wanting to read more. I’m generally picky about sci-fi reads and am grateful I decided to pick this up!

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult sci-fi + dystopia
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: a mention of a potential night together, but very vague; some kisses
  • Violence: some crude jokes, blasts, explosions, poison, radiation, guns, animal attacks, plane crashes, physical
  • Trigger warnings: mention of a suicide (Chapter 10)

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