Dystopia

Reboot | Amy Tintera | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Y’all, I am totally surprised at how much I enjoyed Reboot by Amy Tintera and the rate at which I devoured it. Seriously, I read it in like 3 days which is pretty good for a 360ish page book (note: I also tend to read multiple books at a time). I found myself really into the swoonworthy relationship within Reboot, y’all Callum and Wren are the deal and OMG who does not love it when the girl is stronger than the boy? Seriously, I love it when the female is the alpha of the relationship, which is basically what happens in Reboot.

Reboot Amy Tintera Book Cover

Wren is a reboot, meaning that she has died and come back to life. She was dead for 178 minutes before she rebooted, which in the context of Tintera’s Reboot means that Wren is less human than all of the other reboots. Wren is content with her lot in life, being a reboot means she has shelter, clothing, and is fed regularly. Her life pre-reboot certainly was not that good – she lived in the slums with drug addict parents and experienced food uncertainty. In exchange for being fed, the reboots work for HARC, a sort of government organization. Reboots are a bit like soldiers, so they conduct missions to catch people that HARC deems to be criminals. Wren never questions this and has quite a bit of blood on her hands. With the arrival of Callum, or Twenty-Two, Wren’s outlook starts to take a change and she begins to wonder if she actually has retained some of her humanity after all.

Tintera really did well at character development in Reboot. Wren is a dynamic character, who goes from being a bit of a cyborg with no emotions to allowing herself to genuinely feel things. As a reader, getting Wren’s backstory in small tidbits and very, very brief flashbacks made me much more engaged in the story. It also helped me to understand why Wren is the way she is, besides her high number. Also, although Wren is incredibly strong and a fierce fighter, she is still vulnerable about some things, like her looks.

The world within Reboot is a tad bit confusing. You see, all that seems to be left of the United States is Texas. Texas is then divided into little city-states with Austin being the capitol. A virus has spread through the US, called KDH and it causes people to reboot after death. Adults who reboot turn dangerous, so they are immediately killed. However, when children and teenagers reboot, they are used as weapons and a means of control. There are also very wide income gaps in Tintera’s world, where the rich are called rico and live in walled areas. The poor all live in slums. Food is very scarce. However, there are the whisperings of a rebellion against HARC which starts to take seed in Wren’s mind.

If you read young adult for the romance, Reboot by Amy Tintera certainly will not disappoint you. There is neither instalove nor a love triangle within this young adult debut. The relationship between Wren and Callum unfolds at a logical pace and begins with attraction, but not love. It takes Wren a bit of time to acknowledge and realize that she has feelings for him. Although Callum is a very low number and a lot more human than Wren, their attraction makes sense. He makes her laugh, he listens to her, and he genuinely is not afraid of Wren like everyone else. Also, there is totally some kissing in Reboot, so if you enjoy that chances are you will love this book.

Tintera’s debut dystopian is a very quick read with short chapters. At first, the world she built is a bit confusing, but within 50 pages you will be able to understand what is going on and the world that you have been thrown into. If you are a fan of books about teenage rebellion, love stories and dystopian societies, you should definitely give Reboot by Amy Tintera a shot.

Disclosure: Received for review via Amazon Vine

Other reviews of Reboot by Amy Tintera:

The Flyleaf Review – “I can honestly say that I had no issues with the romance.”
A Girl, A Book, And Other Things – “Is it perfect? not really, but it’s not bad”
Hobbitsies – “a solid and enjoyable story”

Sky On Fire | Emmy Laybourne | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Are you looking for a book that will keep you riveted during a reading marathon, like Bout of Books or the 24 Hour Readathon? Are you a few books behind on your goodreads goal and in need of a boost? ARE YOU DYING TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THE KIDS FROM MONUMENT 14? Did you answer yes to any of those questions? Well, Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourne totally has your number. It is the exciting sequel to Monument 14 and so because it’s impossible to talk about it without spoilers, from here on out there will be Monument 14 spoilers discussed in this review of Sky On Fire which you guys, I am pretty sure I read in about an hour and a half, this book is SO FAST, but I actually quite enjoyed my time with it.

Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourn | Good Books And Good Wine

Sky On Fire opens exactly where Monument 14 leaves off. Basically, the kids have split into two groups. One group stays in the store because Astrid is pregnant and also because they have the type of blood that turns them into those fast zombies from 28 Days Later. The other group commandeers the bus and begins the drive to Denver airport because that is where the safe zone is, and they also leave in hopes of mounting a rescue mission for the people still in Monument 14. Sky On Fire is narrated in alternating chapters by brothers Dean and Alex. As you may remember from Monument 14, Dean was the main narrator and the one who had the crush on Astrid and Alex was his technologically adept younger brother. Essentially, this sequel gives us a glimpse of what’s going on in the outside world and shows that the kids are not the only people left in the world. It also shows just how widespread and bad the ‘apocalypse’ damage whatever you want to call it is.

Out of the two narrators, I liked Alex the best. It’s probably because he isn’t nearly as creepy as I find Dean. Also, he comes across as levelheaded and useful. While it sounds kind of bizarre, I quite like reading about useful characters during dystopias. I also thought Alex’s part was more complex because he’s treated as a child or a little kid, and yet he knows he is more mature than a child, intellectually. So, there’s sort of a struggle for him to be taken seriously and to actually be considered by the other kids. As for Dean, because he stayed back, he is considered the de facto leader of the group at the Monument store. Dean and Astrid also hook up and become a couple. As a reader, I am not entirely sure how I feel about that because Dean was kind of a creep show in the first book. Anyways, I just found myself sort of biding my time to get back to Alex’s chapters because they were much more interesting.

As for the side characters, I still really love Batiste, the religious little kid, Ulysses, the little kid who is Hispanic and Niko, the leader boy scout who brings the splinter group to Denver. There is not a crazy amount of character development for the minor characters or supporting characters I guess that’s the term, BUT I thought that was fine. Yo, Sky On Fire is only 212 pages so it is not like you can throw the entire kitchen sink in there. Plus, I read Monument 14 so I knew what to expect. I knew to expect characters with quirks and affectations, but not to expect some treatise on coming of ages and changes and what not. Hell no, I knew to expect PLOT PLOT PLOT.

That’s the thing, Sky On Fire is totally plot driven and not very character driven. I felt that the writing was alright, I mean I wasn’t highlighting the pages or anything. A need of mine was fulfilled though, the need for entertainment. Of course, there’s going to be a lot that you will have to suspend your disbelief for. I will say, there’s a ton of interesting coincidences as the characters venture into the outside world. Like, to the point of being unbelievable, which obviously duh, this is fiction so it’s not like it will be realistic. Still, I had to suspend a lot of my disbelief while reading and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

To be one hundred percent honest, I sort of wish the end of Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourne had wrapped up better, but it totally makes it so there can be a sequel. There is not a huge cliffhanger or anything, you can close the book and basically be done with the series without a whole existential crisis of wondering what happened to the characters. Yet, the door is still open for a sequel. Personally, I didn’t think too terribly hard about while reading. Sky On Fire is a pure popcorn read, know that going in and you will be fine.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourne:

Scott Reads It – “I definitely enjoyed it more than it’s predecessor.”
Chick Loves Lit – “a definite must read for fans of MONUMENT 14.”
Reading Teen – “I love the constant sense of danger in these books.”

Books by Emmy Laybourne:
Monument 14

Gameboard Of The Gods | Richelle Mead | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Y’all, I had the most awesome intro all typed up and ready to go for this review of Gameboard Of The Gods by Richelle Mead, but then silly old wordpress ate it. Alas. I will try to rewrite my awesome intro from memory, so bear with me. You ever get SO excited for a book because A) it’s by one of your all time favorite authors and B) it has to do with one of your all time favorite topics BUT THEN said book does not live up to all the hype you built up in your head and you don’t know whether to blame yourself or to blame the book? That exact scenario happened to me with Gameboard Of The Gods, the first book in Mead’s new adult Age Of X series. I mean, come on, this book was about CULTS and y’all I live to read about cults. Alas, it was just not meant to be.

Gameboard Of The Gods by Richelle Mead | Good Books And Good Wine

Justin March has been exiled from RUNA (basically the US and Canada combined) for reasons unknown to the reader and is currently living in Panama, which is not exactly the bastion of civilization that RUNA is. Mae Koskinian is a praetorian guard, which basically means she is an elite member of the military and has had her body chipped so she’s kind of like a super human. The paths of the two cross when Mae is asked to be Justin’s body guard and to bring him back to RUNA so he can solve a case of ritualistic murders and bust up a new cult. You see, RUNA has a pretty big cult problem. Oh, and a big problem between Justin and Mae? He basically lied to her and they slept together, so there’s a bit of animosity between the two.

The two main characters of Gameboard Of The Gods were likable enough, but I just never really felt a deep emotional pull toward caring about them. This book is written in third person rather than first, which you know works great for a ton of books. But I kind of felt a disconnect from the two main characters because of that. I never really found myself all that invested in Mae or Justin. Don’t get me wrong, I think Mae is a total badass. I loved that Mae was the strong one and the protector. However, I felt that Justin came across as a bit of a womanizing man child and that’s just not really my thing, ya know? I also felt as though I would have liked Gameboard Of The Gods better if it was more tightly focused on ONE main character instead of two, just because maybe that emotional gap from the characters as a reader would have been bridged.

Honestly, I think that one of the things Mead excels at is incorporating romance into her stories where your heart is beating hard from both the adrenaline and action, but also from the sexual tension. I would say that in Gameboard Of The Gods there is definite sexual tension between Mae and Justin, they are obviously into each other and obviously fighting it quite hard. However, I was not entirely convinced of the romance, like I just didn’t buy into it as I did with Rose and Dmitri or Sydney and Adrian. It just didn’t quite have the zest of young love, and again, this may just be a result of my extreme expectations and also the result of my feeling a disconnect.

However, the world building in Gameboard Of The Gods is kind of cool, if not a bit confusing and disorienting. Basically, there’s RUNA which is this huge world conglomeration, empire country nation. Citizens of RUNA are all chipped which isn’t as big of a deal as it sounds. They also all have these things called egos, which I gathered to be super sophisticated iphones. ALSO. Religion is kind of not cool in RUNA, because they used to have massive cult problems. Which, basically this whole book is based on finding out which cult is behind the ritualistic murders. This book did teach me something, and that is that I am not in love with cult books that focus on many cults instead of getting inside just one cult. Alas, it happens.

Unfortunately, I did not quite whip through this book as fast as I had expected. I was never super engaged with the story. Hey, it happens. Not every book by one of my favorite authors can be a winner. I am okay with that. Personally, this reader thought Gameboard Of The Gods was too slow-going and just not as tightly focused as I like. That’s on me though. If you like the concept, if you are okay with a bigger picture and maybe a book that takes it’s sweet time, then go ahead and read Richelle Mead’s Gameboard Of The Gods you may very well love it. Me, I was not it’s biggest fan and that is just fine.

Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley

Other reviews of Gameboard Of The Gods:

Tynga’s Reviews – “I didn’t get any Vampire Academy vibes from this novel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.”
Mission To Read – “The plot, even with it’s info dump issues, was one that didn’t leave me.”
Somewhere Between The Pages – “I found this book to be slow-paced, confusing, and, to be frank, a little dull in places.”

Books by Richelle Mead:
Vampire Academy (start here and you can find links to reviews of the other books)
Bloodlines (Also, start here and click around for links to reviews of other books in the series)

The Selection | Kiera Cass | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Why Did I Read This Book:

Look, I know about the drama and the controversy that surrounded The Selection by Kiera Cass, and I sort of hate myself a little bit for wanting to read it. But here’s the thing, I fucking love trashy reality TV. I fully admit to watching every episode of Flavor Of Love, Rock Of Love, Daisy Of Love, A Real Chance At Love, I Love New York. ALL OF THEM. When I had cable, I literally could not resist watching those trashy VH1 shows. I regret nothing. And so, when I heard the premise of The Selection, I was intrigued given my obsession with those sort of shows. Then you know, all the drama happened and I was like hmmm, maybe I will hold off on this. But, still, I had the book in my house and that curiosity was there every time I looked at it. Upon getting The Elite, the sequel, in the mail, twice, I texted a few of my friends who had read The Selection asking if I would like it. They said I would be into it, and you know, it turns out they were right and you guys I have a lot of feelings to work through — from surprise at liking it, to kind of feeling like a traitor.

The Selection by Kiera Cass | Good Books And Good Wine

What’s The Story Here:

The world of The Selection is one where there is a strict caste system. The number that you are determines your occupation in life. America Singer and her family are fives which mean they work in the arts. They are three steps from being the bottom caste. Anyways, there is a royal family, right, with a son of marriageable age. Tradition dictates that he choose a girl from the people to be his wife. The process to do that is called the Selection and all of the eligible girls in the kingdom send in an application. With the urging of her family, America submits an application even though she already has a boyfriend. Against the odds, she is SELECTED. So anyways, she ends up a part of THE SELECTION and there’s all kinds of cat fight drama and turns out there’s some rebels who consistently break into the castle. You know, the normal. OH and the two dudes she has to choose between are Prince Maxon and her boyfriend, Aspen.

How Is America Singer, As A Person?

Honestly, I don’t really have beef with America. I thought she came across as perfectly pleasant. Like, I wouldn’t want to be her BFF or anything, but I also don’t dislike her. Anyways, I liked that she stayed pretty down to Earth while she was in the castle. Like, she didn’t let the whole selection go to her head. She’s also kind to the other girls, except for Celeste, AND to her maids and honestly, I dig that. To me, that’s a trait I value in a character, kindness. It’s also cool how America sees problems with the caste system and actively uses her time at the castle to try and make life easier for those of a lower caste.

What’s The Deal With The Romance?

So. The romance. YOU GUYS! I hate myself so much for this, but I actually was pretty caught up in the love triangle and ahhhh, I was Team Maxon. Here’s the thing, Maxon is very sweet and actually nice. He does care about the ‘people’. Plus, there’s definite chemistry between himself and America. I know. I KNOW. Usually, I pick the homeskillet. But honestly? Aspen is a total douche. First, he basically rejects America. Then he waltzes back into her life and is all put your life at risk because I am still into you. Motherfucker, no, you had your chance and you blew it. But ohhh no, he just expects her to still carry a torch for him. Fuck that you guys. See, I am getting very heated with this.

Am I Going To Continue With The Series?

Look, the writing is not the greatest in The Selection, BUT I liked the concept, probably because I am just a tiny bit trashy myself. I literally read Kiera Cass’s book in one sitting. So, yes, I will be reading The Elite, even if it did end up covering my entire shirt in glitter. Guilty pleasure and all that.

Sum It Up With A GIF:

Bachelor Rose GIF

You know, I wasn’t smashed or anything while reading this, but I think wine would have been a nice touch.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of The Selection by Kiera Cass:

A Book And A Latte – “In that way it really was like watching The Bachelor!”
Rather Be Reading – “I never felt fully invested in the story”
Pure Imagination – “The Selection and I….we have a odd relationship”

The End Games | T. Michael Martin | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

My number one most anticipated 2013 young adult debut was The End Games by T. Michael Martin, and so when a package containing this highly coveted book arrived on my door step, I rightly freaked out in the best possible fashion. The official summary contains so many of my favorite elements – sibling relationships, video games, zombies, and romance. Not to mention the awesome West Virginia setting (I’ve been there for a basketball game – WVU vs. UConn). And so, I went into The End Games with expectations of post-apocalyptic excitement — for the most part my expectations were met.

The End Games T Michael Martin Book Cover

Michael is 17 years old and on the run with his five year old brother Patrick. The two are part of an intricate game where they receive messages from ‘The Game Master’. During the day they look for others who have survived as they have — also searching for the safe zone. When night falls though, the Bellows come out. The Bellows are these zombie-like creatures who can’t speak except to echo what they hear and who also cannot come out during the day. Michael and Patrick rock at killing Bellows, as they are pretty great gamers. Unfortunately the Bellows begin to evolve, which makes the Game that much harder. It’s a race against time as the two search for the Safe Zone and for Michael, he finds romance along the way (but not enough to turn this into a cheese fest).

Typically for me to enjoy a book I have to like the main character. Luckily The End Games does not have an annoying protagonist. Michael is wonderful. He deeply cares for his brother Patrick and is such a loving caretaker. I liked that this kind of subverts typical images of masculinity in that we get to see Michael really behave in a nurturing fashion. Like, when you get the true depth of just how much he does for Patrick, you’ll totally get why I am saying this — so I guess that’s kind of a hint that you need to go pre-order The End Games right this second. Another thing I liked about Michael was that he was using the end of times/apocalypse as an opportunity to change and be brave. His life has not exactly been easy and so it’s not hard to make the leap as to why he’d be happier when the world is falling apart.

Patrick plays a pretty huge role in T. Michael Martin’s debut novel. There were points where I wanted to hug Patrick and points where I wanted to strangle him, which probably shows how awful I am as a person. Now, I know he’s five years old and I can’t exactly expect him to behave as a mini-adult. Which okay, that is awesome that the author made it so Patrick came across as very realistic. AND he also has a few behavioral issues. However, there were still a few points where I was like, really kid, come ON. Again, this is because I am awful and really has nothing to do with the book.

One thing that I felt The End Games totally excelled at and well, did fricken fabulous was the world building. Here’s the thing, when an author is writing something post-apocalyptic I have to believe it. I have to think to myself, yes this makes sense. Otherwise, you won’t really have buy-in from me as a reader on the book. It’s all a part of my engagement. Thankfully, the Bellows and the Game are artfully done. In the beginning, we’re kind of thrown into the end times. There’s not exactly an explanation of why it’s happening. We just know that West Virginia has been overrun by Bellows and there is a safe zone. As the book continues, it’s gradually revealed what has happened. I love that. I love that I basically get to kind of test the waters as a reader and am trusted to kind of put the pieces together and figure it out. I also want to mention that I loved how well the setting was incorporated. There’s a lot of talk of coal country and small towns dirt poor towns mixed with wealthy areas, just like real life West Virginia. There’s also a lot of references to West Virginia University, as there should be since it’s kind of a big deal for that state.

To be 100% honest with all of you, The End Games took me forever to read. Not that it’s a bad thing, just the writing was super tiny and the copy I read was 370 pages, plus I had crazy work hours while trying to read. Also, I should tell you that the writing style is very different from a lot of the YA I read. It’s fairly complex and a bit literary. So, I think if you liked books like The Passage or The Reapers Are The Angels or The Road, you’ll end up liking The End Games. It did take me a little while to get into, but on the whole I ended up digging the different writing style. One thing that totally helped drive my interest in the book and kept me turning the pages was that there were lots of HOLY F— twists. Straight up, I like things like that. I like not being able to predict a book. I like when I go WHAT THE EFF JUST HAPPENED! DID I READ THAT RIGHT?!

However, despite all of my praise, basically just one thing pissed me off: One of the characters calls Michael’s mother who keeps going back to her abusive husband, Patrick’s father weak. I found this super annoying because it feeds into victim blaming and lots of misconceptions about unhealthy relationships. Like, I don’t think people realize how hard it is to leave an unhealthy relationship and that it’s a hell of a lot more complex than if they ever hit me I’d be out the door. Especially when you consider the fact that Michael’s mom is in poverty, so finances definitely will play a part. Further, Ron, the stepfather, isn’t abusive 100% of the time. He’s also Patrick’s father, and Patrick needs expensive pills. Also, the cost of fighting for custody isn’t exactly cheap. Now, I know the average reader won’t pick up on this because not everyone is obsessive about that topic the way that I am. So, take what I say with a grain of salt and note that my peeves are not likely to be your peeves.

That aside, I ended up really enjoying The End Games by T. Michael Martin and the journey that it brought me on. I loved that there was an actual conclusion and resolution instead of a cliffhanger. I’m not sure, but I think this book is a standalone, at least according to goodreads. The writing style is unique, the characters well drawn, and the world building (which FYI, not anti-science) is legit. In all, if you like post apocalyptic books, you definitely need to add this one to your TBR.

Disclosure: Received for review

Other reviews of The End Games by T. Michael Martin

At the time of writing this March 23, I haven’t found any reviews on google to link. If you review this, drop your link in the comments and I will add it up here.

Allison: The Hallowed Ones | Laura Bickle | Book Review

by Allison L

Strange things are happening in the outside world. It all happens one day when Katie and her friend Elijah are spending time together thinking about their upcoming Rumspringa when a helicopter crashes into the field right in front of them. They rush to the scene to determine if there are any survivors but before Katie can pull someone she believes may still be alive, she sees something with glowing red eyes, and is pulled back away from the wreckage as the helicopter explodes.

This is the way that The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle begins and yes, it pulls you right in. It starts out in a calm manner but then explodes into a steady stream of action. It just builds, and builds, and builds leaving you with an ending that I honestly did not really expect. Actually come to think of it, I didn’t really even know what to expect because this story was so unlike anything I have read before. I mean, the Amish and the supernatural? What? I know it sounds a little crazy but it works. It SO works!

I love the main character of Katie. When it is determined that the Amish community is the only place that is safe from these supernatural occurrences, it is also determined that it will be on complete lockdown. No one in. No one out. Yet when Katie finds a badly wounded stranger just outside the fence, she refuses to follow the rules and instead sneaks him inside, risking everything. The strangers name is Alex, and together they share their theories on what is really happening developing a relatively strong bond. Katie isn’t afraid to question what she is being told even when this makes her question what she had always believed. She is spunky and smart but has a real sweet innocence that helps her follow her heart. There is a real growth in her character, and it is really captivating to read about.

I also loved the way that the vampires were portrayed in the story. Laura Bickle did not take the easy way out when it came to the way that the vampires attacked. There is tension, and gore, and blood. There are heads being removes, bodies being impaled, and other less than pleasant images. It works in such a wonderful way in the story though, especially in the contrast to the plainness and the innocence of the Amish community. It is really well balanced, and has this fantastic combination of both faith and folklore. I LOVED the Hexenmeister who believes in the folklore of the past, and attempts to protect the Amish people by methods of hexes, garlic cloves, and stakes. Of course the Amish people think that he is a little crazy. His involvement in the story, along with Katie and Alex’s was truly fascinating to read about.

I read The Hallowed Ones in one day because it has such a build in it. I just could not ignore the tension and the characters and I had to know what happened next. I know that on the surface it may seem to be a little out there with the potential of being a little campy but I promise you it is anything but that. It is well worth reading, and I very much encourage you to pick it up, and give it a chance!

Disclosure: April gave me her ARC to read.

Other reviews of The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle:

April’s Review: “It’s my hope that The Hallowed Ones does not end up flying under the radar, but that it truly gets the attention and buzz it deserves.”

Ivy Book Bindings: “All in all, The Hallowed Ones is a novel I can’t believe I hesitated to read.”

Tripping Over Books: “THE HALLOWED ONES by Laura Bickle is one of the most gripping, shiver-inducing vampire books I’ve basically ever read.”

Reading In Winter: “The instant I finished the story wanting more, I knew I had a winner on my hands.”

Requiem | Lauren Oliver | Audiobook Review

by April (Books&Wine)

There be spoilers in this thar review! You’ve been warned!

Ugh you guys! I feel like I have been waiting FOREVER for Requiem by Lauren Oliver to come out. Granted, these books have been coming out at a rate of one per year, plus, I have her middle grade books in between to tide me over. BUT STILL feels like forever to get a resolution to the Lena-Alex-Julian triangle and to find out if society ever changes their views of the deliria. Alas, I am not entirely satisfied with this conclusion.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver | Good Books And Good Wine

At the end of Pandemonium, Lena sees Alex is alive and not dead like she thought and this throws some complications in her life, because you know she’s with Julian now. Anyways, in Requiem Lena is totally a freedom fighter and part of the Resistance. She lives in the wilds with Raven and Tac and the others. Julian is also becoming a freedom fighter. Anyways, she gets a blast from the past and I won’t say who/what shows up. AND AND Lena still has a lot of unresolved feelings for Alex. Concurrent with Lena’s storyline is that of Hana who has received the cure. Hana is engaged to the mayor of Portland and he’s got a ton of power. He’s also a total dick. Anyways, she goes on this sort of spiral to find out what happened to his previous wife and what she finds isn’t exactly reassuring. Of course, in this book Hana and Lena are apart but obviously their stories intertwine again, which is kind of cool.

Of course, I wouldn’t have read Requiem if I wasn’t invested in Lena as a character. In thinking about it, it’s fascinating to me to see just how far Lena has come. She’s gone from this girl who in the first book who has some questions but doesn’t totally rebel, to this girl who in the third book has joined the Rebellion for more reasons than just being in love with a boy. I think that she’s come a long way. I love though that she still lets vulnerability slip through the cracks, especially when Alex is concerned. We really get to see her hurt in this book. But we also get to see her determination and her leadership potential. So, it’s neat all of the hats that she wears. She does come across as fully realized.

I think that it’s cool that Lauren Oliver decided to include Hana’s point of view in the final book of the series. It’s definitely different being in the head of someone who has been ‘cured’ as opposed to someone like Lena who can still feel love. I thought that like Lena, Hana is brave in her own way — especially when it comes to investigating the past and things that have been covered up. Also, Hana does a few douche-y things but I ended up still liking her. I will say though that I wasn’t entirely in love with her portions, but I think that’s because I am so used to Lena that whenever we’d leave her point of view, I couldn’t wait to get back to it.

So, at this point I have bought into the plausibility of a world where love is a disease. I think that the world building takes a turn for the better when we get into the Resistance movement and infiltration and the Wilds. Straight up, revolutions are cool and I love reading about how they play out. For me personally, I really liked that aspect of Requiem and seeing different missions, etc that Lena would go on. I also loved seeing when certain characters double crossed. I am sort of a weirdo like that. So, yeah that’s an element to look forward to.

The romance of Requiem is a bitter disappointment to me. I went into this book expecting Lena to choose a guy. I also expected some kissing and all that. Unfortunately Alex was a dick to her for most of the book. And well, Julian didn’t get nearly the amount of attention that he did in Pandemonium. Like, Julian is still sweet and nice to Lena, but eh, she’s always thinking about Alex. AND! AND! I think the way it all plays out really lead to my disappointment with the ending.

You see, while Requiem is fast paced and actually a pretty quick read, I found myself thinking I had missed something. I listened to the ending of the audiobook on the way to and from an occasion about two hours away. When I had finished the audio and came to the end where Sarah Drew talks about the trilogy, I had to rewind it because I thought I missed something. You guys, at the end I literally was like ‘THAT’S IT?’ I am not at all satisfied and wish that things were resolved more clearly and you know, SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSKIPTHIS that Lena had actually picked a fricken guy. But alas, that didn’t happen. Some people loved the ending but not me. I thought it was whack.

Like I mentioned, I listened to this concluding book via audio, like I did with the other books in the trilogy. I pretty much loved the audiobook version although for awhile I couldn’t unhear Sarah Drew, the narrator as Sandy from Daria. You see, she’s also the voice of Sandy. Also, there are parts where her cadence feels a bit off. But, for the most part, I liked this production of Requiem, FYI produced by Harper audio. It’s 10 hours and 13 minutes unabridged. If you’re just starting the trilogy, I’d totally recommend getting it on audio.

Disclosure: I received a review copy but then I let my sister borrow it and she still has it, so because I read the other two books via audio I decided to purchase Requiem in audio as well.

Other reviews of Requiem by Lauren Oliver:

Cuddlebuggery – “A horrible, horrible end that didn’t do any justice to the series.”
Pure Imagination – “I’m happy to say that I was very pleased with it”
Through The Looking Glass – “I appreciate deeply what Lauren did with her characters in the end”

Books by Lauren Oliver:
Before I Fall
Delirium
Pandemonium
Liesl And Po
The Spindlers

Allison Reviews Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

by Allison L

I should probably begin this review of Level 2 with the acknowledgement that I know the author, Lenore Appelhans, on a more personal level than just author. She is a fellow YA book blogger and someone that I have met in person and shared drinks and bookish conversation with. In fact our initial in person meeting during the BEA cocktail gathering with the Forever YA ladies went something like this:

“Hi. I’m Allison. I co-blog with April…”

“Yes, I know! I love your writing style!”

“Oh wow! I love yours too!”

And we hugged and so began a fun conversation of life and books. All of that being said I can honestly say as I am about to review Level 2 that my personal relationship with the author had no bearing on my opinion of the novel. My opinion has not been swayed in any way.

Now onto the book…

I’ll admit that I was a little nervous to read Level 2 based on the hype that was surrounding it both in the blogging world as well as the publishing world. I was afraid that it wasn’t going to live up to my expectations. Luckily, I had really nothing to fear. Although it did take me a little bit to get into this book, it was totally worth it!

For those of you who don’t know, Level 2 is about a girl named Felicia who is dead but who is trapped in a strange afterlife where she spends her days replaying her memories of her life. Day after day she spends mindless hours replying the memories of her family, friends, boyfriend … and of the boy who broke her heart. That is all that she does until said boy breaks into her afterlife to find her. Before she knows it, Felicia finds herself in the middle of a rebellion, and learns that she must make a choice as to which side she will actually fight for.

Level 2 is intense! At first it is a little confusing which I honestly think that it is supposed to be because you really don’t know what you are getting yourself into. The fun thing is that neither does Felicia! So you’re both on the same level playing field in that way. I loved learning about Felicia through her memories. Learning about the different things she had been through (both good and bad) was a fun way to get to know her character and start to admire her after you learn about what she had been through to get to where she was right now in Level 2. To me it also added a new emotional complexity to the character building as well. It was as if I able to delve into something that was deep and personal all with the complete permission of the character.

Another thing I absolutely loved delving into was the world building within this story. It is so well crafted and multi-dimensional. I really liked the way that faith was addressed in Level 2 because I didn’t feel like it got in the way of the storyline at all. I also felt that it wasn’t preachy or overbearing in anyway which was nice. It is a take on the afterlife that I have never really read about before. I love how the characters can access memories of their own life as well as other people’s memories. The whole concept of the hives and pods was so fun to picture in my mind. It was also relatively easy because of the descriptive details that were used to bring this afterlife to life. The quick pacing of the story also kept me intrigued and the tips of my toes wanting to know more.

I also though it was neat that the memories seem to be rated on some form of a scale, and that the worse memories are the ones that nobody seems to want to access unless they really want to. I thought that was an interesting play into the idea that we often want to forget the bad things that have happened in our lives even though it’s the usually the bad things that make us stronger or that can truly teach us a lesson. Not to say that good memories can also not teach us something but as Level 2 explains in its own unique way bad memories are important too. I LOVED the way that it made me think about this concept and other concepts as well.

I’m really excited to read the next book in the series Level 3 because I really want to know what is going to happen next on Felicia’s journey. Also, I have a few questions that I’m hoping will be answered because even though Level 2 did not end in a cliffhanger (thank goodness), it still left me feeling like there were a few things left unanswered. I’m allowed to have questions, right? I guess I just need a little clarification to sort out my feelings on things. I want to know what will happen to Felicia, Julian, and Neil! I’m also looking forward to seeing how Lenore Appelhans can further expand and build upon the world and the ideas which she has already created. I feel there is so much to work with here, and I can’t wait to read all about it!

Disclosure: Received ARC copy from April (who received it at the Simon & Schuster preview party).

Other reviews of Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans:

April’s Review: : “Y’all, this is one hell of a debut so get off your butt and check it out like right this second.”

VeganYANerds: “Level 2 is a unique story about a girl trying to accept her past mistakes, and find a way to save her afterlife. I’d recommend it to all fans of YA who are looking for something a little different.”

The Perpetual Page Turner: “Level 2 was a really strong debut — refreshing and unique with great characterization and an intricately built, imaginative world.”

The Book Cellar: “I basically just want to stand and shout from the rooftops my love for this book.”

Hobbitsies: “Level 2 is a debut that is certain to blow your mind with its phenomenal world-building and compelling concept.”

Reached Ally Condie Audiobook Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Obviously there will be spoilers for Matched and Crossed so click the links to read reviews of those instead, if you don’t want to be spoiled.

Ahhh! It’s so interesting to be reading and finishing series that have begun and ended within the timespan of my book blogging journey. YOU GUYS! I remember being beyond psyched for Matched by Ally Condie and enjoying it for the most part with a few reservations. THEN! I listened to the audiobook of Crossed and was sort of let down a little bit, but still wanted to finish the series. AND NOW IT IS OVER! And okay, there was a lot that I really liked about the conclusion, Reached and the audiobook, but also certain things that were kind of a total let down. AND OBVIOUSLY you know that you’re in for long winded explanations as to why I am of mixed feelings on Reached.

Reached Ally Condie Book Cover

Okay, so you know how Crossed was the book where we found out about The Rising, the rebellion group that wants to overthrow the Society and their mysterious leader, the pilot? Well, in Reached, we see the Rising’s plot finally play out. Cassia, Xander and Ky are all in different provinces doing different things. Cassia is a sorter in Central, but she also engages in illegal trading with the Archivists. Xander works as a medic and is a government official. He’s also a member of the Rising. And Ky is a pilot for the Rising and is working with Indie. As members of the society are hit with a mysterious plague, the Rising makes their move and takes over. ALSO! Cassia must choose FINALLY between Xander and Ky. Oh, and lots of other things happen within the plot but since the book is like 512 pages, I thought I’d just boil it down to the main things.

Probably my favorite thing about the whole trilogy was Cassia’s growth. From Matched to Reached, where she starts off as a girl who is pumped up for her matching ceremony banquet, to a woman who runs an underground gallery where people are actually creating their own works rather than relying on the 100. I just thought it was so cool to see her really come into her own. Plus, she really struggles to help find the cure for the plague — including trying to recover a memory erased by the red pill. I loved that. I loved seeing her sort through her feelings, FINALLY for Xander and Ky instead of keeping both on the line. I loved that Cassia just did not give up when all of the odds were against her — thus making her worthy of her main character status.

Of course besides the whole dystopia and down fall of society thing, I think the true driving force behind Reached and the other books is the love triangle. And I totally know that love triangles aren’t cool anymore, but you guys when this series first started triangles were a thing that all the books did. AND I started Matched and Crossed rooting for Ky. THEN I ended up changing my mind and was all whooooo Xander, because he’s a doctor and doctors are pretty useful. Also, because Xander comes across as a solid and steadfast sort of person. I will say that Reached was probably the least swoonworthy for me out of the whole trilogy, and that’s because yes, the decision is made, but we don’t exactly get a lot of PG-13 scenes or anything. Also, there was more focus on the plague than there was making out.

Which brings me to my next point, I am totally all for reading about plagues. Luckily, Reached totally delivers on it’s promise of disease. We get to see the beginnings of the plague, how immunity is developed and then also how the disease mutates, much like in real life. I just bizarrely love that sort of thing and realize that it makes me odd, but I’ve made peace with that. However, I was not entirely satisfied with how they cured it. It just came across as kind of anti-climatic. I remember thinking after listening — all this build up for that?!

Like Crossed, I listened to the audiobook version of Ally Condie’s Reached. I actually liked this one better than Crossed because Xander has a point of view and his narrator has probably the best voice. Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono revive their parts as Cassia and Ky, respectively. Matt Burns narrates Xander’s parts. As I mentioned above, I found myself rooting for Xander during Reached, and that’s due in no small part to the voicing of Ky and Xander. I just found Matt Burns’ voice much more appealing and believable than Ky’s. Don’t get me wrong, Jack Riccobono did an okay job narrating, but when it came down to it, for shallow reasons I just liked Burns’ better, he came across as less angsty. Crossed is produced by Penguin audio and is 13 hours and 15 minutes long. It does kind of drag for a bit and I found myself listening to the radio and spotify a lot more than this. Also I started another audiobook in the middle because I could not focus on Crossed, but I eventually did end up finishing it, obviously. So, take that as you will.

Disclosure: Received for review

Other reviews of Reached by Ally Condie:

The Sweet Bookshelf – “While I did enjoy this story, it definitely isn’t my favorite.”

YA Book Queen – “An excellent ending to an incredible trilogy”

Anna Reads – “I’m very satisfied with the ending of Reached“

Books by Ally Condie:

Matched
Crossed

Level 2 Lenore Appelhans Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I will admit, I was totally terrified to read Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans. Not because the book is scary or horror or anything, but because I consider Lenore to be a friend. I’ve had alcoholic beverages in her company. Y’all, you know that omg what if I don’t like it trepidation? I HAD THAT. Then I had that nervous feeling of oh my god what if people call my review into question because of my friendship. THEN I was like, ah fuck it. I am going to read this book and let myself think and feel and react naturally. Luckily I kind of fell head over heels for Felicia and Julian and Neil and the world of Level 2.

Level 2 Lenore Appelhans Book Cover

I have not read very many books that take place in the afterlife, which is kind of a travesty because it’s a fascinating concept. Level 2 is definitely set in the afterlife and it’s sort of like Purgatory, I guess. I don’t know, my church didn’t do the whole purgatory thing. ANYWAYS. Okay, so Felicia is dead and lives on Level 2. She has two best friends. And pretty much what you do all day is you go in these pods and you get to access memories. Either your own memories or someone else’s and you do that with credits. OKAY SO. One day this pod malfunctions and bad things go down. THEN a blast from Felicia’s past, this guy named Jude shows up. OH and she discovers there are evil angels called Morati. Yeah buddy.

So, what I really completely loved is that we get to know Felicia through her memories on the pod. We learn about how she was pretty much living in Europe with her ambassador parents, then some bad things go down and then Felicia is sent off to Kansas where she meets the love of her life — because obviously it was cut short — Neil. Who oh my god you guys, is actually not one of those weird Left Behind religious types, despite being ya know, knee deep in it. OH and did I mention that Julian was a part of her European life. TANGLED WEBS BEING WEAVED Y’ALL! Anyways, there’s memories of the most adorable romance EVER and we get to gratuitously read them and IT IS AWESOME.

Straight up, Felicia is my kind of girl. She’s not boring. She’s kind of hesitant about things with Neil at first, but obviously girl has a past to get over. PLUS when they are all running away from the Morati, Felicia is a grade A bad ass. I love it. She’s not all wah wah, I am so scared let me scream and yell so we call all the bad guys to where we are. NOPE. Girl knows whats up. Although, she does put everyone at risk to save somebody, still. I just respect her as a character and was never like this person is wayyyy TSTL.

So, Appelhans has built an interesting world. There’s obviously a battle between the bad guy Morati angels and the other seraphim. I love what she’s done with purgatory, making a Level 2 where you get to access the memories of your life and other people’s memories. I love that the memories seem to be rated kind of like youtube videos. What I think I loved the most was that while reading, I forgot that it was someone I know who wrote the book, that’s kind of a hard thing for me to shake.

Level 2 is very fast paced. If you’re doing a 2013 book a day challenge or have a super insane reading list, then you should add this book to your list. Not only will you finish it quickly, but you’ll also enjoy it, I think. It’s very well written with a world that makes sense. It’s got very compelling characters and a curl your toes with swooning sort of romance.

ALSO OMG. Can we just chat for two seconds about the ending without totally spoiling you guys. Okay so the ending is NOT a cliffhanger. Like, yes there is another book but I can handle the wait because the ending is at a logical point where the book can be totally self contained. I never was like OHHHH CURSE YOU LENORE APPELHANS FOR LEAVING ME DYING IN SUSPENSE. Oh hell naw, this book actually has a legitimate GOOD ending. And then, I also got to read the final ending that’s going in the finished copy and that is legitimate too!

For reals, I loved so much about Level 2 but I read it back in like October and it’s January as I write this, so yay lazy reviewing. Anyways, I do hope you all check out and read Level 2. It’s very swoonworthy, breakneck paced, with an interesting concept of the afterlife. Plus, it delves into religion without feeling preachy or churchy.I actually really loved how faith was portrayed in Level 2. Y’all, this is one hell of a debut so get off your butt and check it out like right this second.

Disclosures: Received at Simon & Schuster Preview party. Also I am friendly with Lenore. She’s given me German chocolate before. I just want to be totally transparent, y’all.

Other reviews of Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans:

The Book Life – “Level 2 is such a unique story.”

A Foodie Bibliophile In Wanderlust – “an amazing job creating believable, complex, and interesting relationships among characters”

Serendipity Reviews – “I thought the plot was ingenious and well paced”