YA Cover Reveal and Sneak Peek: The Keeper

Cover reveal just revealed March 27, 2015
The Keeper, book 2 in the Vega Jane series

Read an excerpt here


From the publisher:

About The Keeper:
Vega Jane was always told no one could leave the town of Wormwood. She was told there was nothing outside but the Quag, a wilderness filled with danger and death. And she believed it - until the night she stumbled across a secret that proved that everything she knew was a lie.
Now just one thing stands between Vega Jane and freedom - the Quag. In order to leave Wormwood and discover the truth about her world, Vega and her best friend Delph must find a way to make it across a terrifying land of bloodthirsty creatures and sinister magic. But the Quag is worse than Vega Jane's darkest imagining. It's a living, breathing prison designed to keep enemies out and the villagers of Wormwood in.
The Quag will throw everything at Vega Jane. It will try to break her. It will try to kill her. And survival might come at a price not even Vega Jane is willing to pay.
Master storyteller David Baldacci unleashes a hurricane of action and adrenaline that takes readers to the breaking point.
Happy reading!

Series Pick: Atlantia

Atlantia
by Ally Condie
Dutton
2014
320 pages
ISBN: 9780525426448

Praise for Atlantia:

"A fast-paced fantasy adventure tale in a richly drawn dystopian future . . . this is a title that’s sure to be immensely popular with teens." —School Library Journal

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

My Review:

Sure to please dystopian fiction fans and readers of her Matched trilogy, Ally Condie's latest foray into world building and YA dystopian fiction features a heroine unlike any other. Readers will be fascinated with the story and engrossed by the adept storytelling. Condie has a gift of drawing the reader in--hook, line and sinker (pun intended). I was all in and hooked by the end of chapter two.

Twin sisters Bay and Rio live Below in Atlantia. At the age of fifteen, each teen decides what their future holds--whether they will live Below or go Above. After the untimely death of their mother, Rio decides to stay Below to keep her twin sister company. They are like one...after all. Rio declares  her choice to stay Below, but Bay comes next. She chooses Above. Rio is horrified and hurt. How could her sister ever leave her? Now she has no one, and she longs to leave Atlantia. She has always dreamed of going Above and seeing the stars for the first time and feeling dirt beneath her feet.

Rio begins to make plans to escape Below. It is a sure death sentence; no one ever survives. Rio's aunt Maire tries to help Rio, but Rio does not fully trust her. Maire may have had something to do with the death of her mother, and Rio won't quit until she finds answers.  When a chance to go Above presents itself, Rio takes it. She needs to see Bay again and find out why she deserted her. Will Rio find the answers she's looking for? Or will she uncover the secrets of Atlantia and her mother's death? Atlantia is in danger and no one else can save the future. Rio is called upon to save her home, but can she save Atlantia alone?

At first I thought, Oh, brother ! Not another mermaid or mer-people book! I was proven wrong. Atlantia is much more than that. Atlantia is actually an underwater city created to preserve life after the Divide. Rio and Bay and everyone in Atlantia are human--well, sort of. Atlantia seems otherworldly and beautiful--serene, almost--until the suspicious death/murder of Rio's mother who just so happens is the leader of Atlantia. When the safety of Atlantia is breached, Rio knows there's a conspiracy somewhere and makes it her business to uncover the guilty and punish them.

Highly recommended for fans of dystopian fiction and Ally Condie. Her fans won't be disappointed. Highly readable and entertaining. Readers will not want to wait for the next installment of this series.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: Independent Study

Independent Study (The Testing trilogy, book 2)
by Joelle Charbonneau
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2014
310 pages
ISBN: 9780547959207

Riveting and dark, yet deeply satisfying, fans of The Hunger Games will love Joelle  Charbonneau's exciting  trilogy.

Cia has completed her studies and now faces examination day which will determine what branch of government  she is selected for. Her memory has been erased but she sometimes has brief inklings of a piece of a puzzle that seems to be memory. She knows if Dr. Barnes suspects she remembers the past year, she will face punishment and death.

When she aces her test, she is assigned to the Government where students study to become leaders and law makers. Cia is disappointed because she longed for Engineering, and she fears for a fellow student who has failed his test. Cia follows Obidiah and two officials to the Administration building where her worst fears are now confirmed. Dr. Barnes does not trust ex-students to return to their towns; he makes them "disappear." Cia realizes that it can happen to any student...even her. She makes plans to run for it, but is stopped by Michal, the guide who first brought her to the school. He tells her news of a secret plan to oust Dr. Barnes, and Cia agrees to remain at school and keep her eyes and ears open.

The next part of training is tough. Cia has to compete against the Tosu students who have an unfair advantage. Students are given harder and harder tasks and tests; their progress is measured by the eyes of the trainers and Dr. Barnes. Cia knows that failure is not an option. Students are in a competition for their future and their lives, and it doesn't get more serious than that.

Cia is intelligent, well-prepared, and quick-witted. She makes instant decisions that save her life, and she trusts her instincts. She remembers not to trust anyone, but it is hard to make friends with others when she can't trust them.  Can she trust Tomas, a boy from her Five Lakes community? Or will Cia find a new friendship with a student from Tosu?

The government put the testing in place to discover and develop its future leaders, engineers, doctors, teachers, scientists and problem solvers. What has become of such high ideals and hopes? A program that is unseen and unchecked by the government run by one man who will go to any lengths to remain in power and unchecked. The perfect situation for a coup is brewing, and Cia is right in the middle of the action.

This is one YA trilogy that rocks!

Highly recommended grade 7-up. Some kissing. No profanity. Violence. Death.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dystopian Pick: Contaminated

Contaminated
by Em Garner
Egmont
2013
336 pages

Heartbreaking, taut, and dangerous, Contaminated pulls at the heartstrings. Seasoned author Em Garner ventures into YA lit with this--her compelling debut YA title--and she is here to stay.

The world has changed after the outbreak of the Contamination. Millions were affected by a trendy diet drink craze. ThinPro, the drink of choice, was guzzled not only by those trying to lose weight, but movie stars and celebs were photographed with the popular drink, and that made it go "viral" (pun intended). No one knew that the company couldn't keep up with demand and had to substitute some ingredients.

Suddenly, normal, nice people morphed into violent, raging maniacs. Because of the popularity of cult movies and How-To Survive Zombie Attacks books, the non-infected begin to kill the Contaminated. The government caught Connies and put them in hospitals and treated some of them with lobotomies. Others were kept in filthy, crowded kennels.

Velvet Ellis has been searching for her mother for months. Her mom was captured, but Velvet doesn't give up hope in finding her. Velvet has been both mother and father to little sister Opal since her parents disappeared. She balances school, a part-time job at a nursing home, caring for her sister and their government subsidized apartment, and looking for her mother. When Velvet finds her mother, she fills out the paperwork to bring her home.

Scientists have discoverd that fitting the Connies with a shock collar controls their behavior. It is the only way Velvet's mother is allowed out. Not everyone is happy about the release of the Contaminated. They are shunned everywhere and people are still afraid of them. Velvet's family is forced from their apartment and she loses her job. How will they survive without a home? What will they do for money?

Velvet has to figure out how to survive. She is now responsible for her mother who needs help feeding herself and dressing herself. After a day or two, her mother seems to know her daughters; she seems to be responding. Could her condition be reversed?

Contaminated is a tear-jerker in the best way. It is heartbreaking and sad, but it is hopeful, too. I loved this book! It is dystopian in the best way; the events are completely beieveable. The grid is not so broken that it is non-existent. There is still a government although it has enforced Martial Law. There is still running water and electricity. Cars can still be filled up with gas although it is exhorbitantly priced. Only the rich can afford cars. Grocery stores are still stocked with food, but again, it is pricey. Only the rich can afford to be well fed.

Contaminated is the real deal--the ultimate page-turner. Velvet is an authentic voice, the story is flawlessly told and crafted, and readers will be deeply satisfied. I could not put this book down. Believe me, teens will lose sleep over this one...reading it, that is!

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Giveaway: Monsters

Monsters
by Ilsa J. Bick
Egmont
2013
688 pages


I have FIVE free copies of the last installment in the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick. Don't let its daunting size scare you...the story inside will do just that! Bick delivers a taut thriller rife with monsters--those outside and those inside. Who do you trust when you can't trust yourself?

Simply post a comment to the blog and be sure to include your first name, city, state and email address. Deadline for posts is Tuesday, September 6 at noon MST. Winners will be chosen randomly by Randomizer on that date. Be sure and check your email after noon on that date. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York courtesy of Egmont and Kristyn. Thank you, Egmont. Thank you, Kristyn.

Good luck and start posting, Pamela.

Dystopian Pick: The Darkest Path

The Darkest Path
by Jeff Hirsch
Scholastic Press
2013
336 pages
Available October 2013

Visit the author's website for more

Jeff Hirsch continues to give readers just what they want. Magisterium and The Eleventh Plague set him up as one writer to watch and The Darkest Path cements his presence in YA literature. The United States has been ripped in two. Some states are still part of the government and they are known as "Fed." Other states have broken away and are following a charismatic leader who indoctinates followers to follow "The Glorious Path." It is join them or die.

Callum Roe and his younger brother James were captured by the Path six years ago and Cal has risen up the ranks. He is an undercover spy and helps infiltrate communities ripe for the Path. When he sees what carnage the Path is capable of firsthand, he knows he must do something.

Cal finds a stray dog with the name Bear on his tags. He plays with the pup and doesn't want to deliver it back to the base to be trained as a vicious attack dog. When he is confronted by his maniacal boss, Kennel Master Quarles, he shoots him in self defense. Now Cal must run. He has killed a superior and ignored orders. He begs his younger brother to come along, but James has been "brainwashed" by the Path.

On the run for much of the book, Cal leans on Bear and some good souls along the way. Cal is caught and taken back before President Hill. He realizes that Hill plans to attack major cities in the United States and he is using people's belief in him and in God to control his campaign, and nothing and no one can stop him. Or can they?

The Darkest Path is one edgy, dark dystopia I never want to visit. This was a frightening vision of America and what could happen in our near future, and it is one vision I hope never comes true.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy dystopian fiction grade 7-up. Violence. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dystopian Pick: The Testing

The Testing
by Joelle Charbonneau
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
2013
336 pages

Available June 4, 2013

Fans of The Hunger Games finally have a new trilogy to whet their appetites! The Testing is fierce, ferocious, fantastic, and fascinating. Sixteen year old Malencia (Cia) Vale is chosen with four others from her community to attend The Testing. Candidates are whisked away to the capitol and will undergo Testing to see who will advance to the University and their chance to have professional jobs.

Cia's father went through the Testing and University years before and warns her to trust no one. He also tells her about terrible dreams--nightmares,  really--he has about the Testing. Although he never sees the whole dream; he sees bits and pieces-- a white room, a scream, burned out buildings, glass in the street, an explosion.  After candidates survive the Testing, their memories are wiped, but Cia's father still remembers that terrible things happened when he went throught the Testing.

Now Cia is on edge; not only because of her father's warning but because she knows she's never see her home and family again. Once Testing and University are completed, the Commonwealth selects where to send its graduates and Cia knows her  chances of  getting back to the Five Lakes Colony  are slim. During the trip to the Testing center, Cia gets closer to Tomas, a boy from her school.

The candidates are put through a series of grueling tests, all the time while  being monitored. Cia and Tomas pass their first tests and the group moves to the last test. This one requires that they be dropped miles away from the University into the wilderness where dangers lurk--wild animals and worse. The teens are allowed to choose three items to help them survive and find their way back to the University. Tomas and Cia agree to work together to stay alive, but Cia remembers her father's warning about trusting  no one.

This is not The Hunger Games. I was prepared not to love this book. I thought it would be very familiar territory: teens fighting each other for dominance. Only the strong and smart survive. Been there, done that. The Testing has much, much more. The tests are both for knowledge--history of the wars, the new government, mathematical equations, poisonous plants, chemistry, physics, and basic knowledge of simple machines--and  physical; the physical  test not only requires endurance, but Cia and Tomas must problem solve and make split second decisions while trying to stay alive. Eat the wrong plant, drink tainted water, get a cut or wound that gets infected, and not only is your Test over, you die.

The Testing is a wild rollar coaster ride--exciting and enthralling unfolding at a breakneck pace with taut suspense and clever pace.  Cia is a strong-willed competitor, smart, sly, and stubborn. She is the girl readers will want as their partner in The Testing.

The Testing is hopeful where The Hunger Games was dark. Cia and Tomas can better their world. In The Hunger Games, the capitol controlled what people did, where they lived, if they ate or if they starved. In The Testing, the Commonwealth  is rebuilding. There is electricity and pure water. The Testing is done to find the best, the brightest and the strongest who will help rebuild their world. That said, who knows what evil lurks behind the smiling faces of the Commonwealth?

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. This is for fans of The Hunger Games, and may be the next "big thing." The Testing: Independent Study comes out January 2014 and book three, Graduation Day is due June 2014.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dystopian Pick: The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey
G.P. Putnam's Sons
2013
480 pages

Gripping, dynamic, and hard core, The 5th Wave will scare the daylights out of readers! Yancey creates a dystopia that is unspeakably terrible.  Aliens have taken over the Earth, but have they, really? Trust me, The 5th Wave is the best dystopian novel in years!

Cassie (short for Cassiopeia) has survived the 1st, 2nd and 3rd waves, but living terrified of dying 24/7 is nearly killing her. The only rule is "Trust no one." And it's worked for her so far. The Others look like humans, they talk like humans, they learn the rules that make them appear human, and for that reason, Cassie trusts no one. When her little brother Sams is taken away with all the other children, Cassie's father tells her take the guns and warns her with a silent signal--Run! Every human is slaughtered  back at Cassie's camp, and she's lucky to have escaped. She stays in the woods for weeks, learning to exist on bottled water and canned sardines. She knows she has to move on as winter is rapidly approaching.

When on the move, Cassie is wounded. She wakes up in a farmhouse and is nursed back to health by a boy named Evan. Cassie trusts no one, not even her savior. She knows something is "off" about Evan's story but can't figure out what it is. Cassie vows to find her little brother Sam and rescue him.

Evan agrees to help Cassie but she knows she has to go alone. Evan confides that he has fallen in love with Cassie, and he finally tells her his secret. Together, they face the enemy.

The 5th wave is humans turning on themselves. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries; they know how humans think and act. They know they can defeat us, but do they know the sheer, brave will of one very determined teen-aged human  female? Cassie says, "But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page in human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way...Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield."

I was sorry when I had turned to the last page. The 5th Wave is unputtdownable; readers will empathize with Cassie--she is the kick-butt girl I want on my side at the end of the world. This is a dystopia with a human heart. Often, dystopian fiction is devoid of heart and soul, but not The 5th Wave. Yancey allows hope for dystopia and humankind. I have to love a writer who lists his trusty (now deceased) dog Casey in the acknowledgements; Yancey writes, "I will miss you, Case."

Highly, highly recommended and a MUST READ. Suitable for grade 7-up. One f-bomb when Cassie tells the alien commander off; violence, a few kisses. Cassie has to cut shrapnel out of Evan's backside, but it's not sexy in the least; it's a necessary medical procedure.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC  from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. Quote taken from the ARC and may not be in the final bound copy.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dystopian Pick: Unwholly

Unwholly
by Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster
2012
402 pages

Disturbing, chilling, dark, and sickly dystopian, Unwholly is a tour de force. This is the second book in the Unwind series, and Shusterman is superb!

Captivating but broken characters carry the plot along. Unwholly is set in the not so distant future where medicine can cure just about anything. Parents who can no longer “parent” turn to a system that can take their errant teen off their hands. The kids get shipped off to a facility where they are unwound, or basically taken apart and sold for parts. One arm here, one eye there, one spinal cord over there. Of course, the parents think they’re doing the right thing—allowing their broken teen to live on in many other people. Imagine, a blind boy getting new eyes, a cripple walking, a car accident victim given another limb. What a great program, the parents think.

Some teens are able to escape and form a resistance movement. Led by the Akron AWOL, or Connor Lassiter, the teens live in the Phoenix desert holed up in an airplane graveyard. Connor is getting nervous. He knows the Juvies, sadist cops who turn in Unwinds, know about the graveyard and know that there are hundreds of kids living there. Why aren’t they making a move, Connor wonders. Why are they leaving us alone, he asks. When he finds out there’s a traitor in his own camp, he realizes that the kids may have to make a run for it.

Risa, Connor’s sometime girlfriend, is captured and becomes the face of Proactive Citizenry—the organization responsible for thousands of teens’ unwindings. Not only that, Proactive Citizenry has a new project on its hands—it’s produced the very first artificially developed human Camus. Camus is a scientific and genetic miracle to behold. He is made from over 100 different Unwinds and was developed to show the public what the future holds. Cam falls in love with Risa but she turns on him; he promises he will never let her go; he will search for her forever.

The camp is compromised and the kids are in for a huge fight. Just when Connor and Lev think it’s over, they see the milk of human kindness. Unwholly sets up nicely for book 3—where some important questions will be answered and the plot will UNWIND (pun definitely intended).

Shusterman belongs in the ranks of sci-fi giants George Orwell and Ray Bradbury. Unwholly is wholly great! I raced through this book, and teens will, too. Don’t pick this one up unless you’re ready to stay up until the wee hours.

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up. No sex. One g-word.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Giveaway: Skylark--You'll Want This One!

Skylark
By Meagan Spooner
Carolrhoda Lab
2012
333 pages

I have FIVE FREE copies of this fantastic new YA title up for grabs! It is book one in a trilogy. Be sure and grab your chance to win a free copy.

Simply post a comment to the blog. Include your first name, city, state and email address. Deadline for posts is October 31 at noon MST. Winners will be chosen randomly by Randomizer. Winners will be contacted by email. Be sure and check your email on the 31st. Books will ship from Lerner Publishing Group.

Here is a brief summary of the book. Scroll down for the full review.

Dystopian and downright disturbing, multi-layered and darkly fascinating, bizarrely novel and breathtakingly beautiful, dangerous yet grotesquely compelling, Skylark hits all the right notes. This is one YA novel that readers will never forget.

Set in a disturbing dystopian world where the City “harvests” the lifesource of its own children, stripping them of their magic and well being when they come of age, the city uses the children’s magic powers for the good of all. Lark Ainsley knew that someday would be her day to help her city. She had no idea that the city intends to use ALL of her.



Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up. The harvest requires the person to remove his/her clothing, but it’s not in the least bit sexual. Similar to a werewolf obviously can’t wear clothing when he/she changes forms. No language. No sex. Violence and disturbing dystopia. Think The Hunger Games mixed with A Long Long Sleep and a bit of disturbing science fiction/medical/ethical dilemmas similar to Coma.

Don't miss a chance to win a copy of this must read title in a new to-die-for series!

Start posting and good luck! Pamela

Series Pick: Num8ers: Infinity (book 3)

Numb8ers: 1f1n1ty(book 3, Num8ers series)
by Rachel Ward
Chicken House (Scholastic)
2012
256 pages
Hardcover May 1, 2012

Num8ers: 1nf1n1ty
paperback edition
Available June 1, 2012


Cryptic, chaotic, cutting, caustic, and uber-clever, 1nf1n1ty completes Rachel Ward's terrific and compelling dystopian trilogy.

It is after the chaos that destroyed the world as they knew it. There are no televisions, no computers, no screens or phones anymore. Ater the earthquake and years of fallout, people are just trying to survive the elements and find enough food and warm shelter. Hospitals and pharmacies have been raided; there is no medicine. If someone gets sick, it's likely a death sentence.

Adam and Sarah have been on the run and are avoiding big cities, dangerous gangs, and the corrupt government. Framed for a murder he didn't commit, Adam swears never to be captured or caged again;it looks like someone is searching for him now.

Adam becomes more and more paranoid, wanting to keep away from any other humans, fearing that they will hurt them, but Sarah convinces him to join another seemingly friendly group. When Sarah is captured by a paramilitary gang, Adam is forced to confront his worst fears.The numbers are everywhere and Adam sees them. He wishes to God he didn't, but he is the "prophet" who saw the end coming, the date of the end of the world as they knew it. For this, he is a savior to some, to some an entity to study.

When Mia's number is able to change, suddenly she becomes the target. Who is this miracle child? What is her secret? And how can science use her to create immortality? What if you could change your number? Would you kill for someone else's number? What would you do in order to live forever?

Told in alternating chapters by Sarah and Adam, the novel erupts into non-stop action that will have teen readers frantically turning pages in a frenzied race to the thrilling end. I was sorry when the trilogy ended; it left me wanting more, and I can certainly see where a second set of three books is possible.

Highly, highly recommended for dystopian fans and anyone who is following the series. This series offers a lot of food for thought--genetic engineering, medical and government ethics, corruption, chaos, and terrorism.

Grades 9-up. Language and mature situations.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Dystopian Pick: Partials--Coming Soon!

Partials
by Dan Wells
Balzer + Bray
2012
480 pages (page count from publisher's website)

Available 2/28/12

Watch the book trailer here

Chilling, creepy, and caustic, Partials is a provocative dystopian thrill-ride. After an apocalyptic war with the Partials, super-soldiers designed by Paragen, a genetics corporation, to kill the human race, some human survivors band together in New York and try to find a way to defeat RM, a dangerous and stubborn virus released by the Partials that attacks all new human births. Babies born after the war with the Partials die within a few days. Unless scientists can figure out a way to cure them, the human race is doomed.

Kira works in the hospital monitoring new births and recording all vital statistics. She is furious that the babies are dying. All she sees is babies being born, doctors and nurses recording their data, and babies dying. No one is thinking up a new way to study RM. Kira realizes the only ones who aren't dying of RM are the Partials. They are immune.

Kira approaches her boyfriend Marcus, her best friend Madison and her husband Haru, and a few other soldiers and recruits them to accompany her on a dangerous and eventful mission: enter enemy territory and kidnap a Partial. She plans to bring the Partial back to the hospital to study his blood and tissue samples to try to find a cure for RM and a way to save humanity.

The Hope Act passed by the Senate has just dropped the age for mandatory pregnancy. Girls age sixteen are now expected to have at least one pregnancy per year, hoping that the more babies being born will insure that someday one will live. Kira knows more babies born each year just guarantees that more babies will die, and now the law affects her, too; Kira turns sixteen.

The mission is a success with casualties. The Partial is sedated and taken to the lab. Kira is in trouble with the Senate, but they listen and give her five days to test the subject. As she spends more time with the Partial, she begins to empathize with him--he looks human, he acts almost human, he must have feelings, he must be lonely and scared. She learns his name is Samm--and this makes him a "person." Marcus is worried that Kira is treating the enemy like a human and that she may actually be falling in love with him.

When the Senate tries to manipulate the situation and kill Samm, Kira counts on her friends and Samm to help her escape and cure RM. What Kira finds on her journey is shocking; it changes her whole world.

The ending left this reader wondering what will happen next? A sequel, perhaps? Yep, on checking the author's website, book two is Failsafe. Kira can't just walk away--not with the new information about her past and her life. Will humanity make a comeback? Will the Partials and the humans make peace?

The cover and the print on the front cover, "The only hope for humanity isn't human" will attract teen readers. The strong female protagonist is not only determined but downright pig-headedly stubborn and she will resonate with girls and boys. I appreciated the fact that the author left romance out of the equation almost entirely--humans are fighting for survival and bombs are blowing up everywhere--who has time for romance? Trying to save the world is a full-time job!

Highly, highly recommended grades 9-up. Violence and death. The fact that teen girls are incubators and love is nearly non-existant is best for upper grades.

Don't forget to watch the trailer here

FTC required disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Dystopian Pick: Legend

Legend
by Marie Lu
Putnam
2011
305 pages

Watch the book trailer here


Brilliant, creative, completely captivating, and smoking hot, Legend is a thrilling dystopian novel that will grab both male and female dystopian fans and shake them up.

Day is a fifteen year old homeless thief and government terrorist. He is his country's most wanted criminal and super-thief. The government is searching for Day, but lucky for him, they don't have his fingerprints in their databases and they have no idea who he is or what he looks like. He is brilliant and cunning with disguises and planning and never leaves behind any clues.

The Republic controls all the laws, the citizens, the assets, the food, the electricity, and there is no such thing as freedom. Citizens born poor will remain poor unless one is lucky enough to score very high on the Republic's tests.

Those that don't make the grade--well, no one talks about what happens to them. But...Day knows...because he failed and was lucky enough and smart enough to escape death. Now he does everything he can to thwart the machine that is the evil government of the Republic. He keeps Tess safe, too. She joined him a few years back--a little orphan waif who helps him rummage for food and clothes. Day worries that his mother and two brothers may get the plague, and he checks on them secretly, not wishing to reveal himself and put them in danger.

June is born to a wealthy family and is highly trained due to her high scores on the Republic's test. In fact, June is selected by her superiors to hunt Day. She is the only soldier with the skill set likely to match his. After Day kills her brother, June is determined to bring Day to justice and impress the Republic.

Told by Day and June in alternating chapters, this taut thriller will keep teens on the edge of their seats and turning pages well past midnight. I couldn't put this novel down and read it in one sitting.

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up. Some violence, some torture, public executions are mentioned, but nothing that is not on prime time television. If you have The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Hunger Games in your collection, this novel is a good fit.

Dystopian Pick: Dark Inside

Dark Inside
by Jeyn Roberts
Simon & Schuster
2011
336 pages
Available November 1, 2011

View a book trailer here

Compelling, creepy, and calamitous, Dark Inside is an incredible post-apocalypic solid page-turner sure to resonate with teen readers. There was an earthquake--the mother of all earthquakes--that took not only thousands of lives but knocked out all communications. No television, no radio, no Internet, no cell phones, no police scanners, no 911. There is nowhere and noone to turn to for help.

Before the quake, Mason is called out of class to be by his dying mother's side. She was in a horrific car accident and a teacher drives Mason to the hospital. While he's in the waiting room, a newscast comes on the t.v. that there has been a shocking and brutal attack at his high school. Several bombs went off killing everyone.

Aries is on a bus when a wild-eyed, crazy man grabs her and warns her that, "Too much hate. They found the crack" and begins a countdown. At the precise moment he says, "ONE," an earthquake rocks her world.

Clementine was in a town meeting with her parents in the church when her mother warns her to sneak out. She sees the armed men--men who are their neighbors--but now the men are gun-toting monsters. She sneaks out the door but is grabbed by a neighbor. He lets her go, saying, "Once it takes over, I can't stop." Sam hears voices--telling him to do things, things like killing.

Michael witnesses an accident and sees the police responders kill a fleeing man. The police turn on him and will kill him if he doesn't leave. Has the world gone crazy?

Each chapter is told from one of the main character's point of view. Evil is unleashed and some people are "infected." Yet, others appear normal but have a darkness inside. They conceal their basest instincts but plot and plan their killings. Who can you trust?

Fighting to stay alive in a gruesome and dangerous world requires quick thinking, quick feet, and sometimes a killer's mentality--you may have to kill or be killed. The four teens are thrown together for better or worse and they must find a place to call home--a haven far from the madness.

Dark Inside is an exciting novel--so exciting that Hollywood will be fighting for movie rights to this one! Readers who loved Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick will love Dark Inside.

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up. Violence, no sex, no language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Guest Review: High School Pick: When She Woke

Blogger's Note: This review was submitted by my BFF and fellow avid ya reader and reviewer Leslie Rush. Leslie has taught high school for 21 years and loves ya novels.

When She Woke
By Hillary Jordan
Algonquin Books
Oct 2011
352 pages

read an excerpt here

I had only finished the first chapter of When She Woke when I began emailing friends, family and co-workers to buy this book and read it the minute it comes out.

Hillary Jordan has created a compelling heroine navigating a ravaged world in which the line between church and state has been eliminated—a heroine convicted of murdering her unborn child.

It is the late 2020s. Disease and civil unrest have decimated the population. The Great Scourge has left many of the surviving women infertile, resulting in the passage of Sanctity Of Life laws, outlawing abortion for any reason across the most of the United States and Canada. The years of disintegrating law and order have resulted in significant changes in crime and punishment, and only the most violent offenders are imprisoned for long sentences. Most criminals are “chromed”; injected with a virus that changes their skin color to bright red, green, blue or yellow to indicate their class of crime, for the time period determined at sentencing. “Chromes” must try to survive on the streets as best they can, social pariahs that suffer discrimination, assault and even death at the hands of vigilante groups. If they miss their scheduled chroming“booster shots” they face complete mental disintegration and permanent insanity.

Hannah Paine’s journey begins “when she woke,” chromed red. The sheltered daughter of a strict religious family, she has committed the crime of murder –aborting her unborn child, the product of a passionate, illicit love affair with the charismatic pastor Aidan Dale, who is now America’s Secretary of Faith. Hannah must finish her 30 days in the Chrome Ward, under the relentless eye of a broadcast video camera, then remain a Red for the next sixteen years. She has refused to name the father of her child, dooming herself to the maximum sentence.

As Hannah’s story unfolds, her relationships within her family are changed utterly; her cold mother disowns her completely, her anguished father does everything he can think of to help her, and her once-close sister is kept from Hannah by a violent, bigoted husband. Hannah is still relentlessly, achingly in love with Aidan, and her agonizing recall of their doomed love is interwoven with her poignant optimism that somehow they will be reunited.

With her only friend(and fellow Red) Kayla, she escapes a harrowing stint at a halfway house staffed by sadistic religious fanatics, and begins a dangerous trip north to Canada, via a network of militant feminist revolutionaries . Threatened on all sides by law enforcement, vigilantes, human traffickers, and loomimg mental disintegration --her odyssey is not just one of distance and danger, but of self. As Hannah navigates her way though a world she never knew existed , she battles self-loathing and doubt, and the deepest crisis of faith possible: who she really is and what she truly believes.

Hillary Jordan’s second novel pulls no punches. No matter what your political or religious beliefs, Jordan’s cautionary tale about fanaticism and the power of the individual will make readers examine their own beliefs through this raw, disturbing, deeply satisfying story.

Recommended for adult readers and mature teens 17 and up. Sexual content, violence, mature themes

Dystopian Fairy Tale Pick: A Long Long Sleep

A Long Long Sleep
by Anna Sheehan
Candlwick Press
2011
342 pages

Part fairy tale, part romance, part science fiction, part thriller, part dystopian fiction, A Long Long Sleep will seduce readers with its eerie concept. Rose Fitzroy has slept for the past 62 years in a chemical induced sleep in her stasis chamber, long forgotten in a sub-basement under a huge corporation until she is awakened by a stranger's kiss.

Rose slept through the Dark Times when the planet was besieged by plague and death that claimed her parents and her boyfriend's lives. Now she is awake in a new world and destined to take the reins of power of her parents' inter-planetary corporation. Some people see her as a threat to their own power; others see her as a freak or a liar. Rose just wants to find her way, and find a way of living without anyone. She barely gets through the days until she finds a friendship with Brendon (Bren) the boy who kissed her awake.

Someone has sent a Plastine, an engineered super-soldier, to kill her, and it will stop at nothing short of success. Rose realizes her father's reign of terror is far-reaching, even after his death.

Compelling and shocking, Rose's parents' actions are beyond abusive. They are power-hungry and selfish, bent on showing the world a "picture perfect" family while they steal their daughter's childhood one week, one year, two years, 62 years at a time. Rose remembers her early years and realizes that her parents sent her into stasis when it was convenient for them--when they needed to get away, to travel Europe, to take a second honeymoon, to throw a grown-ups only party. Her stasis tube became her womb-like babysitter--sometimes for years at a time. While the world changed and her friends grew older, Rose remained in stasis.

The shocking, yet satisfying ending came all-too-fast. The Long Long Sleep is a serious page-turner that mixes sci-fi with dystopian romance. Readers will practically weep for Rose with her child-like naivete and will later cheer her inner strength of character.

Highly, highly recommended grades 8 and up. No sex, no language. Some creepiness factor when Rose realizes Bren is the grandson of Xavier, her boyfriend of 62 years ago, and creepier still because Grandfather is still alive and Rose recognizes her childhood love. Remember she is sixteen and he is now in his eighties.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Dystopian Pick: All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done
by Gabrielle Zevin
Farrar Straus Giroux
2011
354 pages

Blogger's Note: Author Gabrielle Zevin will be at the Austin Teen Book Festival along with 29 other ya authors on October 1 in Austin, Texas. The festival is FREE and held at Palmer Events Center. Ya'll come join us there! More information is available at Teen Book Festival.
follow the Twitter feed @AustinTBF@APLFF
Teens will report using cellphones and Flip video cameras. event hashtag: #ATBF11

watch the book trailer here

Fascinating, riveting, and brutally taut, this dynamic new ya dystopian thriller by Gabrielle Zevin is sure to be a teen hit!

The year is 2083 and governments have toppled. Crime is rampant, laws are in place but there are more criminals than law-abiding citizens, curfews are set up to protect the populace, chocolate is contraband, coffee and sodas are illegal, food and candles are rationed, parks and sidewalks are overgrown and filthy, and museums and libraries are forgotten artifacts.

Anya Balanchine is the middle daughter of a murdered crime boss. Her mother was killed years earlier in a hit gone wrong that was supposed to be on her father. Her older brother Leo took a bullet to the head in the same incident. Although he seems "normal," Leo now suffers seizures and has the abilities of a nine-year old. Anya's younger sister Natty is only nine. Nana, the matriarch, is bed-ridden and sometimes forgetful. This leaves Anya in charge of the entire family. That is a lot of pressure on a high school student--not to mention the fact that everyone knows her family's sordid crime past.

Anya's family makes and distributes chocolate. When chocolate was legal, it was a productive business. Now that it's contraband, the family fortune grows but it's an increasingly dangerous business. Gable, Anya's ex-boyfriend, ends up in the hospital, and police suspect that Anya poisoned the chocolate bars she gave to Gable. Anya is thown into Liberty--an island off the coast of New York City--punishment for young girls. Anya notices the feet of a giant statue that stand over her prison. She remembers Nana telling her that the statue was once of a lady and tourists could climb all the way up the statue using staircases inside. Now all that's left is rubble and the statue's feet. I found it ironic that the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island--icons for peace and freedom to Americans today--are now a prison in this novel that stifles all freedom and liberty of the citizens.

Anya spends time in solitary--treated worse that any animal and survives only due to her inner strength. She is freed by Charles Delacroix, the city's prosecuter and father of her "friend" Win. Delacroix is a sly politician and asks that Anya back off from her friendship with his son. He doesn't want his career tarnished by a relationship with a crime family. He makes himself crystal clear that he will cause trouble for Anya and her family if Anya doesn't break it off with his son.

The Balanchine chocolate empire is about to fall if Anya doesn't take some action. Her uncle offers Leo a job at the "Pool," the base of the family's operations. Anya worries that Leo will be asked to do something illegal and knowing that he is so trusting and naive, she fears he will face prison, or worse. Anya can't cause any trouble in the family because maybe her uncle will retaliate, sending the authorities to take her and Natty into Child Protective Services since Nana is too old to care for them and Leo is not mentally fit to be their guardian.

Anya is a stunning character--passionate, fierce, full of strength, analyzing all her options before acting, methodical, practical, quick-witted, and sharp of tongue, this girl's got real moxie! Sparks fly in the relationship between Anya and Win; readers will feel the heat.

This page-turner will leave readers wanting more of Anya and her crime family drama. This ya novel is a novel take on dystopian fiction--I appreciated this book as a crime noir, murder mystery--who killed Anya's father? Who is responsible for Nana's death? Who poisoned the chocolate?--dystopian fiction, and romance--just enough to keep girls interested and not enough to bore boys. There is bound to be a lot of teen interest in this book.

Highly, highly recommended grades 9-up. No language, almost "sex."

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Dystopian Pick: The Eleventh Plague

The Eleventh Plague
by Jeff Hirsch
Scholastic
2011
304 pages (Amazon website has page count at 304; the arc from Scholastic has 288 pages)

Watch the book trailer here

Grim, ghostly, and gritty, this solid page turner will resonate with dystopian fans. Stephen and his father live in a world gone horribly wrong. After a strike against China, the Chinese send a deadly plague, P11, which races across the countryside killing nearly everyone--only the unlucky survive.

It doesn't take long for governments to crumble and the infrastructure to cease--there is no electricity, no clean water, no cities, only roaming bands of pillagers, scavengers, and slavers. Stephen and his father scavenge for whatever they can find to trade for food and matches. They roam the shadows, afraid of running into others--those who would steal from them, kill them, or worse--make them slaves.

Stephen soon finds himself alone when his father is injured. A group of men take Stephen to a settlement where they offer food and safety. In a world where there are no rules, how will Stephen know who to trust?

After a harrowing run-in with another group of survivors, Stephen decides to stay in Settler's Landing and begin his life again--in this new world. Maybe there is a future...

Recommended grades 7-up.
Listen to the audiobook here

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Book Giveaway: Dystopian Pick: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

I have five copies of this hot new ya title to give away. The book is set to hit the shelves on September 6. Be the first to read this teen dystopian novel. It's the best of the year! I think this one will likely make it to the Tayshas (Texas high school best of the best list) and YALSA's Top Ten for 2011. This is book one of a planned trilogy. I can't wait for books two and three!

Simply post a comment here and include your email contact and your city and state. Deadline for posts is August 31 at noon MST. Copies will ship from New York on September 1. Good luck! See my review of the novel below...

Back to School Book Giveaway: Moonglass

Back to School Book Giveaway!

Win a FREE copy of Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

I have TEN--10-- copies of Moonglass to giveaway!

Don't miss your chance to own and share this book with your readers! Not to be missed ya fiction. Grades 6-up.

Post a comment here. Be sure to include your email address so that I can contact you in case you win. Also, please include your city and state just because I'm nosy!