Dystopian
Written by Astrid Scholte
Fantasy, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Romance
416 Pages
Published March 2020
R.R.P $19.99
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
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★★★★★
416 Pages
Published March 2020
R.R.P $19.99
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Two sisters. One dangerous secret. Twenty-four hours to uncover the truth.
Seventeen year old Tempest was born into a world of water. The most skilled diver on the Equinox Reef, she searches drowned cities with her older sister Elysea, seeking out old world treasures to trade for Notes. After Elysea mysteriously drowns, Tempest scavenges the ruins alone, driven to collect enough Notes to buy her sister's life for 24 hours, and to finally learn the secret she had kept until her last breath.
However, once revived, Elysea convinces Tempest to break her out of the Palindromena research facility and they embark on a dangerous journey to discover the truth about their parents' death. But they're pursued by two Palindromena employees desperate to find them before Elysea's time is up, and to prevent them from uncovering the secrets behind the revival process and the true cost of restored lives.
Dead or living, everyone must pay the price.
The Great Waves decimated the planet, creating underwater graves as the cities were submerged. Tempest lives in a towering building upon the waves, exploring the ruins below the water to survive. It's been five years since her parents passed away, shortly before her sister Elysea drowned, grieving for the loss of her family.
Those who have drowned upon the water are retrieved, their bodies placed in a cryogenic state until their loved ones pay handsomely for one last day. The dead are awoken for twenty four hours and then put to rest once more. Tempe plans to revive her sister, believing Elysea is responsible for the death of their parents. Palindromena promises the lasting memory of a reunion with your loved one, a final goodbye for those who have been left behind. While the communities of the Equinox Reef live in apartments above the waves, Palindromena monopolises the small island upon the reef and for Lor, the facility provides a sense of solace and isolation. Hiding among the tanks that hold the deceased until they are revived by their families or discarded, Lor retreats into his own thoughts, of the friend he once lost and the survivor guilt he endures each day.
Tempe and Lor are both wonderful characters and not too dissimilar, both share a strong moral compass and analytical view of their world. Lor resides within the substructure of the Palindromena facility, the basement his respite from the unethical procedure of restoring lives. Lor is a gentle character, emotional and wears his heart on his sleeve. His thoughts are consumed of the guilt of losing his friend in a rock climbing accident, Lor survived and the guilt has caused him to live his life hidden among the dead, isolated and secluded from the world.
Tempe and Elysea are contrasting characters and although Tempe is angry a deeply feels what she believes is her sister's betrayal, the two siblings care for one another. Elysea is spirited and carefree and despite her current circumstances, wants to spend her final day experiencing the yearly Equinox festival, dancing and enjoying what little of her life remains. Through Elysea's experience, Tempe realises that she wasn't living but simply surviving and although Lor provides an attractive distraction, Tempe continues to place her sister's well being first and foremost.
Tempe and Elysea are contrasting characters and although Tempe is angry a deeply feels what she believes is her sister's betrayal, the two siblings care for one another. Elysea is spirited and carefree and despite her current circumstances, wants to spend her final day experiencing the yearly Equinox festival, dancing and enjoying what little of her life remains. Through Elysea's experience, Tempe realises that she wasn't living but simply surviving and although Lor provides an attractive distraction, Tempe continues to place her sister's well being first and foremost.
The Earth flooded in a historical disaster known as the Great Waves, land disappearing beneath the ocean and those who survived now live in salt laden highrise towers jutting from the sea. Relics from the Old World are now hidden below the waves, treasures looted by divers brave enough to endure the waves that decimated their world. The ocean has become a source to sustain communities, providing a livelihood for those living above the watery graveyards. The world building is eerily beautiful and one of my favourite aspects of The Vanishing Deep.
The world flooded and valuable land and resources disappearing beneath the sea. A frightfully prophetic world that raises discussion of environmental impact and global warming, issues rarely mentioned in young adult literature. At the centre of the narrative is the moral dilemma of life and playing God. Resurrection, only to spend the next twenty four hours isolated in a concrete room within the Palindromena facility. You can't leave and you need to lie your way through every conversation because they can't discover they've died. What isn't clear to the grieving loved ones, is how the process works. Without giving too much away, the how provided an intense urgency throughout the storyline which blended beautifully with the emotional impact of Tempe and Elysea's reunion, the secret surrounding the death of their parents and coming to terms with losing your sister all over again.
Lovingly imagined, atmospheric and beautifully portrayed, The Vanishing Deep is exquisite.
This Mortal Coil Book One
Written by Emily Suvada
Science Fiction, Dystopian
448 Pages
Thank you to Penguin Teen Australia
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★★★★★
When a lone soldier, Cole, arrives with news of Lachlan Agatta's death, all hope seems lost for Catarina. Her father was the world's leading geneticist, and humanity's best hope of beating a devastating virus.
Then, hidden beneath Cole's genehacked enhancements she finds a message of hope.
Lachlan created a vaccine.
Only she can find and decrypt it, if she can unravel the clues he left for her. The closer she gets, the more she finds herself at risk from Cartaxus, a shadowy organization with a stranglehold on the world's genetic tech. But it's too late to turn back.
There are three billion lives at stake, two people who can save them, and one final secret that Cat must unlock. A secret that will change everything.
To celebrate the release of This Vicious Cure, the conclusion to the This Mortal Coil Trilogy by Emily Suvada, I'll take you on a journey to explore the desolate wasteland, the plague decimating the population and the technology and characters who are entrusted to salvage humanity.
The Characters
Protagionist Catarina Agatta is an intelligent and resourceful young woman evading Cartaxus capture. Catarina is the seventeen year old daughter of the renowned geneticist Lachlan Agatta, a former Cartaxus programmer and genetic engineer, now recaptured along with his assistant to manufacture an antidote for the contagion decimating the country. Surviving within the isolated Black Hills and diagnosed with Hypergenesis, Catarina remains genetically unenhanced, relying upon her intellect and perception to survive.
Lieutenant Cole Franklin is an enhanced Cartaxus agent, the organisation who is holding her father captive in addition to his programming assistant. Cole has deflected and been assigned by Lachlan Agatta to protect Catarina and although she's malnourished, isolated and her only companion an elderly neighbour, is determined to become her own saviour. Cole is an interesting character and although he remains an agent of Cartaxus, he was raised within the confines of a laboratory and endured invasive experimentation under the guise of genetic manipulation.
The children, now adolescents of the genetic program have escaped the Cartaxus corporation, the remainder enlisted as soldiers. Leoben, Ziana, Cole, Anna and Jun Bei, children who endured torture and experimentation of consumer technology and programming under the guidance of Lachlan Agatta. Each character is tangible, created distinctly and introduced throughout the series.
World Building
The series is created within a desolate and American dystopian. The virus has ravaged the land and communities are living underground within Cartaxus bunkers. Those who remain on the surface live in isolation or in communities established with fortresses to protect the living from those effected by the virus. Throughout the series, several characters are collaborating on the coding that may inoculate the population, currently the only method of protection is to consume the flesh of the effected before they detonate vaporising into a mist and infecting those in the vicinity.
Entropia is an independent genehacker community, those living above ground protesting the invasiveness of the Cartaxus corporation and their militant methods. Throughout the series, Entropia becomes an important aspect of the narrative, introducing influential characters and emerging confrontations.
The Technology
Our lives are consumed by programming. Through a panel located on your forearm, applications are downloaded to change your appearance, regenerate our bodies, our senses, programming to create superior beings. The essence of This Mortal Coil is genetic manipulation and biotechnology, developed by Lachlan Agatta and administered to infants as nanotechnology. It allows programmers to create applications that download directly into the body, collaborating with our human genetics. Cartaxus monopolises the genetic applications, with the ability to deny survivors essential health enhancements.
Why You Need This Series in Your Life
Emily Suvada has studied mathematics and astrophysics, she's created a world where females are thriving as programmers, as soldiers and survivalists. Strong, remarkable women as heroines, villains and the morally ambiguous surviving against all odds. An airborne virus morphing formerly healthy individuals into bloodthirsty monsters and an all encompassing corporation determined to regulate and manipulate the civilian population as opposed by a community of genehackers. A science fiction thriller blending friendship, romance and a revolution of mammoth proportions.
The This Mortal Coil Trilogy is an intelligent, captivating and atmospheric science fiction dystopian. Absolutely phenomenal.
This Mortal Coil Book Two
Written by Emily Suvada
Science Fiction, Dystopian, Survival
448 Pages
Thank you to Penguin Teen Australia
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★★★★★
Catarina thought they'd stopped the Hydra virus. She was wrong.
After laying everything on the line to decrypt the vaccine, Cat realises that Lachlan's daemon code is in the panel of every person on the planet's surface. With it, he can reprogram humanity.
She, Cole and Leoben set out to stop him, but they're on a timer. Cartaxus, the shadowy corporation that's both helped and hindered them, has a deadly end game in play. The virus is evolving, the vaccine is dying, and if Cat can't find Lachlan in three days, they'll use lethal code to wipe out every person on the planet.
Their path takes them to Entropia, an underground city deep in the desert and home to the most extreme gene hackers, run by the queen of coding, Regina.
Struggling with the revelations about her past, and plagued by strange visions, what Cat finds in Entropia is more than just a trail to Lachlan. Because in the vaulted chambers of Regina's kingdom, Cat is forced to question everything she knows and everyone she trusts, and discovers that the biggest threat of all may be buried in her own mind.
This Mortal Coil Book Three
Written by Emily Suvada
Science Fiction, Dystopian, Survival
400 Pages
Thanks to Penguin Teen Australia
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★★★★★
Two factions at war.A plague that can't be stopped. A cure that could destroy them all.Cat's hacking skills weren't enough to keep her from losing everything, her identity, her past, and now her freedom.Meanwhile, the person who's stolen everything from her is close to realising a hacker's dream, the solution to humanity's problems in gene form. Or so she thinks.But now a new threat has emerged, a threat that could bring the world to the brink of a devastating war.Both sides will stop at nothing to seize control of humanity's future, and that the centre of this war is Cat, and a race against the clock save millions of lives.
Written by Bren Macdibble
Middle Grade, Dystopian, Survival
248 Pages
Published February 2019
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
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★★★★★
Ella and her brother Emery are alone in a city that's starving to death. If they are going to survive, they must get away, upcountry, to find Emery's mum. But how can two kids travel such big distances across a dry, barren, and dangerous landscape? Well, when you've got five big doggos and a dry land dogsled, the answer is you go mushing. But when Emery is injured, Ella must find a way to navigate them through rough terrain, and even rougher encounters with desperate people...
It begun with the fungus that spread across the expansive fields of Australia, fresh produce became a rare commodity as the pasture succumbed to infestation, animals starving, livestock perishing. The government delegated rations were barely enough to survive as friends and neighbours begin to abandon their homes. Organised syndicates roamed the neighbourhood in search for commodities, gold and precious metals traded for meagre allowances.
Siblings Ella and Emery share their small suburban apartment with their father and three canine companions, waiting for their mother to return home from the electricity station. It's been eight months since Ella has seen her mother, several weeks since the electricity blacked out and with no contact from her mother, Ella and Emery's father ventures to the station to find his wife with plans to leave the city with his family.
The city is dangerous, especially for two children and when their father doesn't return home, Ella and Emery decide to travel across the rough terrain to reach Emery's mother's farm. Along with their three dogs, two new recruits and a mushing sled, Ella and Emery will need to navigate the desolate countryside, avoiding armed offenders and learning to survive on the dying land.
The Dog Runner is harrowing and hopeful journey of two children surviving despite an environmental disaster, told from the perspective of a young lady pining for her mother. Ella is such a lovely character, intelligent but within the new world, she continues to see the best in others and in humanity. Besides her half brother Emery, Ella feels safest with her Malamute Maroochy, her loyal canine companion. From their small apartment window, Ella watches her world turning to ruin. The streets are no longer safe as a food shortage begins bringing out the worst in others. To survive, Ella and Emery are planning on sledding to Emery's mother's house, a small mushroom farm that she manages with her parents beyond the city. With communications wiped out and solar power panels being stolen, there's no way of knowing if the farm has been effected or how wide the infestation spread.
In a country reliant upon grain, a red fungus has spread throughout the city and native floral, grasslands have died, animals who normally feed off the land are starving. The narrative encourages discussion surrounding sustainable farming and sustainable living. All it takes is a bacteria or fungus introduced into our environment for our food source to completely overwhelmed. The government guaranteed rations would continue but ultimately left communities to ruin while those desperate for food begun to turn on one another.
Novels like The Dog Runner are so incredibly important, especially given the environmental state of our world. It introduces middle grade readers to issues such as biodiversity, sustainability, erosion and drought using accessible and engaging language. Although one dog sustains an injury, each dog survives. Bren Macdibble is a phenomenal middle grade author, her debut children's novel How To Bee is a thought provoking narrative of environmental impact and human development, cementing herself as a wonderful author who is conscious of our environment and how education and awareness allows us to make better choices to sustain our planet. Simply beautiful.
Lifelike Book One
Written by Jay Kristoff
Dystopian, Science Fiction, #LoveOzYA
416 Pages
Published May 2018
Thank you to Allen and Unwin Australia
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★★★★★
On an island junkyard beneath a sky that glows with radiation, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap. Seventeen year old Eve isn't looking for trouble, she's too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she spent months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, she's on the local gangster's wanted list, and the only thing keeping her grandpa alive is the money she just lost to the bookies. Worst of all, she's discovered she can somehow destroy machines with the power of her mind, and a bunch of puritanical fanatics are building a coffin her size because of it. If she's ever had a worse day, Eve can't remember it.
The problem is, Eve has had a worse day, one that lingers in her nightmares and the cybernetic implant where her memories used to be. Her discovery of a handsome android named Ezekiel, called a 'Lifelike' because they resemble humans, will bring her world crashing down and make her question whether her entire life is a lie.
With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic sidekick Cricket in tow, Eve will trek across deserts of glass, battle unkillable bots, and infiltrate towering megacities to save the ones she loves... And learn the truth about the bloody secrets of her past.
Once known as Kalifornya, now a desolate wasteland of recycled technology and radiation, decimated by conflict. Scavenging among the ruins, Eve Carpenter continues to endure the loss of her family, incarcerated by the authorities and slain while the seventeen year old was extradited by her grandfather. In an emerging world evolved by technology, human life is a commodity within the dystopic environment inciting syndicate violence. Eve is an intelligent and tenacious young woman, now caring for her elderly grandfather amongst the destruction, a cancer patient exposed to radiation.
The Three Laws of Robotics once constrained artificially intelligent automations to perpetuate human lives, now rogue and resolute in achieving freedom from human oppression and servitude. Among the fragments lies a fractured Lifelike, a young male android and harbinger of truth. Accompanying Eve on her journey of identity and discovery is a multifarious contingent of reinforcements.
Fifteen year old Lemon Fresh is a valiant and tenacious orphan, abandoned as an infant, now colleagues within the gladiatorial amphitheatre creating an enduring friendship and familial alliance. Created with recycled fragments, Cricket is perceptive and conscious of his physical environment. Accompanied by blitzhund Kaiser, they make a formidable contingent and compelling aspect of the narrative. Eve is an anomaly accused of deactivating technology through technokenesis. Lifelike android Ezekiel is attractive but importantly, appreciates the gravity of their challenge. To evade the syndicate and a bounty hunter on behalf of The Brotherhood, idealists who demand the surrender of genetic deviates for purification
Atmospherically breathtaking, Kalifornya is a desolate frontier. The collapse of Gnosis and the Monrova family have preceded the rise of technology corporations Bio Maas and Daedalus, corporations elevated to authority and dominance. The post apocalyptic world is vividly and cinematically imagined, an oppressive and contaminated environment, radiation continuing to diminish the populous as the Gnosis tower erupted.
The essence of Lifelike is humanity and creation, capitalism and environment interlaced with an atmospheric and compelling narrative. Captivating characters and breathtaking revelations. Compulsive reading.
Stronger together. Together forever.
Fifteen year old Lemon Fresh is a valiant and tenacious orphan, abandoned as an infant, now colleagues within the gladiatorial amphitheatre creating an enduring friendship and familial alliance. Created with recycled fragments, Cricket is perceptive and conscious of his physical environment. Accompanied by blitzhund Kaiser, they make a formidable contingent and compelling aspect of the narrative. Eve is an anomaly accused of deactivating technology through technokenesis. Lifelike android Ezekiel is attractive but importantly, appreciates the gravity of their challenge. To evade the syndicate and a bounty hunter on behalf of The Brotherhood, idealists who demand the surrender of genetic deviates for purification
Atmospherically breathtaking, Kalifornya is a desolate frontier. The collapse of Gnosis and the Monrova family have preceded the rise of technology corporations Bio Maas and Daedalus, corporations elevated to authority and dominance. The post apocalyptic world is vividly and cinematically imagined, an oppressive and contaminated environment, radiation continuing to diminish the populous as the Gnosis tower erupted.
The essence of Lifelike is humanity and creation, capitalism and environment interlaced with an atmospheric and compelling narrative. Captivating characters and breathtaking revelations. Compulsive reading.
The Belles Book One
Written by Dhonielle Clayton
Fantasy, Dystopian, Diverse
Expected Publication February 13th 2018
Thank you to Hachette Australia and Netgalley
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★★★★★
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born grey, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favourite, the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognised as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favourite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie, that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide, save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles, or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
Sixteen year old Camellia Beauregard is a Belle, a young woman disciplined in the artistry of beautification. On debut, Camellia and the Belles of Maison Rouge De La Beauté will perform for the cosmopolites of Orléans in the Beauté Carnaval, the Favourite chosen as the Royal Belle while her fellow sisters, blessed by the Goddess of Beauty, will be appointed to Tea Houses around the Kingdom.
In Orléans, citizens are are depleted of colour, their monochrome appearance dependant on each generation of Belles to beautify the wealthy and privileged citizens by bringing forth the Acana. Camellia is a grandiose young woman, her beauty and Belle stature are celebrated throughout the kingdom. From a tender age, Camellia has been cautioned to the significance of her responsibility, become the favourite. Competing for the converted position are her five fellow Belles, Edelweiss, Padma, Valeria, Hana and Camellia's childhood companion Ambrosia.
While Camellia with her mischievous temperament enjoyed the spoils of her gilded cage at Maison Rouge De La Beauté, Ambrosia demanded perfection. Ambrosia is a character of contrasts, a tender girl with a gentle disposition but beneath the surface is insidiously competitive. I admired the carefree, nonchalant boldness of Edelweiss, unafraid and unconcerned about the Belle position. As the narrative progresses, Edelweiss' insolence towards authority takes on a greater importance. Fiercely loyal and rebellious, I cherished her character.
The Belles must adhere to stringent guidelines. Only those with wealth and privilege are worthy of embellishment and in no circumstances should a Belle associate with men beyond a professional compacity or engage in consensual relationships. Charismatic Auguste Fabry is the son of the Minister of the Seas and although aware of the forbidden nature to engage with Auguste, Camellia is captivated by his confidence and insistence. The kingdom of Orléans is flushed with colour and glamour, the splendour the royal family of Orléans is eclipsed by the despair for their eldest daughter. Heir to the throne Princess Charlotte, who remains unconscious while the abhorrent Princess Sophia presides over extravagant parties. Sophia is a vindictive young woman, consumed by jealousy and hostility.
Beneath the imaginative extravagance is a narrative that explores cultural and racial identity, confidence, esteem and perception, challenging the confines of affluence and privilege. The Belles is exquisitely lyrical and atmospherically enchanting. Impeccable reading.
This Mortal Coil Book One
Written by Emily Suvada
Science Fiction, Dystopian
448 Pages
Thank you to Penguin Teen Australia
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★★★★★
When a lone soldier, Cole, arrives with news of Lachlan Agatta's death, all hope seems lost for Catarina. Her father was the world's leading geneticist, and humanity's best hope of beating a devastating virus.
Then, hidden beneath Cole's genehacked enhancements she finds a message of hope.
Lachlan created a vaccine.
Only she can find and decrypt it, if she can unravel the clues he left for her. The closer she gets, the more she finds herself at risk from Cartaxus, a shadowy organization with a stranglehold on the world's genetic tech. But it's too late to turn back.
There are three billion lives at stake, two people who can save them, and one final secret that Cat must unlock. A secret that will change everything.
The earth is a desolate wasteland, a virus decimating humanity, survivors abandoned to starvation. Catarina Agatta is a survivor. Catarina is the seventeen year old daughter of the renowned geneticist Lachlan Agatta, a magnate and former Cartaxus programmer and genetic engineer, now recaptured along with his assistant to manufacture an antidote.
Catarina has survived within the isolated Black Hills, a resourceful young woman evading Cartaxus capture. At birth, humans are implanted with advanced technology to allow gene manipulation, applications are downloaded to enhance humans physically, cognitively and aesthetically. Diagnosed with Hypergenesis, Catarina remains genetically unenhanced, relying upon her intellect and perception to survive. As the pandemic escalates, thousands shelter in underground communities, sacrificing their freedom to Cartaxus.
Although an agent of Cartaxus and a young man with enhanced abilities, disciplined in warfare, Lieutenant Cole Franklin has been assigned to protect Catarina after an explosion at the Cartaxus laboratory claimed her father and the vaccine. Humanity will depend on Catarina.
The essence of This Mortal Coil is genetic manipulation and biotechnology, developed by Lachlan Agatta and administered to infants as nanotechnology. It allows programmers to create applications that download directly into the body, collaborating with our human genetics. Cartaxus monopolises the genetic applications, abandoning and denying survivors essential health enhancements. The airborne virus infects healthy humans, accelerating before causalities detonate, bodies vaporising into a contagious, airborne cloud. Survivors can inoculate themselves by consuming the flesh of those infected, ensuring their immediate survival but Catarina is determined to preserve her humanity. The scientific elements are surprisingly uncomplicated and woven throughout the narration, rather than overhwleming expositions.
Catarina's relationship with her father Lachlan is portrayed as distant and indifferent, a young woman pursuing approval. Catarina begins a tentative relationship with Lachlan's assistant, a conventional young man who also appeared manipulative and egotistical. Their relationship seemed little more than based on convenience and no genuine connection between the two other than her father.
Catarina reluctantly establishes a companionship with Cole and I enjoyed their interactions. The attraction between the two is undeniable but Cole is preoccupied with the former Cartaxus programmer, the mysterious Jun Bei. Catarina is physically malnourished, she refuses to allow Cole to become her saviour and appreciated that although intellectually superior, is never pretentious or conceited.
Oh and those plot twists. Surprised eyebrows for days.
This Mortal Coil is an intelligent, captivating and atmospheric science fiction dystopian. Absolutely phenomenal.
May contain spoilers for The Jewel and The White Rose
The Lone City Book Three
Written by Amy Ewing
Dystopian, Fantasy, Romance
Published October 1st 2016
352 Pages
Thank you to Walker Books Australia
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★★★☆
For too long, Violet and the people of the outer circles of the Lone City have lived in service of the royalty of the Jewel. But now, the secret society known as the Black Key is preparing to seize power.
While Violet knows she is at the center of this rebellion, she has a more personal stake in it, for her sister, Hazel, has been taken by the Duchess of the Lake. Now, after fighting so hard to escape the Jewel, Violet must do everything in her power to return not only to save Hazel, but the future of the Lone City.
Across the Island The Black Key rebellion gathers, mercenaries fighting against enslavement, against poverty and the inhumane treatment of those less fortunate. The Royal Houses have become complacent, infiltrated while young women are rescued from imprisonment where they will be sold as Surrogates and discarded once their purpose has been served.
Violet Lasting is a Paladin, a descendant of a lost civilisation of women who once inhabited the Island and a former Surrogate for the House of The Lake. As the Black Key rebellion gains momentum, the girls of the White Rose are preparing to bring down the oppressive walls that separate the castes. A revolution has begun.
My Thoughts
The Black Key is an entertaining and captivating dystopian series, blending fantasy with an oppressive rule and a band of heroines that are determined to end the oppression. The Jewel begun Violet's journey as a Surrogate, chosen by the Duchess of The Lake to bare her an heir and a sibling for Garnet, the former playboy Prince. After their brazen escape, Violet, Raven and former Companion Ash have retreated to the White Rose, a rural haven for those seeking solace from the merciless royal court. Throughout the series, we've seen Violet mature into a young woman who understands that her mistakes no longer define who she is, a leader among women on the verge of a revolution. But unlike previous installments, Violet now finds herself returning to The Jewel to rescue sister Hazel, despite Ash's protest. I loved Violet for her strength, which could often be seen as condescending as she asks Ash to remain at the White Rose.
Dejected and a wanted fugitive, Ash believes he is beneficial to the rebellion and is able to assemble the Royal Companions to which Violet is opposed, refusing to allow Ash to jeopardise his freedom for the cause. With Lucian's assistance, Violet returns to the House of The Lake under the guise of a new Lady In Waiting for Garnet's betrothed. Returning to the wealth of the castle felt remarkably like an adaptation of The Jewel and a regression in terms of character development and storyline. Violet is reckless and makes incredibly careless decisions which may threaten the Black Key revolution. She feels responsible for Hazel's abduction, the Duchess having seized Hazel to take Violet's place as Surrogate and her internal guilt fuels her desire to make dangerous decisions which are generally not the best cause of action.
As Violet masks her identity in The Jewel, the former surrogates are being guided by Raven, a former surrogate herself who was tortured in her time within The Jewel. Raven is one of my favourite characters and I was disappointed that she wasn't able to play a greater role in The Black Key as her strength and resilience is one of the aspects that endeared me to The Lone City series. I would have liked to have experienced the girls exploring their Augury abilities, especially given the oppression of the Surrogates throughout the series and their journey to freedom.
Although it felt anticlimactic throughout the storyline, the final few chapters were brilliantly written, emotional and vividly imagined with friends reuniting, although not everyone will make it through unscathed. Such a wonderful debut series that is often underestimated by readers. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Reviewed by my husband
Written by Brandon Sanderson
Fantasy, Science Fiction
Published September 24th 2013
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Book Rating ★★★★★
Audiobook Rating ★★★★★
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.
Nobody fights the Epics... Nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.
And David wants in. He wants Steelheart, the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning, and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.
He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.
Our story begins with young boy David and his father. David has seen something that nobody before, or since has. David has seen an Epic bleed and not just any Epic, it was Steel Heart.
The event referred to as Calamity, brought about a change never seen on Earth before. Ordinary humans somehow gained extraordinary abilities, creating illusions, predicting the future or being able to fly. Those deemed Epics, live on the surface while ordinary humans are living in an area called the Under Streets with the rest of the non Epic population in New Cargo. David is a mysterious character. Readers will learn his motives within the first few chapters and although his character seems naive at times, his motivation and determination knows no bounds.
David has determined where a powerful Epic will be assassinated ahead of time and is there to witness the event, obsessed with the Epic population is not only dangerous but will put David's life at risk. The hit to be carried out by a band of underground rebels known as The Reckoners, a group David is desperate to join and prove his worth as an asset.
The Husband's Thoughts
Steelheart has a strong Science Fiction element, realism and a vivid dystopian future driven by a totalitarianism style of world building. As the reader is introduced to the band of colourful characters, all with secrets of their own, David's character begins to develop as his journey progresses.
David has always struggled to survive, working as a child and now orphaned. His mother having died years prior, then Steel Heart having killed his father when David was still a boy. Now at seventeen, David is armed and the self trained Epic hunter wants revenge. The Epic population are seen as superior, dominating ordinary humans while not held accountable for their actions. They're villainous, self serving and see humans as barely being tolerated. The Epic is a new breed of superhero, heinous villains who see the ordinary population as disposable mundanes.
David has always struggled to survive, working as a child and now orphaned. His mother having died years prior, then Steel Heart having killed his father when David was still a boy. Now at seventeen, David is armed and the self trained Epic hunter wants revenge. The Epic population are seen as superior, dominating ordinary humans while not held accountable for their actions. They're villainous, self serving and see humans as barely being tolerated. The Epic is a new breed of superhero, heinous villains who see the ordinary population as disposable mundanes.
The audiobook was well narrated, it lures readers into the world of New Cargo and it's tyrannical inhabitants. It's captivating and brilliantly written. Brandon Sanderson has reinvented the symbolic superhero, blurring the lines between heroes and villains while engrossing readers with an intense and unique storyline.
Urban Fantasy, Dystopian
Published March 1st 2011
Purchased
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★★★★★
Retra braves the intense pain of her obedience strip, and stows away to seek her brother Joel, gone two years for Ixion, island of ever night, ever youth and never sleep. Retra is a Seal, sealed minds, sealed community, no craving for parties or pleasure.What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? What happens to those who grow too old for Ixion? Without Joel, is her eternal bond with a Riper guardian enough to save her?Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.
May contain spoilers for book one. See my review here
Written by James Smythe
Science Fiction, Dystopian
Published April 12th 2016
400 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
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★★★★★
The moment she learned the horrible truth about her life on Australia, the derelict ship overrun with violent gangs, Chan Aitch made it her mission to save everyone she could from their fate worse than death. But her efforts were in vain. Now, everyone she cares about is dead or in prison, and Chan is more alone than ever before.As the only person to have escaped Australia’s terrible crash-landing back to Earth, Chan is now living in poverty on the fringes of a huge city. She believes Mae, the little girl she once rescued on the Australia, is still alive , but she has no idea where Mae is, or how to find her. Everything on Earth is strange and new, and Chan has never felt more lost.But she’ll do whatever it takes to find Mae, even if it means going to prison herself. She’s broken out of prison before. How hard could it be to do it again?
The Australia has returned to a ravaged Earth, fenced in large cities and towering walls that protect citizens from the desolate landscape and relentless climate. It's here where Chan works the slums after escaping custody, trying to find Mae after promising to keep the little girl safe. What lies within it's walls is an oppressive community, where newborn children are silence through back alley surgery and drug dependability ensures it's lowly citizens are kept complacent by those seeking power and notoriety. This isn't the Australia. It's far worse.
Selling stolen goods to local trader Alala and with the aid of underground exposé author Ziegler, Chan is determined to access the new arrivals database in order to find Mae. Chan plans on breaking into the heavily guarded Archives but not without consequence, Alala expects information in return for her services.
Nothing could prepare Chan for what she's about to endure. Yet again she'll have to fight for her freedom, fight to find Mae and fight to become the person she once was, the tough, determined girl who fell from the sky.
Kelly's Thoughts
The Australian series is one of the most explosive, enthralling and confident young adult series that pushes the boundaries of what we expect from our dystopian based reads. Long Dark Dusk continues shortly after Chan has disembarked from the Australia, and Mae torn from her arms. Still aching with grief of all she's lost, Chan is determined to rescue the young girl from captivity. Her only ally is underground reporter Ziegler, who teaches Chan about her new world and provides assistance in exchange for her story. With the aid of local trader Alala, Chan is now indebted to the ruthless merchant as she plans to access the Achieves where it is believed she will find Mae's whereabouts.
As on board the Australia, Chan will again need to fight against the oppression of her new world and her own sense of self.
With so few words, James Smythe is able to create an incredibly vivid world of brutality and oppression. From the addict lined streets of the outer slums, to the opulence of the wealthy citizens and stark, desolate landscape beyond the city walls. It's breathtaking. Where Way Down Dark was fiercely brutal and raw, Long Dark Dusk has a quiet and ruthless determination, intricate and devious as Chan needs to navigate this world with cunning.
One of the qualities that sets the Australia series apart is how unpredictable it is. It doesn't rely on romance to further the storyline, nor does it follow the standard young adult format of instant love and overwhelming blocks of world building. Chan is a character who knows how to adapt. On board Australia it was fight or flight, but on the ground she's aware of how the new society works through observation of others. She knows she no longer needs to defend herself and although risking being captured, her life isn't being challenged by those determined to dominate. I love her. Fiercely.
One of the qualities that sets the Australia series apart is how unpredictable it is. It doesn't rely on romance to further the storyline, nor does it follow the standard young adult format of instant love and overwhelming blocks of world building. Chan is a character who knows how to adapt. On board Australia it was fight or flight, but on the ground she's aware of how the new society works through observation of others. She knows she no longer needs to defend herself and although risking being captured, her life isn't being challenged by those determined to dominate. I love her. Fiercely.
Final Verdict
Buy it, read it, love it. A strong female character, intricate world building, a raw determination and written to perfection. The series is phenomenal.
May contain spoilers for book one. Read my review here.
The New Order The Young World Trilogy Book Two
Written by Chris Weitz
Survival, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Published April April 12th 2016
384 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
★★★☆
They thought they were the only ones left. They were wrong.After the unexpected revelation at the end of the first book, Donna and Jefferson are separated. Jefferson returns to NYC and tries to bring a cure to the Sickness back to the Washington Square tribe, while Donna finds herself in England, facing an unimaginable new world. Can the two reunite and prevent an even greater disaster than the Sickness?
Their world was desolate, run by the gangs of New York City where only teens remain free from the sickness. After finding what may be a possible cure offshore, the group of survivors now find themselves on board a Navy vessel heading for what may be a fate worse than the streets of New York. Those on board want to question Donna, Jefferson, Brainbox and the American survivors are questioned and assessed while the group learn that the world has survived and thrived in their absence.
Confined and monitored, it soon becomes apparent that the authorities have no intent on rescuing those left behind to await their fate. Within the crew on board lies a group of covert mercenaries who are willing to return the group of recused teens to New York in the hope of administering the cure and unite against the cause. But when the group attempt to escape it's Donna and Jefferson who are separated, Donna left behind to ensure the survival of both their allies and rivals while sacrificing herself for the cause.
While Jefferson unites the New York tribes, Donna is sent to a surviving Cambridge England, at Trinity college where she will be given a false identity and migrated back into society. Lies, manipulation and agendas will separate the young group of survivors in world that is merciless and unforgiving.
Kelly's Thoughts
In a world reminiscent of a brutal colony run by gangs, it's always been kill or be killed. A plague wiping out adults and children, leaving the teen population to inherit a now broken New York. Segregation runs rife, gangs are challenged for their supplies, weapons and space. In The New Order, our young group of protagonists have been rescued from the island with a possible cure and now find themselves on board a Navy vessel, still unaware to the state of the rest of the world.
As the storyline progresses, the readers learn more about the new world through multiple points of view. Luckily each point of view has a unique voice and spans across the globe, especially Donna and Jefferson. Jefferson is working with the Patriots who have an agenda of their own beyond saving the New York teen population, while Donna is sent to Cambridge and begins to migrate into college life. New friends, exploring her surroundings while having the occasional drink with her new friend in Rab. In The Young World, I found Donna's character likable but in the latest series installment she's incredibly annoying.
With her new Valley Girl persona, Donna's new surroundings seem to have little purpose to the actual storyline overall. Luckily those chapters are offset by Jefferson, who I enjoy much more as a character despite being incredibly straight laced and wise beyond his years. I would have loved to have heard more from Peter's character, who for me made The Young World much more enjoyable.
As the storyline progresses, the readers learn more about the new world through multiple points of view. Luckily each point of view has a unique voice and spans across the globe, especially Donna and Jefferson. Jefferson is working with the Patriots who have an agenda of their own beyond saving the New York teen population, while Donna is sent to Cambridge and begins to migrate into college life. New friends, exploring her surroundings while having the occasional drink with her new friend in Rab. In The Young World, I found Donna's character likable but in the latest series installment she's incredibly annoying.
"Who in the what, now?"Well now that you mention in Donna, although she didn't start out that way.
"Say what?"
"Within the what?"
"Tutor? Am I, like, that dumb?"
With her new Valley Girl persona, Donna's new surroundings seem to have little purpose to the actual storyline overall. Luckily those chapters are offset by Jefferson, who I enjoy much more as a character despite being incredibly straight laced and wise beyond his years. I would have loved to have heard more from Peter's character, who for me made The Young World much more enjoyable.
Overall, I did enjoy The New Order but the series may have benefited from being a duology as much of the content felt unnecessary. It was Jefferson's point of view that intrigued me most and the only progression within the storyline. I was thankful that the pop culture references were few and far between, but I still feel as though the storyline is clinical and a little too cliche. It needs more emotion to be able to invest in it's characters and their plight. Looking forward to the series finale, but still with some reservations.The Final Verdict
Written by Cecelia Ahern
Dystopian, Young Adult
Published March 24th 2016
400 Pages
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia
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★★★☆
Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.Seventeen year old Celestine North is a vision of perfection. She's smart, beautiful, dating the handsome son of Judge Bosco, the head of the Guild and is the golden child of two parents who themselves promote an image of the perfect family. Since the Guild was introduced into a corrupt and morally unethical society, citizens who are less than perfect are branded as Flawed. The Flawed live among the community, but ostracised and abide by the rules of simple living in a life sentence they will never escape. Celestine has always followed the rules, until she's posed with her own moral dilemma and decides to aide an elderly Flawed citizen, a crime which may see her punished and branded.
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found Flawed.
In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.
Thrown into isolation, the media have caught wind of Celestine's case, the latest in a long line of questionable decisions of the Guild. Judge Bosco needs Celestine to defend her case, to insist she was merely protecting citizens against the Flawed by providing a misguided public service. But doing so will sentence an elderly, innocent man to his death, something Celestine must decide if she can live with on her conscious. Her decision made more difficult by her boyfriend Art who refuses to see her, and the strange young man being held in the next cell also awaiting his fate. Living her seventeen years of life as an exemplary member of society means very little if Celestine is branded and found to be Flawed.
Kelly's Thoughts
Following the storyline of Celestine, readers are introduced into a society that breeds perfection. Those deemed less than are branded as Flawed and made an example of. It reminded me of The Giver with that aspect, an introduction to dystopian without delving into intricate details. Celestine lives the perfect existence. She's intelligent, with a bright future and is dating her long time friend and son of Judge Bosco, the head of the Guild. Her only misdemeanor is her nightly rendezvous with Art, where the two teens sit atop the mountain and watch the world go by. It's her sister Juniper who has always had the rebellious streak, so when an elderly Flawed passenger on the bus needs assistance, it's Celestine who breaks the law and rushes to his side.
Reminiscent of the warfare between Katniss and President Snow, It's Judge Bosco who is facing an inquiry between his fellow members of the Guild who want to make an example of the seventeen year old. In order to ensure her freedom, Celestine will need to plead her innocence and sentence an already Flawed man to what may be an early death. The system of the Guild law is itself Flawed. Open to not only interpretation to suit each case but also to be abused by those in power and Celestine is about to discover what a dangerous game she's playing. Telling the truth means risking it all. Her relationship, her family, her status as a model citizen and faces the wrath of Bosco.
The barely there romance made little impact to the storyline, as Art lacked any real personality or character development. It was Carrick who was being held in the next cell who captured my attention. With little interaction, his character was far more interesting than Art and has already asserted himself as a possible love interest for Celestine. But it was the morality behind Flawed that captivated me. A panel of self appointed and wealthy citizens that decide the fate of those posed with moral dilemmas from crime, cheating on a partner to something as small as aiding a Flawed citizen to a chair as in Celestine's case and the corruption behind the kangaroo court method of justice.
With a few minor issues, Cecelia Ahern has created a successful transition into the young adult genre. With more emphasis needed on world building and character depth, the Flawed series is a new and exciting series from a much loved adult author.
Flawed was a great introduction to dystopian or for those who are hungry for a new and entertaining read that will sate your need for the genre. Apart from a few snippets of information exchanged between characters, the history of the Guild wasn't fully explored but hoping book two features greater world building than it's predecessor,The Final Verdict
With a few minor issues, Cecelia Ahern has created a successful transition into the young adult genre. With more emphasis needed on world building and character depth, the Flawed series is a new and exciting series from a much loved adult author.
Exclusive
Thanks to Harper Collins, Cecelia is sharing with readers her official playlist that inspired her while writing Flawed, book one in the Flawed series.
Look out for our upcoming Flawed prize pack giveaway with thanks to Harper Collins
Written by Marie Rutkoski
Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance
Published March 24th 2016
484 Pages
Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia via Netgalley
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★★★★★
War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people,and certainly more than she did for him.At least, that’s what he thinks.In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.
But no one gets what they want just by wishing.
As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?
Nick and I both found ourselves reading The Winner's Kiss, so naturally I suggested a fabulous review discussion.
But I didn't take no for an answer. After much discussion about eyebrow waxing, Nick's hostility and the challenge of a knife fight, we decided it was a brilliant idea and it was selfish to not to share our fabulousness with the blogging community and thus, a discussion was born.
For the girl who is Ernie to my Bert, please welcome Nick from Nick and Nereydas Infinite Booklist and our discussion review of this epic finale.
Kelly
Best. Finale. Ever.
I must admit, I'm always wary of finales. Usually I end up pissed that I've invested so much into a reading a series and only to have an author write a half assed conclusion. But The Winner's Kiss was fucking epic wrapped in awesome. The intensity, the romance, the sexual frustration! I wanted to jump onto the page and rub Kestrel and Arin together at one point just so they'd get it on with all that friction.
Was the finale what you expected?
Nick
What I expected? No! It went far far far beyond what I wanted. I'm like you in that I'm always worried about how a book ends. With the events in The Winner's Crime, I was even more nervous, but wow! Rutkoski took my heart, punched it repeatedly with her stunning writing and all the damn feels, and in the end left me sated. Like you said, there is just so much of everything in this finale and undeniably my favorite was the epic EPIC! romance between Arin and Kestrel. I was ready for them to get it on from very early on! Haha!
So... Are we going to have to fight for Arin, Kelly?
Kelly
He's right up there, but I prefer my book boyfriends more villainous. Arin reminds me so much of Chaol from the Throne of Glass series. The same gruffness, the inner turmoil and seriousness that makes them both seem much older than their years. I was heartbroken during The Winner's Crime as well. But that heartache lead to such a delicious tension between the two. Let's talk about Kestrel and her character transformation. I loved her in book one, but seeing how selfless she was in Crime made me warm to her even more so. But shock horror, some readers don't like her. Are they clearly barking mad or just want Arin for themselves?
Nick
YES! More Arin for me! You know I don't have much love for the Throne of Glass series anymore, but I can definitely see why Arin reminds you of Chaol. That quiet intensity he possesses is so sexy. I don't know what it is about me and rough-around-the-edges boys in books. I think his roughness really balances out Kestrel's own intelligence and one of the many reasons why they are such a great couple.
WHAT? How can anyone not like, Kestrel? I'm going to assume it's because they want Arin for themselves because why else? Is it because she's not the typical fantasy heroine a.k.a physically badass? I think one major reason I love Kestrel is the fact that she's not physically strong (which was also why I was so against those US covers being changed), but yet, she is an important player and is Arin's equal when it comes to the story. I connect better with characters like Kestrel who are cunning and use their heads to solve problems. There's one particular scene in The Winner's Kiss, that really highlighted that for me and it's one I sadly can't talk about.
Kelly
It's that quiet determination and intellect which drew me to her character in the first place too. She doesn't need to be a fighter to show her tough she is and I love young adult that isn't afraid to create characters that can't wield a sword, but can use words as weapons just as effectively. I don't understand why they would change the covers only months before the finale is released. From what I gather, the series is selling well and I don't think we need another Throne of Glass type cover, which is iconic to that series and not The Winner's Trilogy. Even stranger that they are under the same publisher too.
What did you think about the support characters, namely Roshar?
Nick
I wasn't sure about Roshar at first, what with his not-so-serious behavior and also the fact that he physically resembled Voldemort (plus, who can you even trust this trilogy?), but he grew on me in The Winner's Kiss especially. I loved how he and Arin had this bromance and how he was always pulling Arin's leg, but was also not afraid to speak his mind when he didn't approve of some of his decisions. His growing bond with Kestrel was also delightful! I'm glad that she was able to make some friends with this new life of hers. I also really enjoyed Kestrel's relationship with Sarsine. I'm always up for a good female friendship in YA books, and theirs was most certainly that.
What were your thoughts on her?
Kelly
I liked her and I think her character helped give Kestrel a softness and humility that we haven't seen before. The bromance between Roshar and Arin had me second guessing their alliance at times, there was something about Roshar that felt as though he may have had ulterior motives and left me nervous that he might turn on him, especially with his sister pushing for greater influence during the conflict. The war seemed to have taken a backseat to it's characters though. You see brief snippets of conflict, but it felt a little anticlimactic overall. We have to talk about the romance.
I was quietly shitting myself that Marie Rutkoski was going to balls it up.
Nick
I was so nervous about that too! Part of me worried because I was unsure as to how they would fix their relationship but the romance was my favorite part of this finale. I feel like I could go on and on about it but I won't because I want readers to experience it on their own. The tension between Arin and Kestrel was at its peak in The Winner's Kiss and while it took some time to become emotionally open with each other, the wait was so worth it. I don't know how Rutkoski does it but every scene between the two of them was infused with so much intensity and chemistry. I loved that The Winner's Kiss was so romance driven because after the torture that was The Winner's Crime I needed this. They had a lot to work through but I feel like they came out stronger than ever and by the end, I believed in the power of their love.
How about you, Kelly?
Kelly
I love them as individuals and even more so together. One of the best pairings in young adult. Ever.
I feel as though that connection Kestrel and Arin has is almost a dying breed in young adult. Two characters both with an amazing amount of inner strength and likability, who are just as strong individually as they are together. The last couple that had that same connection were Celaena and Chaol and I think that's why fans have flocked to this series too.
I'm sad it's over though.
Nick
I am too, but I love how everything wrapped up and I especially loved that Kestrel was the one who gave the final blow.
This series has never been the most action-packed, but it was still able to keep me on the edge of my seat with its strong world building and twists and turns. In The Winner's Kiss, we were finally able to get a glimpse at Marie Rutkoski's more plot-driven side, with the intense battle scenes, the politics and the climax of the book. It's not an easy ride for readers emotionally, but it's one that I believe people will love. The Winner's Trilogy is brilliant in its execution, luscious writing and ability to leave readers drowning in their feelings and for that this is a series I will revisit over and over again. I just don't see myself ever tiring of Kestrel and Arin and everything else this book has to offer.
Contains spoilers for Red Queen. See my review here
Written by Victoria Aveyard
Dystopian, Fantasy
Published February 9th 2016
320 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
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★★★☆
If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.Mare's blood is Red, the colour of common folk, but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from the prince and friend who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.Pursued by the Silver king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red and Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?
On the run from the new empire, Mare Barrow and the disgraced Prince are now seen as traitors to their kingdom. Mare has placed her trust in the Scarlet Guard to stop the bloodshed of Newbloods, those with silver abilities that bleed red. With only Julian's legacy to guide her, Mare plans on finding the Newbloods before Maven can end their lives.
I absolutely adored Red Queen, a wonderful mix of fantasy and dystopian elements from some of our favourite young adult series. While Red Queen was uplifting and at times, brutal, Glass Sword is a much calmer read, the focus being on developing it's characters and relationships while edging towards what seems to be the next civil war.
Mare is still coming to terms with the deception she experienced at the hands of Maven, a point that readers are constantly reminded of. She feels betrayed, but longs for the quiet and reserved young man she believed Maven to be, a gentle fighter who believed in the rights for all.
The biggest difference between Red Queen and Glass Sword besides the shift from fantasy to dystopian, is Mare Barrow herself. She was fierce in Red Queen but is incredibly self doubting and seemingly feeds on her lack of self worth and guilt. She's now killed, but also has the deaths of others who aligned themselves with her on her hands and spends her quiet moments of reflection torn between bringing the Newbloods into battle or protecting them from Maven's Silver army.
And Maven?
Sadly he's mysteriously absent as is Queen Elara. Both characters make brief, cameo appearances which sadly is why I felt disappointed by Glass Sword. I love a well written villain, especially after audiences see the character transformation from good to... Not so good. The storyline needed to focus less on Mare's self pity and more on the kingdom who were hunting her and the Newbloods. Dual points of view may have ensured Glass Sword to be more widely praised by the reading community. It needed a point of difference and personally, I needed a break from Mare who seemed to be masquerading as Katniss Everdeen.
With Shade and Kilorn beside her, Mare plans to track down each name but before she can enlist the help of the Scarlet Guard, Prince Cal is taken from her grasp as a pawn to be used by the newly in charge Lakelanders and securing freedom for the red population who would otherwise be used as soldiers, sent into battle against their own."Hundreds of names, hundreds of Reds with abilities. Stronger, faster, better than they are, with blood as Red as the dawn."
Kelly's Thoughts
Mare is still coming to terms with the deception she experienced at the hands of Maven, a point that readers are constantly reminded of. She feels betrayed, but longs for the quiet and reserved young man she believed Maven to be, a gentle fighter who believed in the rights for all.
The biggest difference between Red Queen and Glass Sword besides the shift from fantasy to dystopian, is Mare Barrow herself. She was fierce in Red Queen but is incredibly self doubting and seemingly feeds on her lack of self worth and guilt. She's now killed, but also has the deaths of others who aligned themselves with her on her hands and spends her quiet moments of reflection torn between bringing the Newbloods into battle or protecting them from Maven's Silver army.
She just felt... Hollow. Her inner thoughts were contradictory and seemingly didn't want the responsibility of being the Lightning Girl, but also relished in her title of power. Prince Cal is a character that I need more from. He was so overshadowed by Mare's catchphrases and indecisiveness that he felt like little more than a background character, rather than her potential love interest. I feel his character deserved much more development, especially seeing his life has been ruined by Lightning Girl entering his world.If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter.
And Maven?
I love the series, even though I wasn't as engaged with Glass Sword as I had expected. Apart from Mare, I loved the introduction of new and wonderfully sassy and moody characters none more so than Cameron. Her ability far outweighs Mare's ability to create and control electricity and she's lived to escape her confines under King Maven. She not only refuses to abide by Mare's rules but she challenges the Lightning Girl, merely a breath away from being able to take her life. I adored her, but there is more to Cameron beyond her abrasive facade and I can't wait to discover who she truly is.Some know what I am, and they have written it across the posters for all to see. Red Queen. The lightning girl. She lives. Rise, red as dawn. Rise. Rise. Rise.
As much as I enjoyed Glass Sword, I couldn't help but feel it was stretched a little too thin. Be prepared for character soul searching, an uprising, indecision and absolute heartbreak. The crescendo has me excited for book three in the series, let's just hope Mare gets her shit together in time.The Final Verdict
See my reviews for book one and two and This Night So Dark
Written by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Science Fiction, Romance
Published December 1st 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
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★★★★
Science Fiction, Romance
Published December 1st 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin
Add to Goodreads
★★★★
A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck, now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.
Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen year old computer hacker, a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.
Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.
When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.
Not a day goes by when Sofia isn't reminded of her broken father, his lifeless eyes as he walked into the military barracks on Avon with an explosive strapped to his body. Igniting a civil war between militants of LaRoux Industries and those who believe the gospel of Flynn Cormac, Sofia will stop at nothing to take the life of the man who destroyed her world.
Gideon is a computer hacker, able to infiltrate the most secure networks in the galaxy, include those owned by LaRoux Industries. He's an urban warrior on a mission to restore the sense of balance, his life having also been decimated by the power and greed that surround the LaRoux name. It isn't until he stumbles across Sofia and the two discovered as potential threats to LaRoux, the only way to survive is to combine forces, even if neither can trust the other.
Kelly's Thoughts
The Starbound series has been phenomenal and one of my favourite young adult series to date. Each installment introducing readers to a new couple of unlikely partners who form bonds and both having been touched by the devastation LaRoux Industries has inflected upon their worlds. Using deception and her cunning, Sofia can swindle her way into any situation, having shifted around between worlds since her father was killed. She certainly won't let her guard down for Gideon, the computer hacker that now has her on the run. Gideon has his own vendetta and through chance, the two reluctantly join forces.
Gideon is not only a hacker but a notorious keyboard warrior, keeping his online identity a mystery. Sofia wants more than to bring down the LaRoux empire and neither Sofia or Gideon can trust one another, keeping their own secrets of lies and deception. As the storyline progresses, the reader is reintroduced to the characters of previous installments, Lilac, Tarver, Jubilee and Flynn. It becomes apparent that LaRoux is on the verge of world domination and the team of unlikely heroes must find a way to coincide and save humanity.
Although I enjoyed their intense attraction, I felt Sofia and Gideon were more engaging as individuals and seemed to lose their identity once the romantic aspects of their partnership were introduced. Neither felt as developed as previous characters in the series. It isn't until the latter half of Their Fractured Light where the intensity increases tenfold. LaRoux Industries and the Whispers that were introduced in These Broken Stars are being used as a weapon against those on Corinth, before introducing the technology that ensures compliance to the rest of civilisation.
Suffice to say, the finale crescendo is absolutely epic. I gasped, laughed inappropriately, swooned, and felt the gauntlet of emotions before settling on utter contentment. Like previous installments, the storyline was intricate and beautifully paced. The world building is immaculate and vividly imagined, placing the reader among the stars with our young group of heroes. Even told in dual points of view, the chapters are seamless and show what remarkable authors both Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner truly are. Not many authors could create such a wildly imagined and beautiful series, that is also relatable through it's utterly charming and ragtag characters. The partnership they've formed is a forced to be reckoned with.
Gideon is not only a hacker but a notorious keyboard warrior, keeping his online identity a mystery. Sofia wants more than to bring down the LaRoux empire and neither Sofia or Gideon can trust one another, keeping their own secrets of lies and deception. As the storyline progresses, the reader is reintroduced to the characters of previous installments, Lilac, Tarver, Jubilee and Flynn. It becomes apparent that LaRoux is on the verge of world domination and the team of unlikely heroes must find a way to coincide and save humanity.
Although I enjoyed their intense attraction, I felt Sofia and Gideon were more engaging as individuals and seemed to lose their identity once the romantic aspects of their partnership were introduced. Neither felt as developed as previous characters in the series. It isn't until the latter half of Their Fractured Light where the intensity increases tenfold. LaRoux Industries and the Whispers that were introduced in These Broken Stars are being used as a weapon against those on Corinth, before introducing the technology that ensures compliance to the rest of civilisation.
Suffice to say, the finale crescendo is absolutely epic. I gasped, laughed inappropriately, swooned, and felt the gauntlet of emotions before settling on utter contentment. Like previous installments, the storyline was intricate and beautifully paced. The world building is immaculate and vividly imagined, placing the reader among the stars with our young group of heroes. Even told in dual points of view, the chapters are seamless and show what remarkable authors both Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner truly are. Not many authors could create such a wildly imagined and beautiful series, that is also relatable through it's utterly charming and ragtag characters. The partnership they've formed is a forced to be reckoned with.
An epic finale to what has been not only a beautifully written, but incredibly engaging and lovingly created series. Although I would have liked to have seen deeper character development of both Sofia and Gideon, I loved it regardless. The Starbound trilogy is without a doubt, one of, if not the best young adult science fiction series to date.The Final Verdict
Contains spoilers for book one and two in the series
Fall Twinmaker Book Three
Written by Sean Williams
Science Fiction, Dystopian
Published November 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Allen & Unwin Australia
★★★☆
Clair's world has been destroyed, again. The only remaining hope of saving her friends is for her and Q to enter the Yard, a digital world of Ant Wallace's creation. The rules there are the same as those of the real world. Water is real, fire is real, death is real. It all looks exactly the same as the world she used to know. But in the Yard there are two Clair Hills, and their very existence causes cracks that steadily widen.Getting inside is the easy part. Once there, Clair has to earn the trust of her friends, including the girl who started it all, her best friend, Libby. But they don't know what's happened to the real world, and the other Clair is headstrong, impulsive, suspicious - just like Clair herself used to be. And that makes her dangerous.As Clair struggles to find Jesse and make peace with herself, a surprising new ally emerges from the ashes of the world. Together they fight their way through the digital and political minefield in the hope of saving the world once and for all. This time Clair has to get it right or lose everything.
The world has turned to ruin and it's inhabitants all but lost. Clair faces an impossibly bleak future and is responsible for the decimation of millions of people worldwide when she destroyed the the booth technology in which humans travel instantly to anywhere in the world. The only landscape that now remains untouched is The Yard, a simulation created by the sinister Wallace, who wants nothing more than to destroy Clair. But now Clair faces an even greater challenge as she finds herself with a Dupe, a copy of herself that is seem as both illegal and immoral in her world. And she's isn't the only one.
To save the world, Clair must first gain the trust of those around her including her friends and members of the anti technology rebel group WHOLE. Her only companion is the artificial intelligence in Q, a girl who can infiltrate The Yard network. A series of glitches has not only left Q temporarily incapacitated but Clair seeing data ghosts. With her reality distorted, the fate of the world beyond the digital realm rests upon Clair's shoulders but will she sacrifice herself so that others can live?
This is where the storyline becomes far more intricate than I was able to fully comprehend. Clair has a Dupe, a copy of herself taken from scans shortly after the height of Improvement popularity and referred to as Clair One. Clair One is the more cynical, agitated and untrusting of the two. She is the version of Clair before the world was destroyed. But apart from Q and Clair's only ally in Peacekeeper Kari, her fellow characters seemed to prefer the company of Clair One, which begun to confuse me as to who the most original Clair was. Then enter Clair Three.
Three Clair's were two Clair's too many. It created confusion and seemingly slowed down what would usually be a fast paced and adventurous science fiction storyline, as readers discovered in both books one and two in the series. It felt much more masculine in nature than former series installments, which were softened by the romance between Clair and Jesse and while I did enjoy it for the most part, it did leave me frustrated and confused.
To save the world, Clair must first gain the trust of those around her including her friends and members of the anti technology rebel group WHOLE. Her only companion is the artificial intelligence in Q, a girl who can infiltrate The Yard network. A series of glitches has not only left Q temporarily incapacitated but Clair seeing data ghosts. With her reality distorted, the fate of the world beyond the digital realm rests upon Clair's shoulders but will she sacrifice herself so that others can live?
The Twinmaker series has been an incredibly unique world, lovingly created to keep readers on their toes and Fall is a worthy finale. But not without it's issues. Clair is back and out of favour with those around her, with most not able to trust the girl who destroyed the world. Although lost, she's determined to make a difference and leave behind a legacy so society can rebuild. The only respite lives with a virtual world simply known as The Yard, created by Wallace where he has not only manufactured a new reality, but has brought those who have passed back to life by creating Dupes, scans from a simpler time when society was naive. Friends and foes have been regenerated and most in the form of data ghosts, whispers that inundate Clair with warnings of a world lost. Not only does Clair appear to be destabilised, but those around her can no longer trust her. And with good reason.Kelly's Thoughts
This is where the storyline becomes far more intricate than I was able to fully comprehend. Clair has a Dupe, a copy of herself taken from scans shortly after the height of Improvement popularity and referred to as Clair One. Clair One is the more cynical, agitated and untrusting of the two. She is the version of Clair before the world was destroyed. But apart from Q and Clair's only ally in Peacekeeper Kari, her fellow characters seemed to prefer the company of Clair One, which begun to confuse me as to who the most original Clair was. Then enter Clair Three.
Three Clair's were two Clair's too many. It created confusion and seemingly slowed down what would usually be a fast paced and adventurous science fiction storyline, as readers discovered in both books one and two in the series. It felt much more masculine in nature than former series installments, which were softened by the romance between Clair and Jesse and while I did enjoy it for the most part, it did leave me frustrated and confused.
A worthy, although confusing finale to what has been an unique series driven by action and character development. Although I enjoyed it thoroughly for the most part, the confusion within the storyline left me slightly disappointed.The final verdict
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