Isn’t that cover exciting? It really sets the tone for the story, which starts off with a BANG, just like the cover conveys. Raven shows up out of nowIsn’t that cover exciting? It really sets the tone for the story, which starts off with a BANG, just like the cover conveys. Raven shows up out of nowhere, literally, and almost gets run over by a Mack truck. She is standing in the rain, bewildered, while the truck skids to a stop. The trucker, Jebbie, gets out and asks if she’s alright. But she isn’t. She is far from O.K., except she just doesn’t remember that yet. You see, Raven has lost all memory of her life previous to this moment. Of course, they come back to her throughout the book as she learns why she is in the year 2013. She’s from the future and has a mission, you see, and she’s been trained to carry it out. Booyah! After some serious action at the start of the book, Raven travels to New Haven, where she settles in to carry out her assassination. She creates an alias, moves in with a college student, and starts learning more about her target.
Either with a death ray (or plasma beam, in this case) or just some boot scootin’ ass kickin’, Raven is the sort of chic you want on your side in a fight. She’s tough, inside and out, and has some hardcore life experiences in the future to back up her bad assery in the now. That doesn’t mean Raven is only a lean, mean killing machine. She has a heart, and she has a brain, too. Smart enough to figure out assassination might not be the right course of action, Raven digs in deep and does some hands-on investigation with her target. Let’s just say that things get…complicated.
Raven was an exciting character. She had all the right strengths and flaws. It was great to learn about her memories right along with her. As she pieced her future life together, she grew into a great character. I was impressed with her character growth and I enjoyed watching her bloom like a deadly Venus fly trap. There were other notable characters, as well. You can always count on Jeff to give us at least one character that will bring the snort-laughs. Raven’s short run-in with trucker Jebbie was quite comical. He’s an older man, on the heavy side, with a Country twang and a good heart. His phrasing had me giggling profusely. “Devil’s Dingleberries” has to be my favorite.
Jeff’s take on time travel makes sense in my head. Time travel can be ridiculously confusing for me, especially in book-form. However, the explanations given by characters and situations work. I also love his take on the Time Nomad, which is a pretty interesting concept in this world. When you interfere with the past, which changes the future, you sometimes screw yourself right out of a, well, existence. Except you still exist, only to walk through time like a nomad. And your future you exists, as well, but in that new future you’ve created, that you cannot be a part of. Of course, there’s more to it than that, but it’s a neat concept.
Did I mention I enjoyed this book? Well, if you didn’t gather that by now, then I’m sending Raven after you. Watch yo back, sucka!...more
I received this book via Scholastic and it immediately peaked my interest. The premise is so interesting, and I definitely enjoy a good dystopian settI received this book via Scholastic and it immediately peaked my interest. The premise is so interesting, and I definitely enjoy a good dystopian setting. This disease called Ferae has ravaged the eastern part of the country and a massive wall was erected to keep the western population safe. Ferae causes mutation in humans, mutations with animalistic side effects. Bottom line, you don't want to catch Ferae, which is a blood born disease. A scientist is working hard to find a cure, since it is a man-made issue, but can man save himself?
The last half of the book is nothing like the first. Our main character, Lane, is also a very different character by the end of the book. Lane is on a very personal mission on the wrong side of the wall, and we all know how emotion can affect your thoughts and actions in the heat of the moment. I enjoyed her growth and believed her intensity and fear regarding her situation.
There is a love triangle. It doesn't bother me so much, but I'm just letting you know. The two guys were both great, and I adore them both for very different reasons. Rafe, the wild man that Lane meets when she ventures beyond the wall, is a sarcastic, fierce young man who makes a living off bringing down Ferals. He's a stark contrast to Everson, the Line Guard that keeps the wall safe from Ferals who may try and breach the wall. Everson appears more calm and calculating, with a tad more tact and softness.
The world building was super cool. It didn't start out extremely interesting, but as the plot builds, so does the setting and characters. The outside world is super dangerous as Lane quickly learns. She is a very trusting young girl and has a huge, compassionate heart. These traits aren't necessarily beneficial in this world, and Lane has to learn to listen to her instincts more. The setting at the end of the book was so rocksauce! It felt like a twisted Alice In Wonderland, with some equally twisted characters and situations. My kinda book, indeed....more
I met Rick Yancey at the Decatur Book Festival this past weekend. I’ve definitely heard about this book and read some reviews, but it was not high on I met Rick Yancey at the Decatur Book Festival this past weekend. I’ve definitely heard about this book and read some reviews, but it was not high on my priority list. That is, until I head Rick talk about this book. Let’s just say he hooked me, and hooked me good. I love his intelligent approach to an alien invasion. It seems he combined elements from post-apocalyptic and alien invasion stories and combined them in a way that makes so much sense and is ridiculously scary to think about. The world-building was just fantastic, but it is a world you need to experience firsthand. I will refrain from flailing too much about the waves of destruction the aliens perform to eradicate humans from Earth.
I inhaled this book over the weekend. The characters were interesting and spoke volumes to my heart. Cassie, our main character, has been struggling to survive on her own in a world full of terror and destruction. She cannot trust anyone at this point and appears lost and hopeless. Cassie’s fear never leaves her, but she grows over the course of the story into a young lady determined to keep a promise to her 5 year old brother, Sammy. I loved her determination, will to survive, and fierceness as she fights her way through enemy territory to retrieve her brother.
There are two boys. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will leave out identifying information. They both have interesting backgrounds and play a large part in Cassie’s life, in very different ways. One of them is sincere, protective and mysterious, which causes some serious anxiety in Cassie. Another has left behind a care-free life to become a hard-core soldier. I have such awesome characteristics to mention about these guys, but it will surely spoil their role in the story. They are both fantastic and I really enjoyed their page time.
All in all, the book was just exciting! Learning about the different waves was terrifying and interesting, and I enjoyed how the background of the attacks was spread through out the book, as Cassie revisits life in memories, both heart-warming and terrifying. I really enjoyed the pacing, the different points of view, and the build-up to the main events at the end. The writing was strong, and I enjoyed every page!...more
[image]
Fun tidbit: This was a book club pick. We chatted with the author during book club, and she mentioned that the titles of the
[image]
Fun tidbit: This was a book club pick. We chatted with the author during book club, and she mentioned that the titles of the books were going to be a complete sentence. I find that uber cool!
This book made me immediately think of the show Heroes. It was very reminiscent of the tragic experiences those characters endured because of their uniqueness. I think this book would make an excellent action-packed movie and I think Hollywood needs to jump on it. The world is dark, adults have lost their damn minds, and as usual, take extreme measures. Apparently, some crazy disease called Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration, was wreaking havoc on the youth of the world. Many died and the ones that were left behind were becoming...different. The world quickly became frightened of these leftover children and their new abilities, so they did what humans ALWAYS do when they are scared or don't understand something: they locked up the kids in concentration camps or prisons. The children were grouped into colors based on their abilities. Some were able to control elements or objects. The more dangerous children could control minds. These Oranges were sought out via strategic testing and killed due to their lethality.
Ruby is more than what we see on the surface, and when it comes time for her test, she does what any scared, lonely child would: she lies and manipulates her way to safety. After a nerve-racking escape attempt, Ruby finds herself on the outside. She is with people she does not know and is unsure who to trust. She endures a dangerous journey with a group of kids she meets, kids just like her who are searching for the man who can lead them to a safe haven. I liked Ruby's voice. She was easy to connect with and believe, as she was going through many of the motions that teenagers experience. And she had such innocence and fragility, especially when it came to her powers and how they have tragically affected her own personal life.
Liam stood out to me. In fact, I adore him and his intelligence, tenderness, protectiveness and the way he says darlin'. His care and concern for young, lonely, lost Suzume made my heart soar with happiness and joy. He did not have to help her. She likely slowed him down at times, and she had her own uncontrollable power to deal with. But he helped her. He cared for and nurtured her. I cannot forget that. And then he lets Ruby in. Their relationship develops slowly and under the radar, but there are moments that made me sigh. Like page 312. THAT SCENE. ♥ He is so swoon-worthy. *sigh*
The banter between Chubs and Liam is epic. Holy crap, I love these two boys something fierce and they should never, ever be apart. They are so loyal and dedicated. Chubs doesn't let Ruby in easily, and is pretty damn loud and clear about his feelings regarding her intrusion in their lives. However, Chubs being who he is, eventually breaks when he realizes Ruby is the real deal. All Chubs wants is to keep his people safe, at any cost. By the end of the story, Chubs was probably the most incredible character. And Suzume, who will grab your heart in her adorable little rubber-gloved hands and squeeze the love right out of you. What a freakin sweet, scared, wanting nothing more than to be loved and protected, child. I can haz one?
The ending broke my heart. I was totally freaking out and I pray that things get better in the next book. I NEED THINGS TO GET BETTER, plzkthx. Favorite Quote
Oh my. I cannot state the love I feel for Roar in words. It just ain't possible, peeps. I loved him something fierce in Under the Never Sky, but he beOh my. I cannot state the love I feel for Roar in words. It just ain't possible, peeps. I loved him something fierce in Under the Never Sky, but he became something so much more in this novella. Larger than life, he leaped into my sappy heart and nestled in for the long haul. He is full of life and love and vulnerable at all the right times. He's a great friend, a dedicated partner and an incredible man. I honestly don't think I've swooned so hard over a secondary character in well, ever. I pretty much want an entire series from Roar's POV. Make it happen, Rossi! :Þ
I was so very interested in his personal story with Liv. This snippet into their relationship MOVED me. It was thoughtful and emotional and made me FEEL lots of emotions. Seeing life through Roar's eyes was like being home. It felt right, it felt warm and safe, and most of all, it felt full of love. That Liv, she's a lucky soul and I pray that they have a happy ending!
Ok, so I'll get to Roar in a moment, but just know he was the highlight of this book. Hell, of this series! Now, on to the meat and potatoe
[image]
Ok, so I'll get to Roar in a moment, but just know he was the highlight of this book. Hell, of this series! Now, on to the meat and potatoes of the plot. This installment was a serious emotional ride, on all levels, with all characters. Aria and Perry are reunited after months apart. She is anything but welcome into the Tides, and it proves difficult for her and Perry's relationship. Perry does his best to see she is treated fairly, but only he can do so much, and he is not in all places at all times. An ugly event occurs that sends Aria and Roar off into the wilderness. Of course, their journey is not aimless. They are headed toward the Rim to seek out the Blood Lord, Sable, and find Liv! If you haven't been paying attention, Liv is Roar's past and he wants her to be his future, too. Unlucky for him, Liv was promised to Sable by her older brother, Vale, in exchange for food and supplies for the Tides, who struggle to survive through the seasons. Quite the predicament, you see? Also, Aria is on a mission to find the location of the Still Blue, the mysterious promised land, free of Aether storms and full of life and prosperity. Ahhh...one can dream....
PERRY! I cannot express the emotions I felt when he was struggling with his new-found responsibilities. He is confident one minute, and then his confidence is torn to shreds the next. He constantly struggles with being the leader his people expect and protecting them at all costs. He makes quick decisions based on emotion, throwing rationality out the window. But...that's Perry! It's ingrained in his nature to protect first and deal with the consequences later. His people want him to be rational and realize he is more important alive, but Perry is all about jumping in head first without thinking the risks through. There is a scene in the book where Perry is brought to his knees by overwhelming emotion, and I was brought to mine, too. Well, I was laying in my bed, but I was on my knees in spirit. (Get your minds out of the gutter!)
Moving on. ARIA! And PERRY! Squee! Sob! Smile! Cry! And many more !!! These two are so off-the-charts special. Fate brought them together, they struggled to understand and even like the other, and their destinies are enmeshed to hell. Throughout their struggles, an intense romance has bloomed and they are now fighting to save the lives of their people and each other. I mean, they have not had a chance to breath since their first meeting, let alone find the time to fall in love. Yet they still manage to FEEL and SHOW their love and affection, even in the smallest of ways. It's like... all beautiful and shit.
“Do you ever miss anything?'
Perry smiled. 'You, all the time.”
Now, collectively..."awwwwwwwwwww!" You know you said it, or thought it. Don't try to lie about it. You feel the same sappy, cheesy feels I do. ;) Now I get to talk about THE MAN OF THE HOUR. Or Book. Or Series, really. Roar, aka Made of Awesome. Aka, My Favorite Secondary Character in YA. As swoon-worthy as this guy is, I don't even have romantic feelings towards him. Yes, we readers have romantic feelings towards our swoony characters. Don't judge. Or else.
[image]
Back to THE MAN. Roar. Dear Heavens, this poor guy was put through the ringer in this book, and thus, so was I! Lots of SADS. Lots of cries and whimpers and HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO US, ROSSI! *first of dooms* Roar...it's hard to put into words my thoughts about this character. The ease at which Aria connected with him in book one because of his simple, carefree, love life attitude, the passion and compassion that he possesses that allows him to throw himself into situations, safe or otherwise, with such abandon...the overwhelming feelings I FEEL when I think about what he experienced in this book, and how I would MOVE MOUNTAINS to see this guy happy. He is just one of those people, those rare, rare people, that are almost perfect. Yet, he isn't, and his vulnerability and blind passion are what make him worth loving and fighting for. SO MUCH LOVE.
The world-building expanded, especially near the end, when Cinder become a serious piece of the story! Holy firecracker, Batman! This kid surprised me, not only with his actions, but with his purpose in the overall plot. Into the Still Blue is bound to be a traumatic and treacherous journey for the Tides, and this kid is at the center of it all. Freaking out! Favorite Quote
Love was like the waves in the sea, gentle and good sometimes, rough and terrible at others, but that it was endless and stronger than the sky and earth and everything in between.
I've been wanting to read this series since I met Veronica Rossi last year in Miami. Seeing her again just recently, I was reminded that this book is soooo up my alley, in terms of genre and world- building. And then Amanda and Cassie decided to do a read-along, and well, it was destiny. I went into it expecting fantastic characters, intense world-building and a simmering, intense romance. I got that and so much more!
The world-building in this book was so great! The world has been burned and mutilated by Aether storms. Aether is some sort of fire/lightning combo that is wild in the sky, uncontrollable and lethal. Humanity built pods to house the populations in, and with that came some interesting and creative uses of technology to keep humans from going stir crazy. SmartEyes whisk people away to virtual reality Realms, and since they are connected to your brain via your...wait for it....eye, they are able to take over your senses and trick your mind into believing that you are truly experiencing whatever you are currently doing. Everything, apparently...
Roar leaned across the table and smiled at her seductively, his dark hair falling into his eyes. "When you say everything happens in the Realms, do you mean everything?'
Aria laughed nervously."Yes. Especially that.There are no risks in the Realms."
Roar's smile widened. "You simply think it and it happens? And it actually feels real?"
"Why are we talking about this?"
"I need a Smarteye," he said.
I think the SmartEyes are hella cool, but as with any crazy futuristic setting where technology is overused, I strongly feel like we can easily lose ourselves to it and eventually, lose our personal connections. Nobody really knows anyone, nobody touches or feels or smells anything real because it does not exist in the pods. So, when Aria finds herself on the outside for the first time ever, her senses are overwhelmed. It makes for an intense and horrifying experience as she struggles to survive in harsh terrain. As with many heroines in these stories, however, Aria gets her shit together eventually and surprises the characters and reader alike. I ended up loving the hell out of this girl by the end of the book.
Peregrine (because I do not like the name Perry) is a beautiful specimen, both inside and out. He encompasses many of the qualities that I look for in a male lead. He has to overcome great odds, he loves with all of his heart and he is a fierce opponent. Growing up on the outside in harsh conditions, Peregrine's life has been anything but easy. He has constantly struggled to feed himself, has an intense connection to his nephew and challenge's his brother's authority at every turn. His honest, protective, vulnerable soul set my heart ablaze. I love this guy! I also absolutely adored his friend, Roar. There I go loving the secondary characters to pieces again! He brightened the pages with his presence. ♥
I loved the world-building, but I think the best part about this book is the connection between Aria and Peregrine. They are enemies, at first, hostile, prejudiced and unwelcoming towards one another. I think most of it stemmed from fear of the unknown, and plain ole ignorance. Aria has been in the dark about reality her entire life, and Peregrine has intense feelings about Dwellers and how they view and treat Outsiders. As with any biases and stereotypes, they can be broken down if the people are open to the idea. I don't think either character was consciously open to it, but curiosity got the best of them, not to mention all the incredible things they learned from one another. The attraction, respect and dignity that grew out of their time together was a beautiful thing to watch unfold, and I am rooting for these two 110%.
Favorite Quote
"Perry. I want to see your back."
Another surprise, but he nodded and turned away. Dropped his head forward and took the moment to try and calm his breath. He jerked when she traced the shape of the wings on his skin, a groan sliding out of him. Perry silently cursed himself. He couldn't have sounded more savage if he'd tried.
"Sorry," she whispered... "He's magnificent. Like you," she added softly.
Interest in Book:Dark Inside was like crack. I could not tear my eyes away from the devastation and horror that the chaCourtesy of Smash Attack Reads
Interest in Book:Dark Inside was like crack. I could not tear my eyes away from the devastation and horror that the characters were surrounded by. Their hope and perseverance was just as addicting. I had to know where their bleak lives would lead. Into the mouth of Hell, no doubt. But I had faith, I tell you!
World-Building: The story opens 3 weeks prior to the end of days events in Dark Inside. We get glimpses into what was happening into the character's liver prior, and it appears that they were all experiencing signs that the end was near. When present day is back in focus, we learn that it is 3 months after the earthquakes. The four main characters from Dark Inside are now banded together along with various others. They have been surviving in a large home by gathering food, staying off the "Baggars" radar and trying to figure out what has happened to the world. They all face death head-on as they use their love and compassion for humanity to save people who have not been overtaken by evil. Unfortunately for them, evil is a sneaky bastard.
Characters: More perspectives are introduced into the foray and I loved that Daniel's was one of them. As suspected, this character really surprised me, especially at the end of the story. He is quite the special one, and I am looking forward to where his internal struggles take him in the next book. Clementine and Michael begin searching the university's campus for her brother, Heath, and stumble upon a survivor camp. The whole set-up appeared very cult-like but they did befriend, Raj, who brought smiles and humor to the pages. Aries is sneaking out at night to meet Daniel, who remains mysterious and refuses to live with the lot of them. Mason was quite the surprise in this book, and I believe he had the most personal growth. He steps up his game and really puts his ass on the line for the team, even though he constantly second guesses which team he is on.
Lasting Impressions: Lots of surprises, heartache and some triumphs occur in this exciting and treacherous sequel. I have not been so excited to read a series of books in some time and I am so upset that I have to wait for numerous months for the next one. We get a lot of emotion and action on both ends of the good vs. bad scale. I am seriously nervous for what lay in store for these characters!...more
Loading...
![[image]](https://listgame.netlify.app/host-http-www.smashattackreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/57cusogqlkb9ft0dippv4ugu011362953670.png){kind=link}
![[image]](https://listgame.netlify.app/host-http-www.smashattackreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WP_000713.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](https://listgame.netlify.app/host-http-www.smashattackreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Ash-Sign3.png){kind=link}
![[image]](https://listgame.netlify.app/host-http-www.smashattackreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Roar.png){kind=link}
![[image]](https://listgame.netlify.app/host-http-www.smashattackreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/In-Love.png){kind=link}
