Title: Sick
Author: Tom Leveen
Book #: Standalone
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publish Date: October 1st 2013
Pages: n/a
Format: Kindle Edition
Date Read : September 11th 2013
Rating: ★★★★★ / out of 5
I peek through one of the windows, and the other guys crowd around behind me.
"Holy...," Travis whispers.
The parking lot is a killing field.
Summary:
Brian and his friends are not part of the cool crowd. They’re the misfits and the troublemakers—the ones who jump their high school’s fence to skip class regularly. So when a deadly virus breaks out, they’re the only ones with a chance of surviving.
The virus turns Brian’s classmates and teachers into bloodthirsty attackers who don’t die easily. The whole school goes on lockdown, but Brian and his best friend, Chad, are safe (and stuck) in the theater department—far from Brian’s sister, Kenzie, and his ex-girlfriend with a panic attack problem, Laura. Brian and Chad, along with some of the theater kids Brian had never given the time of day before, decide to find the girls and bring them to the safety of the theater. But it won’t be easy, and it will test everything they thought they knew about themselves and their classmates.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)
Review: I received a free copy of this book for review.
Just a warning: This book contains very gory scenes, as well as heavy profanity
Technically, this is not a "zombie" book. While I will refer to the sick people as zombies, for the sake of my review, we learn that they are in fact not animated corpses. Just putting that out there!
The only "zombie" related YA books I remember in detail reading are This is Not a Test and The Infects. While I absolutely loved This is Not a Test, it felt more like a contemporary set in a zombie-turned-world, than it did a zombie action novel. The Infects was definitely closer to what I would want to see in a zombie novel, but pales in comparison to how I felt while and after reading Sick.
__________
I think that both the characters and the story were done very well. While I have not seen The Breakfast Club, based off of this synopsis, I feel like the book does follow a similar (but not exact) plot line:
"The story line follows five teenagers, each a member of a different high school clique, as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all more than their respective stereotypes." Taken from Wikipedia.
The story follows Brian and his group of friends as they discover themselves trapped in their high school while the majority of the student body turn into mad, flesh-eating zombies right before their eyes. They see their friends succumb to the sickness, get eaten by the zombies, and face the inevitable unknown of what is becoming of the rest of the world. Cut off from their friends, families and homes, this diverse group of stereotypical students barricade themselves in the drama department.
Brian's largest concern, after trying to not get his face eaten by his former high school-ers, is that his sister and ex-girlfriend are safe. All he knows for most of the book is that they are not with him, and are possible no longer alive.
"If there's a chance I can do something to get my sister out of here, I'm taking it. We didn't go through a year of hell together just to lose each other now. I don't know how, and I don't care, but I'm going to fin her and get her out of here. Laura too."
I really enjoyed seeing Brian battle between saving himself, or saving those he cared about. In the end, Brian always chose the latter. He decided to brave the outside and face the hordes in order to find his sister, then again to find his ex, and yet again to make sure that they get the group to safety. That last major scene where Brian puts his life in the line of danger was very heroic, and I found it a fitting way to end the story as I had overall admired his character throughout the entire book.
The other side characters are great. This is where I can image The Breakfast Club reference. While, again, I have not seen the movie, it appears to be a group of high school-ers from different parts of the food chain, who are in a situation where they are all mixed together. In Sick, we don't see too many different stereotypes, but the most obvious ones are the "gay kid", "the drama kids" and "the punk". These are portrayed by the characters Travis, Jaime and his group, and Chad.
These characters did not get along at all in the beginning, and for most of the book many insults are thrown around. It wasn't until the very end that we see a change in their personalities, as they have been through Hell together.
By far, my favorite aspect of this book is the science. Brian's mother is a scientist (doctor?) who is working very closely to with the outbreak and, since he has the only working phone, we are in contact with her a few times throughout the book. Every time she is brought into the conversation, we get bits and pieces of the whats and whys of this infection. There is a lot of explanation, actually, so here is just a snippet:
"..something strange happened in Arroyo. Several days ago, by the looks of it. Some kind of outbreak. Our preliminary findings indicate an unknown pathogen. A bacteria similar to the one found in patients with septic arthritis. Patient Zero may have been an older diabetic man suffering from gout."
Also, just the mention of the CDC is enough to make my nerd-senses tingle!
As the book ends, the story doesn't. The problem is never solved. There isn't a miracle cure found in the last few pages of the book that cures everyone. The are still sick. People are still dying. And the characters we meet are left off still trying to survive. It is because of this ending that I almost wish for a sequel. Especially after This is Not a Test left off with a very similar open ending.
Overall, this is by far one my new favorite books, zombie or not! And I hope that, even if it doesn't meet your expectations, you will still enjoy it.
Quotes:
"What's up, Kenzie?" Chad says. He tugs on a smile, disfiguring his face.
Kenzie shrugs. Chad tries not to pout.
Kenzie, the delicate flower, swears and shoves a hand into my sternum, knocking my breath out for one heartbeat. She hates it when I call her Mack.
We rarely have any weather besides freaking hot or pretty nice out.
Freaking high school, man.
"I'm in the mood for anything whose instructions include the phrase 'Until golden brown.'"
"Golden brown," I say. "That could be your rap star name."
And we all laugh like the idiots we are. Ditching kicks ass.
"I'm not ditching her," I say. "I don't ditch people. Not unless they ditch me first."
"Jack, do you hear yourself when you talk?"
"Eh. I tune in and out."
"Woah!" Jack shouts, and ducks like the helicopter is going to land on him. Then he climbs into the backseat and shuts the door. "Man, they were hauling ass. Get to the choppah! Mooove! Go!" he shouts through the window in his best Schwarzenegger voice, which doesn't amount to much.
"Sup, Jay-me?" Chad says, giving Jaime a jab to the shoulder as we walk past.
Jaime shuts his eyes, like he's counting to ten or something. "It's Hi-may, you ass factory. Hi. May."
"Well, hi may or hi may not!"
"... shit" Travis finishes.
"You're gonna need a bigger boat," Chad whispers. I'm so scared, I actually snicker.
"We don't know if anyone's comin' to get us at all," Chad points out.
"They will," Jaime says.
He stars climbing up the stairs.
"The will," he says again.
If he'd just said it once, I'd buy it. But that second time... I don't think he believes it himself.
"The one with the big-ass white peace symbol on the window?"
Damon nods.
"Is that even a little bit ironic considering you have a gun under the seat?"
"I'm a pretty complicated gentleman," Damon says with a sick grin.
Being a teenager sucks. You're not an adult, but not really a kid anymore. We spend most of our time pushing for all the adult stuff. Cars and money and all that. But when Jaime says homelike that, I swear to god I stop to six years old because I understand instantly what he means.
I just want to go home too.
"We handles the food issue first," Jaime says. "Then we talk rescue operation, recon, and escape."
"Wow," Chad says. "That kinda gives me a boner, I'm not gonna lie."
The kid leaps, arms outstretched. It looks for one moment like his teeth have grown longer; then I realize it's that his gums have eroded.
Jesus, what is this shit?
"Fuckin' zombies," he says.
"Yeah," I say.
"Do you know anything more about this infection yet? What are we dealing with?"
Mom sighs again. "The bacteria shares traits with Group A streptococcus, which leads to necrotizing fasciitis."
"I'm sorry, can we get that in American?" Cammy says.
"Flesh-eating disease," Mom says after a pause.
I did not believe any of us were going to get out of here alive. Kenzie's gaze was sharp, glinting. There are also circles under her eyes, and I imagine mine don't look much different. But you don't go through something like she did without getting something out of it. In her case, I think it's fearlessness. Strength.
Will.
"Fuck anyone who wants to give up. Not me. Not ever, not on anyone. We have to be better than them."
"Well... do you feel like killing someone?" Jaime goes.
"Just you, nutsack."
Cammy snorts. "Sounds healthy to me."
"And then when we found out you matched, you just said yes. Just said it. That made me want to fight again. I was so tired, but I wanted to fight for you because you were going to fight for me."
"It's Chad o'clock, motherfuckers!" he howls, and even though I'm about to fight for my life, I start laughing me ass off. Laughing, or shrieking.
Before I can get up, another infected kid jumps towards me, mouth open, teeth glittering, bone sticking out of his front arm. I figure he'll be the last think I see as I hear a thousand voices screaming my name into the cold winter November air.
All right, I hear myself think. This is it. This is how it ends.
A thousand and one action movies unspool in my mind, starring me as the Hero: ways I could have tried to save everyone, ways I could have done something- or everything- different.
"Who are we? I mean, who are we now?"
My sister doesn't answer for a minute. Finally, she just whispers, "I love you."
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to stop shaking.
"I love you too."
Maybe someday life will somehow get back to normal. Maybe someday they can save Hollis. Maybe me and Kenzie and Laura and Cammy... and Travis and Serena and even John, all of them, every last one of them, we'll head out together. Sit on a roof like at Chad's this morning. No- no, on the ground. We'll sit together on the ground and eat cookies and microwave pizza.
Maybe someday... I'll be human.
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/712268705
Title: Mothership
Author: Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
Book #: 1st of Trilogy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster books for Young Readers
Publish Date: June 10th 2012
Pages: 308
Format: Hardcover
Date Read : September 10th 2013
Rating: ★★★½ / out of 5
The Goober is still kicking me like the kid's trying to place in the Olympic freestyle, so I wrap my right arm as tight around my belly as I can, until I'm, like, choke-holding my own stomach, and I tell the thing, "When you get out of there, bub, the two of us are going to have words."
Summary:
Elvie Nara was doing just fine in the year 2074. She had a great best friend, a dad she adored, and bright future working on the Ares Project on Mars. But then she had to get involved with sweet, gorgeous, dumb-as-a-brick Cole—and now she’s pregnant.
Getting shipped off to the Hanover School for Expecting Teen Mothers was not how Elvie imagined spending her junior year, but she can go with the flow. That is, until a team of hot commandos hijacks the ship—and one of them turns out to be Cole. She hasn’t seen him since she told him she’s pregnant, and now he’s bursting into her new home to tell her that her teachers are aliens and want to use her unborn baby to repopulate their species? Nice try, buddy. You could have just called.
So fine, finding a way off this ship is priority number one, but first Elvie has to figure out how Cole ended up as a commando, work together with her arch-nemesis, and figure out if she even wants to be a mother—assuming they get back to Earth in one piece.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)
Review:
This book is a super fun, light read about the future, pregnancy and aliens. It has the concept of a contemporary with the feel of a science-fiction adventure. While this is definitely not something I would normally read, I am glad I did. This book is hilarious. Elvie is sassy and super smart, and I knew that I would want her by my side during an alien invasion! I also really liked the side characters Ducky and Ramona. I thought they were good friends for Elvie.
What is up with that love interest, though? Elvie literally states multiple times that he is dumb as a bag of bricks. Even dumber than that, actually. But, of course, his super good looks are utterly irresistible and he "loves Elvie" so she loves him and forgives him, too. I wasn't really a big fan of him or the romance, but I don't hold it against the book too much.
Unfortunately, what I do hold against the book is the plot. It started off very fun and not too uncomplicated, and then soon became way too messed up for what it started out to be. I'm not going to go into too much detail, but basically there are two different races of aliens, one "good" and the other "bad", and they both want these pregnant teenage girls. Honestly, though, I had a hard time seeing the one as good:
"So you're saying we'd be hunkered down in caves, counting on our fingers and toes, without you guys? Scratching pictures on walls and humming to ourselves, is that it? That justifies selective sterilization?"
"Humankind has flourished with us."
"Maybe the species has flourished. But not the poor girls you rob of any choice of what to do with their bodies. What to do with their lives. They're just incubators to you."
This is basically my argument. Enough said. And, at this point, I was expecting the girls to revolt and refuse the "good" aliens' help. Unfortunately, they did not, but they were also in a very sticky situation as they were stranded on a spaceship. Who knows what will happen in the second book!
Then, and this I will talk about even less, there is quite the discussion of abortion/termination of these weeks away from being due babies. I am not going to state my opinion on the matter, but I will say that I admire the protagonist for choice, and the message she sent:
I don't know anything about the Goober, not really. I don't know what he'll look like, act like, want to eat. He'll be a completely foreign creature to me, without a single strand of my DNA.
What I do know, though, is that he could grow up to be someone amazing. Important. How could I deny the world a child who may one day grow up to cure CMS? Or compose the next great symphony? Or develop a brave new political philosophy?
And if I raise the baby, I can make it more than simply the sum of the great genes it was born with. I can teach it the things that make human beings so wonderful- the joy of blowing bubbles on a sunny day, the oppotunity to go to school, to have a family. The unconditional love of a real, true parent who already knows that great things lie in store for him, and can help prepare him for them. If I raise this baby, it will be mine, DNA or not. When it comes to caring for the species or caring for the individual, sometimes you don't have to choose.
My mind made up at last, I wrestle my phone out of my pocket and open a new message box.
keeping it
Overall, even though Elvie had so many plans for her life and worried that having a baby would ruin them, she learns that she can still do those things. She doesn't have to let having a baby hold her back. I really found her to be a strong and easily admirable character. I would totally recommend this book!
Quotes:
I wanted to ask her if when her baby's born she's going to cut the horns off right away, or wait until the kid is older. But I'm a civil sort of gal, and civil sorts of gals don't say things like that.
I'm really hoping he'll go and get E. coli soon so I can donate my kidney and make it up to him, but so far he seems totally healthy. Which if you ask me is just being selfish.
But it turns out that the kind of guy you want to raise a baby with isn't always the kind you want to make one with in the first place.
"Watching soap operas without female company shrivels my man parts."
"You can make it!" I shout at her.
Ramona is less encouraging. "Bitch, drop the beach ball!"
"Conjugate this, asshole," she tells him, then socks him square in the jaw.
"Cole is the Picasso of Lower Merion High School," I tell Ramona. I point to my baby bump. "Behold, Guernica."
"Aaahhh," she says, nodding in Cole's direction. "Well, it's nice to meet the artist in his prime."
Which is more important to save- the individual or the group?
"Come on. That's it. Hoo-hoo-hooo, hee-hee,hee, hoo-hoo-hoo..."
"Keep that up, and I'm going to hit you right in your 'hoo-hoo.'"
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/716761577
Title: The Rising
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Book #: 3rd of Trilogy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: April 2nd 2013
Pages: 406
Format: Hardcover
Date Read : September 7th 2013
Rating: ★★★½ / out of 5
"Okay. Can you help? Or can you give us the name of someone who can? Please?"
"No," A pause. "I'm sorry."
She hung up.
Summary:
Maya and the two friends she has left are still reeling from the discovery of what they really are and what the people who are after them are willing to risk to get them back.
But the stakes are higher now- they are on the run with no way to find help, their friends are being held hostage, as well as their parents who may or may not know about their children's supernatural powers, and Maya fears that, without the proper medical care, she and her friends might succumb to the unknown side effects of their powers.
She will have to face friends, enemies and unexpected allies if she plans to ever get the answers she is looking for.
Review:
While this is far from being one of my favorite series, I can't deny that I love Ms. Armstrong's writing style. It hooked me again from the start of this book, and kept me engrossed the entire time, even when I wanted to give up on this story.
__________
I think the characters are good. Not great, but good. I really liked watching them all interact with each other and I can't help but admire the relationship Maya has with her two best guy friends. Corey and Daniel are a great support system, albeit one more serious than the other. The were pretty much always together, the three of them, and there's never a dull moment when Corey is around.
Maya is definitely a tough, very headstrong character and I admired her for it, as well. She is capable of making her own decisions and doesn't stand for anyone's B.S.
While we don't see the love interest, Rafe, as much, I actually didn't mind. The main focus in this book isn't so much so on the romance, but more on trying to figure out and fix their situation. I was really able to appreciate this and thank the author for not making Maya a complete love-sick mess. Yes, she misses Rafe, but she knows where her priorities lie.
This is where I had a few problems, though, which kept me from really enjoying this book and the series as a whole. I do like the overall idea of supernatural races being resurrected, and it's pretty cool that all these teenage kids have powers. Where can I get mine? However, there is just a lot of information to process. Maybe, for me at least, this series will require a re-read because I just have never been able to put together exactly who's who and what they want. There is a bunch of different "cabals", different experiments references, and a bunch of blurred intentions and shady motives. I was able to enjoy it based off of what I could put together, but I can't help but feel like I'm still missing something.
Another thing that was kind of a let down, was the fact that, like with the first two books, I wasn't really liking the flow of the plot. It just felt like a cat-mouse-chase that was exciting at first, but got really annoying after awhile. Maya and her friends would get some where in their search finally, only to have to run away from the cabal. Get some where again, and then run away. Get some where, run away. I almost just wanted them to get captured after a certain point, just so I didn't have to see them almost get some where again, only to have to run away. Again.
And, while this isn't so much so a problem I had with the book so I don't hold it against it or anything, does anyone else feel.. unsettled about the ending? (view spoiler)
Overall, as far as ending the series is concerned, I think this book does a decent job. I wouldn't mind seeing a continuation, though, because there is some unsettled business. Despite my reservations, I really do like this series. It was one of the first YA books that I read and for that, I feel a special connection to it. I also do love the writing style, and cannot wait to check out more of Ms. Armstrong's books!
Quotes:
"Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you guys supposed to be dead? Currently being chased by two Cabals? You're waltzing around Vancouver, eating in restaurants?"
"Hell, no," Corey said. "I never waltz. I do the fox-trot sometimes, though."
"You shouldn't have to put up with that," he muttered as they called out suggestions behind us.
"Every girl has to put up with that. It doesn't matter what color her skin is."
"Did she just call me cute?" Corey said.
Haley turned on Tori. "Did you just flirt with my boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?" Corey said.
"Are you coming?" I ask Corey. "Or staying to flirt back?"
"Bossy, isn't she?" Tori said.
"Yeah, I think it's hot," Corey said with a grin.
Because sometimes fighting wasn't the smart choice. It was just the stubborn, proud choice.
"And I hope- really hope- that no matter what you decide, I'll keep on being your friend. Whatever happens, I don't want to lose you, Maya."
I brandished the knife. "If you say he takes care of me again, I'll have the Nasts open a time portal and send you back to the nineteenth century, where I'm sure you'll be much happier."
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/436929960
Title: Hades
Author: Alexandria Adornetto
Book #: 2nd of Trilogy
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publish Date: August 30th 2011
Pages: 424
Format: Hardcover
Date Read (Throwback) : September 10th 2012
Rating: ★★★★ / out of 5
Summary:
Bethany and Xavier managed to keep their love strong against the struggles they faced in the first book. However, will it be strong enough to survive the depths of Hell?
Can their love survive against all odds?
Review:
So, to begin my review I will say that again, I was very very very happy with this book and this trilogy so far.
I do not know if the author herself is a Christian, but I have never read a book quite like this. It is a religious story, I assume because it talks so much about God and Lucifer, but it is not religious enough that it would deter even a non-believer from reading. I find it great the way the author intertwines the religious and fantasy aspects.
__________
When this books starts, everything is going somewhat fine and dandy in the lives of Beth and her friends. That is, until she is willingly kidnapped and taken hostage into the underworld.
I do agree that Xavier is a bit of a fantasy himself, being that he is the true image of a knight in shining armor, the kind of guys that we girls really do not see on a daily basis. I think that we can all agree that pretty much every teen romance novel has a overly personified version of "the perfect guy" in it.
I also have to say that, although I could still see myself in the main character, Bethany, I kept thinking about how uncertain I was about some of her decisions. However, the book had a decently happy ending (the cliff hanging at the end is killing me!) which is mostly important to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Though the idea of angels as guardians isn't completely new to YA, I feel this book does it justice. Then, of course, there is the author writing style which I love. Alexandria has a way of making it impossible for me to stop reading because I absolutely need to know what happens next!
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/412241897
Title: Halo
Author: Alexandria Adornetto
Book #: 1st of Trilogy
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publish Date: August 21st 2010
Pages: 484
Format: Hardcover
Date Read (Throwback) : September 10th 2012
Rating: ★★★★ / out of 5
The angel came, the angel saw, the angel fell.
Summary:
Angels are raining down from Heaven, trying to save a world that is quickly crumbling into darkness. They are each given an assignment: Save as many as you can.
For Gabriel, Ivy and Bethany, that means setting up camp in tiny Venus Cove and try to bring back faith and hope into the lives of these people; to open up their hearts.
Everything goes according to plan, that is, until Bethany opens that heart of a young-man who's heart has been closed since the tragic death of his girlfriend.
Can she save them both? Or will love be what ruins them?
Review:
I very much enjoy reading books where I can see myself in the main character, or at least one of the characters. It makes the book more personal, and I find myself saying agreeing with many of the characters habits or speech patterns.
However, I felt that Bethany made very rash decisions.I guess I sort of expected a bit more but, at the same time it's been a reoccurring theme in some of the books I have been reading to have the main character make some unwise decisions and then have to sort them through. I guess I just wished that she would have been a little more cautious, especially with her being an angel. But, then again, to make mistakes is to be human, and Bethany is pretty much a human at this point.
As far as angel books are concerned, though, I really like it when the author tries to make it realistic and pulls it off well. What I mean by this is when the angels in the books are guardians and so forth. Alexandria didn't disappoint and I think this was a very well done angel story!
Overall, nothing could not hold me back from loving this novel. I thought it was very well written, and it kept me engrossed and entertained.
Quote:
One of the most frustrating words in the human language, as far as I could tell, was love. So much meaning attached to this one little word. People bandied it about freely, using it to describe their attachments to possessions, pets, vacation destinations, and favorite foods. In the same breath they then applied this word to the person they considered most important in their lives. Wasn’t that insulting? Shouldn’t there be some other term to describe deeper emotion?
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/406020936
Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Book #: 1st of Trilogy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: October 4th 2011
Pages: 318
Format: Hardcover
Date Read (Throwback) : September 2012
Rating: ★★★★ / out of 5
Summary:
The Earth's population was dramatically wiped out after a deadly disease and a hope-filled vaccine.
It is now 2032.
Eve, a extraordinarily brilliant girl with a promising future, is waiting to graduate along with her best friends, and move on to the world they have been dreaming of since starting school.Why? Well, it's what they have been training for their whole lives. To move to the new City and contribute their intelligence to the rebuilding of the American society.
Right?
Review:
This book was great. It was what really got me into the whole YA-dystopian theme. There was tragedy and romance all tied into a wonderfully crafted futuristic scene. Yes, the world building is awesome.
The only problem, is that there maybe-kinda was a tiny bit of insta-love.
Overall, this was a fantastic read! I am excited to read the second and I recommend you do too if you like dystopian reads! It wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/403730253
Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Book #: 1st of Trilogy
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publish Date: May 22nd 2012
Pages: 324
Format: Hardcover
Date Read (Throwback) : September 2nd 2012
Rating: ★★★★ / out of 5
Summary:
Emma lives with her Mother on the beach and has the best friend that every girl wants. Then, her best friend dies from a shark attack that nearly killed Emma, too. Torn with grief, Emma can't help but begin to blame herself for what happened.
Then Emma starts to form a bond with Galen, the mysterious boy she met on the day of her best friend's death. Together, the uncover the mystery as to why Galen believes Emma to be one of his kind. It would surely explain a lot of things like, for example, why sea creature seem to be drawn to her.
Review:
The story line was why I enjoyed this book so much. It was exciting! And unique! And (even though it was somewhat predictable) I was still thrilled to read along as the characters made their discoveries.
My only problem: Emma and Galen got on my nerves a bit. As well as Galen's sister and her ex, boyfriend ex-boyfriend, fiance. Her boyfriend?
Overall, if it were for the characters alone, I probably would not have finished the book. A book is never just the characters, though. Looking past all their flaws, it was the story line that intrigued me most. I simply cannot wait for the second book!
On My Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/405453063
