Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Series: Book #1
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Released: January 11, 2011
Website: http://acrosstheuniversebook.com/
Author Website: http://www.bethrevis.com/


Book Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance, Mystery, Adventure... There's a little bit of everything mixed into this debut novel by author Beth Revis.

Across the Universe is told by two narrators Amy & Elder. The book begins with Amy about to be frozen in cryogenic sleep for a 300 year journey on the ship Godspeed. Our second narrator is Elder, the future leader of the ship Amy's frozen body is traveling on.

This was a fast paced book full of twists and turns, lies and deceptions.  I had a hunch fairly early on who the murder was but there were other story elements that took me by surprise. There is a great cast of characters who are all flawed but likable.  As is the case with most first books in a series the ending left many unanswered questions that I'm assuming will be addressed in future books.

Fans of young adult dystopian books are likely to enjoy this one. I found it to be a unique, entertaining story and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

Rating: 4.5 Stars - Highly Recommend to older teens & adults

Content: just a couple instances of mild language and then some substitute swear words similar to what was done in the Maze Runner. Some sexual content including an attempted rape scene and some animalistic type mating practices that occur during "The Season".  Not overly graphic but I wouldn't let a young teen read it.

Source: Download from Audible.com



The Sequel A Million Suns was released today January 10, 2012.

The 3rd book Shades of Earth will be released in January of 2013.

Book Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Title: Wolfsbane
Author: Andrea Cremer
Series: Book #2 of 3
Publisher: Philomel/Penguin
Released: July 26, 2011
Author's Website: http://www.andreacremer.com/

Book Summary:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Wolfsbane picks up right where Nightshade left off.  In this book we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters and we learn a lot more about the mythology/lore of the Searchers, Keepers & Guardians.  I let myself enjoy the story and get lost in this world although there were a few things that seemed to come just a little to easily to be believable to me.  I guess that's the nice things about fantasy novels - the world the author creates can play by its own rules.

The love triangle is still in full swing as Calla can't seem to make a decision and stick to it.  Although I predict she'll end up with Shay eventually I'm not actually rooting for either Ren or Shay after this story, they both did things that irritated me.  After redeeming himself at the end of Nightshade I really thought Ren might make a comeback in this story but found myself disappointed with his actions. Shay took a backseat on the adventures in this book and didn't play nearly the part I thought he would.  Although once again Calla has made a decision I think we'll see more waffling in Bloodrose.

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a great job.  Although the book held my interest throughout I was a little put off by some of the content.  As a parent I don't like it when young adult books have sex scenes in them, it makes me uncomfortable. Yes I understand in the real world things go on but I'm much more of a fade to black and keep it behind closed doors type of a reader.  In my opinion this book is much more adult than young adult. This one didn't have the sexual desire and tension dripping from every page like Nightshade did but what content was there was much more intense than the first book.

I will finish out this series sometime soon because I am interested to see how things play out.  It won't go down as my favorite series but it has been an imaginative, fast paced story that I've enjoyed reading.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book

Content: Having read the first book in the series this I was expecting content in this one. Wolfsbane did not have as many instance of sexual tension, desire, innuendo, etc. as Nightshade had, but what was there was more graphic than the first book including two scenes with way too much detail for a young adult book.  My teens won't be reading this one.

Source: Download from Audible.com



The Nightshade Series:


Rift: Prequel to Nightshade


Novellas:


Shadow Days: HERE

Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Title: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Series: Book #1
Publisher: Philomel/Penguin
Released: October 19, 2010
Author's Website: http://www.andreacremer.com/

Book Summary:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

My 3rd read of 2012 is one that has been on my list for a long time. I added Nightshade to my to read list in June of 2010. I've heard great things about this book and I had a copy of it at one point but gave it away in a giveaway before I had the chance to read it. I finally downloaded it from Audible.com to listen to it.

Books like this one are incredibly hard for me to give a rating to. If I could base my rating solely on the storyline this book would probably be a 5 star book. I loved the story and the new take on mythical creatures. The werewolves or guardians as they are called in this story were unique and I was drawn into the story. I flew through this book in one day. It was well written and I wanted to keep reading despite the content.

Speaking of content... this book had way more than I expected. I realize in hindsight that it was my error thinking this was clean read. Not sure where I got that idea but it was not a clean read. There was language throughout (most of it mild) and plenty of sexual tension, innuendo and desire. There were no actual sex scenes but I wouldn't give this one to my teenagers. The males in this book were allowed to "play" all they wanted but Calla was expected to be pure at her "union".  There was nothing really graphic but it seemed like every other page either Ren or Shay was making Calla's blood boil with desire creating quite the love triangle. Ok I'm exaggerating (a little) but there was obviously some raging nearly out of control hormones at work.

Speaking of love triangles... I'm not sure if I'm voting for Ren or Shay. It was Shay all the way through until the end when Ren redeemed himself in my book. I have a feeling Ren might make a come back in the next book.

I've just started on the sequel Wolfsbane which has picked up right where this one left off.  The cliffhanger ending would have been an issue if I had read this when it was released but since the series is now complete I can just jump right to the next book.

So the question is - Is this book for you?  If you enjoy young adult paranormal and don't mind some content then yes.  If you are looking for a clean read then no.

Rating: 4 Stars - Great story.

Content: Much more than I expected - language througout and plenty of sexual desire, innuendo, tension and talk without any actual sex scenes.

Source: Download from Audible.com



The Nightshade Series:


Rift: Prequel to Nightshade


Novellas:


Shadow Days: HERE