Book Review: Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Outside In
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: #2 of 2 Insiders Series
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Released: March 1, 2011
Website: http://mariavsnyder.com/

Book Summary:

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I was disappointed with this sequel because I did like it.  I just didn't love it like I hoped I would.  Being such a fan of Maria's Study Series I had high expectations for this book and this sequel didn't quite live up to those high expectations.

Outside In was full of action and adventure and plot twists.  There was a lot going on in this story but I finished the book not really understanding exactly how everything had played out.  It seemed like there could have been a little less going on and little more detail and back story filled in.  The first book Inside Out was a clean read while Outside In had content I wish wasn't included.

I did like watching Trella grow and change especially in her relationship with her mother and Riley.  She makes some stupid decisions at times but learns from her mistakes.  I did like this book and don't regret reading it.

I'm going to start on Maria's Glass & Healer series soon to see if they better capture the magic I felt while reading the Study Series.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book

Content: Some language and sexual content, no sex scene but clothes were off

Source: Download from Audible.com

Also by Maria V. Snyder:


Inside Out - Book #1 in the Insiders Series


Study Series (One of my favorites - although this is adult not YA)


Glass Series


Touch of Power

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.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

I Am Number Four hooked me from the first chapter. Actually I was probably hooked during the prologue. This is great young adult science fiction. Filled with lots of great characters including evil aliens, powerful heroes, a beautiful girl, Pittacus Lore's book was a page turner for me.

Pittacus Lore? Seemed liked a pseudonym and after reading the book there was no question it was. A google search of "Who is Pittacus Lore?" showed that I Am Number Four was written by team-writers James Frey & Jobie Hughes.

Although I know my 12 year old would love this book I'm not allowing him to read it yet. There is quite a bit of language in it. Perhaps it really stood out to me because I was listening to the audio version instead of reading. The narrator is fabulous but I literally jumped a couple times as obscenities were shouted in my ear.

There is a movie being released in February 2011 which I'll definitely watch. Looking forward to the sequel The Power of Six due out in 2011. There are supposed to be six books in the series.

Content: Lots of language, no "f bombs" but just about everything else. Also quiet a bit of violence.

Rating: 4 Stars

The Mark by Marilyn Bunderson

She's had it forever. A tiny mark on her hand. No big deal, right? But when Tori discovers that her ordinary freckle is really some kind of microscopic tattoo, she doesn't know what to think, especially after meeting Eric, a guy she feels strangely connected to--and not just because he has a mark too.

All too soon, Tori and Eric realize that their marks are only the first clue to a mystery that will change everything. And with each new discovery, Tori finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a world she could never have imagined.

I really enjoyed reading The Mark. It's a little slower paced than some of the books I've read recently. That's not necessarily a bad thing. This gave plenty of time for both the story and characters to be well developed. The mystery of the marks and the children who bore them unfolded piece by piece until everything came together for a very satisfying ending. As Marilyn Bunderson's first novel The Mark is a squeaky clean and a great addition to the science fiction/fantasy/romance genre.

The ending left plenty of room for a sequel but I felt like it wrapped up well enough to be satisfying as a stand alone read.

Content: This is a clean read - no sex, no language, no graphic violence, no innuendo.

Rating 4 Stars - If there is a sequel I'll read it.

The Prometheus Project: Captured by Douglas E. Richards

Included in The California Department of Education’s Recommended Literature for Science and Math and in Missouri State University’s Best New Books to Engage Students in Math and Science This fast-paced, science fiction adventure is a stand-alone sequel to The Prometheus Project: Trapped. Along with their scientist parents, the brother-sister duo of Ryan and Regan continue their exploration of a fantastic alien city built deep underground. When the city is captured by a ruthless alien—with unknown capabilities and diabolical plans—and his band of mercenaries, the adult members of the team are taken hostage, and the siblings remain the team’s only hope. To save the adults, Ryan and Regan must outwit the brilliant alien and his well-trained force, free the prisoners, and thwart a seemingly unstoppable invasion. Crammed with cliffhangers, nonstop action, and unexpected twists and turns, this novel introduces scientific topics—sound and hearing, ultrasonic sound, experimental methodologies, flashpowder, human memory, and superconductivity—to children while engaging their imaginations.

I received The Prometheus Project: Trapped and it's sequel Captured directly from author Douglas E. Richards. I read Trapped about a month ago and just finished Captured last night.

Although Captured is the second book of The Prometheus Project series it can easily be read as a stand alone. Aimed at middle aged reader from the ages 8-12, this is the perfect book for children who are interested in Science and like Science Fiction. The children in this book use their brain instead of their brawn. They analyze, ask questions, make connections and reason things out to solve the problems they face.

Captured held my interest throughout. It is a faced paced read that was both entertaining and fun to read. Filled with action and adventure this book is sure to delight readers whether young or old.

Content: This is a clean read with nothing objectionable.

Rating: 4 Stars this is a great book for middle aged readers.

Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

Bean's past was a battle just to survive. He first appeared on the streets of Rotterdam, a tiny child with a mind leagues beyond anyone else. He knew he could not survive through strength; he used his tactical genius to gain acceptance into a children's gang, and then to help make that gang a template for success for all the others. He civilized them, and lived to grow older. Then he was discovered by the recruiters for the Battle School.
For Earth was at war -- a terrible war with an inscrutable alien enemy. A war that humanity was near to losing. But the long distances of interstellar space has given hope to the defenders of Earth -- they had time to train military geniuses up from childhood, forging them into an irresistible force in the high-orbital facility called the Battle School. That story is told in two books, the beloved classic Ender's Game, and its parallel, Ender's Shadow.
Bean was the smallest student at the Battle School, but he became Ender Wiggins' right hand. Since then he has grown to be a power on Earth. He served the Hegemon as strategist and general in the terrible wars that followed Ender's defeat of the alien empire attacking Earth. Now he and his wife Petra yearn for a safe place to build a family -- something he has never known -- but there is nowhere on Earth that does not harbor his enemies -- old enemies from the days in Ender's Jeesh, new enemies from the wars on Earth. To find security, Bean and Petra must once again follow in Ender's footsteps. They must leave Earth behind, in the control of the Hegemon, and look to the stars.

I finally finish all the Ender's Books. It took me over a year to get through all 9 books in the series. My husband and I listened to most of them on audio together.

I made the mistake of reading Ender in Exile before reading Shadow of the Giant. Don't make that mistake. A good portion of Shadow of the Giant is summarized in Ender in Exile.

Even knowing a lot of the storyline I enjoyed this book! I admit it is really slow in places. There is so much strategy, politics and war games. That part didn't hold my interest as much as the relationships did.

This book actually made me cry near the end. I don't cry very easily especially while reading Sci-fi books but my mother's heart ached while reading parts of this book and the tears just came.

I think when the next and I think final book in the series comes out I will take the time to reread this series.

Orson Scott Card is a phenomenal writer! I'm amazed at how much he was able to interweave between books.

When I started the series I wasn't sure which order to read the books in. You can read them chronologically or in the order they are written in.

My recommendation is to read the series in the order they were written:

Ender's Game

Speaker for the Dead

Xenocide
Children of the Mind

Ender's Shadow

Shadow of the Hegemon

Shadow Puppets

Shadow of the Giant

Ender In Exile - Don't read until after you have finished the other 8 books.

Content Warning: If you've ever read an Orson Scott Card's book you know what to expect. There is mild language throughout the book. This is war so there is violence but I didn't find it to be graphic or gruesome. There is also some innuendo. I think this series is appropriate for ages 16 and up. I know it is read by those much younger but I will wait until my boys are 16 to suggest they read this series. My son's 12 year old friend read Ender's Game and told me it was "so bad" in places due to the language, crudeness and innuendo.

Rating: A solid 4 star book and series. I highly recommend this series. Orson Scott Card is a phenomenal writer!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade.
And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


I had no idea this book was a trilogy when I picked it up. Had I known I would have waited to read it! Especially now that I'm finished and the book left me with as many questions unanswered as answered ones.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner was a page turner. It kept my interest from the very start. Sci-fi, mystery and action adventure all rolled into one. It's been described as a cross between Lord of the Flies & The Hunger Games. Often when I read a book I can guess where the book is going but this one was full of twists and turns and it wasn't until I literally read "the writing on the wall" with Thomas about half way through that I figured out where the books was headed. The plot was suspenseful and fast paced. A very entertaining read. However I'm still a little ticked he killed off one of my favorite characters at the end!

The second book in the trilogy The Scorch Trials will not be released until October 12, 2010. I will definitely read the next book.

Content: I would consider this book appropriate for ages 13+. My 10 year old daughter started listening to it with me but I think it's a little beyond her. There is a lot of death in this books and she doesn't like it when characters get killed off. My 12 year old son would enjoy this book. Although there is a lot of violence and death, none of it is described in gorey detail. However there are characters we come to know and like that die. No sexual content. There was no real language in this book but I was bothered with the slang that was used. The "gladers" had their own vocabulary, often using the terms shuck, klunk and shank in their conversations. Unfortunately every time they said "shuck it" it brought the F bomb to my mind.

Rating: A 4.5 star book. Kept my attention throughout the whole book. A quick moving book with a very interesting plot. A great book for teenage boys.

I'm interested in reading some of James Dashner's other books. My 10 year old has read and enjoyed James Dashner's 13th Reality series. I think I'll check them out.