All Our Yesterdays Review

Title: All Our Yesterdays
Author: Cristin Terrill
Release Date: September 3rd 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: ARC for review
Rating: 3/5

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

Review:

After everyone and their mother was raving about All Our Yesterday's I was excited to read it to say the least. I think the main reason I didn't absoleutly love this book to be honest is because of all the amazing things being said about it, because of this I set my standards a little too high. But I still found All Our Yesterday's to be an enjoyable read with a less confusing and more dynamic take on time travel.

I think this aspects of All Our Yesterday's that I enjoyed the most is the more scientific take on time travel, it really makes you believe that is could be possible some day, and how Cristin Terrill gave readers an insight into how that what the main character became and who she was in the past. Both aspects were really well written and backed up and made for an enjoyable read.

I can't really pin point why I didn't love All Our Yesterday's more than I did, everything from the writing to the character development was extremely well done so I have nothing negative to say about it. Mostly again I would say its because all the hype surrounding it and I was let down a bit and I didn't absolutely love the plot of the story.

I would still strongly recommend this book to everyone, it is a fantastic novel that I'm sure will appeal to many. It's definitely a book with very few flaws, All Our Yesterday's is an all around great book.

 

 

 

Rush Review

Title: Rush (The Game #1)
Author: Eve Silver
Release Date: June 11th 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Source: ARC for Review
Rating:  4

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

 

Review:

 

First off I have to say that Rush has to be one of the most unique books in the YA sci-fi genre, the whole video game aspect was a great idea. Because "the Game" which is what the characters refer to it as where they are pulled to fight aliens is set up like a video game, where character earn points for each kill I think Rush will appeal to not only girls but boys too in a wide age range. The super hot guy, Jackson is definitely for the girls. *swoon*

While I enjoyed all the characters in the book I would have to say that Miki is not my favourite she just seemed over confident throughout the majority of the book. That being said her two possible love interests Jackson and Luka were fantastic. I absolutely loved them both, but Jackson won me over by a fraction.

I loved how Rush was  fast paced  and action packed right from the first chapter it really grabbed me and didn't let go until the end (which has a greuling cliffhanger by the way). The only complaints I have would be that rather than having one climatic point there were many with slow moments in between. I can see this appealing to some though. I also found the book to be a bit comfusing at the beginning but Eve Silvers descriptive writing cleared thing up rather quickly.

I really enjoyed Eve Silver's, a local Toronto author, debut novel Rush. It was unique, action packed, and had swop worthy prominent male characters that cannot be helped but to love. Rush is definitely a book that should be checked out by individuals of any age and any gender.

When We Wake Review

Title: When We Wake
Author: Karen Healey
Publisher: Little Brown
Release Date: March 5th 2013
Source: ARC for Review
Rating: 3

Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027--she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.

But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies--and wakes up a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.

Tegan is the first government guinea pig to be cryonically frozen and successfully revived, which makes her an instant celebrity--even though all she wants to do is try to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. But the future isn't all she hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?

Award-winning author Karen Healey has created a haunting, cautionary tale of an inspiring protagonist living in a not-so-distant future that could easily be our own.

Review:

Going into When We Wake I was very intrigued based on the concept of the book which is 16 year old girl named Teagan dying and waking up 100 years into the future. Right from the get go I picked up on what some of the major themes of the book would be; environmental issues and religion. The environment issues I found to be interesting, the religion... not so much.

The thing that I enjoyed the most about When We Wake is the not so hard to believe futuristic setting. The setting that Karen Healey created seems like a very plausible one that is plagued by issues caused by mans carelessness for our environment.

Fans of The Beatles will surely appreiciate this book as the chapters are named after their songs and their are countless mentions of them throughout the book, COUNTLESS. Maybe a bit too much for those (like me) who don't care for them that much.

I found myself really enjoying the characters, Teagan was an excellent voice to read the story from. The side characters were also very well written and long with the book itself. My only major complaint about the book is that I found there not to be a plot to the story until after 100 pages, which is almost half of the book. Once the plot did come into play is was full of fun things like conspiracies that will appeal to many.

Overall I did enjoy When We Wake, but it was not my all time favourite read. I do look forward to seeing where the story leads in the next book though.

Eve & Adam Review

Title: Eve & Adam
Authors: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Release Date: October 2nd 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: ARC for review
Rating: 4


Sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother, EmmaRose, a successful geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Sure, Evening misses her father who died mysteriously, but she’s never really questioned it. Much like how she’s never stopped to think how off it is that she’s never been sick. That is, until she’s struck by a car and is exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster than physically possible.

While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he’s never questioned anything... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn’t right, and Emma-Rose may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.

Review:

Being a Michael Grant fan from his gone series and just recently discovering that this husband and wife duo wrote the Animorphs series I was really excited for Eve & Adam. The story is about much more than Eve creating her perfect male.

I'm not a fan of religion at all, but I really enjoyed this modern day genesis story. After Eve is injured in a car accident her mother puts her up to the task of creating a boy. This portion of the book doesn't have a much of a role as the summary suggests, they story actually has many more elements to it that will surprise you. I really enjoyed them, if it were all about Eve great a super hot guy I would have lost interest (not in Adam though).

I thought this book would have a futuristic setting, but it doesn't, it takes place in modern day. The use of advanced science that doesn't exists (or does it) is what makes it a sci-fi book and could give the impression of being futuristic. Being a lover of science, this book was definitely for me, it was absolutely enthralling.

The humour wasn't all that funny in my opinion, it didn't have me laughing out loud as I thought it would. The dialogue and narration were very witty and to some with be humorous though. Although Adam is supposed to be the star male of the book, I much prefer Solo, if it were up to me. I never did like the "perfect" guy. Imperfections are a great quality.

Eve & Adam is a unique twist in the YA genre, it incorporates a mix of science and religion which isn't something that it commonly done. It's a very fast paced and easy read that can easily be read in a sitting ( I did). You have yet to read anything like this, I can assure you that! Science, wit, and humour are words I would use to describe it and are the same reasons why you should go out, get it, and read it.

A Million Suns Review

A Million Suns

Beth Revis

Razorbill

January 9th 2012

A copy was provided by Pengiun Canada for review.

Summary:

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It''s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He''s finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that''s growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship

Review:

I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, Across the Universe, I expected to like this one just the same. In fact though, I loved A Million Suns, this sequel is without a question better than the first. Beth Revis has created such a fantastic world and dystopian society on the ship Godspeed. She also tend to throw in so many new revelations that you will be glued to your seat in anticipation to see what the heck it really going on this ship.

With the conclusion of Across the Universe and the whole ship not moving fast enough to get to the new planet had me worried about what would happen with the characters, especially Elder. The development between Elder and Amy is fantastic, they really grow in their relationship, but don't take it as far as other couples in YA fiction, which is very refreshing. The basic plot of A Million Suns is a series of clues that Orion has left behind for Amy to discover in hopes that she will reveal the truth about was is really going on, on Godspeed. Because believe me there is much more than the ship just moving slowly and possibly running out of gas before they reach the new plant. Much more! As she and Elder follow this little scavenger hunt like I said before there are tons of new and fascinating revelations.

There is also a lot of drama between Elder and the passengers now that he is the new "Eldest" that I thought really added to the chaotic events of A Million Suns. People don't trust him as a leader, people end up dead, and a rebellion started by a former friend occurs. The stakes are really high in this sequel, there will be times that you are biting your nails, crying, and jaw dropping moments. Just when you think that Beth Revis has hit you with everything she could, the ending comes... Wow, the ending just left me in awe and wanting Shades of Earth asap. I have a feeling based on what was revealed near the end that the third book just may be my favourite in the series.

This is definitely a book for people who enjoyed Across the Universe, of course, fans of the sci-fi and dystopian genres and someone just looking for a great read. It's fast paced, action packed, and has an amazing cliffhanger for an ending. I can guarantee that you will not want to miss this book!