#Review - Breakout by A.M. Rose #YALIT #Dystopian

Series: Standalone
Format: E-Galley, 318 pages
Release Date: June 3, 2019
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Six days.

That’s the amount of time until Lezah’s execution.

She’ll die never knowing what got her locked up in this godforsaken prison in the first place. Her only chance of survival is to escape. Except the monitoring bracelet that digs into her wrist, the roaming AI, and the implant in her neck make freedom close to impossible.

Her best chance is to team up with the four other inmates who are determined to break out, even if one of them is beyond (gorgeous) annoying—oh, and in for murder. But he has a secret of his own. One that could break Lezah if she finds out, but could also set him free.

Figuring out how to work with him and the rest of this mismatched group of criminals is the only way Lezah will survive to see the outside world again.

But nothing in this prison is as it seems. And no one.

 

A.M. Rose's Breakout is part cyberpunk dystopia, part frantic prison break romp, and part science fiction. This is a story that features Lezah, or #22 of #49 in a maximum prison where she only has 6 days left before she becomes just another number in a much deeper conspiracy. Set in a tech-controlled prison where artificial intelligent roaming servants seem to be in control, it is a place they send people to die when they've done something horribly wrong. There are so many questions when you first pick up this book.

What exactly did Lezah do to end up here? What happened to a month's worth of memories that seem to have been erased? And, what happened to her family (mom, dad, and brother) while she's been in here? Lezah has been here for 3 months. Her roommate Clara (#61), the daughter of the man who built this prison, is days away from her day of meeting her sentence. But, things quickly move faster after Lezah steals a pin from a CMA that allows her to remove her bracelet as well as Clara who urges Lezah to join her in an escape attempt.

After picking up a girl who was supposed to be dead, Ruthie, the three end up connecting with a boy who Lezah once knew (Seph Jackson), her nemesis in numerous tech competitions which they have fought hard against each other, and his roommate Trip who decides to join them in escaping. Lezah and her gang navigate the relentless obstacles of the prison in an effort to escape where she uncovers more dark secrets than she could have ever imagined. After escaping, Lezah's group encounters a girl named Vaughn who is very familiar to her. Why?

If you want to compare this to the Maze Runner, so be it. There are secrets on top of secrets, but even after some questions are answered, there are plenty more that are left unopened which is why I settled for my rating. This is another one of those stories where something happens, entire swaths of the population end up dying, and corporations end up controlling all the resources and dictating what you can and can't do with your lives. They also apparently control all of the technology in this world. The story takes place in and around San Francisco which is apparently under water. 

So, in closing. Did I like the story? Yes, I did. I would have liked to have more questions answered however. I want to know where Lezah's family is and whether or not they are still alive after all the time she spent in Ironport Detention Center.  It is a cleverly written story with just a hint of romance that doesn't overwhelm the action that takes place throughout the book.

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

#Review - The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters #YALIT #Paranormal #Occult

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Publisher: Abrams
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural

Everyone knows Edgar Allan Poe—now it’s time to meet the Muse who inspired him.

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at the prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre Muse named Lenore appears to him. Muses are frightful creatures that lead Artists down a path of ruin and disgrace, and no respectable person could possibly understand or accept them. But Lenore steps out of the shadows with one request: “Let them see me!”
 

 

"Silence your muses!" lest they lead you into temptation and keep you from pursuing an honest, hardworking, upright life.

Cat Winters' The Raven's Tale is a re-imaging of Edgar Allan Poe's early life. The Raven's Tale is dripping in mood and the macabre. The year is 1826, Edgar Poe is struggling with his foster father who took him in after his own mother died. As he is sitting in a church under which 72 people were buried after a horrible fire in 1811, he sees a girl dressed in soot and black feathers. She tells Edgar that she's no longer satisfied with mere crumbs of his attention. She tells Edgar that "I Want More Words." Thus is the first meeting between Edgar and his muse that he names Lenore.

But, Edgar has other issues to deal with as well. He is a week away from going to the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, but his "father" is threatening to withhold all financial responsibility unless he puts away his muse, and forgets about writing his dark poems that have caused a bit of consternation in his home of Richmond. It also precludes him from asking the girl he loves to marry him openly. As Eddie arrives at university, where he hopes to achieve greatness through his poetry, his financial situation becomes dire and he's forced into debt and out of control gambling in a futile attempt to pay for his fees. 

It is fair to say that Poe sank heavily into his obsessions with his art, and if we didn't know that his friends and family are all able to see his muses as well, we might think he'd tumbled into madness. This story contains dual POV's from Edgar and Lenore. Muses are supposed to be a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist. In this world, muses are real, physical beings, and they're considered corrupt and dangerous by polite society. In Lenore's case, she has a mind, a desire, and a goal of becoming much, much more.  

The author did a remarkable job in researching who Edgar Allan Poe really was, especially in the early days of his life when he is struggling to get noticed. Also, I give props to the author for also including a bit of her own Poe-esque poetry in several of the chapters, while also mingling in real Poe works throughout the book. I think it's fair to say that most of us have read one of Poe's books, or his poetry, but really understand who he was as a young adult was truly a wild ride. Melding both Edgar and Lenore's tales together made things a bit more twisted, and yes, dark as well.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - The Beholder by Anna Bright #YALIT #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Beholder # 1
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy / Romance

A lush, sweepingly romantic YA debut perfect for fans of The Selection or Caraval
 
Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come.

But after an excruciatingly public rejection from her closest childhood friend, Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all.

From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and under the eye of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks…and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending.

Lush landscapes, dazzling romance, and captivating intrigue mark the first leg of this stunning alternate historical duology with richly drawn characters and unexpected twists at every port.

 

The Beholder, by author Anna Bright, is the authors debut novel. The Beholder borrows threads from classic fairy tales like “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Snow White” to weave a brand-new story bursting with evil stepmothers, scheming courtiers, and handsome princes. Add in some Norse mythology, a supposed retelling of Odyssey, and a bunch of political intrigue and you got a twisted and entertaining story. The Beholder is about a girl named Selah, the only daughter of the leader of Potomac who will one day become its leader.

Selah’s duty as the future leader of Potomac is to secure a marriage that will benefit her country. After she is publicly rejected by her close childhood friend, Selah is ordered by her stepmother and the council to cross the Atlantic to meet with various suitors and find one that will help her country. If she doesn't find someone, she won't be allowed back. If she finds the wrong one, she won't be able to return home. If she finds the right one, there is no guarantee that the one she finally chooses, will solve all her issues with her stepmother, the council, and the failing health of her father.

The folio of suitors Selah must choose from contains a favorite for every reader. From the secretive British Prince to the heroic Asgardian warrior, the romantic possibilities are endless—and the magnetism between Selah and the ship’s young and dashing Captain Lang adds an undercurrent of forbidden attraction throughout. Historical twists and gorgeous scenery make this alternate-history world worth living in. 

Selah’s quest for suitors takes her to sumptuously imagined versions of England and Norway, with the darkly mysterious German territory of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne next on the horizon. Readers will be both torn between love interests and dying to see the next stop on Selah’s grand tour. Selah tends to fall in love quickly then ends up having a broken heart when things turn on a dime and she is forced to travel to her next destinations. 

She also has a crew that keeps secrets from her even though the Beholder is technically her ship and they are supposed to be protecting her. Selah's character development was my favorite. At first, she seemed like such a "good-girl," but as the story progressed, she grew to be mature and understanding. She puts herself through so much for her family and friends, and because of that cliffhanger, I can tell she's about to endure much more.

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

#Review - Alien Minds by Christina Bauer #YALIT #Dystopian

Series: Dimension Drift # 1
Format: Paperback,330 pages
Release Date: April 23, 2019
Publisher: Monster House Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre:Young Adult / Dystopian

DIVERGENT meets OCEAN'S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist!

On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy-but-terrible accident. My perfect-looking parents say I live an ideal life inside the Boston dome. And although my swoon-worthy guard, Thorne, looks totally familiar, he says we don’t have a history.

What a bunch of crap.

I don’t remember anything—not even my real name—but I can still tell when someone’s lying. From what I figure out, my dystopian overlords wiped my memory, leaving only my super science skills behind. Now, instead of expecting me to scream for revenge, the government demands that I build new tech that will launch an apocalypse against anyone who isn’t perfect.

So I nod. Say yes. And scheme to blow the whole thing up.

My memory may be gone, but my sass remains intact. I round up a team of teenage scientists to take down the nasty-ass government without getting ourselves killed. Only trouble is, I must accomplish all this while avoiding my growing attraction to Thorne, who may or may not be an alien. Something tells me that protecting my heart from my hottie guard might be the most dangerous adventure of all… 

 

Alien Minds is the first installment in author Christina Bauer's Dimension Drift series. Let me set the scene for this series. First, this is not the first book in the series. There are two prequels called Scythe and Umbra. Scythe is the story of Meimi Archer one of the most intelligent young scientists in this world who created something that led to being discovered by the wrong people. Umbra follows the second main character, Thorne, who is from Umbra an Omniverse where his father is Emperor. Thorne meets Meimi after making good on one of his father's promises. I suggest that you read Scythe first so that you know who the characters in this new trilogy are, and what happened to bring us to this point. 

The author picks up this new trilogy after the events of Scythe. Meimi wakes up in the hospital to find she supposedly survived a sketchy accident. People who claim to be her sponsor parents stand by my bedside calling her Wisteria Roberts. Then comes the creepy Doctor Godwin who tells Wisteria that she is to attend the prestigious ECHO Academy if she is successful in building a project that he has created that will lead to mass genocide of undesirables if he is successful. 

Meimi puts together a team which includes twin sisters Chloe and Zoe, as well as some of her underground contacts who, well, I'll not spoil that for you. As I said, I would recommend that you read Scythe so that you understand what really happened to Meimi and why she is where she is as the story opens. As Meimi gets closer to her goals of preventing mass genocide from happening, she begins to understand that there is more to her guard Thorne than meets the eyes. Things that will lead to an even more curious action packed ending to the story.

Thorne has been assigned to be Meimi's personal guard by Godwin. Thorne knows who Meimi is, what she is capable of doing, and the fact that she is his transcendent, makes things really hard for him to stand by watching Meimi not understand why she is so important to him and others. As I did not read Umbra, I had not yet met Thorne's brothers Slade and Justice who are secondary characters in this book. It is hard to discuss Thorne, his brothers, and their father, without giving away some spoilers. So, if you can get pass this review, read the book.

Now, why in the hell did I rate it as only 3 stars you ask? Simple. The editing in this book is atrocious. I have not read a book with this many errors in it for a very long time. I had been warned by other reviewers that it appeared that the author rushed this for publication without first sending it to an editor to ensure the mistakes were caught. At times, it  appeared to have been written by a 5th grader with impressive dialogue skills. If you end up with the paperback copy of this book, please let me know if you have similar issues with glaring errors throughout the book.

Question: Will I continue with this series? Debatable. There is a rather curious and shocking ending to this book where things are revealed and things happen that lead to even more twists. However, if I end up with a copy of said sequel and it is filled with glaring errors, I will happily DNF the book and move on to something else.

Dimension Drift Prequels
1. Scythe
2. Umbra

Dimension Drift Novels
1. Alien Minds
2. ECHO Academy
3. Drift Warrior 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

#Review - Middlegame by Seanan McGuire #Fantasy

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 528 pages
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Publisher: Tor.com
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organizations, and impossible cities in this standalone fantasy

Master fantasist Seanan McGuire introduces readers to an America run in the shadows by the Alchemical Congress, a powerful society focused on transmuting reality itself.

Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.

Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.

Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realize it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.

Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.

Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.

 

Author Seanan McGuire's Middlegame is a twisted story that follows several key characters including James Reed, Leigh Barrow, Dodger Cheswich, and Rodger Middleton. The story begins in 1886 where a children's author uses fiction to encode her principals on alchemy with an end goal of ultimate, godly power. Her creation, James Reed, has tried to breed children in pairs using the concepts of Chaos and Disorder - Language and Math - into each subject.

By splitting the Doctrine of Ethos into a pair of human bodies, one of whom is endowed with an extraordinary deftness for math, and the other an extraordinary dexterity for language, Reed has exceeded his creator Asphodel. His children are attuned to natural elements like Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Dodger and Rodger have no idea how special they are until they are able to speak to each other cross country. Dodger and Rodger believe that they are able to communicate long distances because of quantum entanglement. 

There is a part of me that was saddened that the book was way too long for what could have been decided in 300 pages or so. It was also puzzling that every time the twins got closer, one of them would do something dumb, and walk away thus pushing the timeline ahead several years into the future. There is a particular story line that I had to go back and re-read several times in order to understand. That is the Impossible City which Reed designs his entire plans on being able to be the first one to reach its destination.

Rodger and Dodger struggle with many different issues in this book. The twins are simultaneously drawn together and repelled from each other. They have issues that tear them apart, but they always seem to find a way back together again even if it takes up to 7 years at one point. The curious part of the story was using dozens of bodies in order to create one single one as to what happens to one of the main characters in this book. It is fair to say that none of the characters in this book were born, they were instead made by those like Reed, and Leigh Barrow who is just plain evil incarnate. Rodger and Dodger become a sort of rallying point since they are the only twins who have survived being separated by long distances. 

Finally, it is fair to say that because of who the author is of this book, I had more patience than I would if I didn't know who the author was, or what she was capable of in terms of resolving opened storylines. 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

#Review - Missing, Presumed Dead by Emma Berquist #YALIT #Thrillers #Suspense

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2019
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult / Thrillers & Suspense

When eighteen-year-old Lexi foresees the brutal murder of a girl outside a club in downtown L.A., she is powerless to stop it. But when the girl’s ghost appears, seeking vengeance, Lexi is swept into a dangerous search that could put her directly in the path of a serial killer. From the author of Devils Unto Dust, this fast-paced and literary thriller will haunt fans of Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious and Karen M. McManus’s One of Us Is Lying.
 
With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club. But Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.

Emma Berquist’s second novel is a haunting and atmospheric murder mystery that tackles themes of depression, loneliness, love, and identity. This high-concept novel is for fans of Holly Black’s The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.

 

Missing, Presumed Dead is the follow-up to author Emma Berquist's Devil Upon Dust. One could call this book a murder mystery with a paranormal twist. Protagonist Alexandra "Lexi" Ivanovich can see how a person is going to die just by touching them. She calls it a curse and for good reason. Doesn't really do much for relationships knowing the person you are with may end up dying. She's also been warned by her grandfather never to tell anyone what she is able to do.

Plus, there is the fact that there is absolutely nothing Lexi can do to stop whatever she sees from happening. Truth be told, Lexi is a mess. Lexi suffers from depression and spends time recuperating in the psych ward of the local hospital. She puts on a brave face, and acts like a badass at times, but she still runs at the first sign of issues. Lexi works in a club where she is surrounded by people like her; psychics, pyrokinetics, you name it. She works as a bartender, but she doesn't dance on the bar shaking her booty like Piper Perabo in Coyote Ugly. 

One of the first ghosts we meet in this book is Lexi's roommate Trevor. From Trevor, we learn that in this world, ghosts are not cold. They actually carry body heat and Lexi can actually touch them without fear. Trevor is a bit unusual. He died long ago and has no desire to let Lexi guide him to the otherworld. Part of her ability is sending a ghost onto the next life. Things abruptly change when the ghost of a (beautiful, vivacious) girl whose death she foresaw shows up asking Lexi’s help in revenge. 

Lexi is pulled into investigating after a series of disappearances hits uncomfortably close to home. Lexi and Jane’s search for Jane’s killer is fast-paced and engaging. Lexi, Jane and yes, even Trevor, work together to uncover a mystery that kept me guessing right to the end. Ok, there was a subtle hint that I missed that would have given me the identity of the killer sooner. The interactions between Lexi and Jane are curious. Lexi’s feelings for Jane quickly develop into something more, and she struggles to resolve those feelings with her sense of guilt for Jane’s death. 

It was apparent from the onset that the author wanted something to happen between the characters even though one was alive and one would never been again. It is fair to say that I had small issues with this book. Let's talk about the fact that the author could have explained better to the reader about the abilities some of these characters in this book had. Readers know how Lexi got her powers because it is pretty much laid out as to how one person in a family may get them, and another won't. Plus, Lexi's relationship with her grandfather (Deda) was really sweet.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

#Review - Kingsbane by Claire Legrand #YALIT #Fantasy

Series: The Empirium Trilogy # 2
Format: Hardcover, 608 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult / Dark Fantasy

The #1 LibraryReads Pick author of Furyborn is back with the second book in the epic New York Times bestselling Empirium Trilogy!

Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. To repair it, Rielle must collect the seven hidden castings of the saints. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist.

Centuries later, Eliana Ferracora grapples with her new reality: She is the Sun Queen, humanity's long-awaited savior. But fear of corruption—fear of becoming another Rielle—keeps Eliana's power dangerous and unpredictable. Hunted by all, racing against time to save her dying friend Navi, Eliana must decide how to wear a crown she never wanted by embracing her mother's power or rejecting it forever.

 

 

Kingsbane is the second installment in author Claire Legrand's The Empirium Trilogy. The story picks up right where Furyborn left off. This is a series about two queens, separated by thousands of years, connected by secrets and lies, who must continue their fight amid deadly plots and unthinkable betrayals that will test their strength―and their hearts. In the past, Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. 

To repair it, Rielle must collect seven hidden castings of the seven saints who were responsible for sending the Angels to a dark desolate place. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist. While searching for the seven castings of the saints, it becomes clear that there are forces working hard to prevent Rielle from succeeding in collecting the castings. 

The fear is real. Rielle isn't just the most powerful human in this world, but she might also be leaning towards escaping her responsibilities by running away with Corien. One of the key issues with Rielle is that while she is powerful, she lacks control, and self esteem. She could easily find a way to stop Corien's intrusions into her dreams which cause her to question everything that she is supposed to stand for. Is she the Sun Queen, or the world destroyer known as Kingsbane?

Meanwhile, a century later, Eliana, the former Dread of Orline, has shown an amazing ability to defeat a large force sent by the Empire and the Undying Emperor who will do anything to get his hands on Eliana. Eliana must find a way to control her powers so that she can find a way to hopefully travel back in time and stop her mother from destroying the world. Yes, I did say mother as in Rielle is Eliana's mother. One could say that Eliana is living in the wrong time frame and therefore going back to her mothers time to stop her, might just be the key to defeating the Empire and Corien.

If someone were to ask me which story I preferred. I would definitely say Rielle's due to the fact that she has so much on her plate. She has a small group who loves her, she has many, many people who hate her and want to chain her to ensure she doesn't destroy the world. Then, she has the most powerful being whispering in her ears and in her dreams that she could easily walk away and have the whole world at her feet. How can Eliana top what Rielle has been through? Plus, we already know that she's racing towards a tragic ending that nobody can stop.

I think it is fair to say that there is a rather large difference between Rielle and Eliana. Rielle is so powerful, she doesn't care who she offends, or makes enemies of since nobody can reign in her powers. Eliana is kind of on the meek side considering she was once an assassin/bounty hunter who worked for the Empire. She doesn't want the responsibility of becoming the new Sun Queen. She doesn't even know which part of the prophecy she is. Is she the world saver, or the world destroyer? She also spends way too much time obsessing over Simon.

Once again, the author alternates POV every chapter starting with Rielle and ending on a heart breaking cliffhanger ending. She also uses several other characters to tell her story including Audric and Harken. Even though it is a large book, it has plenty of action, and the twists will shock you into disbelief. This isn't just the story of Rielle and Eliana. It is also the story of Simon, Remy, Audric, Ludivine, as well as an entire new group of characters. This book is not a filler, nor is a bridge between the first and final installment. This book could hold up to the first book easily.

The author has left a whole lot of unanswered questions on the table to be resolved. How she will do so in a manner that will make sense, will be interesting to discover. It is also fair for me to say that this book dragged on way too long. It could have easily been 200 pages shorter and I would have been happy. There was also too many sex scenes which really doesn't bring anything to the overall enjoyment of the story. It's like, yes, we are having sex and if you don't like it, you can go jump off the nearest cliff!

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo