Title: Falls the Shadow
Author: Stefanie Gaither
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Science Fiction Mystery
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: September 16th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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When Cate Benson was a kid, her sister, Violet, died. Two hours after the funeral, Cate’s family picked up Violet’s replacement. Like nothing had happened. Because Cate’s parents are among those who decided to give their children a sort of immortality—by cloning them at birth—which means this new Violet has the same smile. The same perfect face. Thanks to advancements in mind-uploading technology, she even has all of the same memories as the girl she replaced.

She also might have murdered the most popular girl in school.

At least, that’s what the paparazzi and the anti-cloning protestors want everyone to think: that clones are violent, unpredictable monsters. Cate is used to hearing all that. She’s used to defending her sister, too. But Violet has vanished, and when Cate sets out to find her, she ends up in the line of fire instead. Because Cate is getting dangerously close to secrets that will rock the foundation of everything she thought was true.

In a thrilling debut, Stefanie Gaither takes readers on a nail-biting ride through a future that looks frighteningly similar to our own time and asks: how far are you willing to go to keep your family together?


I am really skeptical when it comes to science fiction books because I get lost very easily and i get bored if there is too much information thrown at me at once. So when I saw this book and read that is was science fiction but with a hint of murder mystery I thought I might like it, and i was right!

I am going to start with what I really liked about the book. I loved Cate's character because I felt she was real and someone who I could easily relate to. I thought as the book went on she got to be a very interesting character, she was flawed and yet you rooted for her in the end. I also loved her relationship with her sister because it was different from everyone else in her life considering her sister is a clone and not the real thing. I found their friendship was the best part to read because did Cate really know her sister, because since she came back from the dead as a clone, she was different. And when she was investigated for murder I knew it would get interesting. And in the end I really like how everything was resolved and how real it felt, it was contrived and fake and tied in a pretty little bow.

The only things that I was not so happy with were the lack of background info that we got. I wanted more in depth information on why the cloning happened. We get a bit of info on this but for me I wanted more on how everything collapsed and the world thought cloning was a good idea. I also thought that at times the pacing was off, I was bored at the beginning but then it picked up again, but then near the middle it slowed down again and by the end it was back up again. I just wanted a page turner from front to back, but it more all over the place for me.

Overall this book was a great read. I really liked the characters and the mystery element but felt that the pacing and background could have used a bit of work. I recommend this book to anyone who is skeptical about sci-fi because it is not too intense and has a great contemporary feel.

Title: The Aftermath
Author: Jen Alexander
Series: Unknown Series
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Dystopian
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Release Date: August 26th 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: ARC received by publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.

A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger

or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.

In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.

Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.

With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.

If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath.


Usually when I read YA books I need to be grabbed from the very beginning because I have so many books to read and if you don't grab me from the beginning then I will usually just out the book back down. So when I picked up The Aftermath I was surprised that the beginning was as slow as it was. I loved the concept of the book going in and I have to be honest and say that in the beginning I was extremely confused as to what was going on. This does happen sometimes but I have to say that this books beginning threw me a bit and i had to make myself keep reading. But I will say that I am happy I did finish this book because the second half of this book was great!

Once our main character, Claudia, met Declan, then everything started to make sense for me and flow a bit better. I really liked their relationship because it felt real. It was not love at first sight, but once they spent some more time together then things started to change. I also really loved the dual perspectives between Claudia and Olivia and how it was done. Both perspectives were from Claudias head so that was very interested to me, and figuring out what was going on with Claudia was a great way for me to get into the book.

I will say that pacing was a huge problem for me in this book. There were times when I was so invested that I could not stop reading, but then there were times were I was bored and would just start skimming to get to another scene. I really wish that there was more dialogue in this book because when I was reading it I learned more about the characters than from the authors descriptions.

The end. The end of this book was my favorite part. I usually do not like cliffhangers but seriously this one was a great one. It reveal something that I was not expecting and it made me really want the next book! I also loved that we got SOME answers but not enough so it makes you really want the next book.

Title: Prototype
Author: M.D. Waters
Series: Archetype #2
Genre: Adult Science Fiction
Format: Hardcover, 372 pages
Release Date: July 24th 2014
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Source: ARC provided by publisher for Blog Tour in exchange for honest review

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The stunning debut that began with Archetype— and has readers buzzing—concludes in Prototype, when a woman’s dual pasts lock onto a collision course, threatening her present and future.

Emma looks forward to the day when she can let go of her past—both of them. After more than a year on the run, with clues to her parents’ whereabouts within her grasp, she may finally find a place to settle down. Start a new life. Maybe even create new memories with a new family.

But the past rises to haunt her and to make sure there’s nowhere on the planet she can hide. Declan Burke wants his wife back, and with a little manipulation and a lot of reward money, he’s got the entire world on his side. Except for the one man she dreads confronting the most: Noah Tucker.

Emma returns to face what she’s done but finds that the past isn’t the problem. It’s the present—and the future it represents. Noah has moved on and another woman is raising their daughter.

In the shocking conclusion to M.D. Waters’s spectacular debut, Emma battles for her life and her freedom, tearing down walls and ripping off masks to reveal the truth. She’s decided to play their game and prove she isn’t the woman they thought she was. Even if it means she winds up dead. Or worse, reborn.


Reading a second book in a series can be a hard thing because sometimes you forget what happened in the first book and that takes away from sequel. What I think made Prototype so successful was the fact that it was released soon after the first book and also that the author helped us readers get back into the swing of things with helpful hints throughout the beginning of the book. Prototype was a very well done sequel and end to this innovative and amazing series that started with Archetype.

When I finished Archetype I fell in love with Emma's character, she was so independent and yet seriously flawed. And considering she is a clone, she had to deal with some aspects of life that none of the other characters had to deal with. And I was worried that when I started Prototype that I would not like her as much the second time around. But I am so happy to say that Emma is still a bad ass, and honestly she might be even more amazing in this second installment than the first book. She has so much more character development in this book, and part of that is the fact that Emma now knows exactly what she is, and what that means for her. And the Emma from the first book is very different from the Emma we see at the end of the book, and I loved reading her journey to acceptance of not only who she is, but who she is in terms of her new found family.

All the same characters from the first book appear in this book as well, Declan and Noah in particular. Since Emma ran away from Declan he is eager to get her back he will do anything in his power to get her back. I was a little disappointed at Declans character and the lack of change in his world view, but really what do you expect from a villian right? haha. Noah on the other hand has always been my favorite because of his myserious-ness and the fact that in my mind is he gorgeous. What I think I liked the most about Noah in this book was the fact that he grew a pair. He stood up for what he thought was right and he finally told us how he felt not only about Emma, but his past with the real Emma. The family aspect of this book was great to read as well. I loved reading Emma and her daughter throughout the book, it was not a perfect relationship, it never will be but it great to read none the less.

The conflict in Prototype was very different from the first book, and I thought it was really refreshing. Declan was still there wanting to get Emma back but there was also a lot of tension between Emma and another women who turns out to be with Noah and is raising her child. I loved this tension because it felt real and something we as readers could relate to, especially when we are surrounded by a world that is so unlike our own. Prototype was an amazing sequel and had a great ending that was not tied in a pretty bow but something real and something that worked for the characters. I recommend this series to anyone who loved science fiction and adventure. A must read for sure!

Title: Push
Author: Eve Silver
Series: The Game #2
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Adventure
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: June 10th 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: eARC provided from publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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It’s either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.


Reading a sequel can go one of two ways. It can go horribly wrong, where you cannot remember anything that happened in book 1 and therefore are lost completely because the author doesn't fully recap enough, or you remember some parts of the first book and the authors fills in the rest. Sadly I have read meany sequels that land in the first category, and let me tell you that it can be a very hard reading experience. But I am so happy to say that when I read Push, the sequel to Rush, Eve Silver thrust me back into her world and helped me figure out the parts that I had forgotten. And after I was caught up, man dis this book keep me gripped to the edge of my seat.

Before I get into specifics, I just have to get this out of my system. I  LOVED Jackson in this book, well I loved him in Rush as well but he was more mysterious and a little more douchey in the first book. In Push I really think we get to see a different side of him, especially when he is with Miki, I found his character to have the most growth out of everyone. I still loved that he had that mysterious quality to him, he still kept secrets and he was still extremely honest no matter what, which is a characteristic that I adored in him in Rush.

Miki Jones was her usual self in Push. she was strong headed and yet emotionally tied to Jackson. I really wish we could have seen her at home a little bit more because I think I liked that in the first book, but there really wasn't much in Push. I liked that she still had her best friends and her relationship changed a lot from the first to the second book. The one issue I had character wise was some of the secondary characters, I wanted more of them. We know that they all have secrets I just wish we could have seen some sooner.

The action was not as all-encompassing as it was n the first book but I kind of liked that about this book, We got to see Miki and Jackson find out who they are together and if they actually work as a couple. We got to see more of the Committee which was interesting and added a very nice mystery element ot the book. And the final fight scene was great, I really loved that it pushed (no pun intended) the boundaries of Miki's reality and forced her to make some decisions that were not meant to be made by a teenage girl.

Although I am not one for cliffhanger, this one was a small one. There were some reveals and such but ultimately this ending was nowhere near was torturous as the ending of Rush, believe me! None the less I am super excited for this series, it is a mixture of sci-fi and action-adventure and great for gamers. I seriously cannot wait to get to the third book to find out what happens to these characters!

Title: The Taking
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Taking #1
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Purchanse
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A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?


Kimberly Derting has been one of my recent favorite authors when I discovered The Pledge series a few years ago. Since then I have pledged (no pun intended) to read everything she has ever written, and that includes her newest novel, The Taking.

What I think I love the most about Kimberly's writing is that she has a knack for combining contemporary with other genres. And in The Taking she combines a Science Fiction story with the feel of a contemporary YA story. If it weren't for Kyra's strange 5 year disappearance, I would have thought this book was a contemporary. The one thing I will say was that the story ultimately got very Sci-Fi very fast and I would have liked to have been eased into it a little bit more throughout the book. We knew that something happened to Kyra but we didn't know what and even though I knew that this book was about Aliens I just felt like the end was a bit abrupt and shit got crazy really fast!

I loved Kyra as our narrator and as our main character. I thought she was funny and sarcastic, yet she felt real because she dealt with otherworldly situations in a real way. I felt like she was flawed but you wanted to root for her anyway because she was such a likable character and you wanted her to find out exactly what happened to her and what everything was all about.

Secondary characters were very interesting in this book. There was the love interest, Tyler who I really liked because he was so sweet and honestly if he was real I would fall for him too. I will say that the L-word was dropped way too early for me so I would have changed that, but together they were adorable together and I loved reading their story. I really do wish that there was more of Austin (Kyra's ex-boyfriend) and Kyra's ex-best friend because the conflict between the three of them was very intense and I honest think there is more there to explore. I really hope that the relationship between the three of them is explored more in coming books.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, I honestly think I will like anything Kimberly writes. I will warn those that hate cliffhanger endings that this one has a big one, and I wasn't happy that I really did not get much closure on certain things, but I will just have to wait for the next book, which I will definitely read!

Title: Elusion
Author: Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam
Series: Elusion #1
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Mystery
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: March 18th 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: eARC received by Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.


Science Fiction books are usually not my thing because they can get very complicated and techy and that can throw me off my reading rhythm to a point where I do not understand what is going on. I was afraid of this going into Elusion but I am happy to say that this book blew my expectations away. I really enjoyed this book!

What I think I loved the most about this book was the characters. Regan, our narrator was a great character. She was funny, sarcastic and trustworthy to a fault, even if she shouldn't be. There was also Patrick and Josh. Although I am not one for love triangles I did like this one because it was a complicated one. Both of these boys had aspects that I loved and also aspects that I did not love and for me that is a great way to get me interested in characters. I do not want them to be perfect because that is not relatable.

The mystery aspect of this novel was the reason I read this book in one day. Elusion is a virtual world that was created by Regan father who passed away months before this book began. In this virtual world you can visit anywhere you like and feel all the sensations along with them. But there are some that believe that there is a darker, more addictive side to Elusion that no one is telling then about and in here lies the mystery. Regan begins to suspect that maybe Elusion isn't as perfect she thought it was and the more she delves deeper the more her world changes forever. I loved the mystery element so much because I honestly could not tell you what was going to happen next.

I had a few issues about this book as well, one was the world building. Although the world was described quite well, there were elements that were left untouched and I found that to be distracting at times. There would be a line about the pollution in the air and how all building had special filters etc. but it was never explained as to why the world was like this and how the pollution could effect the characters. There was also some moments where I though it got to techy for me because I couldn't understand what they were talking about. But that didn't happen that often.

If you know me, you know I hate cliffhanger endings and I am sad to say that this one does have one. I honestly was hoping there would be more to the book but sadly it ended there and now i have to wait for the next book because I would really like to know what happens to these characters and to Elusion is a whole.

Title: Nil
Author: Lynne Matson
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Science Fiction Adventure
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Source: ARC received by publisher in exchange for honest review

Purchase:
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On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.


The premise of this book was amazing and I think that is why I wanted to read it. It was so different from all the other YA books I had read in its genre and I am happy to say that this book did not let me down. It was a great read that was fresh and original.

Nil, at its core is a mystery. Why are these kids on this island and how do they get off and back to their lives. I loved this because it gave me a reason to keep reading. I wanted to know how the island worked and if there was indeed a method to getting on and off the island. The main characters in this book were fantastic, I loved Charley because she was strong and independent and she really strived to figure out what was going on on the island and how to get everyone home safely.

Writing dual perspectives in a YA novel can be very hit and miss because you are running the risk of your reader liking one narrator more than the other, and when that happen the reader tends to skim over the one they do not like. I know this because I have been known to do this, and trust me it can ruin a reading experience. But Nil was very different. We got to see Charley and Thad, Charley was very new to the island and Thad who's time is running out. I loved that we got to see these very different perspectives of people on the same island.

The only thing that I didn't love was the focus on the love story. Although I am a sucker for a great love story I wanted more focus to be on the island and how it worked. That was what I was most interested in and i felt that the love story was overshadowing it a little bit.

Overall I really loved this story and I really hope that more people read it because it is a great adventure story that kept me reading well into the night. I seriously cannot wait to see what this authors brings to the table next, I know i will pick that book up right away!

Title: Split Second
Author: Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #2
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: February 11th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: ARC received by Publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.


This series has quickly become one of my favourites, Kasie West has the ability to create characters that are long lasting and that stay with you for years. Pivot Point was one of my favourite books of last year and I have to say that this sequel lived up to all my expectations.

In this book we follow Addie in the life she chose from the first book. She is still in the compound and having to deal with the ramifications of what happened in the first book. But Addie made her best friend Laila promise to help her get her memories back so that she can remember her other life, the one that she left behind. And it is only when Addie's father makes her spend her winter break with him in the human world that she begins to realize the life she left behind.

One of my favourite love stories I read last year was Addie and Trevor in Pivot Point. They were perfect for each other and Trevor was incredibly sweet and generous and he made you love him with every page. And that did not change in Split Second. As readers we got to fall for Trevor all over again, and it was amazing to read. I loved watching Addie and Trevor get to know each other again and the way it happened was so organic that you could not help but root for them.

I only had one issue with this book, and the series as a whole. And it is not really anything to do with the writing (because it is amazingly beautiful), or the characters, but more to do with me and my curiosity. I wanted to know more about the Compound and why it existed. I want to know why they hide from the humans and why they use their powers to erase memories of those that break the rules. There were so many questions I wanted answered and I really hope that one day Kasie will write another story in this world and explore those options because it will be a great story to tell.

If you have not read this series yet please do. It is a roller coaster ride from page one and I will tell you now, you will fall for these characters. They are expertly written and I cannot way enough about them. These books are some of my all time favs and I can only hope that there will be more in the future!

Title: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 560 pages
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for honest review

Purchase
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Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.


Cress is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, and I firstly want to give credit to Marissa for turning some of my favourite fairy tales into sci-fi adventures that are simply amazing and page-turning. These books exceed all expectations and every one of them has been better and more complex then the last.

What I loved most about Cress was Cress herself. She was such a breath of fresh air to this story. She is from outside their world ad therefore sees it very differently then everyone else. And that perspective was a great change. Cress is a character that, although naive to a lot of the world around her, still had extensive knowledge and has the capacity to care and love more than any character in this series. Her relationship with Throne is one of my favourites of all time because it was genuine. Their relationship grew over time and was not instant like some other stories out there.

What I love about this series is that a new character is introduced every book, but we also still follow everyone else. So in Cress we still see Cinder and Prince Kai, Queen Levana, Wolf and Scarlet (although I do wish we had more of her in this book) and Iko and of course Cress and Throne. I think this book was the best of the three because it dealt with more of a revolution stand point than the other two books. In this book a revolution was more a possibility and they set together a plan to stop the wedding that will ruin everything.

Cress is an amazing sequel to both Cinder and Scarlet, and I seriously cannot wait for Winter because [Spoiler Alert] you meet Winter at some point in this book, and oh it will be amazing! I cannot wait to see how this story plays out!!

Title: Avalon
Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: Avalon #1
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Source: eARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
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A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.


Avalon was on my TBR pile since I saw the cover and read the synopsis. These last few months I have been loving science fiction, and for good reason. There have been many amazing YA Sci-Fi books releases in the past year and I was really hoping that Avalon would be added to that list of books. But unforgettably this one fell a little short for me.

What I did love about this book was that the protagonist was a teenage boy, which is something we DESPERATELY need in YA right now. I know a lot of bookseller and librarians are looking for books that will appeal to boys, and I honestly think this one is perfect because it has action, mystery, betrayal, and a little bit of romance (but not too much). And of course that cover is Ah.Mah.Zing, and would definitely appeal to boys. 

There are many things that I need to love a book, every reader has them and if a books doesn't have some of these things then a book usually falls short. For me I have to be pulled into the story right away, and honestly in this book that fell short. I started this book a bit confused for the first few chapters, because I did not really know what was going on, and I really wish there was more information.

Another thing I need in a book is characters that I can relate to, and honestly I did not get that in this book. I wanted to like Jeth, his sister Lizzie and his crew but because the story itself took up most of the time, I did not get enough of him as a character to really care what was going on. And I really wish I liked him more because I honestly think that I would have enjoyed the book more of that had happened.

Overall I did enjoy the later half of the book. The mystery picked up and some secrets were revealed which was nice. There was a betrayal, and then another one and another one so it was a nice change of pace from the beginning of the novel. I honestly do not know if i will continue this series, we will have to see come next year!

Today I am going to show you my Best of 2013 separated into specific genres, since I could seriously not chose only 10. Each book link will lead to you my review of that book, and if I haven't reviewed it yet, then the link will go to Goodreads! So enjoy!

This is a brand new segment I am starting where I feature a book a day, in the month of December, that I am looking forward to in 2014. It can be any book from any genre, from any author or publisher!

This is a great way for me to help you make you TBR pile bigger! And to share the books I cannot wait to read! Hope you enjoy!

I read Linked earlier this year and I have to say that it blew me away. Not only was it a great Sci-Fi read, but it was a great overall YA novel. It had adventure, mystery and a world that was so well built that I really thought it could be real. Reasons why I can't wait for Unravel? The way the first book ended left some questions unanswered and I seriously cannot wait to see what happens to these two twins that I rooted or in Linked!