ARC Revew: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under The Never Sky
Series: Debut!
Author: Veronica Rossi | Website
Available: Now
Genre: Dystopian
Reading Level: YA
Source: Vine










Description via Goodreads:


Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction. 

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions. 

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.


My thoughts:


Under the Never Sky is another up and coming dystopian release that seems to be building all kinds of hype. After my not so great experience with another dystopian title, that was also recently released and greatly hyped, I was worried Under the Never Sky would be another fail for me. I adore dystopian so I hoped this wouldn't be the case. Imagine my anxiety when after 50 pages I still wasn't enjoying this book (that was supposed to be so full of awesomeness) much at all. I just didn't get it. Where was this world they were living in? What was going on? What is a realm and why do they have them? To say the world was confusing would be a HUGE understatement. Then it clicked, and I spent the remainder of my time reading Under the Never Sky in complete and total love. I'm so glad I didn't toss this book on the DNF pile.

Under the Never Sky alternates between two points of view, Aria and Perry. * cue dreamy sighs and swooning * They don't really talk much about the why's or how's the world came to be in the shape it is because they don't know. Some of the human population also has abilities that I initially mistook as something a little more magical and fantasy appropriate because of the use of the word Seer. As I read, I discovered this was not magic and more likely the adaption of humans overtime due to the new and most definitely not improved environment they were forced to inhabit. At least that was my take. This combined with the confusing world and strange language is where my initial confusion and inability to really connect with the novel stemmed from. Thankfully once that was all cleared up I was left with nothing but smooth reading.

Other reviews I've read call Aria unlikeable. I didn't find this to be the case. I really enjoyed her. She finds herself forced out of the enclosed facility she calls home in order to cover-up some crazy behavior by one of the powerful resident's son. She is forced into the scary world nicknamed The Death Shop. It is there she meets Perry who will need her help to break into the home she was just exiled from. Perry isn't exactly the nicest guy to be around initially, but like Aria he is under a lot of stress and seems to think it is her fault. They find themselves on a dangerous journey across the devastated world they call home. She is overwhelmed with concern for her mother who left on a mission and hasn't made contact in an unusual amount of time. Girl has a lot on her mind!

Perry kind of encompasses an awesomeness that is difficult to put into words. He is the epitome of protective badass, and I might be in love. While reading it is hard to picture him as an 18-year-old boy. He has experienced so much loss and devastation. I loved that there was no insta-love between him and Aria. He actually commented on her offensive "Dweller" odor on more than one occasion. Even though he thought she smelled bad, I could see why they were perfect for each other from the start. Their romance is reason enough to pick up this book.

Under the Never Sky also contains a fascinating cast of secondary characters you won't want to miss. I won't go into detail on each, but will say they are beautifully unique and add a layer of depth to this complex world.

While I didn't love Under the Never Sky like I did The Hunger Games or Divergent, it is a solid read and one I think most dystopian fans will definitely enjoy. I did feel the introduction to Aria's world could have been better. The world and language took quite a bit of time to get used to and unfortunately distracted from my initial enjoyment.

Will I continue this series? Heck yeah! The ending sets us up perfectly for the next installment without leaving us hanging (too much). I'm sure I'll devour the next in the series much easier now that the world building that slowed down book one is out of the way. 


Parental POV : Under the Never Sky does contain violence and sexual situations. They also briefly talk about menstruation and fertility. Boys might find this is an ick factor. With that said, I felt Veronica Rossi handled both topics tastefully. Mega kudos for her!

My Rating:

Waiting On Wednesday - January 11th

My WOW pick this week is

Chosen Ones 

by Tiffany Truitt

Available: April 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival? 

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

**********

Why I'm waiting on Chosen Ones? I can't get enough dystopian and this sounds different and pretty darn cool :)

What are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link so I can stop by and check it out.

Meme details: Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. Don’t forget to stop by her blog and share your WOW pick for this week.

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Title: Enclave
Series: Razorland #1
Author: Ann Aguirre | Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Dystopian
Source: Publisher










Description from Goodreads:


WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE 

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember. 

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning. 

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace. 

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.


My thoughts:


I had heard so many amazing things about Ann Aguirre's books and kept meaning to give one of her series a try. When I heard she had a dystopian/post-apocalyptic series coming out I knew that would be a perfect place to start. When I discovered the book also contained zombieish creatures I knew it was definitely going to me my very first Ann Aguirre book.


Enclave throws readers into an underground world with a social structure that the characters accept, but will terrify readers and leave them thinking what if. What if this happens in my lifetime? What if my children grow up and have to live in a world like the one in this book? Enclave is frightening, but oh so addictive. Needless to say the world building that happened in Enclave is amazing! I was seriously impressed. With the page count just shy of 300 this is an excellent testament of Ann Aguirre's talented writing skills.


Main character Deuce is certifiably badass. I would not want to be on the receiving end of an ass kicking from this chick. When Fade enters the picture you know I was in immediate love. Dark, brooding, and mysterious are top three requirements for book boyfriend, and I have a feeling that these are characteristics MC Deuce also appreciates. I loved that they could kick zombie butt and then have these intense connections after. These two rock the chemistry hard.


Loads of action, conspiracy, and double crossing. Life inside the enclave is scary enough, but wait until you see what is happening outside. The book ends with the perfect setup for the next in the series. Enclave is an amazing dystopian debut and one that can easily hang with the big boys of the genre. Plus there are Freaks *cough* zombies *cough*. I'm of the school of thought that a mindless flesh eating being always brings a little something special to a novel. If you agree or are a reader fiending for a new dystopian novel, give this one a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

My Rating:

Review: Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane- Blog Tour

Title: Children of Paranoia
Series: 1st in a trilogy
Available: Now
Author: Trevor Shane | Website
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Dystopian/Thriller
Source: Publisher












Description from Goodreads:


ALL WARS HAVE RULES

Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.

Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.

BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET

Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.

Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.

Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.

My thoughts:

Children of Paranoia is a book that made me think thriller more than dystopian. The world is basically the same as it is now for the “civilians” clueless about the secret war going on around them. If you are involved in the war you spend your time either assassinating the enemy, gathering Intel on the enemy, or hiding from the enemy. It will have readers biting their nails and reaching for an antacid. This is one of those high-strung reads that barely leaves you a moment to breathe. The first night reading I actually said I must put this book down or I'll have nightmares. The next night I decided screw the nightmares and kept reading until I was done. Talk about stressful! Trevor Shane has created a world that will leave readers emotionally spent, but begging for more. 

As I mentioned the pace of this novel moves quite quickly. The world building was pretty darn amazing and will have you obsessing about why this crazy war is happening in the first place. Character development was also really well done. Joseph and Maria are the characters we get to know best. Their romance happens quickly. I know not everyone is a fan of characters that seem to fall in love at first sight, but for Joseph and Maria it worked. Unfortunately their romance comes with serious consequences. I don’t want to give away too much, but the plot twists that surround the two really threw me for a loop. I never saw it coming. This is a novel that is anything, but predictable.

The ending is completely unexpected and 100% heart wrenching. Oh my goodness I get teary just thinking about it! I'm sending you my therapy bill, Mr. Shane. It also sets us up for the next book in the trilogy perfectly. Not a cliffhanger really, but it has left me pining for what is to come next.

Children of Paranoia does contain some pretty brutal scenes, but with a book starring assassins I’d consider that a given. I’m pretty squeamish when it comes to violence and came through my reading experience mostly unscathed ;) Children of Paranoia is a book that took me outside of my normal reading “comfort zone” and entertained me more than I thought possible. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys books with lots of action.

My Rating:

Waiting On Wednesday - August 31st

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to share books that have us readers counting down to release day.

This week I’m waiting on,

The Other Life

by Susanne Winnacker

Releases: February 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

Why I’m “waiting on” The Other Life? I’m a sucker for any dystopian/post-apocalyptic tale especially if there are zombie like creatures roaming the earth. This one sounds super cool! 

What are you waiting on this week?

Character Interview: Eve from Eden by Keary Taylor

I’m so very excited to have the chance to interview Eve from Eden by Keary Taylor today. Hi Eve and welcome! 

Can you provide a brief summary of the events that caused survivors to join and create the safe haven known as Eden. 

After the technology that later became known as the infection took over, people realized they had to get away from the cities.  A lot of people were on the run and eventually they started finding each other.  Gabriel and his family found Avian, Sarah, and Tye, other's found them.  As the infected started pushing further and further out, the people had to push further into the country.  


You have no memories of your life before the Fall. Do you feel this gave you an advantage over others living in Eden? Or do you feel your lack of memories were a disadvantage? 


It made me feel like an outsider, that's for sure.  But I think it was nice to not have any experience before the world fell apart.  It was easier for me, not to have to miss electricity and telephones and whatnot.    


When the other members of Eden reminisced about life before the Fall is there anything they mentioned that you wish you could have experienced firsthand? 


Others have talked about music players and how there was thousands and thousands of songs. There's something about music that gets to me like nothing else does.  It's a rare occasion for me to get to experience it.  Regular hot showers would be nice to...  


I imagine living with so many people can be difficult at times. Where do you go when you need time alone? 


I'm alone most of the time while I'm on scouting duty.  The balance is good.  Being around others makes me feel normal, but when the pressure of not being like others gets to be too much the trees don't seem to care about that.  


What is your favorite part about living in Eden? 


The members of Eden are my family.  They have been for as long as I can remember and they always will be.  We share a bond that people didn't use to have before all of this happened.  


What is your most prized possession? 


Most valued would have to be my pack.  Everything I need to survive is in that thing.  Most valued though... that would have to be the necklace Avain gave me for my eighteenth birthday.    


What is your favorite food? 


Not long after I was found outside of Eden, Gabriel gave me this thing he called a Snickers.  He said it was one of only two he had left and he shared it with me.  Pure heaven.  


Is there anything else you would like to share with us? 


Never take advantage of the things you have.  Your roof over your head, a safe place to live, the ones you have around you.  And careful what you let doctors put into your body...  Who knows how things could evolve...  

Thanks for the chance to get to know you and your world better, Eve!  

Read my review of Eden.

Keary Taylor on the web:

Website | Blog

Buy Eden:

Paperback: Eden

Or for Kindle: Eden

Review: Eden by Keary Taylor

Title: Eden
Series: Standalone (as far as I know)
Author: Keary Taylor | Author Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi
Source: Received from author












Description via Goodreads:


Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality. 

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior. 

The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.


My thoughts:


The first thing that grabbed my attention was Eden’s cover. So creepy, but so very cool! After reading the synopsis I knew this was a book I had to read. As a huge fan of any doomsday type of premise I couldn’t pass this one up! Human beings consumed by their robot like parts who then seek out other humans until they eradicate any remaining flesh on the face of the earth. Yes, please! This is the stuff nightmares are made of and for some reason I just can’t get enough.


When I sat down to read Eden I never expected to finish it in one sitting. This is a pretty hefty piece of literature at 400+ pages. I was so intrigued by the world and characters the author created it made finding a suitable stopping place impossible. I had to know what happened next. 


Eden isn’t nearly as action packed or fast-paced as other dystopian novels I’ve read, but it moves at a smooth and steady pace guaranteed to keep you hooked. As more of a character driven reader this really worked for me. I appreciated the amount of care Keary Taylor put into creating well developed characters in a well presented futuristic world. You can tell she is an author who becomes fully invested in the characters she creates and wants readers to grow to love them as much as she does. She did an amazing job of creating a world that readers will find both engaging and entertaining. I love that she was able to combine complex world building and well-crafted characters without sacrificing the quality of either. I really liked Eve and enjoyed watching her evolve over the course of Eden. I felt for her when she lost those she cared about and didn’t envy her precarious position at the center of the love triangle involving the older Avian and reckless West. There is also an amazing cast of secondary characters who make up the world Eve is living in.


Keary Taylor is an author who I can’t help but be awed by. Not only is she able to write great books with small children in her home, but said books are then self-published. Having read my fair share of self-pubbed books over the last year I must say her work is some of the best. On that note if you haven’t checked out Keary’s books I highly recommend you do (&soon!). 

My Rating:

Follow Keary Taylor's Blog

FYI: Eden for Kindle is just 99 cents!

Review: Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

Title: Aftertime
Series: Aftertime #1
Author: Sophie Littlefield | Author Website
Available: Now
Genre: Dystopian
Reading Level: Adult
Source: Amazon Vine












Synopsis via Goodreads:


Someone once said that all apocalypses are experienced locally. In the case of Cass Dollar, the nightmare occurred with the violent abduction of two-year-old Ruthie, which she vividly remembers. Only later is young Cass assaulted also by the vague, twisting memories of a much wider conflagration that she herself only narrowly survived. A government experiment had turned the entire California landscape into the hunting grounds of zombie Beaters, but Cass can only think of the helpless toddler she is missing.


My thoughts:


Wow, wow, wow! After reading numerous young adult dystopian tales it was refreshing to read about survival in a post-apocalyptic world from an adult's point of view. Cassandra Dollar wakes up with injuries consistent to those usually inflicted by the Beaters (AKA flesh eating zombies) that are roaming the world since a government mission gone wrong. She vaguely remembers being attacked, but knows people can't recover from the infection that ravages the body after coming in contact with an infected's saliva. At least until now she had thought it impossible. Quickly the desire to reunite with her young daughter, Ruthie, sets Cass into motion and on a long and difficult journey. The need to know her baby girl is safe is the force pushing and driving Cass to continue even when the outlook looks hopeless. She finds an ally in a man named, Smoke, who puts his faith in Cass even though she doesn't feel she deserves it. Together they search for Ruthie in a world defined by Before and After and discover along the way that the Beaters aren't the only threat to humanity. 

Cass is one of the most damaged heroines I've ever met. She has suffered a difficult life littered with addiction and abuse, but not once does her maternal instinct falter. That is what made me love her. She is an amazing woman who I felt a connection to almost immediately. This book is gritty and violent. I was concerned during the first chapter that the gruesome and gory details would be too much for me to continue, but Cass makes you want to keep reading. The author's writing teamed with a fast paced plot, and relatable characters made is painfully difficult to put Aftertime down once I started reading. 

The romantic elements involving Cass and Smoke, was a nice addition to the plot. I like that the author incorporated tender, and sometimes not so tender, moments between the two without detracting from the action and fight for survival that I've come to expect from dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels. Smoke is a man with so many layers, and I think we only saw a brief glimpse of who he is (and why) over the course of Aftertime. As far as Smoke is concerned, chivalry is not dead in Aftertime. He is always ready to sacrfice himself for the greater good. He is one of those men who it is difficult not to love. I hope we'll learn more about what he is hiding, and his life Before. 

All around Aftertime is just a great read. Not for the faint of heart as the author touches on sensitive topics and doesn't spare readers the gruesome details. This is a book that will take root in your head and leave you pining for more. I'm eager to read more from the talented author!

My Rating:

Books in this series: