October 28, 2016

We are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished We are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson. Wow, it was amazing. I think it might have been my favorite book of 2016 (so far). While it is not for everyone, it was incredible.

I read The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley as a pre release last year and really enjoyed it, so I knew that Shaun Hutchinson had talent. I had no idea how much, however, until I read We are the Ants.

The Cover:
The Cover:
I love it. It shows the sky with the stars moving quickly across the sky in the middle of nowhere. The emotional impression the cover conveys, for me anyway, really summarizes the mood of We are the Ants. I also just think that it looks beautiful and subtly eye-catching. A+ cover

Official Description:
There are a few things Henry Denton knows, and a few things he doesn’t.
Henry knows that his mom is struggling to keep the family together, and coping by chain-smoking cigarettes. He knows that his older brother is a college dropout with a pregnant girlfriend. He knows that he is slowly losing his grandmother to Alzheimer’s. And he knows that his boyfriend committed suicide last year.
What Henry doesn’t know is why the aliens chose to abduct him when he was thirteen, and he doesn’t know why they continue to steal him from his bed and take him aboard their ship. He doesn’t know why the world is going to end or why the aliens have offered him the opportunity to avert the impending disaster by pressing a big red button. 
But they have. And they’ve only given him 144 days to make up his mind.
The question is whether Henry thinks the world is worth saving. That is, until he meets Diego Vega, an artist with a secret past who forces Henry to question his beliefs, his place in the universe, and whether any of it really matters. But before Henry can save the world, he’s got to figure out how to save himself, and the aliens haven’t given him a button for that.


Point of View:
First person from Henry's perspective

My Review:
There are books that I believe everyone should read, books like We are the Ants, where you are missing out on a fundamental part of your life if you don't read. This book is a little weird, but, man, does it work. Do yourself a favor and read it. 

The premise is very interesting. Henry Denton can press a button to save the world, but he can't make up his mind about whether the world is worth saving. Events in his life will make him hopeful and consider saving the world, yet other events will rip apart his hope and make the world seem as if it needs to be put out of its misery. His thoughts are fascinating, you will bond with Henry, and you will be sucked into his world.

The writing is beautiful. It seamlessly morphs between serious and heavy topics such as the eventual end of... everything and then change focus to something light and humorous in the next sentence. We are the Ants seems dark, and it is, but it is also funny. It has ironic humor that provides a welcome respite from the heavy topics and keeps the book quick to read and mildly up-lifting.

For example, every few chapters, there will be a page or two describing a potential apocalypse scenario that could happen if Henry doesn't push the button.

Also, quick warning, this book does contain a gay relationship. (It isn't the focus of the book, but it is a factor.) There is also some "mature themes." There is nothing too serious, but I would recommend We are the Ants for high schoolers and up.

I strongly recommend this novel. It is amazing in basically every way. The writing style alone was worth reading for. (If still in doubt, I recommend reading the first pages as the style remains fairly consistent.)

Phrase:
All Star Plumbers

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Winger
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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October 21, 2016

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! After refusing to acknowledge Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as I considered it to be a money-grab on the part of JK Rowling and thought it may ruin my memories of the series, a friend changed my mind. She convinced me to give it a shot. I waited on my local libraries waiting list from spot 167 to 1, and I finally read it.

The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows Albus Severus Potter sitting alone in what I believe is a fragile snitch. The more I look at the cover, the more I like it. It conveys the tone of the play, the fragility and constant inner turmoil. An A cover.

Official Description:
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.


My Review:
I would have hated Harry Potter and the Cursed Child if I had read it immediately after reading Deathly Hallows. It focuses on Harry's inability to be a good father. However, about seven years after my first Harry Potter reading, I kind of enjoyed it. I'm not under the impression that it is a continuation of the "canon" Harry Potter story, but it is an interesting exercise in What If? Considering that JK Rowling had a larger role as an advisor than writer in the creation of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I do not consider it a "Harry Potter book". Yet, I did enjoy the story.

It follows Albus and Scorpius (Draco's son) as they become friends and try to alter history and understand their fathers. The Cursed Child offers a separate perspective on the Hogwarts experience and even on Harry and Draco themselves.  

The characters were lovable, if misguided, and the story itself was actually action-packed and attention grabbing. Once I started, I couldn't set The Cursed Child down, and I imagine that it could have been even better when seen on a stage. 

I would recommend reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child if you have distanced yourself far enough from the original Harry Potter story. It is a play, so if will only take a few hours to read through. The word that comes to mind when thinking about this play is "interesting". I cannot give a blanket recommendation for reading this play, since I know that the reactions will be dramatically different. The Cursed Child did not ruin the Harry Potter series, but it does change it.

Phrase:
The Spare

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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October 14, 2016

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished listening to the audiobook for the sequel to Cinder (click here for review). I really enjoyed Scarlet but it wasn't quite as good as Cinder was.

The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows Scarlet (a Little Red Riding Hood character) with her hair floating behind her. Mist covers the background. I like this cover. It is pleasing to look at and just simply well-designed and still links well to the book. A+ cover

Official Description:
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive. 
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.


My Review:
In Scarlet, the point of view changes from mainly Cinder's perspective to a split narrative between Cinder and Scarlet. Also, some characters in the first novel, such as Kai and the Doctor, had very small roles and even seemed forgotten about.

That being said, Scarlet was action-packed. Both Scarlet and Cinder's storylines were interesting and had great characters. The new characters all have realistic backstories that wonderfully shape their characters. In fact, many of these new characters became my favorites, despite not being present in the first book.

Overall, I would recommend Scarlet if you have read and enjoyed Cinder, and if you haven't read Cinder yet, I would recommend it, too! The Lunar Chronicles is a fresh and wonderfully feministic version of the Cinderella story. 


Phrase:
Lupine Wannabes

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Selection

Red Rider's Hood by Neal Shusterman

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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October 7, 2016

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! After seeing all the hype from Cinder over the years, I decided to give it a go. I was skeptical about whether I would like it because it seemed a bit typical and boring. Cinder is another remake on the classic Cinderella story, and I was right, it was a bit typical, but it was not boring.

The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows cinder's leg. She's wearing a fake foot that is sized too small on the end of her metal leg. It's pretty self-explanatory but is a nice mix between beauty and metal/utility. It definitely fits this book and is simple and elegant. A+ cover

Official Description:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Point of View:
3rd person mostly from Cinder's perspective, some from Kai's perspective

My Review:
Cinder was a retelling of the classic Cinderella story but with a twist. Cinder is a cyborg and the country has a devastating plague and threats of war with power-hungry aliens to deal with. Yeah... A bit strange, which was why I was skeptical to read Cinder but somehow it works.

The story kept my attention as Cinder tries to cure the plague, fights her evil stepmother, and keeps running into Kai, a supposedly dreamy prince. For a Cinderella story, Cinder is surprisingly intense. She can hold her own and is not referred to as girly or beautiful but as a mechanic. 

The characters were great! Cinder was a tough female protagonist who tries to forge her own destiny. Kai seemed nice and complex, though we don't see much of him in the first book. The only non-interesting characters were the evil stepmother and the evil stepsister. They both felt artificial and only had exceedingly thin reasons for the majority of their actions.

The story had plenty of plot-twists. Some of them, you could see a mile coming, but others took me by surprise, which was nice.

The main problem in Cinder is the treatment of the cyborgs. A major plot point is how Cinder is constantly discriminated against because of her cyborg nature. It is so polarizing that cyborgs are drafted to be experimented on. Yet, it doesn't make sense within the book why they are discriminated against. In fact, they seem to be in advantage. Cinder can tell when people are lying and has access to the internet ("the net") in her brain. That seems like an advantage, not a disadvantage, yet she resents being a cyborg. Everyone around her is disgusted by cyborgs, which are basically amputees. I can't imagine that with the technology in this book, people aren't lining up to be cyborgs, much less discriminate against them. It didn't feel organic.

That being said, I really enjoyed Cinder. There were parts that were a bit off, but the majority of the story was engaging. The characters were likable and felt organic. While there are fight scenes, it is more a romance than anything else. I'd recommend Cinder if you like Cinderella stories or a female heroine who can hold her own.

Audiobook Review (read by Rebecca Soler):
Rebecca Soler did a great job reading Cinder. The voices were great and there was a good amount of inflection, too. Her reading voice is also pleasant. I would recommend the audiobook version.

Phrase:
A Lunar's Glamour

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Selection

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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