Sci-Fi YA Panel with Beth Revis, Amie Kauffman, and Meagan Spooner

This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend an author event (my first ever!) with Beth Revis (Across the Universe series), Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (These Broken Stars). Lissa Price (Starters and Enders) and Jodi Meadows (Incarnate) were supposed to be in attendance as well, but sadly, snowstorm Pax had other plans. Beth, Amie and Meagan were fabulous, though, and I was so excited to get to see them!

The three authors first chatting among themselves and with readers about some commonly asked questions that they get. It was so hilarious to get to hear them talk about their own writing processes (apparently Meagan likes to talk to herself and act out scenes). I don’t want to play favorites, but Beth was definitely my favorite out of the three. She just has a fun personality and is super hilarious. She told a story about a time when she was enacting a scene with her husband. This particular enactment just happened to require a fake gun and Beth being held in a choke hold by her husband, and the UPS man just happened to be dropping off some packages at that time. ;)

Both books (Across the Universe and These Broken Stars) are set in space, and it was interesting to hear some of the research the authors had to do. Lots of visits to the NASA website! Apparently it’s now known that the Russians are much more daring in space than Americans…records of various accidents and stunts have proven that to be very true. Whenever Amie or Meagan mentioned anything regarding plot/climax in relation to the space topic, Beth would chime in and reiterate her love for explosions. She really does love blowing things up. Exclusively in her books, hopefully.

Some people asked about writing advice or book covers (the dress on the cover of These Broken Stars got a lot of attention…apparently these three draped it over a statue at Biltmore, just for fun!). My favorite question, though, was “Which authors are you most thankful to be friends with, excluding the present authors?” I know for a fact that Beth is pretty chummy with Lauren DeStefano, and Meagan mentioned Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss). Stephanie is another author I’d love to meet- she’s a fellow North Carolinian like Meagan and Beth. Beth then went on to mention the time she met J.K. Rowling, and almost threw up. I’m tellin’ ya, this woman doesn’t get any more hilarious. Everyone was in stitches.

When I had Beth sign my book, she was like, “Shelby?! Like the city? I have a character in A Million Suns named Shelby!” And I was like, “Awesome, that’s cool.” And then she was like, “But I kill her off.” And I was all, “Ok, I guess that’s cool, too.” Ha.

I had such a fun time just listening to Beth, Amie, and Meagan talk about writing and their books. And it was great chatting to fellow English majors in line! Finally, people like me! I really felt like I belonged. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for YA author events in my area. 

Blog Tour: Anomaly by Krista McGee (Review + Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Published: July 9^th, 2013 (Thomas Nelson)

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Book Depository

Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.

Decades before Thalli’s birth, the world ended in a nuclear war. But life went on deep underground, thanks to a handful of scientists known as The Ten. Since then, they have genetically engineered humans to be free from emotions in the hopes that war won’t threaten their lives again.

But Thalli was born with the ability to feel emotions and a sense of curiosity she can barely contain. She has survived so far thanks to her ability to hide those differences. But Thalli’s secret is discovered when she is overwhelmed by the emotion in an ancient piece of music.

She is quickly scheduled for annihilation, but her childhood friend, Berk, convinces The Ten to postpone her death and study her instead. While in the scientists’ Pod, Thalli and Berk form a dangerous alliance, one strictly forbidden by the constant surveillance in the pods.

As her life ticks away, she hears rumors of someone called the Designer—someone even more powerful than The Ten. What’s more, the parts of her that have always been an anomaly could in fact be part of a much larger plan. And the parts of her that she has always guarded could be the answer she’s been looking for all along.

Thalli must sort out what to believe and who she can trust, before her time runs out… [Description from Amazon]

When I first started Anomaly, I thought it was pretty typical of the dystopian genre. The language, the focus on and exaltation of science over everything else (other fields, religion, love, emotion, etc), and the theme of human ignorance and dependence on a higher power (which, in turn, ends up being evil, though that’s often obvious from the start). These are reoccurring themes in dystopian literature today. Anomaly included them all, which is why I initially labeled it as “typical.” I was soon contradicted in my opinion, though, as well as pleasantly surprised.

Typical as it may have seemed, Anomaly’s fantastic plot twists is what really did it for me. It doesn’t turn out how you think it will. And don’t try and refute that statement until you’ve read the very last page. Oh yeah. It’s one of those books. The ones that change everything with the last few sentences, leaving you breathless and stunned. But that’s all I’m saying. *seals lips and throws away key*

It was really easy to connect to Thalli, obviously, since she had the “ability” to feel emotions (this made her an anomaly). An emotionless character would be pretty hard to connect with. *wink* I liked the “robotic” language that Krista used (sparse use of contractions). This can be a typical aspect of a dystopian, but it worked well in this book. As far as Berk, he was good as a love interest, but I liked Stone better. I just did. But I don’t think Thalli and Stone are going to happen, for reasons I can’t disclose. Spoilers! (oh my word, total Doctor Who reference right there, for those of you who didn’t catch it)

I’ve never read any other books by Krista McGee, though I’ve heard her YA books and her Christian romances are fantastic. But she’d never ventured into the dystopian genre before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None- Mild (human experimentation; not gory, no description)

Sexual: None- Mild (some kissing…or thoughts about kissing…or something like that)

About the Author…

Krista McGee’s passion to see teens excited about serving God is a driving force behind her novels. Ever since college when she spent a summer working at a youth camp, McGee knew she wanted to invest in teenagers. Since then she’s been involved in a variety of youth ministries and currently teaches at a Christian school in Tampa, FL.

McGee broke into the writing world during her time in Spain. A friend encouraged her to submit an article to a Christian girls’ magazine, and it got published. Once her family moved back to Tampa, she got the idea for her first novel, First Date, a modern take of the story of Esther. Her subsequent books, Starring Me and Right Where I Belong, are based on Rebekah and Ruth.

When Krista McGee isn’t living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher and coffee snob.

Connect with Krista:

Website│Twitter│Goodreads│Facebook

***GIVEAWAY***

5 print copies of Anomaly, US only.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday #25

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Twinmaker by Sean Williams

Release date: November 5th, 2013 (Balzer + Bray)

Pages: 352

M. T. Anderson meets Cory Doctorow in this teen debut from #1 New York Times bestseller Sean Williams, who also coauthors the Troubletwisters series with Garth Nix.

When a coded note promises improvement—the chance to change your body any way you want, making it stronger, taller, more beautiful—Clair thinks it's too good to be true, but her best friend, Libby, falls into a deadly trap.

With the help of the school freak and a mysterious stranger, Clair races against the clock and around the world to save Libby, even as every step draws her deeper into a deadly world of cover-ups and conspiracies.

Action and danger fuel this near-future tale of technology, identity, and the lengths one girl will go to save her best friend. [Description from Amazon]

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Leave a comment or link below.

Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

Published: May 14^th, 2013 (HarperTeen)

Pages: 432

Rating: 4/5

Source: Library

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach. [Description from Amazon]

I was really intrigued with the idea of this book when I first heard of it, because the concept of parallel worlds isn’t used much in YA literature. Or any type of literature, as far as I know. Of course, we Whovians are somewhat familiar with it, as the writers of Doctor Who have meddled in it occasionally. Still, I was super eager to see how it was approached in this book.

Now that I’ve read it, I have to say that it was kind of confusing. Not the parallel world aspect, necessarily, but rather the switches between Abby’s life and her parallel’s life. It all got a little muddled for me when Abby’s parallel would make a decision that would affect Abby’s life, yet because Abby’s parallel was a year behind, it changed things the next day for Abby, and so on and so forth. It was hard to keep up with, the dates and consequences of different actions and all that. In the end, it all started to make more sense, but there were definitely times when I was utterly lost in the science of it all. If it weren’t for the help of Abby’s smart-pants friend Caitlin, who always ended up explaining away the confusion (not only for Abby but for me as well!), I’m not sure what type of review I’d be writing right now.

I feel like this book does a fantastic job of showing how our actions can have long-lasting consequences. Our actions today affect our tomorrow, and that’s something Abby really had to come to terms with. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out all peachy for us like it did for Abby.

So I know I’ve harp on this issue way too much recently (at least it seems that way), but here I go again. High school drama. I’m sick of it. No more, please. While I didn’t like that aspect of the book, I almost feel like it was poked fun at in Parallel. I mean, a drawing for a parking space in the school parking lot? How can you *not* laugh at that? Also, because of the year-long gap between Abby and her parallel, it was almost like she was in high school and college at the same time. I enjoyed the entrance into college life (without having all the NA sexual mess and language). I wish more YA books would be college-geared while leaving out all the mature content.

One thing that kind of irked me was the way the author casually threw in some “God” stuff. It didn’t really contribute to the novel. I’m not saying it should have been left out, but the way it was used seemed contradictory and pointless. For example: Abby and Michael are at his apartment, drinking beer (illegally, for the record) and Michael starts cracking some suggestive comments. Next thing ya know, he’s taking her to some candle-lit church service. Um, what? If you’re going to include God in all this, let’s do it respectfully and whole-heartedly, shall we? Either that or not at all.

Ok, now for something I absolutely loved. Abby + Josh. Ohmigosh, guys. Cutest romance ever! It wasn’t insta-love. It wasn’t hot and romantic. It was cute, somewhat awkward, and totally realistic. I loved their relationship to pieces…and Josh was so adorable in that geeky-but-attractive way. *sigh* More, please!

Another thing I liked was Caitlin’s and Abby’s relationship. They were such close friends, and it almost torn my heart apart when they had their big fight. They had the friendship we all wish for, and it was great seeing that come to life in a YA book.

So long story short, I loved Parallel just as much as I thought I would. There were some things that confused or irritated me, but no book is perfect, right? Except maybe the one I’ll write someday (*wink*).

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None

Sexual: Mild (Abby seems to have some moral standards when it comes to sex, though there are some mentions/suggestions of sexual situations)

Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Published: April 30^th, 2013 (Simon Pulse)

Pages: 408

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them. [Description from Amazon]

I was very excited about The Program when I first heard about it and couldn’t wait to read it. I’ve had little interest in reading any other books by Suzanne Young, but I can honestly say I enjoyed her writing style. I was unsure about The Program when I first started it, because it seemed very dark (which it is) but the story, the characters, and the idea of a suicide epidemic really intrigued me and before long, I was hooked.

I found this book rather different from other books of the same genre. For instance, usually hatred towards the antagonist (The Program, in this case) is developed, but in this book, it was immediate. Sloane hates The Program for what it does to hurting people. This hatred had to be reignited after she went through The Program, though, because her memories (her hates and likes) were erased. Another example of it being different is that the love interest (James) is introduced immediately rather than having a relationship develop over the span of the book. More often than not, a love relationship develops over the entire book, but this obviously wouldn’t have worked in this case. We’re given brief flashbacks of the development of James’ and Sloane’s relationship, though, throughout the book. I’m really glad the author included these, because otherwise, I’m not sure I’d have been convinced of their “mad” love for each other.

I’m a dystopian nut, and memory erasing is an idea I really love to read about. It’s a core aspect in one of my NaNoWriMo novels, and something I’d really like to play around with in future novels. So the idea of The Program really interested me.

I found it ironic that in order to rebound suicidal depression, The Program took Sloane’s memories; yet in doing so, it killed her in a completely different way. Someone who’s had their memory wiped or been through The Program (called a “returner”) has to rewrite their lives. They know nothing about themselves or who they used to be. It’s like being reborn. Some things are familiar, but anything linked to their past that might have caused the initial depression is taken from their minds. Maybe not absolutely scientifically possible, but an interesting (though morbid) idea nonetheless.





Now. For the characters. Oooooh goodness. For starters, I was a little irritated with how the parents were portrayed. I felt like all of them were portrayed as ignorant, robotic, and stupid. I mean…really? So, that’s that. My second irritation was James. Now, Sloane says over and over how she loves his cocky spirit, but honestly, it got on my nerves. The guy’s an arrogant, hormonal douche bag. He seems bi-polar when he meets Sloane again after being in The Program. One minute he’s flirting with her (in his own cocky way) and the next he’s spewing insults. And then it’s explained later on that he was just “afraid of getting hurt.” Bad excuse, buddy. Bad excuse.

Anyway, there’s my rant. I liked Sloane’s character, though she was a bit clingy and desperate when it came to James. She’s snarky, though, and I liked that about her. Realm was another one of my favorites. I liked him soooo much better than James. He seems to respect (and even love) Sloane more than James did. He was mysterious, yet he had all the answers. He wanted what was best for Sloane; he wanted to protect her. I would have loved to see Sloane and Realm end up together, but that wouldn’t have worked for the book. Besides, there’s always book 2, right? (Ya hear that, Suzanne?)

I ended up really enjoying The Program. I sped through those 400 pages pretty darn fast, so that tells you how much I liked it (slow readers FTW!). There were some character issues that irked me, as well as some rather mature content (see Quick Content Review below), which results in four stars rather than five. That said, I highly recommend The Program to mature teen readers/adults.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Moderate (Several b-words, a few f-words, etc.)

Violence: Moderate (mention of teens committing suicide in various ways- poison, slitting wrists, drowning, etc.)

Sexual: Heavy (Characters casually sleep together; some heavy kissing).

Blog Tour: Terra by Gretchen Powell (Author Interview + Giveaway)

Today we’re here with author Gretchen Powell to talk about her new YA book, Terra! Welcome to the blog, Gretchen. J

What inspired you to write a YA sci-fi novel? Which authors/books are your inspirations?

I’ve always loved dystopia and science fiction, and in particular have always been drawn to YA. Those are the books that I read, so it only made sense to me that it would be the same book I’d write. There’s just something about a world that is both futuristic but simultaneously feels familiar—like it really could happen.

My favorite authors include JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Maggie Steifvater. I found The Hunger Games very inspiring—for obvious reasons—but also have found a lot of inspiration in great self-published novels like Angelfall by Susan Ee.

It’s true that a lot of self-published books have made it big-time in the book business. They can be just as inspiring as something published by Simon and Schuster or HarperTeen.

In your books, there are two societies- one on the ground and one in the sky. Personally, what was the hardest aspect of world-building that you encountered when writing your novel?

I think the hardest aspect in terms of the world-building was ensuring consistency. If you’re going to create this entire world, you have to ensure that the things that happen are consistent with how the world works. It just took a lot more going back and checking over things than I originally anticipated.

That does sound difficult- I’ve hear from many reviews that you’ve done a fabulous job.

Describe your main character, Terra, with five adjectives.

Fiery, strong, snarky, protective, survivor.

Being a debut author, what was your reaction when you found out you were going to be published?

My journey to publishing was actually not particularly traditional—I decided very early on that I was going to self-publish, so I never went through the process of querying agents or submitting my book to publishing houses. There wasn’t really a “Holy crap, I’m gonna be published!” moment, where I opened the email or letter telling me so, it was just kind of always there. More like, a goal to work towards rather than a prize I was waiting to be gifted.

It sounds much more rewarding that way, too.

I know for me, it’s easy to get stuck in what I call “plot block.” What’s your personal cure for writer’s block?

Oh man, I’m still trying to figure this one out. For me, I think the best thing to get me moving past plot block for a specific section is to allow myself to move onto something else. Like maybe I’ll work on a scene that comes later in the book that I already can envision really clearly in my head. Then, when I’m in a better mental space, I’ll go back to where I left off in the chronology of the book, and just try to link the two pieces together.

Never thought of that- I’ll have to try it sometime!

What are you currently working on (translation: how’s book two coming along)?

Book two, Underground, is indeed coming, although it’s slower than I had originally hoped. On the one hand, it’s no big deal since, because I’m self-published, I have the luxury to publish on my own schedule, without anyone breathing down my back. But I also put a lot pressure on myself to keep up momentum and get the sequel out—since I know there are people out there waiting for it! I’m still on track to get Underground out this year though, which I guess is all I can ask for!

We can’t wait! I’m sure it’ll be fantastic. Thanks for stopping by, Gretchen.

About the Book:

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Chapters 1 & 2 are available to read online here at Gretchen's website.

About the Author:

Half-Chinese and the daughter of a US diplomat, Gretchen Powell spent her childhood growing up in far-off places. She made it all the way to her mid-twenties whilst maintaining her deep-seated love for young adult novels, so she decided to write one of her own.

Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and sleeping fitfully. Her many interests include anything with polka dots, Harry Potter, and playing the ukulele.

When she isn't crafting devastated futuristic worlds and fiery heroines, Gretchen also writes a healthy living blog, entitled "Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!"

She lives in Northern Virginia with her two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK| GOODREADS

*Giveaway*

There is a giveaway shared across all the stops for a signed copy of the book and three signed bookmarks to ONE WINNER. US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tour Schedule

Week One

May 6^th – Parajunkee (http://www.parajunkee.com) – Guest Post

May 7^th – Gobs and Gobs of Books (http://www.gobsandgobsofbooks.blogspot.com/) – Interview

May 7^th – Caught Between the Pages (http://caughtbetweenthepages.wordpress.com) – Guest Post

May 8^th – Poisoned Rationality (http://www.prationality.com) – Interview

May 9^th – Lost in Books (http://imlostinbooks.blogspot.com) – Guest Post

May 9^th – My Book Addiction (http://mybookaddiction.com) – Review

May 10^th – Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf (http://www.moonlightgleam.com) – Interview

May 10^th – Library of a Book Witch (http://www.booklovewitch.blogspot.com) – Review

Week Two

May 13^th – Jenna Does Books (http://jennadoesbooks.com/) - Guest Post

May 13^th – Buried Under Books (http://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/) – Review

May 14^th – The Best Books Ever (http://www.thebestbooksever.com) – Interview

May 14^th – Pieces of Whimsy (http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/) - Review

May 15^th – Seeing Night Reviews (http://seeingnight.blogspot.com) – Review

May 16^th – Paulette’s Papers (http://paulettespapers.com/) – Interview

May 17^th – Burning Impossibly Bright (http://burningximpossiblyxbright.blogspot.com) – Review

May 17^th – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf (http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com/) – Guest Post

Blog Tour: January Black by Wendy S. Russo (Review + Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Published: January 15^th, 2013 (Crescent Moon Press)

Pages: 305

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon Kindle

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

I fell in love with this book on the very first page. The story sucks you in and doesn’t release you till the end. Russo did a fantastic job of world-building; there’s so much detail and uniqueness to her setting that it’s probably one of my favorite things about January Black. That, and the mystery that puzzles the reader just as much as it puzzles the characters. Soooo many YA “mysteries” turn out to be bland and predictable, thus I was overjoyed when January Black proved to be something entirely different.

I also enjoyed the romance.  Matty is such a fun character to follow- his intelligence gains him the reader’s respect. His relationship with Iris is relatable, as is his feelings, despite being a male MC. I don’t usually read too many books with male MCs, but after reading January Black, I wish I did.

I definitely enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. I’d say it could be read by middle grade readers, but beware as there are some romantic implications that might not be appropriate. I wasn’t entirely convinced I’d like January Black, but it turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining read.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Mild (a few minor words throughout)

Violence: None/Mild

Sexual: Mild –Moderate

About the Author…

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

FACEBOOK * WEBSITE * TWITTER

GOODREADS * AUTHORGRAPH

More Information:

January Black 100th Amazon Review Giveaway

*Blog Tour Giveaway*

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Ends 5/8/13)

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Published: February 8, 2005

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 425

Rating: 3/5

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Review:

*pant pant* Oh, hello there. I was just recovering from reading Uglies. Which, if you don’t know, is just about the most enormous book ever. And sadly, it’s content doesn’t make up for it’s longevity. My poor brain hasn’t experience something more entertaining than watching paint dry for the last two-three weeks. Yep. IT TOOK ME THAT STINKING LONG. It was never ending, devastatingly extensive, infinite. Call it what you like. This book is one hunk of a novel.

Sorry to start my review out complaining, but I seriously had to force myself to get through this book. I found myself pushing through it, fifty pages at a time, bit by bit. Day by day. Week by week. Year by…ok, it didn’t take that long to read it, but when a book’s nearly half the size of War and Peace, and it’s not even that entertaining, it takes a while to read. I wouldn’t have minded the lengthiness if it had been, well, better. But it just wasn’t.

I’ve heard mixed reviews on this book. Some people like it, others love it. Some people don’t care for it, other hate it. I’m somewhere in the middle, I suppose. The overall concept of Uglies is fascinating, and the detail that the author went to in order to make his created world real were impressive. On the downside, though, the book starts out at a sloth’s pace (extremely slow!) and takes a good 100 pages or so to actually speed up a bit (but only to a turtle’s pace, mind you). I would get all excited when the storyline finally picked up, then fall to the “depths of despair” (yay for Anne of Green Gables references!) when the plot slipped back into its monotonous pace. I felt that the part about the Smoke was a bit long, as is the case with anything with this novel. The one word that describes this book perfectly is “long.” Everything about it drags on and on and on. I felt like the author was trying to reach a certain number of pages. It seriously could have been condensed.

The dialogue and the characters didn’t really engage me that much. Maybe that’s just me. I think the romance was kind of ridiculous (David gives her his gloves, and voila! He’s Prince Charming in a Daniel Boone leather jacket and coon cap), but most romances that are written by guy authors can be a bit on the unrealistic side (no offense- just my opinion about some books. This opinion makes an exception for the romance in the Maximum Ride series, though…Fang and Max FTW!).

In the end, then, the only reason I’m giving Uglies three stars is because of the amazing concept of the whole book. I’m not rushing out to the library to get Pretties, book #2 in the series, but I’m sure I’ll eventually read it, mainly because I’m interested to see if the remaining books get any better. I’m a sucker for series, and I hate putting one down without picking it back up again.

Quick Content Review:

Language: Mild (a few h-words)

Violence: Mild (An old man is killed for resisting in an invasion; also, brief description of how the “operation” works and how it’s done. Not pleasant sounding, but not exactly violent.)

Sexual: None- Mild (a kiss or two)