Gold Star Review: Fox Forever

Fox Forever
by Mary E. Pearson
The Jenna Fox Chronicles, book three

Locke Jenkins has some catching up to do. After spending 260 years as a disembodied mind in a little black box, he has a perfect new body. But before he can move on with his unexpected new life, he’ll have to return the Favor he accepted from the shadowy resistance group known as the Network.

Locke must infiltrate the home of a government official by gaining the trust of his daughter, seventeen-year-old Raine, and he soon finds himself pulled deep into the world of the resistance—and into Raine’s life. (description from Amazon.com)

What an amazing end to the trilogy.  I've loved Jenna Fox's story from the start...(check out my review for book two, The Fox Inheritance, here) and Pearson ended Jenna and Locke's story masterfully.  The entire series has been thought-provoking, emotionally intense, and impossible to put down.  The final book lived up to its predecessors without fail.  Locke's journey was both exciting and introspective.  It's sort of impossible to thoroughly review this book without giving spoilers for books one and two, but I do need to say that the bad guys get their due, Locke finds the love he truly needed, and Jenna finally finds the closure that her life had been lacking.  All around an amazing story and Pearson deserves a GOLD STAR not only for this book, but for the entire trilogy.  

The only other trilogy that I've read that I feel is as strong as this one is Neal Shusterman's Skinwalker Trilogy. If you haven't read those, go pick up Everlost right now! 

Full disclosure: Audio book received from SLJ for review

Monday's Movie and TV Talk! (9)

Welcome to Monday's Movie and TV Talk! I don't know if I'll do this every Monday, or just sporadically on Mondays, but I LOVE TV and movies, so I figured why not add some of that to the blog for fun?? It'll be especially awesome when I can tie things into the YA book world... 

This past week, I went to see The Host with my friend, Danielle. I was both STOKED and sort of nervous.  You have to understand that The Host by Stephenie Meyer is one of my *top five favorite books of all time*... That's a lot for a movie to live up to...and we all know how movie adaptations seem to go, LOL. 

Movie Description: 

A parasitic alien soul is injected into the body of Melanie Stryder. Instead of carrying out her race’s mission of taking over the Earth, ‘Wanda’ (as she comes to be called) forms a bond with her host and sets out to aid other free humans.

So, here's what I thought.  

Overall I pretty much loved the movie.  I thought they did a great job adapting it to the screen...but I know that part of my reaction came from having read the book first.  I read some reviews that thought the movie didn't have enough action and was too focused on the emotional relationships between characters (with too much kissing...LOL), but those people have obviously never read the book.  The book itself delves pretty deeply into the relationships between the characters precisely because the author was trying to define what makes us human, and what love truly looks like.  

Visually, the movie was stunning.  The alien creatures were fascinatingly both beautiful and well, alien.  Their appearance once they took over the human hosts was well defined through calm demeanor, slower movements, and sort of a 1950's vibe in clothing and interpersonal interactions...I loved, too, how the Seekers were only ever in white and drove around in pure silver vehicles. It induced an almost clinically cold feeling when you were watching their scenes. 

I thought Saorise Ronin did a fantastic job as Melanie/Wanderer.She was almost like two different people when she was acting the memories of Melanie's life and then when she was actively inhabited by Wanda. They did a great job with her voiceovers (everytime Melanie spoke inside Wanda's head). There was no awkwardness like the actress couldn't quite match up the timing. It really was as if she had two personalities interacting throughout the movie.  

While at first I had been unsure of the casting for Ian (Jake Abel - who I tend to think of as an actor who plays not-so-good guys...) I found myself completely sucked in by his character...again. Ian is the first ever adult book crush that I had. *Spoiler Alert* In fact, one of the biggest problems I had with the movie was that they altered the scene that absolutely melted my heart where Ian holds Wanda in her true form and still finds her beautiful... I missed that moment! 

*Spoiler Alert!*

The only other problem I really had was the transition from Wanda being in Melanie's body to the new girl at the end. While I was reading the book because I was so emotionally invested it did not feel quite as jarring or perfectly poised to solve all of the characters' problems... but when you see it in the movie, it almost feels like a cop-out.  Oh, you are choosing to sacrifice yourself and leave so Melanie and her family can be happy? Oh, Look! We found a new body for you... you have to take it or she'll die... and look, now you and Ian can live happily ever after...  It just was too...pat...an ending.  (And Emily Browning, while I love you in everything else you've done, I wasn't quite feeling you in this role...sorry!) 

However, aside from those small issues, I found myself totally sucked into a fabulous story again and I will absolutely be buying this on DVD when it comes out. :)

Has anyone else seen it? What did you think?

Iced

Iced
by Karen Marie Moning
Dani O'Malley series, book one

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced. (description from Amazon.com)

What a great start to the Fever spin-off series. Moning is such a stellar author. I had been initially both excited and a little concerned about having the spunky and smart Dani as the main character in this series.  You may wonder why the concern? Well, because Dani is only a *very young* teen and Moning is known for some pretty steamy situations in her books. 

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the overtly sexual scenes that writers like Moning or Laurell K. Hamilton may be known for, in fact they both write some of my favorite guilty pleasure reads, but to have that type of writing and a teen MC?  That felt a little wonky to me.  I was extremely pleased with how Moning handled the potential problem. 

As those familiar with her writing would expect, Dani is neither shielded from the overtly sexual or seedy parts of life in Dublin post-fae take over, nor is she shielded from becoming the object of fascination for some very, ummm...shall we say alpha male figures in the city.  What keeps things in line, though, is that everyone is very cognisant of her age and treats her appropriately.  Though we all know that someday these men will pursue more from Dani, for the moment their goals remain largely in keeping her alive to reach that someday point...

Well done. Very well done.  Beyond that issue, too, I liked the whole continued world building now that shall we say the sh*t has truly hit the fan for humans.  I will definitely be picking up the newest book in the series as soon as it comes out.

Full disclosure: Borrowed through interlibrary loan

Partials

Partials
by Dan Wells

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.


Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.  (description taken from Amazon.com)

Feel like you are tired of dystopians, yet? If so, I'd say give Partials a chance and see if it restores your faith in the genre. I love dystopians, really love them, but with the influx to the market right now, it is easy to get burnt out! I'm finding myself having to be much more careful in my selections and having to space them out between books from other genres to give myself a mental reboot. However, I really, thoroughly enjoyed Partials and would read a sequel from this author in a heartbeat!

This book had a great premise and followed through with realistic fallout. I loved how not only had the human population been decimated by a virus (that they essentially unleashed upon themselves after creating the Partials superhuman army...), but that they then also had to deal with their inability to reproduce successfully and how their society dealt with the prospect of dying out. There were LAYERS of things going on here!!  LAYERS, people.

Kira was a great heroine.  She was tough, she fought for what she believed in...she made dumb mistakes and she was scared sh!tless sometimes, but she also inspired change! She was a gamechanger. She thought outside the box. In a word, she was awesome. I would take Kira on my side against the world, any day!

Full of action, great observations of people and not only how they react singly to important events, but as a group, with a really strong main character... Partials is a dystopia I recommend to all that love the genre.  It makes my top three dystopians list!  

*Side note - I listened to this as an audio book and it was great.  So good, that I ended up being too impatient to listen to the very end and had to grab the book so I could finish it faster! LOL.  

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile   

Mini Reviews: The My Life Has Gone Horribly, Horribly Wrong Edition

Everneath

by Brodi Ashton

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mythology of the Everneath and the idea of immortals living amongst us, but cursed to steal life from others to survive.  I thought that Nikki was really believable as someone who'd been so hurt that she'd tried to escape her emotions and then paid a terrible price. Well worth a read!

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for Audiofile Magazine
*2012 Debut Author Challenge title*

The Fox Inheritance

by Mary Pearson

The Jenna Fox Chronicles, book two

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.

Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.

Everyone except Jenna Fox. (description from Amazon.com)

I LOVED The Adoration of Jenna Fox. I was beyond excited when I knew that this sequel was coming out. At first, I was a little hesitant because Jenna wasn't the narrator and it skipped so far into the future, but it turns out that this was a great follow-up. Not *quite* as good, but interesting and really thought provoking, nonetheless!
*2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Title*

Dragonswood

by Janet Lee Carey

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt, hoping to rid the island of half-fey maidens.

Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft, forced to flee with her two best friends, or offered shelter by the handsome and enigmatic Garth Huntsman, a warden for Dragonswood. But Garth is the younger prince in disguise and Tess soon learns that her true father was fey, making them the center of an exciting, romantic adventure, and an ancient prophecy that will bring about peace between all three races - dragon, human, and fairy. (description from Amazon.com)

This book could be read alone, or as a follow up to Carey's Dragon's Keep. It is a marvelous fantasy about a world where so much magic exists and the poor main character is abused and persecuted for even the thought of her practicing... Love, adventure, heartbreak...the book encompasses it all. A new favorite fantasy!

The Eleventh Plague

The Eleventh Plague
by Jeff Hirsch

In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving. In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade for food and other items essential for survival. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true, where there are real houses, barbecues,a school, and even baseball games. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing forever. (description from Amazon.com)

One of the dystopian novels that has really stuck with me after reading is Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Hirsch's new book reminds me of The Road in all the best ways. Though it is a (and I hesitate to use this word) lighter feeling novel than the classic, it hits all the same notes. Now by lighter, I just mean that there is slightly more of a sense of hope...partially because the main character is a teen...not that it is in any way less than The Road.

The Eleventh Plague takes a teen to the breaking point in a seemingly unforgiving world. When Stephen finds himself alone and not on the trail, but in a town, he has no idea what to do with himself. His entire world has gone upside down. As he begins to fit into Settler's Landing, he discovers that even the idyllic hides ugliness. Hirsch raises questions about discrimination, racism, morality and consistently presents Stephen with a world that is layered and impressively realistic.

Amid the flaws that Stephen must continously face in the humanity around him, he also finds little jewels. People willing to step up to save one another. People who fall in love. People who help one another without thought to the consequences. That is the hope that this novel has...The Road only shows the barest glimpse of better possibilities, but here a reader could truly believe that even in the darkest night, dawn is still coming.

Finally, this book has a realistic and satisfying ending. It's not perfect...there are still moments of fear, but there is also happiness. I really enjoyed the whole book and felt that it ended just right. Kudos to Hirsch!

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile
2011 Debut Author Challenge title