REVIEW: The Declaration by Gemma Malley

In the year 2140, it is illegal to be young. Children are all but extinct. The world is a better place. Longevity drugs are a fountain of youth. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status. Not everyone thinks Longevity is a good thing, but you better be clear what side you’re on. . . . Surplus Anna is about to find out what happens when you can’t decide if you should cheat the law or cheat death.

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MY THOUGHTS
This was a very difficult book to read mainly because this takes place in a world that is incredibly disturbing with immoral people thinking it is okay to kill children. As I read this book I could not help but question: if immortality was manufactured, would something like this happen? I hope it never does.

In this world, most of the population takes longevity drugs which guarantee them living a very very long life. But if everyone lives forever, then there would be overpopulation, so everyone who takes the longevity drugs must sign a declaration saying that they will not have any children. If you don't sign the declaration, you can't take the drugs and you can have kids with the idea that they will eventually replace you. Those who have kids anyway get sent to prison and any kids are either killed or sent to Surplus houses with the purpose of training them to be servants. Anna is a Surplus, one of the best in her house, loyal. When another older Surplus is placed in the house Anna is worried. He is a rebel, always making a fuss, and Anna does not think he will last long. But, he keeps saying her last name, telling her that he knows her parents. Surpluses don't have last names and her parents are selfish horrible people. He must be lying. But what if the way she is taught to behave, the way the world is, is all a lie?

It has been drilled into Anna how horrible and selfish her parents are, how she does not deserve to live, that children are not natural, that nature wants the older people to live forever, and that she herself should not be alive and is simply wasting resources for those who deserve to live on the planet. It infuriated me so much. Of course, we know that it is unnatural to live forever, but this world has brainwashed an entire society into believing this because of the selfish want to live forever. I have thought for a while that living forever is a terrible idea, that it would have a negative impact on an individual's soul. (This is one of the reason's why I have issues with immortal love interests in some paranormal books). Because of how angry this book was making me, I had to keep putting it down and take a breather.

I felt for Anna in parts of this book because she is in such a terrible situation, but her situation is the best situation for a child in this world. It was difficult at times because she is so loyal to these terrible people, that she has been so brainwashed into believing the lies of this society. It was uncomfortable at times because she was so loyal to people who did not deserve her loyalty and who would not bat an eye if she were dead and would likely prefer children to be dead. This is a society full of older people and if you think the complaints older generations always have about "kids these days" is bad now, here you have an entire society of older people who have forgotten what younger people do for society and think of them only as monsters here to take their "rightful place". Again, it made me furious, but that was the point. When Anna does start to question things, I had so much fear for her because I really didn't know how this entire world could change to help her.

This book certainly made me think and took the concept of immortality and overpopulation somewhere I had not read before, but the book is still a dystopian book which meant that I was familiar with some of the dystopian concepts already. While I used to love dystopian books, it's not a genre I am usually wowed by anymore. There wasn't enough there in the characterization and the plot to make me love this book. This book mainly stressed me out.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I found this be an interesting dystopian, certainly a different way to approach the topic, but I'm not sure how I felt about this book overall. It was a lot of stress for a book. I have the sequel on my to-read list but I'm not sure if I am continuing the series or not.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

REVIEW: Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. 

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MY THOUGHTS
I read this book for my TBR challenge in which I read the oldest books on my to-read list. I added this book to my to-read list in 2012, the same year this book came out. The copy that I have in my possession is an ARC copy which I found at a used book sale a couple years back. I mention this only because I hope that some of my complaints about this book got solved before it was officially published but I doubt it.

The book begins with a prologue where the main character, Freya, is struggling because she and her mother are being taken somewhere and she is trying her hardest to make sure her brother, Latham, does not disappear from her memory. Then, in the next chapter, Freya wakes up in the year 1985. Her, her mom, and her sister have just moved back to Canada from New Zealand after her father dies from an odd gas explosion. She is starting at a new school but can't help but feel distanced from her reality. Nothing feels real to her and she starts to question her own memories and the world around her. During a trip to a museum, she sees a stranger outside, but he doesn't seem like a stranger to her. She has a nagging suspicion that she knows him and this suspicion will cause everything she thought she knew about her life to be upended.

One of the factors that were fascinating about this book was the concept. Taking a dystopian premise but placing it within 1985 is one I had not read before and was likely why I wanted to read this book in the first place. Besides the prologue, the entirety of the book takes place in 1985. We spend a better part of the book following Freya around as she tried to remember things. This dragged the plot along a bit, but I did not mind it too much because I liked the friends she made and it did create a mystery on what exactly was happening with her memories. What I had trouble with is that roughly 200 pages in Freya goes is hypnotized to remember her past and we end up with a very very long info-dump. Freya actually gives us a whole entire chapter in which she discusses world history from the 2020s to 2063. That is a lot of world history and I was unable to process it all. Then, after this info-dump, she refers to some of these events, but I had no clue what she was talking about because 4o years of world history dumped onto me in one chapter is a lot to process!

The information I did process from the info-dump was really interesting. Martin uses some really interesting ideas and does create a frightening and technology-based future, but it was too much all at once. Why couldn't there have been alternating chapters between 1985 and 2063? That would have been easier to process and would have held my attention a lot more. From the prologue and synopsis, I already knew that the future would come into play at some point so it would not have ruined the suspense, it may have actually added suspense. After the info-dump, the pacing really sped up, but now it was too fast because I hadn't processed everything and other points of interest <highlight to view spoiler> such as Freya's visions of the future and her future self making a cameo<end of spoiler> were passed over too quickly.

Freya did work as a main character. There is definite growth in her character throughout the book as she tries to grapple with what her memories tell her about herself and what she really believes about herself. She also has to deal with who she is as a person if she grew up in a different environment without the freedom she has in 1985. There is a turning point where her character changed because her childhood memories have changed.

There is romance in this book which is not all too shocking. I liked how they worked as a team to overcome the challenges they faced and tried to understand what exactly was happening. I did not have any particularly strong feelings towards their relationship, although at points it did seem too fast. Part of this is because I did not quite understand what their relationship with each other was before they were placed in this situation. The book wasn't really clear on that.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I loved the concept and idea behind this book but I did not love how the idea was executed. I was not a fan of the info-dump and I think just that info-dump alone caused further problems in the pacing in the book. The ending of this book was pretty open-ended, which I actually think worked for this book. There is a sequel to this book but I will not be reading it. This book seems like it does better as a standalone.

I hereby give this book

2.5 Stars

Meaning: I almost liked it, but not quite

BLOG TOUR: There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane (REVIEW & GIVEAWAY)

Peace. Love. Order. Dome. That’s the motto that the Order has given the residents of Dome 1618 to live by. Natalia Greyes is a resident of Dome 1618, a covered city protected from the deadly radiation that has poisoned the world outside for four generations. Nat never questioned the Order, until one day she sees a stranger on the outside of the dome. Now Nat wants answers. Is there life outside the dome and if so, what has the Order been hiding from everyone?

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

MY THOUGHTS
There may be a lot of dystopian novels out there (though, the genre is beginning to simmer down), but I still love reading them and there are still so many with new ideas. This one caught my eye from the first time I read the synopsis. This book, while having dystopian themes we are used to, brings a new idea to the table and does a great job.

Nat lives inside a dome with her grandparents. Her family and others has lived in the dome for generations, ever since a disease spread outside and they had to bomb the world to rid of it. Live in the dome is controlled and strict, but the government has their reasons. That doesn't stop Nat from sneaking off into the (forbidden) forest everyday since her parents died. It's on one of these days that she notices two strangers outside her dome. But that can't be possible. There's nothing alive outside the dome, there's too much radiation. That is how her parents died. But Nat will discover the truth behind the two strangers, the dome, and even her parents death.

Like I said, I never seem to tire of dystopians, but there's something about dystopians involving domes that just demand to be read. Maybe it's because of the Gone series, one of all-time favorite series, who knows. Anyway, I thought the world-building in this book was very well-developed. McFarlane described the dome, and even the outside of the dome, very well. I was able to get a clear picture of the world. The history was also explained (slowly, no info-dump here) and made sense.

I liked Nat as a main character. She's a strong and smart MC. She had trouble seeing what was right in front of her at times, especially when it came to the romance, but I liked her as the MC.

The romance was something that I was okay with, but not too wild about. First of all, I would like to mention that while there are two guys interested in Nat, one of them is kind of in the friend-zone and it's obvious from the start, so that wasn't a problem. I also happened to like the love interest. My problem was that the romance was a frustrating boomerang. They would be into each other, then they weren't talking (because they were unsure of "feelings"), and back again. It got tiring, especially when I just want them to get together and kick government butt.

As for the ending, it felt abrupt to me. Though, that may be my fault. I thought I had 20 pages left (ending up being 1 1/2, I was reading an ebook and I guess the page count was off) and I was hurrying to finish it before I had to go somewhere. So I might have rushed it. But I remember thinking "Oh my gosh I'm almost done and so much is happening" only to turn the page to find a few paragraphs left...
Will there be a sequel? Because I want one now.



IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! I loved the story and I was able to become immersed in the world! The romance bothered at times and I kind of what more books (wish is a good thing), but I overall liked this book. So, I'll keep my eyes peeled for any more books.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

AUTHOR BIO

Melanie McFarlane is a passionate writer of other-wordly adventures, a little excitable, and a little quirky. Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, she jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie focuses her powers on writing young adult stories to keep the rest of the world up reading all night.
She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Land of Living Skies.

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Five (5) ebooks of THERE ONCE WERE STARS

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BLOG TOUR: Marked by Laura Williams McCaffrey (Review & Giveaway)

Marked by Laura Williams McCaffrey

Publisher: Clarion Books

Release Date: February 16th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Rate: 3 Stars

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lyla lives in a bleak, controlling society where only the brightest and most favored students succeed. When she is caught buying cheats in an underground shadow market, she is tattooed—marked—as a criminal. Then she is offered redemption and she jumps at the chance . . . but it comes at a cost. Doing what is right means betraying the boy she has come to love, and, perhaps, losing even more than she thought possible. Graphic novel–style vignettes revealing the history of this world provide Lyla with guidance and clues to a possible way out of the double bind she finds herself in.

MY THOUGHTS

At first glance, this book seems like your usual run-of-the-mill dystopian. Though this book takes place in a dystopian society, it is very different from most dystopians I've read and is presented in a unique way.

Lyla is in school, trying to be successful enough to get into a university. In her society, those who do not get into the university, work in the mines, like her parents. When she makes one mistake, she's Marked as a criminal. Now, she will never make it into university and no one will hire her or be close to her, least they be associated with a criminal. When she's offered a chance to erase her mark, she jumps on it. In order for her mark to be erased, she has to spy on the Red Fist, a dangerous rebel organization. Not only is this extremely dangerous, but she also has to spy on her childhood friend.

It was hard for me to get into this book at first. Unknown words were thrown at me and I was thrust into a world without fully understanding it. Thankfully, it didn't take me very long to understand things and I began to enjoy the book. I'll admit that lately I've been getting tired of dystopians, but this book is a bit different. It doesn't have an entirely unusual concept, the world is similar to other dystopian books, but the government and rebel concept is very different. In most dystopians, the badass girl joins the rebellion and kicks the corrupt government in the butt. In this book, though, the rebellion, really is horrible. They really are full of criminals who would kill without a thought, to make a point or a profit. Other dystopians show rebellions are "the right way", but this book shows the both the rebels and the government negatively and I thought it was interesting.

I was not aware of this until I started the book,, but this book actually includes illustrations and comics. I thought it was a very interesting idea, but I had a love/meh relationship with them. Sometimes I enjoyed the illustrations, but other times they didn't seem to really correlate with the story. The art was not final in the copy I was reading, so I do wonder if the pictures will be different in the finished copy. Still, I thought it was an interesting inclusion.

As for romance, there was some, but it was very slow, but there. I wasn't shipping things, but I was thankful for the fact that the romance didn't take the wheel and the plot was the focus of the book.

I wasn't a big fan of the ending. The pacing was a bit slow and I felt like it was leading to something, but instead it lead to a quick ending that just felt too short. I didn't feel entirely satisfied. Though, there was a little comic at the end and I thought it was a nice way to close the book.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I liked this book. Despite some of my early troubles, the pacing, and the end, I thought that this was a nice standalone dystopian. It was a bit unusual than most dystopians out there!

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it.

Follow the Marked by Laura Williams McCaffrey Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

I read, I write, I teach. I've published short stories in Cicada, YA Review Network, Solstice Literary Magazine, and Soundings Review. Clarion Books will release Marked, my YA dystopian fantasy, in February 2016. My other fantasy novels are WATER SHAPER and ALIA WAKING (both published by Clarion Books). For more information, it's best to visit my website: http://www.laurawilliamsmccaffrey.com

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REVIEW: Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis

I’ve fallen hard for an alien, but he’s harboring secrets.
Massive secrets that threaten the very essence of humanity.
How can I give him my heart when his race plans on taking my future?

Sadie Owens has been slowly dying inside. Bit by bit, piece by piece, day by day. Trapped in a life she hates, she relies on only one person—herself.

Despised by her family and betrayed by an unscrupulous government, Sadie dreams of a different life. When she is chosen to participate in the government’s new social experiment, she is ecstatic at the prospect of spending six months in Thalassic City, the shiny new city under the sea.

Immediately drawn to Logan Chandler, Sadie is captivated by the beautiful boy with the ocean-blue eyes. Logan seems to embody everything that has been forbidden, but he isn’t all he appears to be.

Confused over Logan’s true intentions and concerned when best friend Jenna starts transforming in front of her eyes, Sadie partners with newcomer Jarod in a bid to uncover the government’s real agenda. The truth is more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined.

When Sadie finally understands why the Saven walk among us, will it be too late to save her heart and the human race?

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I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I adore Siobhan Davis' True Calling series, so of course I immediately added this one to my TBR list. I didn't enjoy this as much as her previous series, but I still really liked it. It's a great sci-fi and dystopian book that brings a new story to the genre!

Sadie Owens is a Star, the lowest and most populated class in her society. She's forced to work at a young age and she's not even allowed to ever get married or have children. Her family also doesn't like her, at all. Sadie sees her life as a hell, so when she's chosen to participate in a new experiment by living in Thalassic City for 6 months. She's immediately drawn to Logan and begins having online conversations with him, but she begins to question his intentions. But Sadie has bigger problems. Her new friend has been changing, acting strange, and hanging around someone that Sadie doesn't truth. Sadie also begins to question what the truth behind the experiment it and begins digging for information. What she discovers will shock her.

I have a love for dystopians and sci-fi, but sometimes they all seem the same. That was not the case with this book. Same things like class system and suspicious government were in the book, as that's generally involved in most dystopians, but the plot of this book is a little bit different. One word: Aliens. Let me just say, I love books with aliens in them. I have a minor obsession with aliens and it's one of my favorite things to read about in books. Besides the aliens and maybe because of the aliens, the whole idea behind the experiment and the government secrets and the way it was approached was great.

As for characters, Sadie was a great MC. She really did have a horrible life, so I could automatically root for her to find a better life. She's also a really great friend.  This book had a large variety of other minor characters. Usually having a lot of different characters in a book makes it confusing and hard to connect to, but it actually made the characters more round and the story more developed.

The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book as much as the True Calling series is because of the romance. The romance wasn't insta-love, more like insta-attraction, though it still felt a bit fast. That didn't bother me as much as the back-and-forth motions throughout the book. Logan wanted to be with her, then pushed her away, and then he wanted to be with her again. It got a bit frustrating, which Sadie also felt. As the book went on, I became less upset with the romance,, especially as the plot and the action began to take more of the spotlight.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I really did like this book. I think it's a fantastic start to a new sci-fi series! Besides some issues with the romance, I enjoyed this book! I recommend this to fans of dystopian, sci-fi, and aliens!

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

REVIEW: Generation by Heather Hildenbrand

After months of pretending to be Raven Rogen, Ven feels less like a clone and more like a human than ever. But when Raven’s father, Titus—the same man who engineered Ven—discovers her plan to escape, everything she’s worked so hard for is taken away in one explosive moment.
Now she’s imprisoned in Twig City, the secret warehouse where she grew up. She spends her days plotting ways to get back to the outside world, determined to topple Titus’s empire and free every last Imitation. But Titus’s reach is extensive and his plans are more deadly than she realized.
In the shocking conclusion to the Imitation series, one wrong move could mean the end for Ven and everyone she’s come to love.

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I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

NOTICE: THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT IN A SERIES. THERE MY BE SPOILER FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS. Review of Book One/ Review of Book Two

MY THOUGHTS
After the horrible cliffhanger ending in the last book, I definitely needed this book in my hands. Thankfully, this book begins where book two left off. Ven wakes up in Twig City, imprisoned again. She's determined to get back outside and see her friends in the rebellion, to see what's left of the rebellion. But she's been 'asleep' longer than she thought and the rebellion is beginning to grow, even inside Twig City. The Imitations will be freed and Titus will be stopped, but Ven needs to figure out how exactly she can do that.

While the second book had middle book syndrome, this book definitely did not! It took a bit for the book to pick up of pace, of course, but as most conclusions go, there was a lot of action. I'm going to be a bit vague here. Conclusions are high on action, but also high on answers and spoilers! Let's just say that a lot happens in this book, and I am satisfied with the conclusion!

I remember what I really liked about the first book was the change in Van. In the first book, she's really out of her element. She doesn't see herself as human. It is outstanding the amount of change between the beginning of book one to book three. Ven is now a strong girl who believes in a cause and has even become some kind of leader in a rebellion. She had to go through a lot to get to this point, but it's a very interesting how she has changed and grown.

As for romance, I was torn about it in the last book. The romance bothered me in the last book. In this book it didn't bother me. I wasn't wild about it, but it didn't distract from the plot at all, in fact it took the backseat, which I like.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this is a great conclusion to a very interesting sci-fi trilogy! I enjoyed this series, and I do recommend it! I have a ecopy of Heather Hildenbrand's other book, Dirty Blood, so now I guess it's time to start another series by her!

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

REVIEW: Destiny Rising by Siobhan Davis

EVERY CHOICE HAS A CONSEQUENCE

The final book in the captivating True Calling series.

Once again, the world is on the brink of momentous change. As revolutionary organization Saoirse prepares to battle the government for control of Earth and Novo, Ariana and those she loves must join humanity’s fight for justice and freedom.

As haunted memories resurface, old discoveries and new realities conspire to shatter her world forever.

Torn in one direction by her unique connection to childhood sweetheart Zane, and pulled in the other by a relentless passion for her fiery fiancé Cal, she must make the hardest decision of all. While embarking on a road to self-discovery, her psychic gift evolves and the full extent of her powerful ability is revealed.

Then fate lands another savage blow and she faces the most horrific choice of all. Forced into striking a deal with the enemy, she must make the ultimate personal sacrifice or risk everything she holds dear.

When destiny finally rears its head, what will the future hold?

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I received an ecopy of this book  in exchange for an honest review.

NOTICE: THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT IN A SERIES. THERE MY BE SPOILER FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS. Review of Book One/ Review of Book Two

MY THOUGHTS
This book takes place directly after the events of Beyond Reach. Ari is worried about Zane, but new memories have also resurfaced that change everything. Ari must also come to terms with her relationship with Cal, while developing her abilities. The rebellion is also on a rise and it all will end, one way or another.

Like the others in the series, this series has multiple perspectives. The difference, though, is that this time we get the perspective of Ari, Zane, and Cal. I really like seeing the different perspectives. I really can't imagine this series without the dual POV, because it just tells us so much more about the characters and gives us an idea on how they feel about what's going on. Especially on the romance. I also liked the addition of Cal, since I actually mentioned in my review on the last book how I would've loved to see Cal's perspective!

This book didn't feel as action-packed, at least in the beginning, but there's nothing wrong with that. There was a lot of focus on the romance. Ari was having a really hard time choosing and there was a lot of drama. Along with that, there were a lot of things coming to light. Not that there was no action, there definitely was, and the conclusion was satisfactory. (I'd like to mention that I didn't really have a team...)

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I love this series and this was a fantastic conclusion! I'm kind of sad to see yet another great sci-fi series end (I've had so many favorite series end recently), but I'm glad that I discovered this series! Overall, pick this series up! All the while, I'll be waiting for Siobhan Davis' next book!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Torn Sky by Tracy Banghart

The end is near . . . 

When Aris Haan brought down Safara’s biggest war criminal, she’d thought it was a turning point in the war. Victory was on the horizon, as was a peaceful future with her Promised, Milek. 

But a deadly new threat has emerged: a Safaran bomb that could wipe out all of Atalanta in one catastrophic blast. Aris is tasked with finding the weapon before it is completed, a mission made more difficult when she starts to suspect that there is a Safaran spy in her unit. Friendships are tested, loyalties are strained, and suddenly Aris no longer knows whom she can trust. 

In the epic conclusion to the Rebel Wing series, Atalanta’s fate rests on Aris’s shoulders. Can she find the bomb before it destroys everything—and everyone—she loves? 

Goodreads / Amazon

I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
NOTICE: THIS IS THE THIRD INSTALLMENT OF A SERIES. THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS. Review of Book One/ Review of Book Two

MY THOUGHTS
I'll start off by saying that I LOVE this series! It's such a fantastic series and I really wish that more people knew about it! When I received a review copy of this book, it absolutely made my day! This book wasn't as awesome as I expected, but it's still fantastic and it's such a great end to the series!

Aris is now Promised Milek, but the war is still at large, now more than ever.The Safaran's have a secret weapon, a bomb that can wipe out all Atalantan life. They must stop this weapon, but they haven't found it yet. Even worse, there's a spy in their midst. The war is going to end soon, one way or another.

My main problem with this book is how slow it was compared to the others. I felt like it took awhile for the action to take place. Now, I was on vacation while I was reading this book, so that might be why I felt like things were slow-going. After awhile, though, this book really picked up speed and it was intense! So much happened near the end and there ended up being so many twists! I ended up being satisfied with the ending!

One of my favorite things about this series is the growth of Aris. She grows so much in this series and she has become such a strong character. While this book doesn't focus so much on Aris, she does grow more as a character. This book has such a large array of characters, many of which you get to see the perspective of. Tracy Banghart doe such a fabulous job with all the characters! They were incredibly 3-dimensional and I felt like I really knew their story.

As for romance, I still ship it!

IN CONCLUSION
I love this series and I am sad that it's over, but it ended fabulous! It was slow-going at first, but it really picked up pace near the end! I strongly recommend this series and I look forward to more books by Tracy Banghart!

I hereby give this book

4.5 Stars

Meaning: An amazing series!

REVIEW: Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell

What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?

It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

MY THOUGHTS
I was expecting so much more in this book. Granted, I didn't know much about it when I picked it up, but I knew it was a dystopian and the tagline promises a lot more than I ended up reading. This book was okay, but it's basically a coming-of-age with robots and not a whole lot happens.

This book begins in the year 2049 on Tania's eleventh birthday and follows her throughout her teenage years. Tania lives in a world where there are few human children left, because a majority of the population is unable to have children. Instead, they adopt robot children. They look human and act human, even think they're human, but each are owned by a government corporation called Oxted. And once they reach 18, Oxted takes them back.

This book is written in diary format, as Tania's diary. She starts it at age 11 and continues writting out the details of her life as the years go back. It's an interesting format and Tania's voice was very strong in the writing. She also wrote as if to a future race, which could be annoying, but I actually thought that made it more real. I would probably wonder that too, and who's to say it's not possibly? In fact, there are intervals throughout the book that are actually from a future race reading Tania's diary. This was interesting, but unnecessary to the story. It was also really confusing.

I like the idea behind the book behind the robot children, but this book was less high-stakes dystopian and more coming-of-age. I wasn't expecting that and while I did like the ideas the book had (sorry for being vague, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers), this book was extremely slow-paced. Not much happened at all, it was mostly details of Tania's life. Granted, she's in the future, but not a whole lot happens.

Tania, as a character, she's okay. I thought it was interesting seeing her grow and learn more about the world she was living in. She has her flaws, but she did feel real. I can't really say much about her without spoiling things, though.

As for romance, Tania kind of likes a guy throughout the book, but I really didn't feel anything from it. It was really meh.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed by this book. It has a very interesting idea, but it wasn't what I was expecting. If you want to read a slow-paced coming-of-age in a futuristic society, then this is for you, but not enough happened to pique my interest.

I hereby give this book

2.5 Stars

Meaning: I almost liked it, but not quite

REVIEW: The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn

Individuality vs. Conformity

Identity vs. Access

Freedom vs. Control

The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity.

But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run...for her life.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

MY THOUGHTS
I've seen this book around, but never picked it up because of the awkward cover. I saw it at a cheap book sale, though, so I figured "why not?". I probably could've done without reading this book. It wasn't horrible. It's your typical dystopian, but it was just meh overall.

Everyone is getting the bar code tattoo. Everyone over the age of 17 gets one. The tattoo is becoming the new currency and it carries all of your information. What's the big deal? It's not a problem if you have nothing to hide? But normal people's lives are being destroyed by this tattoo, while others are getting promoted. Kayla is against the tattoo and knows that it's dangerous, but when her society is getting closer to it being mandatory, can she keep her promise to herself? And what is in those bar codes?

This book is your typical dystopian. Government tries to be utopia, everyone goes along with it, except for MC, and MC joins rebellion. This isn't bad, but I've seen it all before (though, this book was published before the dystopian craze, so I can't really blame the book). I still liked the idea behind this book. I thought the tattoos were interesting and you really see a sheep-like effect in the population with the introduction to the tattoo, then they ignore any bad rep. It was also interesting seeing how fast and far things escalated. It's sad to say that this is how people would probably react, but it's true. I would also like to mention that there was a surprising kind-of paranormal-ish element to the book. It made it a bit different.

Now, I'm sorry to say that from here on, my review is going to be a bit negative. The book wasn't bad, but I couldn't ignore the flaws. My main problem was the pacing. The pacing was extremely fast, which meant that we were told things rather than shown and some parts were completely skipped over. There is one part where it mentions that Kayla's birthday is weeks ago, then the next chapter she wakes up on her birthday! Where did the time go?

Kayla, as a main character, was okay. I liked that she was into art and how she stands up for what she believes in, but other than that, there really wasn't much to her. The characters in this book felt really flat to me, not just Kayla, everyone.

As for romance, it was there, but it was so flat! There were actually two love interests, but I felt NOTHING for either of them, because their characters were so flat. Also, the thing I like about romance in books is all the feels. The romance was just cardboard. Instead of describing the kiss, it was described as "we kissed". Then they supposedly loved each other and had dates, all of which were skipped over!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this book was just "meh". I liked the idea and despite it being a typical dystopian, it had some new ideas. The pacing, though, was too fast and both the characters and romance were pure cardboard. I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't ignore the flaws. As for continuing the series, maybe. If I see it at another book sale, I'll pick it up. Otherwise, I'll just pass.

I hereby give this book

2.5 Stars

Meaning: I almost liked it, but not quite

REVIEW: Deviation by Heather Hildenbrand

Until a month ago, eighteen-year-old Ven had never set foot outside the windowless warehouse where she was created. An Imitation of Raven Rogen, Ven spent her days confined in the lab, studying videos of her Authentic, all so she could step into Raven’s life at a moment’s notice.

Now, Ven lives in Raven’s penthouse apartment, kisses Raven’s boyfriend, and obeys every order from Raven’s dad, Titus Rogen—the very man who created her. But Ven has a secret plan. She doesn’t want Raven’s life. She wants her own.

In the action-packed sequel of Imitation, Ven wages a dangerous war against Titus. First she’ll free herself, then she’ll free every last Imitation. . . . 

Goodreads / Amazon

I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

NOTICE: THIS IS A SEQUEL FOR ANOTHER BOOK. THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOK.

MY THOUGHTS
It hasn't been that long since I read the first book, Imitation, but it's been long enough that I like a little bit of a refresher as to what happened. Which is exactly what this book does. This book quickly intertwines major events of the first book in Ven's thoughts and dialogue to catch you up, without any info dumps. This was done really well.

This book takes place not too long after the events of the last book. Ven is still pretending to be Raven, Daniel is locked up for helping the Imitations, and everyone is scrabbling to prevent Titus from discovering where the Imitation's are hiding.

This book is true to second book syndrome in the way that a majority of the book seemed to be leading up to the next book. There's lots of planning and making allies involved in not only prevented Titus from discovering the Imitations, but stopping him all together and saving the rest of the Imitations. Not the say that there's not a lot of action, but the book isn't quite what you would call action packed. Though, this book is very thrilling in way that Ven discovers and learns so many shocking things within this book.

Like I said, this book mostly leads up to the next book, which means that the last 20 pages or so has a heaping load of action. The last few pages of the book are very impactful, emotional, and overall just shocking. Fair warning, there is indeed a cliffhanger.

And lastly, the romance. I liked the romance in the last book. It wasn't cliche or overdone, didn't distract from the plot, and the love interest was a really nice guy. These are all still true, but I felt that the romance was just odd in this book. The characters were just making out too much considering the circumstances and, really, it seemed a bit fast to me. It didn't distract from the plot, but it seemed unnecessary.

IN CONCLUSION
This was a very nice continuation to Immitation, although it was mostly a lead up to the next book. I do still recommend this series and, after that ending, I have high expectations for the next book.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing

REVIEW: Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand

Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me.

Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face.

Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has never needed Ven . . . until now.

When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met?

Goodreads / Amazon

I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I was very doubtful when I first say this book. It looked very interesting, but it sounded very similar to another book I read, The Lost Girl. I enjoyed reading both of these books, but they are completely different. Sure, they have the same basic idea, but they each take a different direction.

This book revolves around Ven, who is, essentially, a clone. Her entire purpose in life is to, eventually step into the life of her Authentic, Raven, who is the daughter of the "inventor" of the clones. But Raven's life is being threatened, so Ven is pulled out of Twig City (the home of the clones) and it's her time to be Raven, which is much harder than it sounds, since she's a rich snob with an evil father, who isn't against ending the life of a "product".  And, of course, Ven is to be the bait for those who are making an attempt on Raven's life, as it doesn't matter if a "product" dies.

I find the idea of clones fascinating and am always interested in books about them. One of the most interesting factors of this book is how much Ven changes. In the beginning she is out of her element in the Authentic world and still believe that she's a product that's only purpose is for the Authentics. She even believes that she's incapable of feeling! But as the book goes on she begins to realize that she is a person and is worth it!

What really helps her along the way is the romance! Yep, there's romance, but I actually loved it.
1. It didn't steal the show. The plot of the book still revolved around the clones.
2. No insta-love!
3. Our love interest is a great guy! He's one that you, honestly, can't help but like!

This book also surprised me! Not just the book in general, but the turns it took! There were so many things in this book I wasn't expecting! I'm sorry if I'm being vague, but trust me when I say that this book is a surprising read.

I loved so many things about this book, but for some reason, I can't say that I loved it. Did I like it? Yes! But it didn't have enough for me to say that I absolutely loved it.  One of my issues may have been that I wanted more answers and I felt like some aspects of the clones didn't add up. I was also a bit turned away by the fact that the ending felt a bit abrupt. 

IN CONCLUSION
This was a very interesting sci-fi. It's face-paced, with great characters, romance, and a surprising story! Overall, I enjoyed this book and will most definitely be continuing the series!

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars
Meaning: I liked it, but I almost loved it.