Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Dial
Pages: 384
Series: Landry Park #1
Review Source: ARC from Razorbill Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Downton Abbey meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal.

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.

My Thoughts:
Landry Park is a book that gets compared to Downton Abbey and The Selection (just see the synopsis above), and I’ve also seen it compared to For Darkness Shows the Stars. After reading the book I’d definitely agree that those are apt comparisons.

The book starts with a "here’s what happened before the story" type of world building snippet. I’m not sure how well that worked for me, having the back story piled on right at the beginning -- however I don’t think it really hurt either. I went into the book not entirely sure I understood the concept, but I didn’t really feel like a complete understanding was necessary to enjoy Madeline’s story. As I kept reading I understood more and more of the world and its current state, and that was fine for me.

Probably my favourite thing about this book is that every character is quite complex and has things to hide. I actually loved that none of them are 100% likeable. Madeline, our main character, is definitely a good person deep down, but she's been raised with elitist ideals. Madeline feels bad for those who are enslaved, but she doesn't know what she can realistically do about it. She hates the situation, but she doesn't really want to endanger her position in society. I loved this reaction from her: it just felt completely natural for her to hang back a bit and wonder if she really wants to upheave her whole world, when she isn’t sure if she can really make a difference.

There’s definitely a romantic aspect to the story, though it’s more of a yearning and unrequited love situation, at least from Madeline’s perspective. David Dana is a mysterious character who we get to know very slowly. It’s an interesting relationship because you can tell that he likes Madeline, but he’s very hot and cold. There’s also a love triangle aspect, with Cara, though it’s definitely an unconventional one. David is a character who I didn’t really like, mostly because we rarely get to see the “real” him, but for Madeline’s sake I kept hoping something would work out between the two of them.

Overall I found this to be a very interesting start to a new series. I liked the future setting with a historical feel to it (a la For Darkness...), and I liked the complex characters. The book ends off in a very interesting place, and I can definitely see myself reading on to the second book when it releases.

The Cover:
Really like!

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 310
Series: The Testing #2
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization.

In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her.

My Thoughts:
Note: This review contains some spoilers for Book 1, The Testing.

I very much enjoyed The Testing, so I was anxious to see what would happen in Independent Study. Thankfully this book was just as exciting as the first.

I love how these books are so action packed and yet they’re very internal. You really get inside Cia’s head and see how she thinks, what her process is, and what she feels. Not every book is like that, and I really appreciate it here, where you’re never sure exactly who to trust.

While the first book focused on the tests to get into the university, now Cia and her classmates are at the uni, but that doesn’t mean that The Testing has ended. Instead there’s a new type of initiation in order to be placed in an assigned field of study. The book features new obstacles and new potential enemies, while Cia still continues to deal with the old ones.

A large part of this book is Cia adapting to her new reality. As we saw at the end of The Testing, she doesn’t have full memories of what happened during The Testing, and has to rely on her own recorded memories to tell her what happened. She doesn’t want to believe that all those bad things happened, but increasing evidence and some recovered memories show her just how corrupt The Testing administrators are, and how the university runs much the same way.

I enjoyed watching Cia support the rebels by doing her own investigations. She’s a very logical and intelligent person, so having her trust her instincts and both fail and succeed in certain areas was interesting. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt type of induction that Cia and her classmates had to endure to enter their faculty, as well as the look at what the uni classes and internships were like. While there was definitely less of a romance in this book compared to the first, I didn’t feel like it was lacking in any way. I liked what we saw of Toma and Cia interacting, and how their relationship evolved under the circumstances.

As I said, this was such an exciting book, just as enthralling as the first. I love how Hunger Games-esque this series is in terms of theme, while still bringing completely unique things to the table, with the characters and the circumstances. I’m quite excited to see where things end up in Book 3, Graduation Day.

The Cover:
Like! (Though once again I think the UK cover is way more kick ass)

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Kobo | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Chapters-Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Horde by Ann Aguirre

Horde by Ann Aguirre
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 432
Series: Razorland Trilogy #3
Review Source: eARC from publisher through Raincoast Books

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
The epic conclusion to the USA Today bestselling trilogy.

The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

My Thoughts:
This book is incredibly intense, a completely action-packed conclusion to the Razorland trilogy. I’ve enjoyed this series from the beginning, but this was definitely my favourite installment. There was a little bit of everything (action, character development, romance), and it concluded the series perfectly.

Horde features a lot of time at war. What I enjoyed (“enjoyed” being an odd word, but I’ll go with it) so much is that there real consequences and that war was never glorified. There were injuries and there were losses, and while it was sad, it was also real. Similarly, there are scenes where Deuce describes the bone tiredness she feels in long battle. Despite her skills, she’s not perfect, and she needs help from Fade or from others at times. Everything was all the more real, because Deuce is a strong and mighty character, but she’s also not invincible. I just loved how that was shown, making the book feel more real and the character more relatable.

Deuce has grown as a character throughout the trilogy, but it really shows in this book. She starts out as a Huntress, prizing the fight over anything else, but she’s learned to value people: to build a family and accept love. This book, and this series, is her journey as a warrior, but also as a person and a woman. Deuce has learned what bravery and fighting are all about. She no longer fights for glory or for the sake of fighting, but she fights for a peaceful future for her and her family.

On the romance end of things, I totally forgot how much I ship Deuce and Fade. You might not expect to find such a swoonworthy romance in a series about zombies, but these two love each other something fierce, and they are so lovely together. Horde shows such an awesome progression of their relationship.

What this book needed to really succeed was answers about the Muties, and Ann Aguirre provides them in spades. There’s a lot of discussion throughout the book about how the Muties are changing, and why they are the way they are. There are also some revelations which were definitely surprising, yet still made sense.

This book definitely wraps up the trilogy so well. I really loved how there was a happy and hopeful ending after all the misery the characters went through, but that there was also loss and a sense of the bittersweet. It left you in a good place, but it didn’t feel unrealistic. The one thing I’m not sure about is the epilogue. On the one hand it was kind of nice and sweet, but on the other hand it felt a bit cheesy and not really necessary. Either way, I am such a fan of this series, and I’m so grateful and happy that Horde was the strongest and most epic of the three books. I love when the last book of a series can remind me why I fell for the characters and the plot to begin with, and then make me want to read the series all over again, and that definitely happened here.

The Cover:
So freaky!! I like it, though.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 512
Series: The Darkest Minds #2
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved The Darkest Minds, and I loved Never Fade just as much, if not more than the first book. In this second volume, Alexandra Bracken gives readers deeper world building: an even more in depth look at what things are like now and how they came to be this way. There’s a broader perspective shown as we’re introduced to a new group of people. While I very quickly grew to love this group, I was relieved and happy to keep track of the characters from the first book as well.

There are so many different reasons why this book worked for me. I love the way “super powers” are portrayed, the good and the bad. I love the journey of Ruby learning to hone and increase her abilities, and how she feels about them. I love the road trip element to these books, the journey and the action that takes place at every step. These books are long, but they don’t feel like it at all. They never drag, in fact they fly by. Mostly I love the relationships between characters, especially the friendship of two characters in particular. I love how the characters relate to one another, and the central story of Ruby’s personal journey.

Never Fade feels larger in scope than The Darkest Minds, as it takes on big issues. The characters want to fight back against the camps, and they’re trying to accomplish this while dealing with the outside world, but equally trying to avoid it. There’s just so much going on, and so much is set up for the third book, but it never feels too busy. The book is full of action and excitement, while still reeling you in with the characters and their individual emotions. I’m not often outwardly emotional with books, but Never Fade made me laugh and cry, almost equally. I can’t get enough of this series or its characters, and I’m so excited to see where Alexandra Bracken will take things next.

The Cover:
So gorgeous!

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 464
Series: For Darkness Shows the Stars #2 (companion book)
Review Source: ARC from HarperCollins Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.

My Thoughts:
To start off, can we talk about how much I love the main character, Persis? Because she is basically The. Best. If you need a reason to read this book (and there are many reasons why you should), Persis is a great one. She is such an amazing main character. I love that she has the fun, "fashionista" qualities that she shows to the world, but that she's also an incredibly intelligent person with a keen sense of justice. Persis is an active character: she sees something wrong, a terrible injustice, and she does something about it, even at great personal risk. I also loved the statement made by the author, of how easy it was for Persis to fool everyone into thinking she was stupid, because she’s pretty, rich, upper class, and - most of all - a female.

I give Diana Peterfreund major props for the subject matter of this book, because it’s incredibly complex. Even though Diana has done a great job at making things fairly basic and accessible, it’s still a story based on genetics and a complex history of persecution. At first it was a bit difficult to keep things straight, particularly because of the different names used, but it was also incredibly fascinating. And science isn't the only subject matter of the book: there’s adventure with the Wild Poppy rescuing people, and there’s the relationship between Persis and Justen. I really like how this story is one with intricate details you need to pay attention to, while at the same time offering humour and swoony moments.

While I enjoyed For Darkness Shows the Stars, especially the unique ideas of the story, I never fell for it in the same way many others did. I was excited when the characters in this book captured my attention so much more. There’s just something about the characters here and the Scarlet Pimpernel inspired plot that I loved.

[Also, a note, because many people seem to be confused about this: Across a Star-Swept Sea takes place in the same universe as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but it is very much a standalone novel. There is a bit of a crossover (which I won’t spoil!), but you don’t need to read the other book to understand or appreciate this one.]

The Cover:
Like!

Rating:
[Strong 4/5]

Find Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund on HarperCollins Canada. Purchase through Book Depository, Chapters Indigo, Amazon.ca, & Amazon.com.

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 356
Series: The Internment Chronicles #1
Review Source: ARC from S&S Canada

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

My Thoughts:
This book has a very slow start. I was intrigued by the world and what was happening, and I was definitely curious where things would go, but I wasn't fully involved with the characters for the longest time. I think this is because the majority of the book is very internalized to what Morgan is thinking and feeling. Much of the book is her musings about Internment, the edge, below, and how she feels about her brother and the others in her life. There's a bit of a mystery as things are happening and we're wondering who is committing crimes and why. This added a bit of action to the book, and made me keep reading.

While I never grew to love Perfect Ruin, it became more and more engaging as it went on. I don't want to spoil where the story leads, because it is such a journey to get there, but toward the end there's a lot more action and things happening, rather than just ruminating about them. It’s a bit frustrating, actually, that the book ends right when things were getting incredibly interesting, even though it was a logical stopping point for the book. While the beginning was a bit rough, I did like the characters enough that I’ll be continuing on to Book 2 to see where things go, and to get some explanations.

The Cover:
I don't care for the photograph, but the illustrated design (which continues inside the book) is gorgeous!

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Find Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano on Goodreads, Book Depository, Chapters Indigo, Amazon.ca, & Amazon.com.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pages: 336
Series: The Testing #1
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust

My Thoughts:
You know how every book involving any aspect or trace of dystopia or competition or post-apocalyptic gets compared to ‘The Hunger Games’? Well, ‘The Testing’ is the first read-alike to ‘The Hunger Games’ where I feel like it deserves that recognition: where the comparison actually makes sense. The set-up to ‘The Testing’ feels Hunger Games-esque, especially with a central government in charge of the different colonies. That being said, ‘The Testing’ definitely has a unique feel of its own, and it was different enough from ‘The Hunger Games’ to feel fresh and interesting.

The eponymous Testing is for students trying to get into the university in the capital city. These tests are very mysterious, but what they actually are becomes very real and quite horrifying very quickly. I was completely immersed in the book, reading the descriptions of the tests and the changes in the characters. I loved how smart and tough Cia, our main character, is. While romance isn't a huge part of this book, I still loved the slow burning relationship between Cia and Tomas. These characters had a past; they come from the same place, and even so their feelings were slow to come to the surface.

While I can see some people feeling like ‘The Testing’ is too Hunger Games-esque, for me it was perfect. I felt like it had the feel and spirit of ‘The Hunger Games’ without being a copy. Plus, let’s face it: ‘The Hunger Games’ wasn’t exactly original. The genius of the book was the characters and how the story was told, and I feel like Joelle Charbonneau accomplished the same thing here. I loved how this first book tells a whole story, and yet also ends with some major revelations and information to set up book 2. I, for one, cannot wait.

The Cover:
I like it, and I think it would be better in person, but I really love this UK cover.

Rating:
[5/5]

Find The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau on Goodreads, Book Depository (this is the UK version), & Amazon.