Review: Rebel Heart by Moira Young

Title: Rebel Heart
Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Series: Dust Lands #2
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: Edelweiss

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

This book is CRAZY in a good way. I loved Blood Red Road, and I am not really sure what I was expecting from Rebel Heart, but I don't believe that it was this. And I ended up being pretty darn happy with how the story unfolds.

Rebel Heart begins with Jack's POV. I am a Jack fan, so this had me pretty giddy. But, alas, there will be no more narrative from Jack for the rest of the story. In fact, there's not all that much Jack in it aside from a brief stint in the middle somewhere and then a good bit of him near the end. But he is always on Saba's mind. And Emmi's. And, apparently, Nero's. So enjoy him when you can. The scenes that include him are totally worth it.

Saba is going through some Stuff in this installment. She's haunted by her guilt over events in the past. She has nightmares. She wonders if she's losing her ever-loving mind. She begins to question Jack's feelings for her, wonders if he won't come back to her, wonders if he is who she thought he was and if she can even trust him at all. She's the same flawed Saba from the first book, though in many ways she has also grown. Saba has a new closeness with Emmi, and Lugh is not the same brother that she remembers - in fact he's a big fat jerk face, presumably because he is dealing with some Stuff of his own.

It has been several months since the events of Blood Red Road came to a close, and Tommo has grown. He's more capable than he previously was. He has latched onto Lugh as the only male around that can provide him with any sort of a role model. (This seriously might be the suckiest thing about Jack being away.) He fights and offers advice and is protective of Saba. Tommo is something that I've wondered about in this book, because I could have sworn that he was very young in BRR. For some reason, I had him pegged as being around twelve years old, but at this point in time he seems to be closer to around fifteen. So I guess he was more like fourteen in the first book? (If anyone knows the answer to this or can find the passage in BRR where they speculate as to Tommo's age, I'd love it if you left that information in the comments.) Either way, Tommo grew on me a lot over the course of the story. He stepped out of the background and his depth as a character multiplied. His disability doesn't hinder him much, though there are times that he was obviously frustrated by the idea of being judged for it. He is one of the characters that I am most looking forward to seeing explored in the next book, because of his new complexity and the fact that he is at times misguided and has the potential to take a dark turn or suffer some tragic fate. I hope that he will be triumphant and find a better option for himself, because I really like where Young is taking his character so far.

The plot starts off a little slowly, as Saba is dealing with her guilt, fears, and questions, and her party is still making their way west. Once they encounter other people, though, the pacing picks up significantly. Saba sets out on a mission and joins up with friends old and new. There are times when I became frustrated and angry at Saba and some of her decisions, but she wouldn't be Saba if she wasn't making mistakes. The stuff that happens toward the end has me excited for the third book.

I'm not sure that I like this one as much as I do the first, but I do really like it. Tommo's character arc grabbed my attention and he quickly rose to become one of my favorite characters. I am curious to see how he continues to develop. Rebel Heart has more of the dystopia elements than Blood Red Road. The ending is explosive, and I am very much looking forward to the next Dust Lands installment.

Blog Tour: Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini

When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.

Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Goodreads | Amazon

I'd like to welcome Mel, one of the characters in Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini, to the blog today to play a little word association:


books: My diary.

food: Anything with curry.

free time: Creating stained glass.

sports: Yoga

natural disasters: Miscommunication

pets: Hedgehog

discovery: Girl Scout Cookies in the afterlife

spirit: It's there if you look.

silence: Is comfortable.

memory: Something people are afraid of.

truth: Perspective.

second chances: Third chances.

betrayal: Surmountable.

afterlife: The Obmil.

forgiveness: We all need it.

Thanks to Mel for stopping by and playing, and thanks to The {Teen} Book Scene for hosting the tour.

About Kimberly Sabatini

Kimberly Sabatini is a former Special Education Teacher who is now a stay-at-home mom and a part-time dance instructor for three and four year olds. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband and three boys. Kimberly writes Young Adult fiction and is represented by Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency. TOUCHING THE SURFACE is her debut novel. (Simon Pulse – Simon & Schuster, October 30, 2012)

You can find her on: Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Retellings for Halloween Reading

There's something about Halloween that makes you want to read a creepy book. There are a lot of Halloween-appropriate reads out there, but here are a few retellings of old stories that might put you in the Halloween spirit and put a new twist on a spooky old favorite.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Retelling of: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Why it's great for Halloween: Suspenseful Murder Mystery

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Amazon | Goodreads

The Turning by Francine Prose 

Retelling of: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Why it's great for Halloween: Psychological Horror

Jack is babysitting for the summer on an isolated island with no Wi-Fi, no cell service, and no one else around but a housekeeper and two very peculiar children. He immediately senses something sinister-and it's not just the creepy black house he's living in. Soon he is feeling terribly isolated and alone, but then he discovers there are others. The problem is, he's the only who can see them. As secrets are revealed and darker truths surface, Jack desperately struggles to maintain a grip on reality. He knows what he sees, and he isn't crazy…Or is he?

Amazon | Goodreads

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard

Retelling of: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Why it's great for Halloween: Gothic Horror/Thriller

Harper has never been worried about falling in love, something she is skeptical even exists. But everything changes when Logan moves to town, and to Harper's shock, the two tumble into an intense romance. It's everything she never thought she wanted.

Then she meets Logan's twin brother, Caleb, who was expelled from his last school. True, he's a bad boy, but Harper can't shake the feeling that there's something deeply sinister about him--something dangerous. When Logan starts pulling away, Harper is convinced that Caleb's shadowy past is the wedge being driven between them. But by the time she uncovers the truth, it may be too late.

Amazon | Goodreads

New Girl by Paige Harbison

Retelling of: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Why it's great for Halloween: Gothic Mystery/Thriller

I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited.... So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.

It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley--the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by "not" perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.

Then, there's the name on "my" lips--Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place.

Waiting to take it back.

Amazon | Goodreads

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Retelling of: The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Why it's great for Halloween: Horror

London, 1894. Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Juliet is accompanied by the doctor’s handsome young assistant and an enigmatic castaway, who both attract Juliet for very different reasons. They travel to the island only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: he has created animals that have been vivisected to resemble, speak, and behave as humans. Worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape the island, even though her horror is mixed with her own scientific curiosity. As the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Amazon | Goodreads

There are plenty of books out there that put a new spin on old Halloween favorites! Which do you think would be perfect additions to your Halloween reading list?

If you like this post, you should also check out my previous post on Books for Halloween!

Review: Eve & Adam by Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate

Title: Eve & Adam
Authors: Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

Eve & Adam is so funny and cute! It's the perfect book for those times when you need something lighthearted. It's light on the sci-fi elements. None of the science is really explored or explained in much detail, but that is okay because the humorous tone of the book doesn't require it to delve into the specifics of these things.

The story is told from three perspectives: Eve, Solo, and Adam. Of the two main characters (Eve and Solo), Solo is the more entertaining. His spoken as well as his internal dialogues are really funny, and he's more clued in as to what goes on around the research facility. But I also liked seeing things from Eve's point of view, which offers readers the chance to discover more about this strange environment alongside her. It's also nice to see Eve and Solo from each other's point of view. Adam adds a pretty entertaining perspective to the story as well, once he's been created, and it's comically funny to witness people's reactions to him. Eve's mother and her friend Aislin are also interesting characters and are sometimes quite funny, particularly the dialogue regarding their opinions of each other.

Eve & Adam is a quick read - it's fairly short and has a quick pace which, combined with the humor, makes for a very fast read. The plot focuses on some of the weird stuff that goes down at the research facility, some of which is not exactly legal. There's a bit of the mad scientist thing going on, and it'd be completely disturbing if it wasn't so funny. This book takes something that could be quite serious in any other book and gives it an amusing spin that lightens the mood and makes the story totally playful instead. There's a little bit of romance - not the insta-love, die for this person type of romance, but a sweet and somewhat awkward and funny budding teenage attraction.

If you're looking for sciencey science fiction, this is not that. But if you're looking for something to cheer you up on a gloomy day or if you just need a good laugh, then this is totally the perfect book for that. If you like humor and amusing dialogue, you'll probably enjoy this.

Looking for something similar? Try:
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris   My Review | Amazon | Goodreads
Mothership by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal   Amazon | Goodreads

Giveaway: Easy by Tammara Webber

Penguin / Berkley wants one of my lovely readers to have their very own copy of Easy by Tammara Webber! Will it be you? Enter using the form at the bottom of this post, and it could be!

The New York Times bestselling ebook, now from Berkley in both ebook and paperback editions.

Rescued by a stranger.
Haunted by a secret
Sometimes, love isn't easy...

He always saw her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior...

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he'd worked so hard to overcome, and the future she'd put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth-and find the unexpected power of love.

Amazon | Goodreads

Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter. If under 18, must have permission of parent or guardian.
• Open to US addresses only.
• Falsified entries will result in disqualification.
• Please see my contest & privacy policy for more details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck, my lovelies!

Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Title: For Darkness Shows the Stars
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: June 12, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: Won

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a retelling of Persuasion by Jane Austen, which I adore. So I was very curious how Peterfreund would handle this story, and also a little concerned about whether or not it would be a successful retelling. And it really does do justice to Jane Austen's work. For Darkness Shows the Stars hits on all of the major points from Persuasion and retells the story wonderfully, yet somehow still manages to not become a boring, lesser copy of the original. So I'm more than happy to say that, for me, this retelling is a complete success.

So, this is a post-apocalyptic Jane Austen that somehow retains its Jane Austen-ness. Elliot (our new Anne) is still the daughter of a wealthy noble. Kai (our new Wentworth) is still lower class and determined to make his fortune and is still a sailor by profession. Peterfreund manages to carefully handle the details so as to stay true to the original work while also being different. Some of the new characters serve to play the roles of more than one of the old ones, and a few that are unnecessary for the retelling are cut. This story takes some different twists and turns than Persuasion, but the big stuff is there: the letter, the Charming Young Man, the social and class issues that are always at play in Austen's work. And yet it manages to add even more to it - stuff like bioethics, which is hard to imagine working with an Austen retelling, but it does.

Elliot and Kai are similar to Anne and Wentworth, but we get to see more of their personalities and get into their heads a little more - this is particularly true of Kai. His feelings as the one who was rejected are explored with more depth. Each has clear motives for their behavior and feelings. I love them both. But it isn't just Elliot and Kai that I found myself appreciating. I absolutely adore Ro, their childhood friend. All of the characters get a chance to show a bit of themselves to the reader and to Elliot, increasing their complexity as individuals rather than allowing them to lounge about in the background.

The setting is that of a world that has been torn apart by hubris and genetic experimentation, separating people into factions. The Luddites are desperate to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, while the Posts seek change. This setup allows for commentary on societal and class distinctions to take up a presence within the novel. I particularly like this, because I do not think that you can successfully retell an Austen novel without including it. The plot is steady going, and is driven by the conflict between Elliot and Kai as well as the conflicts between their two classes. Elliot deals with a lot of internal struggles as well, due to her Luddite moralities conflicting with her sympathies for the Posts and some of their ideals. And the ending is perfect.

If you love Persuasion and have been on the fence about this one, grab it. I think that you'll find it does a magnificent job of retelling without copying. And even if you haven't read any Austen at all, you can still enjoy the PA setting and the conflict and characters. I so recommend this book. One of the best retellings I've read.

Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Title: The Crown of Embers
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Series: Fire and Thorns #2
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: Purchased

She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.

Elisa is a hero.

She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.

Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.

To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trail of long-forgotten—and forbidden—clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom—despite everything—she is falling in love with.

If she's lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost.

I really liked The Girl of Fire and Thorns. But I think that I might be in love with The Crown of Embers. And it's all mostly Hector's fault.

Once again in book two I find myself simultaneously adoring and being frustrated with Elisa. (But not in a bad way!) She spent her time in the first installment of the series proving that she can be a leader and get things accomplished, but in this second installment she is unsure of herself in her new queenly role. She knows that she needs to be a strong and decisive queen but she is so afraid of making the wrong decisions that she doesn't really make that many decisions at all and allows for a great deal of outside influence from those around her. But, as in the first book, she learns and grows and she does so with grace. And that growth of character is part of what I adore about her. And by the end, Elisa is much less afraid to step up and make her own decisions.

Hector was my favorite character in the first book, despite his not having as prominent a role in that part of Elisa's story, because he was one of the few who were completely sincere from the beginning. But by the end of The Girl of Fire and Thorns, I was certain that Hector would play an incredibly important part. And I'm so happy to say that he definitely does. I love, love, love the relationship development of Elisa and Hector.

The plot moves steadily. All of the scenes are working to develop characters or advance the plot, so there are no lulls. I breezed through the pages and kept wanting more, more, more. The Crown of Embers has a little bit of everything: mysterious personal agendas, assassination attempts, threats, executions, suitors, smugglers, spies, secrets, seafaring adventure, crazy old guy living in isolation in a hole in the ground. There are people who work to influence Elisa's decisions, for various reasons. They're able to do this a lot of the time because of Elisa's tendency to second guess herself or to look to others to make the tough choices. Throughout the story, Elisa must learn to trust herself more than she trusts others. I do not think that she has fully met her potential quite yet, but she's definitely well on her way.

And the ending! What! I guess some may consider it cliffhanger-ish. But I don't, and the reason for that is because the reader is left with plenty enough information to see exactly where this is going. And I love it. Because it gives Elisa the push that she needs, and I know that the third book is going to be Elisa, pissed off and determined, wreaking havoc, kicking butt, meaning business. And I want that part of the story to be in my hands. I can't freaking wait. Seriously. It might kill me. I might die.

Favorite Covers: October 2012

Here are some of my favorite covers for October 2012: The Red & Turquoise Edition

The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
This series has gorgeous covers without resorting to any of the overused trends. They appeal to both guys and girls, just like the story, and they're graphically stunning and beautifully colored, every single one of them. And they all match. Win.
Amazon | Goodreads

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
I love the apple as a symbol. I like the red against the turquoise background. The binary code appeals to my inner geek. I'm glad that this cover is graphic and full of interesting little things like that.
Amazon | Goodreads

The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens
I am not completely sure why, but I have a thing for the artwork on these books. It's well done and relevant to the stories. And I really like the bordering map graphic. These look even better in person, too. Shiny!
Amazon | Goodreads


Do you also like any of these covers? Are there any books that you're tempted to buy for the cover alone? What new little works of art will you be picking up for your shelves this month? Let me know in the comments!