The Great Good Thing

The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sylvie has been a twelve-year-old princess for more than eighty years, ever since the book she lives in was first printed. She’s the heroine, and her story is exciting — but that’s the trouble. Her story is always exciting in the same way. Sylvie longs to get away and explore the world outside the confines of her book.

When she breaks the cardinal rule of all storybook characters and looks up at the Reader, Sylvie begins a journey that not even she could have anticipated. And what she accomplishes goes beyond any great good thing she could have imagined…

My Review

Great family read aloud! I read this for the first time several years ago and remembered liking it. I could remember the very basics of the plot and characters, so when I spotted the book again while perusing our bookshelves I wanted to read it again to remember the details. I had been looking for something to read aloud with my kids that would be of interest to a wide span of ages, but also have substance, and possibly be something they may not pick up on their own. From what I could remember The Great Good Thing seemed like it would fit the bill nicely.

It was fun trying to explain to my kids what it was about when they asked. “Well…it’s about characters in a book.” The looks on their faces showed clearly the response, “Duh. That’s what all books are about.” “No really, it’s about characters in a book, in the book. And what they are doing when someone is not reading their book.” The light of understanding began to glimmer.

My description didn’t thrill them, but they were willing to let me read aloud the first chapter and then if they really hated it we’d choose something else. Let’s just say we read 3 chapters that first night. As my 11 and 13 year old daughters were heading off to bed after we finished reading I asked them what they thought. Their silence and little smirks told me all I needed to know. They were intrigued, but they couldn’t possibly admit to their mother that maybe I had been right about this book choice.

So we continued reading, and not one of us, from my 6 year old son to my 13 year old daughter, wanted to miss read aloud each night. It’s an easy read, but not boringly simple in plot, character development, or language. It’s such a satisfying fantasy to imagine favorite book characters as truly living in their own book world and being our friends to help us through good times and bad.

Age Recommendation: The Great Good Thing brings to mind fairy tales which we know and love at any age. For our family it was perfect for 6 years old and up.  If this were being read in a classroom setting or as an independent read I would suggest it for 3rd grade and older.

Appropriateness: Clean as can be. Nothing to worry about in this one. The Great Good Thing provides great classroom and/or book club discussion in relation to how aging and change is a necessary part of life, how creativity can help us deal with difficult circumstances, and what makes a person or an action “great” and/or “good.”

Other Book Recommendations: If you liked The Great Good Thing you might also like Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Frogkisser by Garth Nix, Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville, The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson, The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamilla, My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand and Brodi Ashton, and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

High Sierra

High Sierra by Adrienne Quintana

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads)

When Jasmine Fuentes finds herself thousands of miles from home, forced to hike around in the wilderness of California with a bunch of juvenile delinquents, she’s convinced she doesn’t belong.

Forage for food, build shelter, make fire—Jasmine sets out to learn what she needs to do to ace the program so she can go home and salvage her summer vacation. But the more she tries to prove she doesn’t need wilderness therapy, the more desperate her situation becomes. Confronted with life and death, she comes face to face with her past and her imperfections. Will Jasmine ask for help before it’s too late?

My Review

I wish more YA fiction was like High Sierra. It was so enjoyable and refreshing to read through the eyes of a teenage girl that didn’t drive me crazy with her whining. Jasmine Fuentes is still definitely a teenager with the sarcasm and struggles that come with that stage of life, but she has wit and intelligence that help her to continue to function despite the unfairness life left in her path.

There are other teenage characters in the book who turn to more destructive coping strategies, but I love the hopeful message that those choices (whether severely dysfunctional or only slightly less than functional) don’t define them (or us); change is possible, and these teens even at their lowest lows have a desire to change. They just need to see the way to get started, and patient and sincere guides to help them along the way. High Sierra portrays realistically that that kind of change requires hard work and time, but it can happen and is worth the effort when it does.

Wilderness is a great positive influence in my life. I have learned through experiences in nature about strength, confidence, hard work, peace, awe and wonder, and Divinity. So reading about teens starting their path to change through wilderness therapy was relatable and realistic. I appreciated that learning about our place in God’s plan helped Jasmine, as my relationship with God is the most defining aspect of my life. But I also appreciated that High Sierra is not preachy. No one religion or agenda is pushed.

And I have to be clear that while High Sierra surpasses other YA fiction in strength of characters and depth of theme, it also does not disappoint in humor, excitement, and of course romance that I think we all have to admit we are looking for when we pick up a book from this genre. I look forward to giving this one to my daughters to read. I know that like me they will be entertained and enthralled, but also made better for having read it.

Age Recommendation: I think readers 14 and older would enjoy this book most as they would relate best to the struggles the characters face in their lives.

Appropriateness: Characters’ struggles with drugs, eating disorders, and sex are mentioned in the book but without any inappropriate detail or glorifying. Language is clean. Nothing offensive for any age.

Other Book Recommendations: If High Sierra interests you I recommend Eruption and Reclamation also by Adrienne Quintana, The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson, Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Relic by Renee Collins, Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper, and Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath.

Arc of the Scythe Series (books 1 and 2)

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (adapted from Goodreads)

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and takes great risk so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

My Review

This is one of those series that enveloped me immediately and I didn’t want to put down until I’d read every last word. Having to wait for the third book is torturous. I found the portrayal of human nature in this fictional case study intriguing, disturbing, frustrating at times, and just a great read. The author suspended my disbelief well, creating a world and scenario that felt plausible and the character’s actions and reactions fit too. Despite the amount of death and killing I did not find the descriptions to be gory or gratuitous with violence. If you liked The Hunger Games definitely give these books a try.

Age Recommendation: Some pretty heavy philosophical ideas and situations centered around death, immortality, perfection, and murder that make this book for mature readers.  I would say 16 and older.

Appropriateness: The author is skilled at telling this story fraught with moral dilemma and murder in a way that evokes deep thoughts and emotions without just being gross or praising corruption.

Book Club or Classroom Use: It would be fascinating to see the discussion that these books would spur in a book club or high school English class setting. The story would be an interesting sociology read as well.

Other Book Recommendations: If The Arc of the Scythe series interests you then I think you would also enjoy The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins, The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield, Eruption and Reclamation by Adrienne Quintana, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, and The Winner Series by Marie Rutkoski.

My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (adapted from Goodreads)

Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession before he dies. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy and the fate of the kingdom is at stake.

My Review

I was completely surprised by how “good” of a read this one was. I was expecting humor and silliness, but I wasn’t expecting to actually be caught up in a well structured, well told, exciting, and enthralling story. It reminded me of “The Princess Bride” with lovable characters, romance, good guys and bad guys and some in between, swashbuckling excitement, all while not taking itself too seriously and using cliche and one-liners to perfection.

I am impressed with the authors’ skills in balancing all of the aspects of good story and writing with laugh out loud silliness. The jokes are weaved into this alternate reality of historical events with both subtlety and transparent nonsense, and it works both ways. Yet the humor doesn’t become higher priority than the story-telling, so it’s satisfying entertainment. I was cheering for love and justice to win in the end and intrigued by how it would be done.

Ironically, this fantasy “spoof” of the Tudor time period inspired me to research and learn more about the actual events that inspired the book, so I now have a much greater understanding of the English monarchy from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. I love the series “Victoria” on PBS so I even took my study a little further to see how the chain of the monarchy led to her reign as well.

This is a one of a kind young adult fiction and a thoroughly enjoyable one too.

Age Recommendation: Some understanding of history will add to the enjoyment of the genius and humor of this book so I would recommend it to 15 and older.

Appropriateness: The subject of “consummating marriage” comes up a bit, and  there are some other references to kissing and sex. Some of it may be bordering on crude for some readers, but in the spirit of the book I found it all hilarious, endearing, or relatable and accurate.  There is kissing and characters are often found naked due to the condition of sporadically changing into animals, but none of the description is sensationalized or gratuitous.

Other Book Recommendations: If My Lady Jane interests you then I think you would also enjoy The Princess Bride by William Goldman, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville, Frogkisser by Garth Nix, The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman,  Holes by Louis Sachar,  My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris, The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden, and The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak.

 

Atlantia

Atlantia by Ally Condie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads)

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio’s hopes for the future are shattered when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected choice, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long silenced—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the corrupted system constructed to govern the Divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

My Review

I didn’t love Matched by Ally Condie so I’m not sure why I decided to pick up Atlantia. Maybe because I thought there were a few redeeming qualities in Matched, at least enough for me to give Condie a second chance. The plot also intrigued me, and I was looking for something easy to read and entertaining to read over the holidays.

Well, Atlantia certainly fit the bill for easy to read and it was entertaining enough that I finished it. However, it had many of the same disappointments that I found in Matched. It’s difficult not to compare the two books because they are both dystopian fiction for teens, written by the same author.

In both books I was quickly drawn in to the premise, the excitement of exploring a new world, and the anticipation of how the story and characters could develop within the rules of the new world. I think the author did a better job of creating a believable world for Atlantia than she did with Matched. I didn’t find myself questioning so much whether the human responses were plausible given the circumstances. I was actually quite impressed by the beginning of the book. I loved how Condie “showed” me the rules of the world she had created rather than “told.” The pacing was quick and engaging, and the world itself was interesting and had some unique aspects. Through the first quarter of the book I had high hopes that it was going to succeed where Matched had failed me.

At the halfway mark, unfortunately, my hopes crumbled. The book centers around conflict between the world Below (the city Atlantia which was built in a “bubble” on the ocean floor) and the world Above (the world we inhabit). The main characters and the storytelling begins Below, but it’s clear early on that the story will, at some point, have to continue Above. I was disappointed and bored to get halfway through and still be building to the point where the action would switch to Above. I knew at that point that there was going to be rushed action to the climax and rushed resolution in order to wrap up the story in the number of pages left.

I was right. I didn’t get nearly the feel or Above that I needed to balance the care that had been taken to show me Below. The characters Above were weak without the needed development and I didn’t care for them like I needed to in order to really care about the plot. In the world Below the author used mystery and the characters’ gradual discovery of important information to build tension. A little over halfway through that method completely broke down and information just starts getting handed out left and right. It felt like the author knew how she wanted to wrap it all up, but she didn’t have a great grasp on the steps needed to get there. She spent an overly long time building up which could have been ok if the same care had been taken in the action and resolution. But instead it just fell flat and became forgettable.

I debated on whether to give 2 or 3 stars. I settled on 3 because I respect the potential of the author’s ideas. I even liked the poetic style she tried to give her prose. I felt like it fit the idea of an underwater civilization that worships “the Gods.” Had she just been able to balance the story elements better it would have been a satisfying entertainment escape.

Age Recommendation: Because of the dystopian elements as well as some teen romance this book would be enjoyed best by 14 and older.

Appropriateness: There is no swearing, no graphic violence or gory descriptions. Some kissing but not overly descriptive. Pretty squeaky clean in my book.

Other Book Recommendations: If Atlantia interests you, you might also like Matched by Ally Condie, Until We Meet Again , Remember me Always, or Relic, all by Renee Collins, An Uncommon Blue by R.C. Hancock, Eruption and Reclamation by Adrienne Quintana, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, or The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.

Relic

Relic by Renee Collins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary (adapted from Goodreads)

After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.

When she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron When mysterious fires burn neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.

My Review

A fast-paced adventure with all of the classic elements of the wild west along with the unexpected element of magic and creatures of fantasy. I was caught up in the storytelling and the mystery immediately. The characters are interesting and lovable and human with faults and redeeming qualities. The world is inviting and easy to picture with great description. The writing is well done and perfect for the genre.

When I started the book I thought it was going to be a 4 star read because it was such a unique setting. I really liked aspects of the book, but in the end it also felt incomplete. Part of that, I’m sure, comes from that the author must have planned more books for this story, but for whatever reason they haven’t been published. There were just way to many unresolved issues for there not to be more. Knowing that I may never get the full story makes it hard to be in love with the book.

But, even if there were to be more books written there were holes in this story that I would have liked to see better addressed. More information about Maggie’s parents would have been helpful. I didn’t feel like I got a complete picture of her relationship with them. I also had questions about the history of the world in the book especially in relation to the relics. It seemed that with such magic and power available throughout the book’s world that problems with the misuse of that power would be common. I wondered what kind of structure or government was in play to prevent such lack of control, or if there wasn’t any such structure or government what other serious tragedies occurred in the history of the world? There would have had to be some. I also wanted more info on the historical dealings between the Apache’s and the townsfolk.

The other aspect of the book that didn’t work for me was Maggie’s realization/change of mindset when she was at rock bottom. She comes to the conclusion that she needs to stop running from or avoiding the problems in her life. From my perspective, she never was running from her problems. She took responsibility when needed, she jumped in and stood up for her truth, she helped others, and she was constantly being brave and taking chances to try to deal with her problems. I didn’t really see a transformation of her character through the book; she simply gained more information. I don’t think Maggie necessarily needed to transform. She was a pretty strong and likable character, so there just needed to be a different instrument for pushing the action forward.

None of my critques take away from how entertained I was throughout the book. It was a perfect read to just get carried away in a good story for a little while. I think the changes and additions that I would like to see would just make it a very memorable read and more impactful. The creativity of the world provides so much potential.

Age Recommendation: This is a young adult fiction and is perfect for young adults. I’d say as young as 14 could enjoy it.

Appropriateness: Saloon girls are a big part of the story and there is definite mention of whores and prostitution. There is attempted seduction as well, but none of it is described graphically. It could bother some readers, but because it wasn’t glorified or overly descriptive it didn’t bother me.

Other book recommendations: If you are interested in Relic you might also enjoy The Time Key by Melanie Bateman, The Winner’s trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, and Until We Meet Again also by Renee Collins.

Remember Me Always

Remember Me Always by Renee Collins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads)

Shelby is nervous to start her senior year after spending the whole summer away from home. After all, it’s hard to be carefree when you’re trying to protect a secret.

Shelby was in a devastating car accident, and everyone in town thinks that she was undergoing more physical therapy in Denver. Instead, Shelby’s mother enrolled her in a clinical program to stop the panic attacks that started after the crash. The treatment erased Shelby’s memory of the accident, but she can’t help feeling as if a piece of herself is missing, that the treatment took more than the doctors claimed.

So when Shelby starts hallucinating a boy with dark and mysterious eyes, she knows it must be a side-effect of the clinical program. Except you can’t kiss hallucinations. And this boy insists that they know each other and are in love…

My Review

This was the perfect read for me. After finishing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein I was looking for something modern and a little less heavy. A good YA romance was just the ticket.

Remember Me Always fits in the YA romance genre perfectly, but it still has a uniqueness in the plot. The idea of technology that can erase traumatic memories was interesting and believable in the presentation. I was drawn in immediately by the mystery surrounding the need for the memory treatment as well as by the intrigue of how it was all going to work out. The writing is easy to read and follow, but with engaging character voice and smart use of language and sentence structure.

I would say that the ending doesn’t fit a traditional “happily ever after” format, but I appreciated it. I was glad to see characters acknowledge their young age and how that should be considered along with feelings of love or passion.

The author lives in a town where I lived for about 4 years and I loved seeing bits and pieces of the town show up in the book’s fictional setting. There were names of people and streets that I recognized. Some of the descriptions of fictional Orchardview brought to mind so clearly places in the real Colorado town.

The book drew me in quickly and was entertaining all the way through  to the end.

Age Recommendation: I think the character’s motivations and the events of the book would be best understood by ages 14 and older.  A 12 year old mature reader would likely enjoy the book as well.

Appropriateness: There is some trauma relating to Shelby’s accident, but descriptions aren’t graphic. There is kissing and physical aspects of a romantic relationship but no specific descriptions or anything that would inappropriate for most YA readers.

Other Book Recommendations: Other books like Remember Me Always include Until We Meet Again also by Renee Collins, Safe House by Shannon Symonds, The Unicorn Hunter by Rachel Kirkaldie, The Selection Series by Kiera Cass, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle, Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.

 

The Unicorn Hunter

The Unicorn Hunter by Rachel Kirkaldie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to receive a digital copy of this book in return for my honest review. I am excited to be participating in the blog tour.

Summary (adapted from Goodreads)

Princess Jessalyn’s betrothal is the talk of the realm, but all she cares about is escaping her family’s smelly fishing kingdom. As queen of Gontir, her life will finally be perfect. But her plans are shattered when she’s kidnapped in a plot to destroy Gontir. With her dreams in ruins, Jessalyn must decide if the life she’s always wanted is worth the price of her heart.

My Review

The Unicorn Hunter is a grand adventure through a fascinating world. The author took me on a journey of discovery as she revealed the principles of magic and history that rule the lands. The story moves quickly and every word helps to move it forward. I so enjoyed not being bogged down with long explanations and descriptions; instead the author develops the characters, setting, and conflict through the story progression. The fast pace and lack of distraction or disruption from the story was perfect for the genre. The author’s voice works perfectly with the story and genre as well. She’s not scholarly, flowery, or fancy; neither is she juvenile, crude, or flat. It’s just right for being pulled into the story quickly and being held there to the end. It doesn’t take too much work to follow. You just get in and enjoy the ride.

I loved that I didn’t love princess Jessalyn at the start. It was refreshing to read about a heroine who really doesn’t have much heroism to offer. I was intrigued as to how she would develop and become likable. I wondered what events could break through her vanity, cleanliness, and too perfect exterior? What could happen to add depth to her priorities that at the start were about as shallow as an empty yogurt cup? Then the “hero” of the story was introduced and he wasn’t much better with life motivations completely focused on wealth, and thievery being his method of achieving his desires.

But the author builds a plausible plot that believably reveals the redeeming qualities of a selfish princess and thief. She succeeds in getting readers to care about these characters and their world. The cast of supporting characters such as the royal family and the thieving band are shown more in glimpses, but those glimpses are so clear that you really get a strong feel for their motivations right away. I liked them immediately for their strengths and weaknesses and they provided a perfect contrast for the initial shallowness of the main characters.

My only complaint for the book is that I wanted more. By the end I was starting to see the main characters blossom, but I didn’t feel completely satisfied with their growth or with the plot reconciliation. In my opinion there was more to be told of this story. There is plenty of foreshadowing for sequels (and I am crossing my fingers that there is at least one more) but even for this portion of the story I think there was more to tell. More information about the villains would give a much more satisfying end. I wanted more story to show me where Jessalyn and the thief would go from there. I could see that their experiences had changed them, and I wanted to know how that would affect their goals and direction for the immediate future. But I was left hanging.

Without a sequel this story is definitely incomplete, and because I felt there should have been more to the ending I would really give the book 3.5 stars; but I rounded up to a 4 because it was such an enjoyable read. I just wanted more! So I’m crossing my fingers and wishing on stars that there will be a sequel. And soon!!

Age Recommendation: This book is ideal for 15 and older. I think girls would be more drawn to it.

Appropriateness: Very clean yet exciting. Lots of action, but nothing grossly descriptive about it.

Other Book Recommendations: If you are interested in The Unicorn Hunter I think you would also enjoy An Uncommon Blue by R.C. Hancock, Eruption and Reclamation by Adrienne Quintana, The Selection Series by Kiera Cass, The Winner’s Series by Marie Rutkoski, Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins, Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt, The Princess Academy series by Shannon Hale, Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Golden by Cameron Dokey, Seven Daughters and Seven Sons by Barbara Cohen, and  Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

 

Reclamation

Reclamation by Adrienne Quintana

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary (adapted from Goodreads):

Jace Vega wakes up three years after the eruption of Mount Hood where she and the man she loves, Corey Stein, tried to use time travel to release Victor Trent’s powerful hold on the world. But life is even greater turmoil. The future seems to be unchanged and Corey is missing. Nothing about her other relationships feel right.

As Victor Trent continues to amass power, using information terrorism Jace knows she doesn’t have much time if she’s going to stop him. Jace’s reawakening begins a race to the place where it all began: the Point of Origin. If she can only remember where it is.

My Review

I waited so long for the conclusion to this story and it was completely worth it. I actually re-read the first book in the series, Eruption, right before beginning Reclamation and that was a great choice. I enjoyed reliving the suspense of the events in Eruption, and the refresher on all of the details was helpful. Reclamation picks up exactly where Eruption ends, and I loved being able to put one book down and immediately pick up the next without interruption.

I love the smart prose, imagery, and powerful description in the writing. I am so impressed and fulfilled by the author’s ability to weave current events, social issues, social media and technology, psychological examination, and even spirituality into a seamless, colorful, and thoughful storytelling tapestry. And she does it without being preachy; rather her keen expression and description says just enough and leaves the intellectual work up to the reader. There is plenty of opportunity for that “aha” moment as you connect the text and characters to your own life, while at the same time the thrills and suspense of their lives keep you turning pages as fast as you can. The sequence of events flows naturally, and all of that is accomplished while presenting a complex science fiction plot involving volcanoes and time travel.

I loved the main character and narrator, Jace Vega, in the first book with her smarts and maturity and her flaws. She continues to evolve, learn, and change in Reclamation, but she stays consistent, believable, and lovable. I really grew to care about all of the characters and their relationships. Even the “villain” has a “human” side that makes him relatable in some sense.

For me, there is really a lot of pressure on the endings of books with complex and plots and deep characters such as in the Eruption series. Even when events and suspense are so well paced throughout a book, endings can ruin it all if they are rushed or do not tie up all the loose ends. But that was not a problem in Reclamation. The ending was timed well; I had no unanswered questions; it made sense within the flow and the events of the story, and most importantly it felt complete and good. Such a satisfying ending will keep me pondering these books and the layers of lessons and meanings for days to come.

If reading were a meal, Eruption and Reclamation would leave you full and satisfied, and dreaming about the next time you could savor those unique and perfect flavors.

Age Recommendation: The complicated plot and some of the themes will be best understood by mature readers, likely 16 and older.

Appropriateness: There is nothing objectionable in this series. Clean language and high moral standards along with plenty of excitement and tension. These books would give plenty of material for book club discussions regarding coping mechanisms, the purpose of tragedy and suffering, our reliance on technology, and the consequence of choices.

Other Book Recommendations: If you like the sound of Reclamation and Eruption I recommend you also read The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, Graceling by Kristin Cashore,  The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale,  The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley, and Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath.

The Selection Series

The Selection , The Elite, and The One by Kiera Cass

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads)

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My Review

I liked the first book in the series the most. They were all entertaining and kept me reading to the last word, even into the wee hours, but in the end they weren’t terribly fulfilling. I got tired of the soap opera and of the constant tension because of characters’ decisions to not trust each other or to communicate. I can understand immature miscommunication being the source of some of the story conflict but when it happens over and over and over it gets old. I need the characters to learn from their mistakes otherwise they become annoying.

I also didn’t buy the whole dystopian setting. The story takes place in a future America after a 3rd world war, etc. etc. but the problem is that the setting didn’t actually have any relevance to the story itself. A dystopian American didn’t affect the plot or enhance the plot in any way. It was more like little tidbits of trivia just to make it fit into a genre that is so popular in YA fiction right now. It just didn’t work for me and in fact I found it took away from the story development and plot because the little tidbits just weren’t developed enough. If the story had been set in some other fictional or semi-fictional location I would have enjoyed it much more. Then I wouldn’t have needed much detail to explain the country’s roots or current status. I could have accepted it more easily as just how things are. Whereas setting it in dystopian America automatically results in me asking more questions, wanting more explanation, so I can be convinced of the plausibility of the plot. Unfortunately that kind of information wasn’t offered, the details were lacking, and so the setting fell very flat.

The development of the big “shock” in the third book was also lacking for me. I can’t decide if there was too much foreshadowing and so I already knew what was coming which dampened the “wow” factor. Or if it was that the development just wasn’t exciting enough or involved enough. I needed more information about the opposing factions. The resolution came about rather quickly after 3 books of build up.

But despite being disappointed in all of those aspects, that didn’t stop me from reading all 3 and reading them rather quickly. They definitely make for an easy and entertaining read. Having just seen that there is a book #4 and a #5 I can say that I will be reading those as well.

Age Recommendation: These books would be enjoyable for 14 and older, mainly girls.

Appropriateness: These are young adult romance books with plenty of romance (kissing) but greater intimacy is not described in great detail. Language is clean. There was nothing that I was uncomfortable with in my reading.

Other Book Recommendations: If you are interested in The Selection Series I recommend you also read Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, The Winner’s series by Marie Rutkoski, An Uncommon Blue by R.C. Hancock, and Matched by Allie Condie.

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