Jessica Strider

Pros: lots of psionic action, complex post-apocalyptic world, political intrigue

Cons: little character development, repetition

Roughly 250 years after the nuclear war that destroyed the world, humanity is still picking up the pieces. DNA clean humans run the World Court, governments and businesses, while unregistered humans struggle to survive. Out of the radiation fallout rose a new race, those with psionic abilities. Those the government controls with an implanted kill switch are called the Strykers Syndicate. They fight against unregistered psions and a well organized group called the Warhounds.

Nathan Serca is head of the Serca Syndicate and unknown to the World Court only one of two triad psions. The other triad is his eldest, now renegade, son, Lucas. For two years his other children have been unsuccessful in tracking and killing Lucas. Nathan's patience is running out as important plans come to fruition.

Meanwhile Lucas is amassing a team of psions to help him with his own plans.

The action is plentiful and varied, showing the various powers off. While relegated to a handful of powers (telepaths, telekinetics, teleporters, empaths, pyrokinetics, psychometrists, precognitives and elctrokinetics), the characters use their powers in creative ways. The limit on their powers (the more they use them, the sooner they die) was a nice touch.

Action scenes are offset by political intrigue between several groups of players, all of whom think they know everything that's going on, none of whom actually do.

The world is realistically complex and detailed: from the towers and bunkers where rich humans live to the slums of the poor and uninhabitable deadzones. The characters are a mix of colours and nationalities, denoting the chaos and integration after the Border Wars.

Give the number of characters it's impressive that there was never any confusion as to who the reader is following at any given time. Having said that, there's little opportunity to get to know characters, so the reader is constantly told things about each character with no opportunity to see the truth of these statements in their actions. The book takes place over a short period of time, making character development a moot point.

As with James Knapp's Revivors trilogy, you have to pay close attention to what's going on. Ruiz repeats several important points which, given your frame of mind, are either helpful or irritating over time. Similarly, if you liked the action and spunk of Those Who Walk in Darkness by John Ridley, you'll love Mind Storm.

This is the first book of the series and is ultimately merely set-up for what comes next. But what a set-up!

Like X-Men, only more brutal.

Pros: interesting premise, interesting examination of perceived experience vs the larger reality, quick read

Cons: scientific errors, protagonist gets irritating at times

Six astronauts are on a voyage to explore space, going further than any manned mission in the past. But almost immediately things start going wrong, and as the crew die - one by one - their reporter, Cormac, the least skilled among them, wonders if their mission will succeed.

This is an interesting novel about the worth of exploration and what it takes to leave everything you know for such an opportunity. There's a twist at the quarter mark that propels this novel from a simple exploratory mission into an examination of how we perceive events based on limited knowledge, memory vs reality and causality.

We get to know Cormac the most, as it's his POV we follow, but through his observations and experiences we also get to know the other crew members. The story alternates between what's happening on the ship and the process of being chosen for the mission back on Earth.

Cormac's experiences are interesting but his personality gets a bit grating as things break down and he can't do anything but wait for death.

Twenty or so pages before the end of the ebook, the climax hits. I eagerly turned the page to find out what happened only to discover that the novel was over and the final pages were an excerpt for Smythe's next book. This was incredibly jarring and meant I didn't appreciate the open style of the ending as I otherwise might have.

I enjoyed the book enough to pass it along to my husband. Turns out it was a good thing, as the first draft of this review stated the science was accurate. My husband is a huge hard SF fan and he pointed out several errors the book makes with regards to space. There's a scene that mildly irritated him where water didn't act the way it would in zero gravity. But the main problem is that the ship is brought to a halt on several occasions for checks and repairs. Not only would this waste their fuel, both to stop and to start up again (having killed their momentum), each stop would alter their course, which we're told has been pre-set. These errors made it harder for him to enjoy the book.

It's an interesting novel, and a very quick read, but those of you looking for hard SF might want to give this one a pass.

Pros: intriguing mysteries, several good plot twists, very light romance

Cons: simplistic writing for a teen book, end twist comes from left field

For Parents: the treatments are a little intense, but there's nothing particularly graphic, no swearing or content

Seven kids, each of whom have crippling fears, are shipped off to Fort Eden for treatment. But Will Besting, one of the patients, suspects something sinister is going on.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand the writing is simplistic (lots of repetition, easy words, the end twist is narrated rather than something you discover), on the other hand there are some good plot twists and a light romance.

The protagonist did some things that seem strange until you discover his - rather apt - fear. Indeed, learning what the kids are afraid of is part of the fun of this novel. As are the hints that not everything's right in Eden.

I'd place this as a teen book for younger readers who don't mind a few chills.

Pros: sympathetic protagonist, good pacing, tension builds to a strong climax

Cons: some plot twists are predictable

Every morning Christine Lucas wakes up next to a stranger: her husband, Ben. An accident has robbed her of the ability to remember the past 20 years and to retain new memories.

She quickly discovers she has been keeping secrets from Ben, in the form of Dr. Nash, a doctor trying to help her regain her memories and a diary she's been keeping for the past few weeks. A diary that has, ‘DON'T TRUST BEN', scratched into the front page.

This was a quick read that pulls you in from page one. The plight of a woman who has no idea who she is, who learns things each day and then forgets everything, is gutwrenching.

Ben is alternately a sympathetic and sinister character. Christine discovers he lies to her, but isn't sure if it's to keep her from feeling grief over the events of the past or for another purpose.

I was able to guess a few things that would happen, but the climax was strong and contained a few twists I didn't predict.

Pros: told through images and text, some tense moments, fun characters, fast read

Cons: most of the conflict is due to Hugo keeping secrets

Hugo Cabret lives in the Timekeeper's room inside a Parisian train station. When an elderly toy maker catches him stealing a toy mouse, the man takes a notebook Hugo received from his deceased father. The notebook contains images of an automaton Hugo's trying to fix, images that cause a startling reaction from the old man.

The book follows Hugo as he tries to get the notebook back and interacts with the man and his goddaughter, Isabelle. There are old movies, magic, clocks, thefts, and lies. The best part of the book is that the movies and automata discussed are all real.

This is a fun - and fast - read. Some sections are told through full page illustrations rather than text, giving the book the feeling of a movie. The immediacy of the action and Hugo's point of view narrative enhance that feeling.

There are some tense moments, especially towards the end of the book.

While I can understand Hugo's fear of being taken from his current home and his fear of what would happen to him, it has to be said that most of the problems he encounters throughout the book are due to his inability to trust others, even after they've been proved trustworthy and his compulsive need to keep secrets. Things would have resolved much faster had he told Georges why the notebook was so important to him.

Though it's a thick book (due to the images) it really is an easy read, perfect for readers of all ages.

Pros: interesting setting, brilliant assassin school/convent idea, characters all have realistic motivations (including the antagonists)

Cons: I didn't understand why Ismae was chosen for the mission

Ismae is 17 years old and about to be married off to a man who is likely as boorish and abusive as her father, when she's spirited away to a convent. There she learns that being the daughter of Death is not a curse but a blessing and is trained in the ways of assassins.

But she skips out on her lessons on courtliness and seduction, lessons that would have helped with her third assignment, at the court of Brittany's besieged twelve year old Duchess. A Duchess whose hand in marriage was promised to a boorish, brutal man. This is a marriage alliance that her older half-brother, Duval, the man Ismae is to accompany to court, and whom she must watch for signs of treason, intends to prevent.

As she tries to see through the various plots at court, Ismae discovers she has feelings for Duval. But Death's Handmaidens are not trained for love.

Late Medieval Brittany is a fantastic setting, with all the political intrigue at the Duchess's court as well as the threat of attack from the French. There's even the threat of attack from her suitor should she break the betrothal agreement her father made with him. The countryside is suitably rustic and court extravagant.

The convent to the old God of Death, Mortain, now called a Saint after the Christianization of the land, and its training of assassins who work for His cause, was brilliant. It feels more like a boarding school setting, with the girls learning the different arts they will need. The only off note here was the inclusion of Eastern style martial arts, which would have been unknown in those parts at that time. But as it's historical fantasy, one cannot fault the author for wanting to include throwing stars (or rondelles as they're called in the book) and the like in the arsenals of the girls.

The motivations for each characters actions is realistic, even those of the bad guys. Indeed, the book shows court life in all its complexity, with few being trustworthy and everyone working towards their own aims - even when those aims are in direct opposition to those of their sovereign. It also shows the power and lack thereof of women. Though Duchess, due to her age and sex Anne's voice isn't held in high esteem. And her council members try to make the best decisions for Brittany, even though they may not be the best decisions for Anne herself.

My only real complaint with the book was that Ismae shouldn't have been sent on this mission. She didn't have the understanding of court life required nor was she sufficiently adept at hiding her identity or mission. I was surprised that no back story was created to explain her meeting Duval, and she was constantly jumping to conclusions, or assuming that events could only point to one answer, while I often saw other options that she missed or only considered in passing. This pushed me out of the story on many occasions, when I wondered why the convent would send her, as a novice, when they must have had more experienced women they could have sent who would have done a much better job. She was also accepted at court more readily than I believed possible (given her peasant upbringing and her lack of comfort with court/city life) and allowed to wander everywhere, something I doubt a real court would have allowed of a high ranking officer's mistress (which was her cover story, and an odd cover story for a woman who is trying to hobnob with ladies-in-waiting). Ismae was surprisingly bad at talking to servants, which given that she was looking for gossip, seemed a serious failing. She also tuned out the gossip of the Duchess's ladies on those few occasions when she met with them. I was surprised that their gossip was always passed off as being frivolous, when in reality there would have been some political undertones to their conversation.

The book ended well - indeed Ismae came into her own for the last hundred pages and I liked her a lot more for it.

If you can overlook Ismae's unsuitableness for the mission, it's an interesting read.

Pros: character growth, creepily atmospheric, high quality physical book, creatively meshes backstory with mythology and history/

Cons: don't learn as much about the kids as you'd like, doesn't fully explain their abilities or why they're born as they are/

For Parents: some swearing, some violence (mostly offscreen), kissing/

If ever there were an argument against ebooks, it would be Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Yes, you can read it on an ereader, and yes, the story would still be creepy and fun, but you'd miss something about the experience. This is a beautiful hardcover, with thick pages and gorgeous black and white photographs scattered throughout. Holding it and turning the pages is part of the ambiance the story creates./

Jakob Portman grew up hearing his grandfather's fantastic stories about the children's home he was sent to in England as a Jewish Polish immigrant in World War II. The stories were about children who could do peculiar things, like levitate, hold fire and lift very heavy things. But the violent death of his grandfather, along with the old man's last words, make him wonder if there was some truth to his stories./

This is a slow paced coming of age story. Mr. Riggs takes time to develop Jakob as a character, especially regarding his mental state, as well as the settings, in the book./

At first glance, the children seem like X-Men rip offs. They're said to be the next step in evolution and have different, extraordinary abilities. But while some of the abilities are useful, others - like having 2 mouths or bees living inside your body - are not at first glance advantageous. And while one group of peculiars thinks it would be grand to use their abilities to subjugate normals, the rest simply want to live in peace. /

I loved how the author amalgamated their existence with history as witches, changelings and circus performers. It gave the book a sense of history, and the kids a practical reason to hide./

The downside of the novel is that you don't learn as much as you'd like about certain things: the kids (their histories and abilities), how the loops work and why people are born peculiar. I'd love to see Riggs bring out a book of the grandfather's stories or a photo album of Miss Peregrine's home, with the stories of how each child came to be there./

There seems to be a move in SF towards the reimagining of history with a horror slant. While Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is mostly set in the present, it reminded me of Eutopia by David Nickle and Mr. Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett./

This is an open ended novel with series potential. It's a slow, atmospheric work that adults and teens will love.

Pros: dystopian/postapocalyptic America, complex world building, intelligent characters, minor romantic elements, fast paced, real concequences for actions, clear POV

Cons:

For Parents: some violence, no language, kissing

Day is 15, from a poor sector, and the Republic's most wanted criminal: for acts of terrorism and because they can't identify him. He breaks into a hospital to steal plague medicine for a family member and has a run-in with military Captain Metias while trying to escape.

June is also 15, the only person to score a perfect 1500 in the Trials. She's being training for a job in the military. When her brother - and only living relative - Metias is killed by the fugitive Day, she's given the job of hunting him down.

Legend takes place in a future where the U.S. has broken up into the Republic and the Colonies. Electricity is intermittent outside the richer sectors and, due to the war, sometimes even within it. Lu has crafted an intricate world but only shows what the characters would notice or care about, so there's a lot of information regarding class distinctions (especially pointed out by June) but little history or politics outside Los Angeles, where the story takes place. Hopefully later books will add more of such information.

The two teen protagonists tell the story in alternating chapters, with Day's side in a brown font so it's impossible to mix up whose point of view it is. And while both teens are super smart, noticing details and getting into adult problems/situations, they're not angsty at all. The characters face very real consequences for their actions even as they develop feelings for each other.

The pacing is fast and the plot is compelling. If you like dystopian YA, read this.

Pros: unique, diverse cast, interesting world and politics

Cons: limited description, slow beginning

Nyx used to be a Bel Dame, a government sponsored assassin sent after deserters from the war with Chenja. But after a bad job she's stripped of her membership and left doing dirty mercenery work. Her team consists of misfits escaping one thing or another: a Ras Tiegan communications man, a Mhorian shape shifter, a gun loving local (poached from a former boss) and a Chenjan draft dodger, whose magical abilities of controlling bugs are limited. When they're offered a well paying - but dangerous job, Nyx takes it, not realizing it would pit her against the toughest, most dangerous women in Nasheen.

Described by the author as being a book about “Bugs. Blood. Brutal women.” and “bugpunk at it's best” this was a... unique read. Heavily influenced by middle eastern culture, the book takes place on a planet colonized by several groups of people, all followers of the book. Each group interprets the book differently though, which has led to a centuries long war among the Nasheenians and the Chenjans. The politics, both between the nations and within Nasheen (where most of the book takes place) are fascinating.

The characters themselves are interesting, each having their own reasons why they've left their homelands to live in Nasheen, and why they're working for Nyx. There's a good balance between action and development, so you get the chance to really know what motivates each of her team members.

I would have appreciated more description and deeper world building. I had to look up what a burnous was (a long cloak with a hood that everyone in the book wears) as there was no proper description of it (I got that it was worn over clothing and had a hood and pockets, but didn't know it was a cloak rather than a jacket). Neither bug magic nor bug tech are explained at all, nor how this planet develped them. The same goes for shape shifters, who you learn were created, but not why or how (though this didn't play into the novel as much as the bug magic and tech so I can understand why the author wouldn't want to focus on it).

I also found the opening a bit slow. Not in terms of action (there's a LOT of action), but in terms of plot. The opening scenes set up things for later, but you don't realize that until you're several chapters into the book.

There's a lot of violence, and a fair amount of gore (several people are tortured and replacing body parts is one of a magician's talents, which gets used a lot in this book).

If you're looking for something very different from what's out there and like kick-ass women, you've found it. If you've got a weak stomach, look elsewhere.

Pros: rolicking adventure, fun characters, brilliant antagonist, afterword include source materials for research

Cons: Sabirah's character felt superfluous

A fortune teller's prophecy and a theft at Jaffar's palace, send Jaffar's captain of the guard, Asim el Abbas, and his scholar, Dabir ibn Khalil, on a quest to retrieve a magical artifact.

This book is a fun adventure story set in the eighth century Abbasid caliphate of Haroun al-Rashid. Told from Asim's point of view, there are several fights, kidnapping, magic, monsters, and more. It's a fast paced book with a highly intelligent antagonist, so things very often don't go well for our heroes.

My only complaint with the book was that Sabirah, an intelligent woman with an eidetic memory, is only there as a student / accused love interest (though the latter isn't a focus of the story, merely a complication for one of the protagonists) and kidnap victim. She helps out with information on one occasion but is otherwise a tagalong on the quest.

Still, it's a great book and the afterword explains some of the history vs fantasy as well as gives historical sources should you wish to learn more about this era and its people.

The Long Walk by Stephen King

Pros: creepy premise, really get to know the characters, thought provoking

Cons: don't learn much about the world or why the walk is put on, crass discourse

Every year 100 teen boys join the Long Walk. They walk at 4 miles per hour, day and night, until they can't go any further and are given their ticket. The prize for the winner is great. But it's a long, long road.

This is a character driven dystopian novel that focuses on a small group of walkers in the current year's Long Walk. The characters become very real, three dimentional people. Which makes reading the book difficult, as you're slowly watching them die.

As the walk progresses and the characters discuss why they've joined it and who will survive, you're left questioning many things as the reader - are you the same as the crowd that lines the road, hoping to see blood? Or are you one of the boys, learning that you don't want to die because death is suddenly so close? Unlike the crowd you see the characters as human. You feel their pain. As someone who walked the last 100+ km of the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimmage in 5 days, I really did feel their pain. But even as you feel their pain and sympathise with their situation, you're still a spectator, safe in the knowledge that you can stop walking, sit down, enjoy today with the knowledge that tomorrow is coming.

The book also makes you think about peer pressure, and how much easier it is to go with the status quo than to fight it, even when you life is on the line.

I was disappointed that you don't learn much about the society that allows - nay encourages - the Long Walk year after year. Clues in the text indicate that America has become in some ways a police state, but the extent of it is hidden from the reader. Similarly, the early text leads you to believe that the boys volunteer for the walk, which isn't quite the case.

I wasn't a fan of some of the boys' discussion, but I accept it as realistic. There's some crass humour as well as discussions of bodily functions, etc.

If you liked the Hunger Games or Battle Royale and want a less violent, more introspective version of the same ideas, then check this out.

Pros: characters continue to grow, several people get much needed dressing downs, lots of romance (and sex), more background on the dama'ting

Cons: several characters in Everam's Bounty have similar names, which got confusing at times, cliffhanger ending

The Daylight War picks up directly where Brett's previous book, The Desert Spear, left off. The third in the Demon Cycle, I can't give much of a synopsis without seriously spoiling the previous books. So all I will say is that you learn more about the dama'ting, from Inevera's POV as she grows to womanhood within the organization and both Arlen and Leesha return to the Hollow, much changed by recent events.

The characters continue to grow, with - and I loved this - several of them growing backbones and telling the interfering people in their lives to butt out while they make life changing decisions. It was great seeing Rojer come into his own and Gared getting some much deserved recognition for his contributions. I'm still not sure how I felt about some of Leesha's decisions but I loved seeing Arlen's relationship.

One of the most interesting parts of the book was Inevera's upbringing and her reasoning behind certain decisions. You also learn a lot about pillow dancing, as most of the characters in the book indulge in it, multiple times.

This only happened a few times, but there are several characters in Jardir's court at Everam's Bounty whose names start with ‘A' and who all appear in the same scenes, specifically Ashia, Asome, Ashan and Asukaji. There's a glossary of certain characters and terms at the back of the book (called the Krasian Dictionary), but I've found using those with ebooks (the form of my review copy) more hindrance than help. Context usually helped with who was whom, and the author tried to remind the reader of everyone's connections, but there were a lot of similar names in this book.

The ending is shocking, with a sudden cliffhanger that will have your cursing the fact that the next book isn't out yet.

If you've liked Brett's previous books, this is a superb follow-up. If you haven't read Peter Brett and like well written fantasy, I urge you to give him a try.

Pros: truly alien aliens, unique alien language, full immersion in alien world with little to no explanation/

Cons: because the books is told from the POV of an indifferent narrator you don't learn as much about the world/aliens as you'd like/

Avice Benner Cho grew up in Embassytown, escaped to the out for several years and was drawn back by her current husband's interest in the language of the indiginous life forms of Embassytown's planet, the Hosts or Ariekei. She doesn't realize how much her home town is about to change by the arrival of a new Ambassador from their governing world of Bremen. Ambassadors are usually made in Embassytown, and are the only ones with the talent to be understood by the Hosts. She's about to learn how little she truly understands about the Hosts, their world, and the politics of Embassytown./

The novel is told in two parts. The first alternates between her present situation, waiting to see the new Ambassador at his welcome party, and her past (childhood in Embassytown and how she became a simile for the Hosts, and her time in the immer where she met and married Scile, the man who convinces her to return to Emabassytown). The second part deals with the fallout of the new Ambassador's first speech./

This is the first of Mieville's novels I've read. It won't be the last. The writing is absolutely brilliant. He dumps you in the middle of an alien world filled with alien concepts, takes you into space using undescribed technology and expects you to figure out what's going on. A lesser author would have failed, leaving the reader fumbling to understand unexplained words and concepts. Not Mieville. There's no glossary and no translation except for the Host's speech, when required. Yet there's also little confusion beyond the first few times a word/concept is mentioned. Much of what he brings up is understood in context and it makes the world come to life in a way that feels real./

The Hosts and Ambassadors are fascinating and truly alien. If you like languages, as I do, then you'll enjoy the intricacies of thought that are played out with the truth of Language and the Hosts' festival of lies./

My only complaint is that Avice doesn't really like her home world, and so doesn't always tell you things that as a reader you want to know more about. And she ignores some of the more interesting intrigues the Embassy gets into. I wanted to learn more about Scile's theories about the Host Language and about the various Host factions and how their interests intersect with the power struggles of the Embassy./

From what I could tell (I'm no physicist and my knowledge of space travel is quite limited) the science isn't accurate, so hard SF fans may be annoyed by that. But the Host planet has an atmosphere unbreathable to humans, which is dealt with realistically./

If you like intelligent SF this is a fantastic book to pick up.

Pros: fun protagonist, cute story, expressive artwork

Cons:

When Zita finds a strange device in a meteoroid and pushes the button on it her friend Joseph is pulled through the rift that opens. She reacts as any young girl would, by running away and pretending nothing bad just happened. Then she gathers her courage, pushes the button again, and jumps through the rift to go find her friend. Her quest to rescue Joseph takes her to an alien planet that's facing its final days.

Zita's a personable girl, with a lot of courage and heart. She makes friends easily, finding several creatures willing to help her out.

The artwork is very expressive, giving the characters a lot of personality to match the dialogue.

The plot is quick moving, with a few twists. Things wrap up well enough at the end of this comic, but there are 2 other books in the series, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl and Return of Zita the Spacegirl. The three books together make up the completed story arc.

This is a great kid friendly graphic novel that will inspire readers and hopefully encourage them to read more SF and fantasy adventures.

Pros: brilliant world-building, great characters, lots of plot twists, excellent pacing

Cons:

James Holden is the XO of the ice harvester Canterbury. When the Cant encounters a distress beacon, they're the closest ship and must send aid. Holden's sent with a five man crew to check out the damaged ship. But something's not right and things for Holden start to go very, very wrong.

Miller is a cop on the asteroid Ceres. He's given an off the book ‘kidnap' job to send the daughter of a rich magnate home. He becomes more invested in the case than he should, and uncovers more than he was supposed to.

First off, if - like me - you've seen the show and were wondering if it's worth reading the book, the answer is yes. It covers the entire first season (from the POVs mentioned above) and a fair bit of the second, but there's enough new information, nuance, and divergence to keep you entertained. Most importantly, the pacing of the book is brilliant. While not all of the reveals will be a surprise, the novel propels you forward into the next crisis.

The novel is told from two points of view. The opposing chapters help ramp up the tension as you're often given hints that something has happened but switch POV to find out what that thing is.

The world building is brilliant. I love that belters shrug with their hands, because you can't see shoulders move in a space suit. I loved the (unfortunate) realism of racism between belters, Earthers, and Martians. There's a lot of nuance with language - how it's changed and melded by having people from all over Earth living in close quarters outside of Earth. The fact that there's low-brow belter slang and Martian accents was great. The physics were real, aside from the drive that makes interplanetary travel possible (which, while not currently real, is plausible).

I found that some of the motivations and actions made more sense in the book than they did on the TV show (as much as I LOVE the show). It was nice seeing more nuance with character development and gaining a better grasp of who everyone is.

The characters were great. Holden can be a little to ‘righteous' at times, but he firmly believes he's in the right. I did like some of his interactions with Miller, where he's forced to realize that his POV isn't necessarily the right one and that the world isn't as black and white as he seems to believe. The Rosi's crew works together well. Naomi's brilliant! I love her smarts, her intuition, her observations, her skill. I was impressed with how concentrating profanity to Amos's character worked in terms of releasing tension and creating some comic relief. I'm not usually a fan of swearing but this was well handled.

I found the romance sub-plot slow moving enough to feel realistic. It was great when the couple finally got together.

I had high expectations going into this book and it exceeded them. If you like hard science fiction and space mysteries, this is for you.

Pros: interesting take on the superhero lifestyle, protagonist has a fascinating back story and bitter streak, quick read

Cons: climax was a let down, predictable

Celia West is the daughter of two of Commerce City's quartet of superpowered defenders, Captain Olympus and Spark. Having grown up a disappointment to them, her only power is being kidnapped by every two-bit criminal who wants to avoid her parents' interference in their affairs. Starting with Simon Sito, the Destructor, the man who exposed her parents' secret identities.

Sito is now on trial for crimes against the city and Celia's on the prosecution's team, digging up accounting records that can help put him away for good. But the trial brings up a youthful indiscretion that proves you can't escape your past and no amount of clean living can erase a stupid decision - if your parents are famous enough.

This is a fun novel if you're a fan of comic books. The West Plaza and 4 member team reminding me a lot of the Fantastic Four (but only in a general way).

Celia's a sympathetic protagonist. While everyone she meets is in awe of her parents and can't understand why she's at odds with them, through the plot and flashbacks it's easy to see where she's coming from. She's bitter about a lot of things and comes off snarky at times, while trying to stay out from under her parents' shadows. And she makes for a mostly intelligent hostage.

My only complaint is that there weren't many twists to the story. The main bad guy's pretty easy to figure out (to the point that I started second guessing myself thinking it couldn't be that easy). The climax was a bit of a let down, though the denouement made up for it.

It's a fun romp and a quick read.

Pros: interesting dystopian world, sympathetic protagonist/

Cons: gaps in the worldbuilding that experienced readers will pick up on but others probably won't care about, ending doesn't hold up to the book's internal logic/

In a city where kids are raised in one of 5 factions (Abnegation, Candor, Amity, Erudite and Dauntless) nothing is more scary than being factionless. Beatrice and her brother are both at the age when youths get to choose their factions. They can either stay in Abnegation, or move to one of the other factions. Whatever they choose, there's no going back. Beatrice wants to be in Dauntless, the faction of the brave, but is she brave enough to turn her back on her family and try something different?

The novel has a unique divisionary structure. After a war the people decided to separate into the group best suited to their personality, which is opposite the trait that group felt caused the war. The warning being that anything taken to extremes is bad.

The dystopian world is fairly well fleshed out, but more discerning readers will find strange gaps in the worldbuilding. For example, the Erudite want more cars and luxury items and Beatrice is surprisingly wasteful when it comes to clothing (throwing out pants because of blood stains). Yet, when Ms. Roth described what jobs each faction performs, no one's said to be in manufacture. Amity grows food, Dauntless police, Abnegation does road repairs and charity word, Erudite are all teachers and researchers and Candor's full of lawyers. It also seems strange that they would need so many lawyers when there appears to be no justice system. When one of Beatrice's fellow initiates seriously injures another, no one steps in to find out what happened.

Beatrice is an interesting protagonist who has to make difficult decisions and learns that the world isn't a very nice place. The author does a great job of letting the reader experience everything Beatrice goes through.

Readers who like romance will enjoy Beatrice and her beau's attempts at coming to terms with who and where they are in life.

I found the ending very problematic, with events not holding up to the book's internal logic.

Pros: complex characters, world-building with depth, intrigue

Cons: some of the antagonist's plots worked out surprisingly well

The eldest son of the dying Khai Machi is poisoned and all eyes turn to the succession about to take place in Machi. When Otah Machi, the Khai's sixth son, hiding under the false name Itani Noygu, is told by his courier overseer to gather information there he knows returning to the city of his birth is potentially suicidal. He expects his low status and new identity will hide him.

But he is unaware that the Dai-kvo has sent his old friend and student, Maati to the city, to see if it's Otah who has been trying for the position of Khai.

Abraham's forte is in creating characters of true depth. They're real people, with complex emotions faced with difficult choices. After the way the first book ended, I was hesitant reading this book. It starts 14 years after the events of A Shadow in Summer, and there seemed to be too much distance between what just happened and where the characters are at the start of A Betrayal in Winter. But a few chapters in I was so enthralled with the characters, particularly Otah's sister Idaan, who's quite a feminist for the world in which she lives. But realistically so.

And then there are the intrigues. A few times I felt the plots the antagonist implemented to replace the Khai came off a little too easily, if not perfectly. On the whole, the story is quite complex, and I did like how difficult it was for Maati to discover who was behind the assassination of the eldest son.

The world-building continued to be immersive, with everything feeling real, from the netting around the beds to keep the bugs away, to the night candles and the hand gestures and name suffixes.

This is a book that epitomises the phrase, be careful what you wish for. It's also about how the decisions you make change you - for better or worse.

Pros: a lot of extremely detailed information about cooking methods, equipment, reactions, etc., interviews with people who cook creatively

Cons: not many recipes, some information is well beyond what most cooks will use/need

This is an interesting cookbook. I would consider the first 5 chapters worth reading if you plan to do any cooking and want a better understanding of what's happening or if you like experimenting.

If you REALLY like experimenting the last 2 chapters will be perfect for you. If you don't feel like buying lots of chemicals to try new (and not necessarily edible) things, they're not as
useful.

The cookbook was written specifically for computer geeks who are afraid of doing things in a kitchen. The opening chapter has a lot of references to thinking of cooking techniques with regards to computing. If you don't know computer programming, you might consider this chapter skippable, but you'd miss out on some hidden gems of information, like the difference between all purpose and baking flour (gluten content).

Chapter 2 is an overview of cookware, a chapter I'd normally not find interesting. Here again, there were interesting tid bits of information, like what to look for in knives, how they get teflon to stick to the pan, and a tasty 1-2-3 crepe recipe.

Chapter 3 is where the experiments start. This is not so much a recipe book as it is an experimentation guide. Mr. Potter explains the theory behind something and then gives you a recipe with which to test that theory out. Often there are two recipes to compare and contrast. It's here I found the watermelon feta salad recipe, as an example of how you experience taste. I tried it, and it was very surprising. I would never have expected raw red onions (soaked in water to take the sting out) to work well with watermelon. And the saltiness of the feta added something that the watermelon alone couldn't do. In the end, it was a great experiment and I learned a few things about taste combinations.

Also from this chapter, I tried the white bean and garlic soup. It was different (a thick, almost gravy consistency) but worth trying again.

Cooking times, heat and food safety are dealt with in chapter 4, followed by the necessity of air in baking. If you're like my friends, though you've used them often you probably don't know the difference between baking soda and baking powder. This book will teach you. It will also tell you what gluten does, and how to use different kinds of yeast.

Finally, the two chapters that require a lot more specific ingredients and equipment. Chapter 6 deals with chemicals in cooking (notably food additives, which is interesting even if you don't do any of the experiments - I wanted to try the s'mores ice cream, but couldn't find liquid smoke anywhere). Chapter 7 explains the principles of sous vide cooking and other specialized techniques.

I highly recommend the book for anyone serious about cooking. The tips and tricks it teaches are useful for everyone. And if you're adventurous, some of the experiments sound like a lot of fun.

Pros: excellent characterization, original ideas (unwinding, stoking), complex plot
Cons: written in present tense (jarring to read), simplistic writing (definitely a younger teen novel)

“The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of co...nception until a child reaches the age of 13. However, between the ages of 13 and 18, a parent may choose to retroactively ‘abort' a child... on the condition that the child's life doesn't ‘technically' end. The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called ‘unwinding'”

The Bill of Life is the foundation of Neal Shusterman's novel, Unwind. Three children are about to be unwound for different reasons. Connor has become an unruly child. Risa is a ward of the state and caring for wards is expensive. Lev is a religious tithe. When Connor runs from the authorities, his path crosses that of other unwinds, all trying to survive until their 18th birthdays.

The book is equal parts social commentary and horror - because everything that happens is perfectly plausible. The body parts harvested from the teens help keep other people alive, and with a higher quality of life. But even that has a cost as these parts have ‘memories' of their own.

The characters develop throughout the story, doing things that match their maturity at various points in the book. The climax is stunning, and when you finally learn how unwinding happens... I haven't been so chilled by an idea in quite some time.

My only problem with the book dealt with the fact that it was entirely written in the present tense. I found the transitions between dialogue (which I'm used to reading in present tease) and narrative (which I'm used to reading in past tense) would bump me out of the story. It was especially noticeable when a past event was being narrated. One of my favourite aspects of the novel was storking. I won't explain it as its ‘fun' to learn about and it's a highly original idea.

If you want to get a teen boy reading, or want something fun and creepy for yourself, this is a fantastic book.

Pros: lots of tension, great pacing

Cons: while I still didn't connect with any of the boys, I didn't find them as annoying as I did in the first book

Picking up directly where The Maze Runner left off, The Scorch Trials doesn't let the Gladers relax much before the next round of horrors begins.

While you find out a bit more of the mystery surrounding the boys - including the fact that there was a similar experiment for girls - a lot of mysteries remain at the end of the book.

Look forward to a wild ride of one bad thing followed by another.

This book is definitely better than the first one. All of my complaints for it were dealt with/not applicable here. The pacing is good, there's some downtime to appreciate the situation the boys are in but not enough to feel bored. There's little character development, but the book takes place over two weeks so that's to be expected. And what development there is, follows logically from the events of the story.

While I felt teens would enjoy the first book better than adults, the sequel is a fantastic book for readers of all ages.

Can't wait for the third, when I hope to learn what's really going on with WICKED.

Pros: great stories, fantastic idea regarding vampire evolution, intriguing characters
Cons:
Art: rough strokes giving thick limbs and showing pencil lines, lots of motion, good shading and details

Too connected stories told by two writers, American Vampire is a great graphic novel.

Each comic (there are 4 in this collection) starts with a story by Scott Snyder involving aspiring actresses Pearl and Hattie. Things don't go as expected when Pearl's invited to a party hosted by the producer of the film she's an extra on.

The second story, by Stephen King, deals with the origin of the titular American vampire. A wild west bank robber is accidentally turned by a European bank owner during a bust gone bad. But where the European vampires have trouble in sunlight and can't cross water easily, their American counterparts have no such weaknesses.

The two stories work well together, slowly explaining the vampire situation in the new world and how they evolve as a species based on different blood.

The artwork is blocky and thick lined and while it's normally not to my taste, it suits the subject matter here surprisingly well.

Ultimately it's a great grapic novel.

Pros: lyrical writing, introspective, darkly fun

Cons: predictable

Dexter is astonished that upon the birth of his daughter his homicidal instincts desert him for more... human... ones. Suddenly he wants to be Dex-Daddy, hang up his knives and steer Astor and Cody away from the dark path.

But life intrudes in the form of his sister and a possible kidnapping/murder case involving cannibals. And a figure from his past starts to become cozy with his family, leaving Dexter disoriented.

This is a lighthearted novel that examines the darker side of life. Like the others in the series, it's light on the gore and heavy on the lyrical writing. Unlike the previous books, Dexter develops actual feelings. It's fun watching him reevaluate life and try to understand emotions he's only faked before.

While the story gets predictable towards the end there were some good twists I didn't see coming, like an unexpected request by Deborah.

One of the best of the series.

Pros: quick pace, seamlessly adds magic to historically accurate pre-Victorian setting

Cons: entirely character driven, ending felt rushed

Two British Regency era sisters, one beautiful the other accomplished, vie for the attentions of men.

Despite her mastery of the womanly arts of painting, piano and glamour, ‘plain' Jane Ellsworth despairs of finding a husband and is jealous of her younger sister's good looks and easy manner.

The novel's a quick read, with short chapters and lots of dialogue. Though not in first person, we see the world through Jane's eyes, as she tries to deaden her feelings for Mr. Dunkirk for fear that he's interested in her sister. Meanwhile she learns more about magic by examining the techniques of a visiting glamourist, much to his annoyance.

Like the Jane Austen novels it was based on, Shades of Milk and Honey is entirely character driven and has no plot beyond whether Jane will end up married and to whom. Those who enjoy Victorian literature will appreciate the attention to detail Kowal puts into her work. The addition of magic - the only non-historical attribute - adds an interesting element to the story and is seamlessly integrated into the Victorian culture.

Jane could be a Mary Sue character were it not for her rivalry with her sister. Always proper, Jane suppresses her emotions to the point that her art is lifeless, despite her talent.

While the climax was dramatic, the ending felt a bit rushed. Everything was too neatly tied up in too few pages.

If you enjoy Regency literature, this is a great read, whether you're into fantasy or not.

Pros: Aztec setting and mythology, lots of magic, strong characterization, includes bibliography

Cons: the story was a little slow at times, unusual/unpronounceable names slow reading, mystery seems thin at times

Acatl, high priest of the dead, is called to investigate the disappearance of a priestess. His older, more successful and beloved brother is the main suspect. In attempting to prove his brother's innocence, Acatl must learn more about court politics, the gods and come to terms with his past.

For fantasy readers wanting something different, this well researched (she includes a partial bibliography and notes at the back) look at the Aztec/Mexica empire is refreshing. While the author admits changing some things to fit her plot, it's still a glimpse into a way of life many are unfamiliar with. And her portrayal is more positive than what the Aztecs usually receive.

De Bodard does a great job of consistently giving title with names - so while she included a dramatis personnae list and glossary of terms I never needed them. The names did get difficult to pronounce at times, which slowed reading time a bit.

Acatl's jealousy of his brother's supposedly perfect life and his lack of desire in terms of being high priest made him a very interesting character. He has flaws, even while he berates the flaws of others.

The mystery does seem thin at times, but every time I suspected an easy resolution to the disappearance, something new came up. And the characters and world are fascinating enough to hold interest when the mystery lags.

In the end, the plot twists, strong characterization and unique setting make for an interesting read.