Love in the Time of Global Warming Review

Love in the Time of Global Warming
by Francesca Lia Block
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian/Add you Genre here ;)  This book can't be categorized that easily!
Format: ARC from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Midnight Minute: Pen is a modern day Odysseus, dodging giants and sorceresses, finding love and home after the world she knows is torn apart. 
Expected Publication: 08.27.13 (wow, sorry it's such a long way off!)
From Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything—her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy.

In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ This is my first book from Francesca Lia Block, but the writing was so wonderful that it doesn't really matter that her books aren't my usual type.  In fact, that's what I liked about this book.
~ I love mythology.  A LOT. And I love re-tellings and re-imaginings.  But I have read a lot of bad books based on mythology, so far 2013 has brought several mythology based books my way that have been awesome.  
~ The world as we know it is torn apart by earthquakes and floods brought on by Giants. 
~ Pen's journey is similar, but not identical, to Odysseus's troubled journeys.  A lot of the obstacles she's faces are of a familiar kind, but Block puts a very modern spin on everything. 
~ I don't know if I would classify this book as YA.  It certainly can be read by young adults, and most of the main characters fit in that age group, but I think this could easily be on the shelves of adult fiction too. This book, like Pen and her friends, can't be put neatly in a box.
~ Pen is a fascinating character.  This is a short book, ya'll, but it doesn't ever feel shallow.  Pen is dealing with her sexuality and her crush on her close friend, Moira, and Block manages to convey this is very subtle way.  Block has the ability and talent to say more with a paragraph than most authors can say with a chapter.  In away it reminds me of Maeve Binchy, although she and Block are very different writers.
~ This is the most epic feeling book I've ever read that's under 300 pages- it's not even 250 pages long.  It's a fast paced read, reading like a very modern fairy tale.
~ One thing that really struck me about this book was the love of art and music.  It's everywhere, even amongst the destruction of the world. It's part of what made this a beautiful read- amid eyeball plucking and questionable meat. 
~ FINALLY- a butterfly on the cover that really makes sense.  There are butterflies throughout the story guiding Pen's journey (she actually puts quite a bit of faith in the little buggers).  The orange butterfly is the Rabbit to Pen's Alice.
~ Giants, drugged out teens, the real sirens of Beverly Hills, sorceresses and evil scientists, Pen encounters them all.  
~ Although the Odyssey is a big inspiration for this tale, the way that Pen collects friends is not unlike Dorothy picking up the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion.  I loved how each member of this little ragtag group ultimately made sense in the larger picture. 
~ I loved the visions Pen has of her friend's as children.  Again it tells you more about the characters in fewer words. 
~ Hex's tattoos prove very telling. 
~ This book does have some smexy times in it.  Not an in-your-face HBO kind of sex, but it isn't the fade-to-black kind of sex featured in most YA either.
~ Block does not make a big deal out of it, but all of the main characters are gay, bi-sexual or transgender.  It's a welcome change to the funny, gay best friend that's featured in a lot of books- and I'd like to point out the token gay friend is almost always male.  Usually a book has to specifically be a LGBT book to feature main characters that aren't strictly heterosexual.  
~ I just really liked this story, and it's really stayed with me.  I actually might be liking it more and more as time goes by, which happens sometimes when you have a chance to reflect on a story. I originally gave it four stars on Goodreads, but I'm thinking it's closer to a four and a half, which means I'll bump it up to 5 on there. 
~ I really liked the characters.  Pen is a wonderfully strong young woman, Hex is charming and sexy, Ez and Ash are adorable. I just really liked this book, and the writing is wonderful!

Timeless Characters:

Penelope (Pen)- our female Odysseus, artistic and brave, and world class big sister.
Venice- Pen's unique little brother.
Moria and Noey- Pen's besties before the Earth Shaker.
Argos- Pen's dog.
Hex- a sexy boy Pen meets at The Lotus Hotel.
Kronen- the scientist that made the giants.
Beatrix Lay- former soap opera star and current sorceress.
Ez- a young cake eating artist and chef.
Frekk- a Giant.
Ash- a young male model with a beautiful voice.
Tara- a Tibetian goddess. 
Merk- a helpful man. 
 

Midnight Moment:

If I had to pick just one scene that really got to me, it would be when Pen and her friends go to the museum and a Giant tries to make Pen his bride. 

Stop The Clock:

A beautiful blend of mythology, fairytale and our modern world.  It's unique, well-written and a real page turner! 


Francesca Lia Block— Website |Francesca Lia Block

Love in the Time of Global Warming gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Tears in Rain Review

Tears in Rain
by Rosa Montero
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: ARC from Wunderkind in exchange for my honest opinion
Midnight Minute: A intricate sci-fi mystery meets Blade Runner.
From Goodreads:

Death is inevitable. Especially when you have an expiration date.

As a replicant, or “techno-human,” Detective Bruna Husky knows two things: humans bioengineered her to perform dangerous, undesirable tasks; and she has just ten years on the United States of Earth before her body automatically self-destructs. But with “anti-techno” rage on the rise and a rash of premature deaths striking her fellow replicants, she may have even less time than she originally thought.

Investigating the mysterious deaths, Bruna delves into the fractious, violent history shared by humans and replicants, and struggles to engage the society that fails to understand her—yet created her. The deeper she gets, the deadlier her work becomes as she uncovers a vast, terrifying conspiracy bent on changing the very course of the world. But even as the darkness of her reality closes in, Bruna clings fiercely to life.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ The book is partly inspired by the movie Blade Runner, and it is referenced several times in the book, as the techno-humans are often referred to as replicants because of the movie. Of course Bladerunner is based on the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. 
~ The opening Tears in Rain proves why it is never a good idea to answer the door in the middle of the night. 
~ The narration is broken up with computer entries of the history of the replicants (one of the characters is a historian working on the archives), which I thought was a great way to set up the rules of the sci-fi setting and get information to the reader.  I also liked this way of presenting information because I am a nerd and I thought the history of the replicants was really interesting. 
~ It's probably helpful if you've watched Blade Runner prior to reading this book, although it's not completely necessary.  But watch it anyway, because it's a cool movie starring Harrison Ford. 
~ I hope scientists are reading sci-fi books, because it is not a good idea to make artificial life look like humans.  Don't give them emotions.  Just don't!
~ Bruna Husky as a protagonist is bad ass! Shaving her head in order to prevent giving her enemy something to hurt her with?  Brilliant.  Plus her tattoo is cool.  She would scare the crap out of me. 
~ I normally do not read much science fiction, but this book is exactly why I should!  It's easy to see our world on this path- a day where the color of someone's skin might not matter, but someone's species will. 
~ This book also serves as a reminder that reading translations is a good idea.  There are so many good books by authors who don't write in English.  I went through a phase where I read several Japanese authors and then Swedish authors.  I hope to read more translated novels in 2013!  
~ I love the idea that memories are a kind of drug to replicants.  This was not the only book in 2012 that I read that dealt with memories and how important they are to us and how much they make us who we are.  
~  I loved the complicated, intricate relationship between Nopal and Husky.  
~ Bartolo is adorable and my heart ached at how cute he was. He's both cute and pathetic, making you want to both cuddle and strangle him too. I want one!
~ The title of the book comes from a quote in Blade Runner: 

All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die.

~ I really, really hope there is a sequel!!

Timeless Characters:

Bruna Husky- private detective techno-human.  Will kick your ass.
Cata Cain- Bruna's neighbor, another replicant/techno-human.
Yiannis- human friend of Bruna's, professional archivist.
Roy-Roy- human friend who is a walking billboard.
Myriam Chi- leader of the RRM, replicant, hires Bruna.
Merlin- Bruna's dead lover, seen in flashbacks. 
Pablo Nopal- human, memory writer. 
Paul Lizard- human inspector working the same case as Bruna.
Valo- Chi's lover and head of security.
Habib- Chi's personal assistant. 
Maio- alien that Bruna picks up.
Marari- human with a bionic arm, like Red from Shawshank Redemption, she's the person Bruna goes to when she needs something. 
Bartolo- alien pet. Eats things he shouldn't.

Midnight Moment:

There were so many details in this book that made up midnight moments, but my favorites were anything to do with Pablo Nopal and his connection with Bruna, and Maio's "talent".

Stop The Clock:

For fans of science fiction and dystopian and thrillers! I will definitely be reading more books by Rosa Montero!


Rosa Montero — Website |I think this is her page.

Tears in Rain gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

 ** For you Amazon Prime members, the kindle version of this book can be borrowed for free right now!**

Under the Never Sky Review

Under the Never Sky
by Veronica Rossi
Genre: YA Dystopian
Format: Hardback borrowed from Kim.
Midnight Minute: Aria, exiled from her protected world, teams up with outsider Perry, both needing the other to complete their goals.
From Goodreads:

 Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Midnight Thoughts:

~ So, I avoided this book for a long time.  I love dystopian, but there's so many of them and it can feel like too many.  But I'm going to a Veronica Rossi book signing, so I finally caved on this one- and lucky I did!
~ I love the title of this book, it's beautiful and poetic.  
~ Soren was crazypants and I really thought his role would be bigger.  
~ So in the Outside, there's people who have highly developed senses- sight, hearing, scent.  I think the scent one has to be the worst, because, really, how often are people really showering in these post-apocalyptic dystopians?  
~ Aria has a beautiful singing voice, which at first had me rolling my eyes because her name matches her gift and usually I find that people do not live up to their names (I know a Sunny that should be named Gloomy), but it turns out her mom genetically altered/planned her so that's less eye roll worthy. 
~ I was a little off put by Perry's certainty that he'd make a better leader (Blood Lord) than his brother Vale, but Vale didn't score a whole lot points with me in the book.  But it's got to suck for Vale, his kid prefers his brother, and his kid brother is all like: You suck, I can do better!
~ I don't like Brooke.  Mostly because she's a potential rival for Perry.  
~ I have seldom wanted someone to die in a YA book than I want Soren to.  May he suffer some nightmarish Greek Mythology punishment in Hades- the kind where buzzards eat his organs for all time.
~ It must be nice to know who your enemies are just by the scent or emotions.  It would have made high school a lot less confusing.
~ LOL- Perry having to tell Aria about her first period! It was very after-school special. 
~Also, wow, eating berries can be sexy as hell. But then bacon cheeseburgers can turn me on...
~ This whole rendering thing, is there a chance I can get Alexander Skarsgard to render to me?  Would the Hubs be cool with that?
~ Am I the only one that kept calling the Crovan the Craven?  
~ It's got to be awkward if your boyfriend can smell you ovulating!
~ I like Perry, but I'd be cool with Aria hooking up with Roar because he is all kinds of hot. 
~ The ending throws some punches.  To the gut. Ouch.  Can't wait until I get the second book!

Timeless Characters:

Aria- having grown up in a protective settlement, she's unprepared for the harsh outside world.
Perry- blonde dreadlocks, super hearing, super scent, super sexy.
Roar- even hotter, funnier and perfect than Perry.
Vale- Perry's bro, Blood Leader of their village.
Talon- Perry's cute lil' nephew, but a bit like Carl from The Walking Dead- should have stayed on the damn porch!
Paisley- Aria's friend, don't get attached.
Soren- crazy creeper.
Marron- the Doc to Perry's Michael J. Fox. He's awesome.
Cinder- young boy that follows Roar around, his name kind of says it all.
Reef- a guy Perry befriends the hard way. 

Midnight Moment:

When Perry saves Aria from some Crovan (they're cannibals), he does so in a shocking way.  At least I was shocked. 

Probably you should be shocked too, or you need to lay off the Tarantino movies and the ID channel.  I kid, I watch those too.  No better way to keep the Hubs in line than to have him catch me watching the Deadly Women marathons. ;)

Stop The Clock:

How could I have not read this book before?  Everyone else has, and they liked it, but nope, I had to be the one person who didn't pick it up.  I think I was on dystopian overload, but Under the Never Sky definitely stands out from the crowd. 



  Veronica Rossi— Website |Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky  gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Challenges:
A-Z Challenge
What's in A Name 6 Challenge
Book Bingo Challenge

Sundays In Bed With... Sever!

 

 Welcome to my Sundays In Bed With... Meme! The meme that dares to ask, what book has been in your bed this morning?  Come share what book you've spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

This morning I'm reading:

 Sever (The Chemical Garden #3) 
by Lauren DeStefano
I have a feeling this trilogy isn't going to end in my favor, but that's okay because I kind of figured that out in book one.  So far it's good, and I really like the addition of Reed, Linden's kooky uncle. He adds some much needed humor.  Dystopians can get too heavy, so I like the ones that have some comic relief.
  

 What are you reading (or wish you had time to read) this morning? Are you reading the book you thought you'd be reading, or has today found you with a surprise? Link up below!

Shards and Ashes Review

Shards and Ashes
edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong
Genre: YA Dystopian, Short Stories
Format: ARC, to be published: 2.19.13
Midnight Minute: Your favorite YA authors giving you their dystopian view of the future.
From Goodreads:

 Gripping original stories of dystopian worlds from nine New York Times bestselling authors, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong

The world is gone, destroyed by human, ecological, or supernatural causes. Survivors dodge chemical warfare and cruel gods; they travel the reaches of space and inhabit underground caverns. Their enemies are disease, corrupt corporations, and one another; their resources are few, and their courage is tested.

Powerful original dystopian tales from nine bestselling authors offer bleak insight, prophetic visions, and precious glimmers of light among the shards and ashes of a ruined world.

Stories from:
Kelley Armstrong
Rachel Caine
Kami Garcia
Nancy Holder
Melissa Marr
Beth Revis
Veronica Roth
Carrie Ryan
Margaret Stohl

Midnight Thoughts:

~9 Dystopian tales from YA authors, and as far as I know, only one author used a previously used a previous established dystopian world (Beth Revis revisits Godspeed from her Across the Universe series), but this may be because I've not read much of Rachel Caine or Kelley Armstrong.  In fact there were several authors who were new to me.

~I just want to point that all of these short stories are good.  Every single one of them.  I should also point out that short stories are often harder to write than full length novels.  It's hard to create compelling characters, and in this case fully realized dystopian worlds, in such a short format.  But all of the authors here managed to do that, and you should be impressed. ;)

~Veronica Roth's story Hearken is the first tale, and it's pretty amazing.  I loved Divergent and liked Insurgent, but I haven't read anything by her set outside that world, so Hearken was the story I was most looking forward to reading.  In her dystopian tale, the world is full of violence, terrorist attacks, poverty and disease, but the one thing that is still appreciated is music.  Hearkners have the ability to hear life and death songs, and a concept I found truly beautiful.  I think the best dystopian novels have that vein of hope running through them.  It's definitely the story that's stuck with me the most.

~Branded by Kelley Armstrong reminded me of the movie The Village, only the danger outside the walls of the town really are full of terrors.  Also, inside the village there is plenty of danger and strife.  Too many people, not enough food, and the our main character, Rayne, is looking at a possible future as a town prostitute like her mother.  Armstrong manages to weave a very complex tale full of twists and turns, and while Rayne probably isn't my favorite character, I admired how tough and strong she was.  It makes me seriously doubt my ability to survive a dystopian future...

~Necklace of Raindrops by Margaret Stohl surprised me.  At first I thought it was going to be a bit boring, but it ended up completely captivating me.  I could honestly see this being made into some awesome sci-fi romance movie.  Despite the futuristic setting, the main characters have to deal with age old question of how to live your life- quiet and cautiously so that you live longer, or take risks in order to have love and adventure?  The ending was definitely one of the happier ones in the book. I haven't read much of Stohl's books- just the first Beautiful Creatures book that she writes with daughter, Kami Garcia, but it makes me want to go back and give the series another chance!

~Dogsbody by Rachel Caine was another story that easily could be made into a kick butt movie, or a full length novel.  Dystopian novels border very closely to sci fi, which I've spent a long time assuming I didn't like... but I do like sci fi, I really do!  Caine's tale of long awaited revenge is both brutal and stark.  She does an amazing job of writing from the male prospective, and Zay was definitely a fully realized character- the politics were realistically confusing, the horrors of what a government grown out of control can visit upon their society is all too possible. 

~Pale Rider by Nancy Holder is probably the only story that I didn't love, but it's still good.  There's a magical element to the story that isn't found in many dystopian novels, which I'm assuming quite a few people will like.  I didn't write that many notes about this one (my Hearken notes, it should be noted, were longer than most of my notes for full length novels) but I did write that I liked that one of the characters was a hot German guy.  You just don't see a lot of hot German guys in YA fiction!

~Corpse Eaters by Melissa Marr was kind of Buffy meets dystopian, and I really liked it.  I recently read my first Marr book, Carnival of Souls, and just like in that book, Marr does not candy coat her YA stories.  There is one part of the tale that really had me questioning how the action would be viewed if the sex roles were reversed (feel free to send me an email after you read it if you want to know what I'm talking about).  I found the whole concept of Nidos and Nidhogg- a "god" come down to earth, to be interesting and terrifying.  I liked the relationship between the main characters, and definitely would have read a full length novel based in this world.

~Burn 3 by Kami Garcia  is totally Al Gore's vision of the future!  Just kidding, but it is set in a world where people have to live in domes in order to protect them from the sun, since huge portions of the ozone have disappeared.  Even with the dome protecting them, most people are carry the scars of severe sunburn, and the main character does her best to protect her little sister (who is a rarity, with her blonde hair and blue eyes) from not only the sun, but also from the recent child disappearances.  Because how can a child run away when they live in a dome?  Loved the concept of the world!

~Love is a Choice by Beth Revis revisits the past aboard the spaceship Godspeed, and explains the origins of Orion.  I liked Across the Universe, but to be honest, I found Orion's story even more compelling!  I loved learning his history and how he evolved from Elder to Orion. It might be time for me to read the rest of the series...

~Miasma by Carrie Ryan is the last story and one set in a world where clean air is hard to come by.  Only the truly wealthy have access to clean air that helps keep them safe from the illness that haunts the less fortunate.  The beaked doctors hunt the streets in search of the those ill from the plague, and the main character Frankie must protect her older sister, who isn't completely mentally competent,  from discovery.   By day Frankie works at the Oglethorpe estate, surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers, earning what she can to pay off the corrupt doctors to keep them from taking her sister away.  I loved the ending, even though it's very bitter sweet. 

Timeless Characters:

Darya from Hearken- easily one of my favorite characters from all the stories.
Rayne and Braedon- from Branded, I loved their story.
Rami, Jai and Z- from Necklace of Raindrops- all three are wonderful characters, and I actually found cautious Jai easy to identify with.
Zay- from Dogsbody, very cool and very tough.
Alex Ritter from Pale Rider- no, he's not the main character, but he is the hot German dude.
Harmony and Chris from The Corpse Eaters- two very messed up individuals... which works for me.
Phoenix from Burn 3- the kind of older sister that everyone should have!
Orion and Mag from Love is a Choice- I really loved the two of them, but Orion's story was one that really drew me in.
Charles Oglethorpe from Miasma- would have loved to know more about him, from the first moment he enters Frankie's world he changes it.
 

Midnight Moment:

There were so many moments, but I think my favorite is in Hearken when Christopher first hears Darya's life song.
In Dogsbody- what happens on the train. Shivers, but not in a good way, peeps!
Also, in The Corpse Eaters when Harmony learns about what her father has done to keep the family safe.

Stop The Clock:

You probably need to read this collection of stories if you like any of these authors. None of these tales are fuzzy or warm, but they still have their amazing moments.  The best dystopian world carries a chance for hope, and the authors here all give that, creating great characters, disturbing worlds and complete tales in short order. 

Shards and Ashes gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

Masque of the Red Death Review

Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin
Expected Publication: 4.24.12
From Goodreads:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

My Thoughts:  I was so excited when I read the summary for this book!  I have no idea why, other than the fact that I am a morbid midnight book girl, but I have an intense interest in plagues.  Weird, right?  And like a good horror fan, I dig all things Poe.  So a YA book that updates a Poe story?  I am so with that.

This is not just a simple retelling of a Poe story, this is Poe meets Moulin Rouge meets sci fi.  Everything is decadence and decay, with a bit of steam punk thrown in. I'm not sure this is 100% steam punk, but there's air ships and steam carriages and balloons. And there's a parasol on the cover, which is pretty much all I know to look for in the steam punk genre.  I imagine some readers will have issues with the time/period setting, since it's kind of a mish mash of the past and the present, but I think it works in this story.  Plus, I don't read for realism, I read to get out of my head and into a new world.  Masque of the Red Death definitely feels both familiar and alien, which I liked.

Araby is the daughter of a very important scientist, one who has helped keep the plague at bay- at least for those that shadowy Prince Prospero wants kept alive, but most of what defines her throughout the book is that she is the former sister of dead twin brother Finn.  Because she feels guilt over his death, Araby is all about denying herself happiness, and is careful not to experience anything that Finn never got a chance to do.

This does not apply to drugs though.  Araby does drugs to numb herself, even as she dresses in skimpy clothes (the idea is to show your arms and legs as much as possible to prove you aren't diseased) and gorgeous corsets and lounges around the most popular club in the Debauchery District. Honestly, the drug use was probably the only part of the book that I didn't really enjoy, but I do think it adds to the overall decadent tone that Araby sets in the beginning. It doesn't feel like it's advocating drug use, but it also doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of consequences for all the drug use going on either.

Everyone, and by everyone I mean the rich people, wear masks constantly to protect them from the plague.  Imagine a society where your nose and mouth are always covered, it would be hard not to feel detached from each other.  Of course, I'd be fine since my eyes are my best feature.  But it'd be weird to not be able to see people's mouths and things like sneezing are never addressed. I think the masks add to the mystery and isolation that surrounds the characters.  Her mask helps numb Araby to the world around her.

But things happen, and suddenly Araby begins to not feel so numb.

And of course that's partly due to the new boys in her life.  Because what's a YA novel without some yummy boys?

First there's poor, but sexy and tattooed Will.  They start of strong and sexy because he's the one that checks the ladies coming into the club, so there's lots of lingering caresses and whispers. Will's also raising his two adorable moppet siblings. Who can resist a sexy guy that's also in touch with his nurturing side?

Then there's Elliot.  He's the older brother of Araby's bff April.  I didn't know what to think about him at first, because it seemed clear to me that Will was the main love interest, but I have to say Elliot won me over.  He's a bit broken, a bit radical, but the passion that he feels towards wanting to end his uncle's control over the city and his crusade to get masks to the poor is kind of attractive.  He and Araby have a slow burn, compared to the white hot flash that she and Will have, so I'm a bit torn. Towards the end of the book I was kind of over Will.  I mean, I wished him well, but I felt like I might want to board the Team Elliot band wagon.  We'll see.

Overall this was a fast paced read for me.  I wasn't sure I liked Araby in the beginning.  First there's her name, which conjures up the old song The Sheik of Araby in my head which plays over and over again anytime her name is mentioned.  In fact, it's playing right now.  This probably won't be a problem for most of the readers since not a whole lot of people under the age of 70 even know it.  But I also had a problem with her drug use.  I'm just not a fan, and I thought it was at odds with her pledge to not experience anything her twin wasn't around to enjoy.  But once Araby started to get over herself, and her own loss, and began to really care about people and events going on around her, I was able to connect with her. 

I didn't sit down and read this book in one sitting, but it's the kind of book you can devour.  There's a lot of action, not just feelings and pretty dresses.  Araby, Will and Elliot don't just sit around, sighing and looking attractive.  They are all balancing on a very thin wire, one constantly shaken by death and danger.  So while there is a love triangle, there's also a real plot underneath it. 

Masque of the Red Death gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

The cover gets a Midnight Book Cover Rating of:

I love it!  I'd seriously buy this book summary unseen just based on title and cover art.

Disclaimer: I briefly received a copy of this book for review as part of an ARC tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

Partials Reveiw

Partials
by Dan Wells
Expected Publication: 02.28.2012
From Goodreads:

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question--one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.

My Thoughts:  First you should know that I am already a fan of Dan Wells.  His John Wayne Cleaver series that starts with I Am Not A Serial Killer, pretty much has cemented me as life long fan.  I'm not quite ready to go Annie Wilkes on him, but our literary relationship is getting to that level of crazy.  Fortunately for Wells and my other favorite writers I don't live out in the country and I'm actually quite lazy.  And my Hubs and friends would totally turn me in for any reward money if I ever actually kidnap any authors.

So how excited was I to see that Dan Wells had a new dystopian YA book out?  If your picturing me running around the house screaming like a crazed 1960's Beatles fan, they you win a doughnut (oops, sorry, all out of doughnuts, but feel free to treat yourself).  Wells is, after all, the author who created a popular literary sociopath (with a nice supernatural twist).  Honestly I like John Wayne Cleaver better than Dexter (book Dexter, not Showtime Dexter), and he's almost tied with Hannibal Lector.  So I was pretty much on board for any dystopian tales Dan Wells wants to turn out.

Partials was not quite what I expected.  The first half of the book went a little slow for me, but it was dealing with the set up of this particularly dystopian world.  I didn't immediately love the main character, Kira, like I did sociopath John in IaNaSK, but that probably says something disturbing about me.  And I did like the plot of Partials, I just think the set up could have been done in a prologue similar to the opening quote used in the book (which was awesome, btw).

About halfway through the book, when Kira and crew capture a Partial, was when the book finally grabbed me.  Samm (the Partial) was a great character, and brought a new angle to the what the readers, and Kira, were previously told about Partials.  Basically Partials were engineered to be super humans by the government to be the ultimate solider.  Of course it's no surprise that their treatment by the hands of our government is less than cozy.  You almost can't blame them for wanting to kill off the human race.

And because it's a dystopian novel, some things are quite what they seem, and some characters aren't who you think they are.  Some of the twists I saw coming, one I'd already known about so it's not like I had my Nancy Drew sweater set on, and a few that I really didn't see coming.

Things I loved: the society left behind after the disease devastates humanity is truly a melting pot.  Since no whole families have been left intact, the survivors have all banded, and bonded, together.  The Hope Act in the book- basically saying that all women 18 and over have to try to get pregnant as often as possible in hopes of saving mankind and giving birth to a child who will be immune- would make for a great book club debate.  Especially when there's talk of lowering the age to 16.  I think there is a good reason dystopians are dysfunctional and not perfect utopias, I don't believe that it's humanly possible to have a society where everything is fair and everyone is equal.  There will always be those in power, there will always be those that learn to make their living off others, and there will always be people who want personal freedom.  The society Kira lives is deeply flawed, and whether they mean well or if they're blatantly lying to the masses, is for us to discover.    I also really liked the friendships that Kira has forged, and every one of her friends has their strengths and also their weaknesses, just like Kira herself.

Things I loved not so much: Kira's skills in medicine and science despite her young age actually doesn't bother me.  It makes sense in a world where there's not a lot of distractions that you could cram a whole lot of learning in at a younger age.  What I didn't like was Kira's arrogance.  She just assumes that she's capable of coming up with a cure to save the babies, and she puts her friends at grave risk in her pursuit.  Of course, she has a point, what's the point in living if there's literally no future?  But still, it was a bit grating in the beginning.  And I thought the book got off to a slow, clunky start, but other than those two things, I enjoyed the book.

Partials is the first in a series, and it left me with just enough questions answered, and just enough new questions raised to keep me invested in future books.  Their are side characters that I care about, contrary Haru, joker Marcus, pregnant Isolde, and Partial Samm.   Overall I think it's a worthy novel for lovers of dytopias. And be sure to read I Am Not A Serial Killer, which is sadly a phrase I've personally had to use a few times to clear things up with new friends.

Partials gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

The cover or Partials gets a Midnight Book Cover Rating of:

I think the cover immediately gives you a heads up that some dystopian shiz is going down.

Disclaimer: The books that I receive are either purchased by me, given to me by either the author or publisher, or borrowed from Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review or won by me in a contest.  All opinion, snark and wit are my own.