... by Brin Murray Even though YA/dystopia is not my favourite genre, I was completely gripped by this book
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Children of the Furnace by Brin Murray

Even though YA/dystopia is not my favourite genre, I was completely gripped by this book.

The authors style took some getting used to, but after four or five chapters I was immersed in the flow of the story and coming to grips with the phonetic language used by the feral kids of the prison camp. By then I was also feeling emotionally protective of the books hero, Wil, an orphaned and uneducated boy exposed to the harsh realities of an abusive environment controlled by the Revouts: evil and power-crazed man/animals who make the weak and innocent scapegoats for the catastrophic changes in the worlds climate caused by global warming.

The kids have become slaves to the rhythm of cruelty and greed. They have no culpability for the state of the planet, but by the twisted logic of Sekkerland somebody has to get the blame, and the brutal and sometimes quite sickening punishments that are dished out when children fail to complete their tasks is what these leaders call justice! Another reviewer made reference to the holocaust, and this is exactly what came to my mind as I got further into the story.

Aside from Wil, in my view the two strongest characters were Leah, an orphaned girl who was strong, intelligent and a fighter, and Jace, who was smart enough to play the system, biding his time in case the opportunity arose for him to break free from the mental and physical prison he was incarcerated in.

Children of the Furnace really stirred my emotions (as another reviewer has alluded to, it was like watching a Mad Max movie in my head), and the authors evocative style made me just want to carry on reading. Wil epitomises the what doesnt kill you makes you stronger mentality. Listen to the rhythm and feel the hearts blood warm is a message from his mother that Wil carries with him throughout his ordeals. What a message! And what a story. Fantastic craftsmanship.
1624421
Shatter Me is one of those books that I couldn't wait to read. Not only has it been incredibly hyped online, but it has an incredibly compelling concept and a great blurb that screams "Read me!" Being touted as the Hunger Games meets X-men, Shatter Me boasted some of the most unique marketing I've ever seen for a YA novel, despite its unknown author and not-incredibly-compelling cover. Being the dystopian nerd that I am, I was completely pulled in by the incredible blurb and was beyond exciting for this title.

Juliette has been locked up for a long time. The Reestablishment, a type of government faction that was seizing power, locked Juliette away when they discovered her strange gift, that when she touches people, she kills them. After being locked up for so long, a boy joins Juliette in her cell, though he isn't who he seems.

Shatter Me was strangely difficult for me to get into. First, Juliette spends much of the first half of the novel being completely obedient to the horrible regime that locked her away and seemed completely resigned to her terrible fate. It also doesn't help that she spends far too much time feeling sorry for herself, calling herself a "monster" and dripping with angst. There were times I wanted to tell her to just get over it. Thankfully, throughout the novel Juliette's adventures help to meld her into a stronger, better person who is more confident and empowered.

Then, there's the words that have been crossed out. This seems to be the biggest stylistic feature of Shatter Me and, in my opinion, nothing but a huge gimmick. At first this was a somewhat interesting way to reveal character and get the idea across, but I quickly became annoyed with it and thought that it was a way of talking down to the reader, like the reader couldn't read what exactly what was going on, so the author literally had to tell the reader everything that the character was thinking and feeling. Thankfully, the cross-outs became less frequent as the story went on, and, the more I thought about it, the gradual lack of them helped to show Juliette's development from a weak and obedient character to a stronger, more confident woman.

I've also read some interesting reviews that have discussed how much they loved the writing style in Shatter Me. I'm not sure I like it -in fact, I was torn for much of the book. Most of the writing is done in stream-of-conscious style that really gets into Juliette's head, but left me out of breath by the end of most sentences. It didn't seem that polished or crisp to me. Again, this did get better as the book went on, but I wouldn't rave about the writing style here. However, some sentences here were amazing emotional gems that really were beautiful.

I was also somewhat disappointed in the overall setting and plot. There is a very light dystopian setting, and most of the focus is on the romance with little action. In fact, as the story went on it became more and more obvious that Juliette was essentially Rogue from X-men, and the plot started veering further and further from a dystopian into something else completely -and more reminiscent of comic books and super heroes.

I wouldn't call Shatter Me the best dystopian novel I've read this year, but it's still worth reading. It's certainly something different in the genre with a unique style approach that's unlike anything else I've ever read. Recommended for fans of dystopian romance.
728565
This is one of those debut books that is not only captivating, but it is full of WOW moments. It's a book about choices, and freedom to think. It's full of characters I fell in love with and a world so realistic, it's a bit scary to think about being in. Possession is an amazing debut that will take readers into a unique world and introduce you to some amazing characters. This is one book I could not put down and it had me thinking about it long after I finished it.

I adored Violet, the story's strong, snarky, independent thinking heroine. In a world controlled by the Thinkers and technology, she's someone who thinks for herself, and because of that is deemed a baddie. Not that I blamed her for breaking so many rules. I wouldn't want to live in a brainwashed community either. Torn between the baddie Jag, and the goodie Zenn, Violet discovers she's a key player in plot full of twists and deception.

I thought Elana did a great job with her love triangle between Jag, Violet and Zenn. It's one that really fit well with the story and made a lot of sense. I'd elaborate more, but than I'd be spoiling it. As side from Violet, my other favorite character is Jag. There's a lot to his character and I loved getting to know him, and watch the romance between he and Violet grow.

Much of the story is centered on Jag and Violet's escape to get to the Badlands and then on to the Seashore to seek freedom. Both characters have a lot in common. They're broken, strong, independent and find a source of inner strength in each other. They are also wanted by the director for their special abilities, so he can use them to help control the people. Had I been in their shoes, I would have ran too, who wants to help a corrupt director brain wash people. Their journey on the run is full of deception, action, near death experiences and mixed with a bit of romance. I loved every moment of it.

This is one dystopian debut I couldn't get enough of. I was literally glued to the pages, and I feared if I put the book down I might miss something. This is a clean cut, fabulously addicting book with a killer ending! I'm eagerly awaiting to find out what happens next for Violet, Jag and Zenn. I highly recommend picking this book up today.
2256075
Excellent!!  I am not especially a fan of paranormal YA books, but this one really gripped me.  I loved the protagonist and her ability to see...when.  Highly recommended!!
3911861
I started this book with a little hesitation. It seems like, just like the dystopian theme that took over YA, cancer and death stories seem to be taking over the genre. I've been getting a little tired of the doom and gloom.  And don't get me wrong, there are serious issues in this book, and definitely some gloom. But Zac and Mia left me feeling hopeful, not defeated and heartbroken. It does not tie up neatly into a little bow, in fact, it kind of leave you hanging. But that's what I enjoyed the most. You are left to imagine just where these characters are, in heaven , on earth, together or not? The writing is wonderful and I definitely loved the Australian setting! Such a fresh approach to this new genre in YA!
2459060
I am a little bit speechless.  It was beautiful.  Poetic, lyrical, haunting.  I was never bored.  Not once. It was so wonderfully written I felt completely immersed, completely transported to this world the author created, crafted really.  I loved Juliette and Adam.  And this intense love they had.  It was always very much about touch, for obvious reasons, between them.  And that was so beautiful and intoxicating and gut-wrenchingly romantic it stole my breath, literally stole my breath at times.

Juliette was so broken in the beginning, it was amazing to watch her unfold like a flower. So brave. So desperate in her need for acceptance and human touch and friendship. It was heartbreaking at times.

I was really just blown away by this book.  It's exciting.  The action is as exciting and thrilling and fast paced as the romance.  At times I thought either my heart might explode or drop into my stomach.

It was wonderful, beautiful, haunting, magnetic, gripping.  I loved it.  LOVED IT!

I will say, I know not everyone likes this type of writing. I however appreciated the heavy emphasis on the romance, which is what I feel is so missing in lots of popular YA fiction. To be perfectly honest, THAT'S what I want to read. Lots of that in fact.  The kissing scenes were epic. And I loved the descriptions.  Yes, they are more poetic and not very realistic but I appreciate that stylistic choice.  And yes, it's heavy on the angst.  But Juliette has been broken, NEVER touched since she was an infant, thrown away like trash.  I think the author did a fantastic job of expressing that while helping the character heal, bringing her full circle.
2309968
I really enjoyed this dystopia.  Dystopia is one of my favorite genres, especially YA dystopia.  I looked forward to Dark Parties when I wasn't reading and found myself reading longer than I should have (like reading instead of doing laundry or housework).  I know what you're thinking: Who wants to do housework when you could be reading?  The answer is me---because I love having a clean house!

I have a hard time not comparing books in any given genre to my favorite books in that genre.  I tend to hold books to high standards, for example I compare all paranormal YA books to Twilight.  I tend to compare all dystopian books to George Orwell's 1984 (my first-ever dystopia), Lois Lowry's The Giver series and Suzanne Collins' Gregor the Overlander series.  Dark Parties reminded me of all three of those books, in a good way.  It took me a little while to get into the story and figure out what was going on, but once I did, I really enjoyed the book.

There are a lot of unique elements to Dark Parties.  Take Neva's name for example.  I love her name, as well the other characters' names: Senna and Braydon.  I like that in a world of same-ness, Grant's characters try to differentiate themselves by identity marks and unique jewelry.

I also liked Neva's 'get-up-and-go' personality.  She never gave up on her dreams, and never stopped believing in the right thing.  She had a few totally natural and expected moments of weakness, but they served to fortify her character and strength of convictions.

I did have a few complaints, although overall I liked the book as a whole.  I wish Grant would have explored the Women's Empowerment Center more.  Maybe that is something to be addressed in a sequel---wait, is there a sequel?  I don't know, but I hope so!  The plot got a little predictable.  I predicted what would happen with Neva's dad as well as the conclusion to Braydon's story.  My last complaint is that the writing felt choppy at times.  The book is a first person narrative from Neva's point of view and the writing felt like steam-of-consciousness at some points.

Other than those myriad complaints, I thought Dark Parties was a great read.  Fans of dystopia will really like it.  If you're not a fan of dystopia, it would be a good introduction into the genre, as it is such a character-driven book.  It kind of eases the reader into the dystopian world.  I would definitely read more from Sara Grant in the future.
2382791
I don't even know where to start - After the Fear is a fantastic debut novel by Rosanne Rivers and it blew me away. Sola is an incredibly strong heroine who lives in a world where the motto is "Kill or be Killed." Set in a dystopian society (the former United Kingdom), the citizens must help pay off the national debt by participating in demonstrations. These demonstrations bring in money. What are the demonstrations? Well, they are a sort of Gladiator battles where a trained Demonstrator fights to criminals to the death. Sola is forced into training as a Demonstrator and must win 25 fights to gain her freedom.

Sola isn't some girly-girl (despite her fainting); she is a hardened, tough, and fierce girl who never gives up. I love that Sola isn't some sniveling girl - she fights and she fights well. She also has another side to her; she has compassion, something that is sorely missing in this society full of killers. Dylan- the Demonstrator that she kissed is a 'eh' kind of guy, but Coral was the perfect mean girl. She made me want to kill her myself. I love when an author can build characters that I want to hug, kiss, or in Coral's case: throttle.

While I can see some similarities to the popular series The Hunger Games, this is not a knock-off. After the Fear is about a world that has been turned into a big-brother state fighting to stave off more debt. This is a reality that doesn't seem so far off these days. Add in the social media outlets and the Debtbooks that are issued to everyone to keep up on their Demonstration status, and you have a society who is always kept in fear of being chosen to die. I found the world that Ms. Rivers built to be believable, too believable in some cases.

The book is written beautifully and where some YA novels are lacking in their descriptiveness, Ms. Rivers doesn't shy away from complicated and eloquent prose. The way she develops emotions and brings truths to the surface is masterful. Even the horribly violent scenes (of which there are many) are written in a way that makes you think you are there, which might be a good or bad thing depending on how strong your stomach is. Ms. Rivers elicits such fear and horror in her writing and builds it and works it so it thickens and you feel it slowly creeping up; and with a novel like After the Fear, it would not be the same book without the mist of fear that surrounds you.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading After the Fear. It is one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre. The characters are complex and engaging as is the the plot. Note that is not for the faint of heart and is extremely violent and gory, but if you an take it, you will not be disappointed!

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

Breathe In BooKs
620159
Coe is one of the weakest people in the island kingdom of Tides, where twice a day, the remaining 496 inhabitants of the island must stand on a small platform above the waves. The most valuable members of society have the advantage, so Coe knows that when she turns 16, she will be relegated to a dangerous space on the outer edge. However, with the help of her childhood friend (and secret crush) Tiam, she is drawn into the circle of royals, where she is put in their favor, only to draw the ire of the masses. She must unravel the secrets hidden in the dying kingdom, before everything in her world is lost.

This book was different from any YA I'd ever read-- no love triangle, no insta-love, no kick-ass heroines here. The world-building actually had me feeling uneasy and gasping for breath at times.  In a sea of dystopian YA books, Reilly's DROWNED stands head and shoulders above the rest.
1976280
I will start off by stating I received a free audible download of this book as a read for review.

I was a little skeptical about this book when I started. It's of the YA genre and, for the most part, is not my thing anymore. However, it didn't take me long to get hooked.

I found Sovereign to lack the whiny main character that usually turns me off from the genre. In fact, I loved Cori! She was distant and cold, but daring, rebellious and sassy. She's a fighter in a world that demands conformity and rallies those around her to fight for something better. Earlier on, Cori's touch phobia is introduced. She physically recoils and draws away from all forms of touch. Why? I had to know why!

Cori was a mystery in beginning. A mysterious back story. An intriguing touch phobia. A drastically different way about her than those around her and I had to know why. Seriously, it was a burning desire. What could I do but read on?

Corey lives in Antius, a vast network of bunkers and buildings that people to weather the devastation of nuclear fallout. Antius is initially governed by Cornelius, the creator of the bunkers who took people in. Cornelius has also personally taken Cori under his wing, personally bringing her in after her father was killed and teaching her to defend herself from bullies when she was younger and new to the colony. He is the kindly father that Cori lacks and so desperately yearns for. However, in a suddenly and twisted turn of events his son Nathan rises to power.

Nathan. He is a slim ball. Even without saying it, every word he speaks in sinister. You can always tell he is plotting some sort of evil. Props to Cori for not hauling off and punching him right in the face any time he's around. It wouldn't have helped but he sure as hell deserved it.

Nathan rules Antius with an iron fist. Upon rising to power, he immediately sets some changes in motion. All seventeen-year-olds must immediately report to their assigned trade. Up until this point, this was done at eighteen. This sudden shift means Cori is out of time to escape Antius. Her plans must change. She must bide her time and blend in until an opportunity presents itself.

There were so many good characters. Dylan. The quiet giant with a dark secret whom I couldn't help but love. Tidus. He wasn't a major character, but he reminded me of a character from my favorite Final fantasy so he instantly sealed a place in my favorites list. Tyce. The leader of the savages. The same type of people who killed her father. He's dark and dangerous. He's like a wolf waiting to come in for the kill. I want to see more of him!!!

The plot was fast and amazing. Even in the slow moments, there was so much going on, so much intrigue as Cori tried to find a way to escape, that I was always on my toes.

But this was only the beginning. I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens to Corey and Dylan and the rest of Antius. And I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll get my wish to see more of Tyce.
1900965
I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing this book truly was. To be totally honest, I was not sure what to expect from this book since it is a self-published novel. I found myself somewhat apprehensive to begin reading it. On a whim I decided to pick it up and give it a try. I figured I'd read a few pages and see if I liked it. Little did I know I would finish the entire book THAT day. YES, it was THAT good GREAT!

The story-line was unlike any other Dystopian novel I've read. The world building was remarkably unique and  richly developed. The idea of being classed into groups by how long you're going to live is not only insightful but  really makes this story unlike any other.  I was fully engrossed by Olive and Harrisons dual POV's. Without going into to much detail about what really happens in the book I must say one of the best parts was when Olive finally sees who she really is and the power she holds leading her to question everything the government has said. The romance between both Olive and Harrison was both beautiful and raw. Thier journey to do what's right and rebel against the government may be the hardest thing they've ever done.

I highly recommend Shymers if you're a fan of Dystopian novels.  Without a doubt one of my favorite Dystopian reads on 2013.
3229256
Having heard wonderful things about it, I was excited to jump into the world of Everless! Sara Hollands debut novel introduces readers to a world where time is  quite literally  money, and those who don't have it are at risk of losing everything, including their lives. The set-up is familiar: Jules, a teenage girl from a small village, tries to unravel a mystery  about the beautiful, dangerous city of Everless, as well as herself. But she has more power than she knows, and the game she thought she was playing might just turn out to be something else entirely

I really liked the world of Sempera. The details were rich, vivid, and memorable, and I think I had an easier time picturing the different settings than I did the characters. The story is very compelling. I found myself listening to this audiobook whenever I could, because I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next! This was due, in part, to the mystery surrounding Jules and what really happened at Everless before she and her father fled. I can honestly say that the conclusion of this book surprised me. I wasn't expecting that twist, but I think it works very well to establish what the rest of the series will focus on. Overall, this was definitely an engaging read, and the primary thing that hooked me was the world itself and how Holland described it.

I didn't feel too attached to any of the characters. While I cared about Jules and wanted her to find the truth about herself and whats really going on at Everless, I found myself feeling frustrated whenever she made a foolish choice. I know shes only seventeen, and mistakes are bound to be made. But I just couldn't understand why she made some of the decisions she did, knowing what she knew at the time. (Id say more, but that would likely spoil a few big plot points.) I didn't find myself rooting for her to end up with Roan, because I really didn't know much about him. He seemed like a good enough guy, and it felt like he was being set up to end his engagement to Ina and choose Jules instead but I just didn't care about him. Or even Liam! Do I hate him? Do I like him? Maybe Im not even sure. (And Jules might be feeling the same way.) It felt like an attempt at a love triangle, but not quite? Im glad it wasnt, at least not in the traditional sense. But I just felt a general detachment from the characters and their relationships with one another.

Overall, this book is a well-written fantasy with impressive world-building and a great deal of potential. Im looking forward to seeing what happens to Jules in the next book! Hopefully Ill enjoy it a little more, now that Im familiar with the world and the characters. Everless does an excellent job of setting things in motion, and Id say its absolutely worth the read.
4750047
I don't know what it is about Sarah Fine but whatever she writes I tend to love and Of Metal and Wishes is NO exception! Beautifully written, I was instantly drawn into this dark dystopian world that Wen and the other characters are subject too. AND bonus points for it being a loose retelling of The Phantom of the Opera!

Wen is a character that had to grow on me. Here she is a former rich girl, grieving her recently dead mother, and now living with her father at the meat factory. Its a rough life for her and she is bitter about it. Shes 16, just starting to show the curves of a woman and faces threats daily from those that work in the factory. Then the Noor show up. Shes been told tales of them as a child, of their brutality and hatred. Naturally she is scared of them and her attitude towards the Noor is a bit over the top in my opinion. She instantly dislikes them and judges them off what she knows.

The book centers around Wen and the social classes that are in place at the factory, the injustices that they face. Its full of class discrimination and how it is handled. In addition to this there is the mystery of the Ghost, a character that resembles the Phantom in every way. Hes creepy and kind and grants wishes to all those he can. Wen seeks him out after an incident with the Noor and the plot turns from there. Its horrific, heart-breaking and at times heroic.

Overall, I couldn't have loved this book more! It was beautiful and haunting with characters I won't soon forget. The author makes a strong case for the social injustices caused by the class system and prejudice based on stereotyping along all in a steampunkish dystopian setting. My kind of book!
849812
Wow- this is a truly stunning dystopian adventure! I was completely captivated from the very beginning and was almost obsessive with finishing it as quick as I could! The writing is phenomenal, the storyline highly original and intriguing and the characters were so complex and intricate! The story was fast-paced with layers of intrigue and action that kept me gripped the whole time. There were quite a few twists thrown in that had me gasping and racing to see what would happen next. The characters were very well built with layers of complexity that are slowly revealed all throughout. I was completely engrossed with this book and was left thinking about ti for days afterwards! I highly recommend to everybody- young or old!
*I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
4784027
Red Rising was one of those books I was extremely intrigued about since I read about it, but I had seen some mixed reviews, some very positive, some rather negative and I was feeling a lil burned out on dystopias, so I left it in the wish list.

Then I saw it on NG as a read it now, decided to give it a try and simply devoured it in two days! I loved the set up and how the world building progressed with Darrow's character and perspective. It was a very immersive experience and one that simply kept me hooked to the book through the faster and slower parts and never lost me to wonder what the point of anything that happened would be.

This was a very gritty and ruthless world, from the mines of the Reds to the war games of the Golds. As the old adagio says, not all that glitters... And this society so structured by colours, as a new caste system, enforced with physical modifications and genetical distintions and that has the strongest influences of Roman & Greek cultures, being it most apparent in names but also in the Academy.

I don't want to talk too much about the book because for me, reading it so long after I had read the reviews worked great for me, I didn't have a very clear idea of what was going to happen, except for the basics and I really enjoyed being heartbroken, enraged and creeped out on occasion with the ruthlessness present!

The start gave me a very Braveheart like feel, even if it's set in the mines of Mars, but then the story changes mood and the stakes get higher, we get through a slower part full of fascinating classical science fiction and then we're thrown into politics, war games and simply amazing storytelling weaving it all flawlessly!

I don't usually connect too easily with male POVs, but I quite attached myself to Darrow and kept on rooting for him throught his massive rollercoaster of emotions and mental battles. He might be wrong or right, but I couldn't help but understand where he was coming from. He was a flawed character but was always trying to prove himself to the Golds, to himself and to Eo, always.

There are quite a few of unexpected turns thrown here and there that were very welcome to shake both the characters and the reader when we were getting too comfortable and I don't think I saw any of them really coming at all!

So very glad that I read this one before the year ended because I would have missed one of my favourite books of the year and a debut at that! And also very happy that I read it in December because the sequel comes out next month! There's no real evil cliffhanger here, but it does leave you wanting more!

Very much deserved 4.5 stats and very recommended for those of you that might think they're very much burned out on dystopians!
3768488
I would like to begin by saying that, generally speaking, I would not consider myself a fan of the dystopian genre, but that being said, I truly enjoyed this book! As soon as I finished it, I started the next book!!! I love the way the book is written from the POV of several different characters. That is so far one of my favorite things about TK Carter's writing. After reading The Breakup Mix, I wasn't sure what to expect as this was a completely different genre, but Collapse did not disappoint! I can't wait to read more of the series!!!
4473977
I found this book one day on the current best sellers list on Audible and thought I would give it a read. The description sounded interesting and I had a free credit on Audible to use.

The book started out fairly slow with the character of Darrow being slowly introduced but once it gets into the proper story I was enthralled. The characters and the world that Pierce Brown creates are fantastic. It was refreshing that a dystopian teenage protagonist in a novel didn't spend the whole time in love with his team mate. Love is a driving element of the character but it is played in a way that doesn't smother the novel.

The action and violence in the novel is great. Pierce has a wonderful way of describing the events as they take place and kept me turning the pages (or in my case, listening to the narrator). One of the great things about the book is the ancient Roman influence that Pierce Brown builds his world around.

The book in a nutshell is about a teenager/man called Darrow who is born into a faction of society on Mars called the Reds. The world of Red Rising is colour coded with the Red being the bottom (as far as we are aware) and the Golds being the top. Each colour faction in the novel has a particular function in society (Reds=miners, Pinks=Prostitutes, Greens=Doctors etc) and there is no opportunity for a person to leave his or her colour. They born a red and die a red.

Darrow is the youngest and, in his opinion, best Hell Diver (a respected type of miner that operates a mining rig in dangerous conditions) of Lycos. The reds are under the belief that they are preparing Mars for human habitation and that once the surface is ready then the reds will ascend to reap the spoils of their hard work. After a series of horrific events for Darrow he soon discovers that all of this is a lie (what a shock) and then begins a journey to becoming the thing he hates (a Gold) to ultimately destroy them from the inside.

If you like the dystopian genre/theme then I recommend this book.