Claire Vale

Oh, this is a GOOD one. Yes, it is a zombie book, but it is an AWESOME zombie book! Definitely more dystopian/post-apocolypic than zombie. (Yes, I have a prejudice against zombie books.) I'm just angry that the next book isn't out now, because I need to read it.

Though it doesn't focus very heavily on the post-apocalypic/dystopian elements, the premise of this story is strong and easy to read into. It didn't get overly into these parts, which I really enjoyed--even someone who doesn't enjoy books other than regular fiction (or even someone who doesn't enjoy zombie books!) would enjoy this due to the strong characters, relationships they form, and exciting events.

The second half of the book lead up to something rather dramatic and very intriguing that means I have to read the second book and that means that if you read this book, you, too, will have to read the second book because you will have to know what happens. (And to make sure it doesn't become too Hunger Games.) Why is the second book out now? Where can I find it? Why will Google not tell me the name of it? Sigh; my life is a struggle.

But anyway. I loved this book because of the characters and the fast pace it took. The first part of the book was mostly exposition, but it was really interesting to learn about Lake, her society, and how they lived their lives. Problems were slowly slipped in and it was fun to pick up on these and see them come to fruition.

Lake was such a fun character. As she was someone who had basically just graduated from high school and was figuring out her career path, I think a lot of young adults (AND adult adults) could really relate to her in this regard. Seeing the person she was around her family and certain friends was interesting to watch and there were so many points where I felt her so hard.

This had a great amount of romance thrown in, and good romance, too. Not smutty, and not the type of perfect relationships that are beginning to take over YA. I was very satisfied with the realism portrayed in these and though I disagree with some of Lake's actions I'm deathly curious to find out where they'll go.

I'll definitely remember to keep my eyes out for the second book in this series. I'm very invested in the characters and curious to see where the plot takes them and how much more dystopian it becomes.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (más)

I rarely read a dystopian's book, and when I do, I tend to compare them to the Hunger Games or Giver. However, the blurb of this book intrigued me. I started with high expectations.

I'll start with all the things that I found right.
The plot: The plot kept my interest. And I didn't find any plot holes.
The characters: The characters were interesting enough to keep me engaged in the story.
Character arc: I see a character arc going, and I hope it will continue in the next two books.
The structure of the story was tight and cohesive.

What I didn't like.

Worldbuilding: the author didn't spend much time in this area. I'll like to know the structure of the world of this Dystopia. How it works, from where they get their goods, how large is the community vs. the wall? I would have loved to know why there was this tithe. What caused the tithe? Was there a war? All we got was that it was a totalitarian government. Okay, got it, but give me more; under a totalitarian government, there is structure, and there are several types of totalitarian governments.

Length of the book: I am a fantasy book lover. 180 some pages just tickled my brain. I'm not too fond of books that short. I feel I am being cheated, and in this case, It was that case. I was left with so many questions unanswered I wanted to toss the book.

The romance and Senna: She could not have been more selfish.

The two weeks of training were a piss poor replica of the tributes' training in the hunger games. What was the purpose of those two weeks of training? I am still trying to think of the purpose. According to the book, it was for the kids to pair up, but even if pairing up didn't guarantee, the Alderswould not choose them.

This book had a lot of potential.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.… (más)

It will be very interesting to see if my students take to this like they took to the Hunger Games, Insurgent and Maze Runner series, as this is very,very similar to these books.
Broken Lies is set in a dystopian England where we have the sea risen due to melting icecaps, and the release of a virus from said icecaps that turns the population into zombies (aka Living Corpses) unless you are vaccinated.
In this world lives Lake, her best friend Eva and a childhood friend Ash who suddenly turned boyfriend when he left a year ago to join the Guard (soldiers who protect the city from Living Corpses. This is basically a romance , dystopian survival tale with a twist - unlike Katniss in Hunger Games, Lake is a total and complete lazy wuss! No heroics here, she is a wimp, useless at combat and survival skills, and almost paralytically afraid of the LC This is a refreshing change from the warrior princess, and made me like the character of Lake instantly, as she is just a normal person.
The book ends on a bonbshell so I look foward to the next one, however, it was a little bit too similar to one of the books mentioned above for my taste, which was somewhat disappointing!… (más)