A Vivid Look into Another World

Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Nightfall in Mogadishu is a spy thriller and historical novel set in Somalia. It weaves the country’s history, politics and culture into a tale of international intrigue. Susan Chen, a CIA agent is sent to Mogadishu to thwart a plot to overthrow the government. She finds a nation that has lost its soul and is whirling into a vortex of violence and terror.

Review: This was an exciting thriller that showed a different world (technically country, but it is a world apart). 

I personally have not read many thrillers and they normally do not appeal to me, but I enjoyed this book. It was a nice mix of a kick ass woman, political upheaval, and a look into another country. I am honestly not sure when this book takes place so I do not know if Somalia is still like how it is portrayed, but I have a feeling it might be the same or similar. The politics added a level of intrigue that made this book more intriguing than what I think of as traditional thrillers. 

I really liked Susan. She handled herself quite well for her first assignment and didn't fold under the pressure. It is quite impressive how well she was able to handle the banking position. The story moved a little slowly at first, but quickly picked up speed as events quickly came to a head. I must admit to sometimes losing track of characters in the story and sometimes forgetting who the character was and what had happened to him or her. Despite that, the story was quite nerve racking and nail biting, leaving one anxious to find out what happens next. I would gladly read another book about Susan's adventures.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy political thrillers, especially thrillers that take place out of the United States. 

I'm Twitting!

My Twitter account is here and I have added a little follow me button on my blog. If you are on Twitter and have a booky blog, let me know and I'll gladly follow you.

Monday: What Are You Reading?

So I'm starting to do some memes (I don't know if it'll get to all days of the week though, but perhaps a few eventually). It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Finished:

Currently Reading:

To Read (planned):

Not Special, but Merely Medicore

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Summary: "Special Circumstances":

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

Review: Why, oh why, do I keep reading Westerfeld's books?

Seriously, I am not really sure why I keep doing it. Perhaps I hope they will be good books (though I did enjoy Midnighters) and that I will enjoy them. Also, I am not sure why I bothered to read the second book in this series and the third. Perhaps it's because they are usually quick reads and I like to finish series eventually even if I didn't like them too much. Regardless, I read Specials, which says it's the last in the trilogy, but there is Extras, which I'll probably read eventually too. 

It's been a while since I have read the first two so I don't remember too much. This book was full of drama and not much else (melodrama is a better term). The slang is irksome. The term icy kept making me think of snowmen and Ice Bat. I still find the world hard to swallow. Tally's adventures were somewhat entertaining and I liked  learning more about the world, especially new cities. Tally herself was annoying and downright stupid at times. I didn't like how quickly change came to the world. The book seemed pointless.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who have read and enjoyed the rest of this series. I would recommend the series to those that enjoy young adult dystopian fiction with an unusual world. 

A Kick in the Stomach

The Wasp Factory by Iain M. Banks

Summary: Frank - no ordinary sixteen-year-old - lives with his father outside a remote Scottish village. Their life is, to say the least, unconventional. Frank's mother abandoned them years ago: his elder brother Eric is confined to a psychiatric hospital; and his father measures out his eccentricities on an imperial scale. Frank has turned to strange acts of violence to vent his frustrations. In the bizarre daily rituals there is some solace. But when news comes of Eric's escape from the hospital Frank has to prepare the ground for his brother's inevitable return - an event that explodes the mysteries of the past and changes Frank utterly.

Review: An incredible look into a troubled mind.

I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the book at first nor I did particularly like Frank at first. I never did come to like Frank, but I found myself being torn between hating him and feeling sad for him. Banks does a wonderful job of showing the workings of a troubled, deluded mind. Frank's story slowly unfolds in a way that manages to build upon itself with increasing suspense. Eric and his escapes adds a new level of complexity to Frank and his past. Reading this book was very emotional for me and my stomach was often in knots. It's quite impressive how much of a reaction the book provoked. 

As you learn about what Frank has done still does, you can't help but wonder what would create such a person. Was it upbringing or mental instability (perhaps it runs in the family). The question is always why, but there is not always an answer and that is the hardest part of all. I really wanted to know what the Factory exactly was, how it came about, and why Frank followed it. The ending was unexpected, but I don't feel that provides enough of an explanation as to why. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of serial killers, psychological horror, and anyone who wants to be scared a little. Not for anyone who are disturbed by graphic images and animal abuse.

One Wife Obviously Isn't Enough

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Summary: At age 16, Rhine Ellery has four years to live. Thanks to a botched effort to create a perfect race, all females live to age 20 and males live to age 25. On the cusp of her 17th birthday, Rhine attempts to flee, but what she finds is a society spiraling out of control.

Review: A polygamy novel parading as a dystopian novel.

I don't mind polygamy as a practice as long as all people involved are informed, consenting adults. And since fiction is fiction, I don't mind polygamy in books even if it happens to be unwanted. Wither had polygamy due to a virus that kills people off at very young ages. I didn't understand why the virus killed off men at age 25 and women at age 20. The numbers were so exact and didn't make much sense. A more general range would have been more acceptable. And if certain people are so concerned with continuing the human race, why kill off the unacceptable women? Why not just dump them back on the streets? Is it worth killing them? The dystopian background of the novel is not very well fleshed out and seems like an excuse to have polygamy in a novel. 

I wasn't a fan of Rhine. She is so eager to escape yet manages to fall for Linden, who I wasn't a fan of either. He isn't a bad guy, but he still gets his wives by force and has sex with them (even though one is 13). Is it worth causing so much pain to continue the human race when people die so young? And of course she manages to fall for Gabriel. They barely interacted. I found myself eager to finish this book just to get it over with.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys fiction about polygamy. 

Space, Matter, and Time, Oh My!

Review: Grand Unification and the New Look of the Atom by L.N. Smith

Disclaimer: I received this from the author in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Discover a provocative new conceptual model for the physics of the universe that answers some difficult questions: (1) What is dark matter? (2) What is dark energy? (3) What are virtual particles and antimatter? (4) What explains the Big Four of natural forces? (5) What are gravity waves, really? (6) Why have we been fooled into thinking that energy travels in bundles, called photons? (7) Why does light behave as both a wave and a particle? (8) How do electrons switch orbital shells without crossing the space in between them? (9) What was Albert Einstein's great oversight?

Review: An interesting twist of science and science fiction.

This book is actually two short stories (tales might be a better way to think of them). The first is an explanation of ecomets and the second is a journey through an atom. The first tale does a good job of going over some complex physics facts in a quick manner (although some of examples are a bit simple for how fast the theories are discussed. And as for ecomets, it's an interesting theory and fun to learn about, but one I cannot honestly entertain with what I know about physics hence the reason I call this science fiction. The second tale was a fun rump through an atom and explained a number of things about the atom without actually explaining directly in words.  

Rating:

Recommendation: Due to the relative complexity of the physics, I would recommend this book to those really interested in physics and who also enjoy science fiction as well. 

Your Imagination on Caffeine

The Night Shifters by Emily Devenport

Disclaimer:  I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: "Hazel — Promise me you won't give up on your dreams."

"I won't, Mom!" Hazel swears, assuming Mom means that she should try to be whatever she wants to be, a doctor, or lawyer, or even a mermaid. Hazel is just nine, but she really means to keep that promise.

Seventeen years later, she wonders if she's broken it - or maybe just failed to fully realize it, because she hasn't become a doctor, or a lawyer, or a mermaid. Or anything much, really. Yet, in one way, she has kept her promise — because Hazel is a Grand Champion Dreamer. When she's asleep, she dreams a dazzling universe full of heroes and monsters, princesses and goddesses, cities and temples and gardens that make the most wonderful places on Earth seem dull in comparison.

During the day, she does what she has to do to pay the bills. At bedtime, she turns in, confident that she will dream, and that the sun will come up in the morning. So on the evening of her last day, she embraces the night wholeheartedly and drifts into the universe of her imagination.

But when the alarm goes off, she opens her eyes to darkness. The sun hasn't come up, the world outside has become a City of Night, and the dwellers there are Night Shifters — gods and elves, daemons and djinns, dreamers and wizards. All of them have their own agendas, all of them are chasing Hazel, and as she fights to understand this world of dreams and her place in it, she can't help remembering what her mother said.

And she wonders. All those years ago, when she swore to never give up on her dreams, did she really understand what she was promising?

Review: A delightful novel with an unusual world, characters, and a main character you can cheer for.

Hazel certainly has an imagination, an incredible one actually, and the intertwining of her memories with the Night was incredible. I loved the slow revealing of the Night, Hazel's memories, and just exactly who she was. It was the perfect balance between info dumping and being too slow to reveal. I dare say it was tantalizing. I loved the Night and wished I could visit a place half as interesting in my dreams. To me, the Night symbolizes possibility and never giving up on your dreams.

I really liked Hazel even though I thought some of her decisions were foolish, but I cannot be too critical since she did quite well for being thrown into a situation she had no idea about. She kept her head and kept moving forward even when it seemed like the Night and everything in it was working against her. It was hard to decide which character to like and which to distrust and it kept switching. You become certain that one person is her enemy when that person actually becomes an ally. It was a bit hard to keep track of. I also didn't understand Hazel's attraction to any of the Night dwellers.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and those who enjoy a twisting, weaving story line. 

The Power of Mediocrity

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Summary: I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us. 

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together? 

They caught Number One in Malaysia. 
Number Two in England. 
And Number Three in Kenya. 
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed. 

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive. 

And I'm ready to fight.

Review: I enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to finding about the other numbers and the bad guys, but this book was pretty dull most of the time, shoving in a bunch of action at the end.

Did they really think they could stay hidden, especially when their faces are plastered all over the news? For all their powers, they didn't do a very good job of being on the run. And they certainly ran. The book switched between the viewpoints of Number Four and Number Seven. I enjoyed Seven's story because it actually had some development and interest when compared to Four's story. It felt like Four was constantly on the run for two thirds of the book. Sure, there was a lot of action, but it felt like the same thing over and over again.

As mentioned before, there was plenty of action, but the rest wasn't too interesting to me. I did like learning more about Lorien, the Legacies, and the Mogs, but some of the information that is revealed seems a bit too convenient. I was not a fan of what happened at the end. They will continue to look for the other Numbers in the next book, but weren't they supposed to be doing that in this book? They found one more person, but will it take a book for each Number to be found? As Monty Python says, "Get on with it!"

Rating:






Recommendation: I would this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book and the series to anyone who enjoys teen fighting evil aliens. 

A Few Cups of Coffee Might Get You Through

Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast

Summary: Uncommon Grounds tells the story of coffee from its discovery on a hill in Abyssinia to its role in intrigue in the American colonies to its rise as a national consumer product in the twentieth century and its rediscovery with the advent of Starbucks at the end of the century. A panoramic epic, Uncommon Grounds uses coffee production, trade, and consumption as a window through which to view broad historical themes: the clash and blending of cultures, the rise of marketing and the assembly line mass production, and urbanization. Coffeehouses have provided places to plan revolutions, write poetry, do business, and meet friends. The coffee industry has dominated and molded the economy, politics, and social structure of entire countries.Mark Pendergrast introduces the reader to an eccentric cast of characters, all of them with a passion for the golden bean. Uncommon Grounds is nothing less than a coffee-flavored history of the world.

Review: As a relatively new coffee drinker and a fan of history in all varieties, I thought I would enjoy this book. But I didn't. 

Coffee is such an ingrained part of our lives. And nothing exists in a vacuum. Coffee has and still affects the world. Pendergrast presents a lot of information and history, but focuses a lot on the later half of the 1800s and the 1900s. He waits til the last chapter to describe some basic information about coffee, which should have been in the very beginning. The best thing I can say about Pendegrast is that he is very thorough. He must have done a lot of research. I enjoyed learning about how caffeine affects the body (it is a poison and the liver tries to break it down as fast as it can) and how sexism was used in a lot of coffee ads.

The worst thing I can say about Pendegrast is that he is very thorough. He presents a lot of information, perhaps too much information. I also feel he focuses on the later half of the 1800s and the 1900s too much. I was most interested in the early history, early 1800s and before. That could just be me though since I like early history (anything before the 1900s) and medical history. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to people who are really curious about the history of coffee and/or people very interested in 1800s/1900s food history. 

A Not So Sleeping Beauty

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Summary: Talia fell under a spell...Jack broke the curse. 

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic... 

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind. 

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss. 

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen. 

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner! 

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels...The good news: My parents will freak! 

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

Review: An interesting take on a fairy tale that combines modern and historic elements. Unfortunately, the characters, especially Talia, hindered my enjoyment of this book.

I thoroughly enjoy fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. A Kiss in Time was unique in that it involved both modern and historic elements although it doesn't really answer the question of how a kingdom gets thrown three hundred years in the future (besides making it an amusement attraction). I honestly wasn't a fan of the mixing. Perhaps another story could do it better, but I think prefer either modern retellings or retellings set in historic times. 

Speaking of mixing, I felt that Talia became too easily accustomed to modern times. She often spoke of how she wasn't a child anymore (since she was 300 years older), but I felt that she was more bratty in modern times than in the 1700s. I don't care how beautiful, smart, and talented you are! Jack was a nice enough guy, but I don't buy the falling in love in a week nor could I see falling in love with Talia. Everyone accepted the story of what happened way too easily. Also, Malvolia wasn't evil enough for my tastes. I know it's a fairy tale retelling, but everything ended too nicely.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to huge fans of Sleepy Beauty and fairy tales and retellings. 

Review Copy Cleanup

Welcome to the 2012 Review Copy Cleanup!

My bookish friend, Celine from Nyx Book Reviews and I were getting swamped in review books. We decided to make it all a bit more fun and are challenging you all to read your review copies with us! Clean up that big pile of books this March and join the Review Copy Cleanup. We have lots of fun challenges and tons of prizes in store for you guys, so make sure to join us on a quest to clean up our review copy pile and to have some fun in the process.

Challenge guidelines:

✦ This challenge runs from 1 to 31 March, 2012
✦ Sign-ups are open until 15 March 2012. After that the linky list will be closed and participation in the challenges and giveaways won't be possible for anyone who hasn't previously signed up.
✦ To sign up, just fill in the Mister Linky form below. Link to your sign up post directly, please!The Linky is the same for both our blogs, so you only have to sign up once.
✦ When you post your sign up post on your blog, either include the challenge button with your post or link it back to this article so that people know where to sign up. Thank you! 
✦ Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both ebooks and hard copies, including all genres and lengths.
✦ You don't need to follow the two hosts in order to be able to sign up for the event (although it's appreciated), but you do have to follow us in order to be able to enter our giveaways. In order to be entered in the giveaway, simply complete the given challenge and add the link to your post in the linky list.
✦ Challenges will be posted every week on Fridays and will last throughout the week until Thursday the next week. Every challenge ends with a giveaway. To enter in the challenges and giveaways, simply add the link to your challenge post in the Linky list in the main challenge post. It will be posted on both blogs.
✦ At the end of the event we will host our Massive Giveaway. This contains tons of prizes donated by awesome authors. All you'll need to do in order to enter this giveaway is to fill in a Rafflecopter form - as simple as that. :)
✦ Most of our giveaways will be open INTERNATIONALLY but you'll find all the relevant info about each giveaway when we post the challenges.
✦ Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of lovely bloggers :)

                                                              Challenge schedule:

✦ March 2 - Show Off Your Pile
✦ March 9 - Cuddle Up With a Book
✦ March 16 - Don't Be Such a Tease!
✦ March 23 - Mysterious Meet-up
✦ March 30 - Love Will Find a Way

My Thoughts: This challenge will be perfect for me since I have many books to review and anyone else who has a backlog of books to review.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day! My husband and I grabbing dinner (aka fast food) and then going to a delicious frozen yogurt place afterwards. I didn't want to do anything really fancy since the resturants will be super crowded and my mind is currently on my school work. What is everyone doing? And even if you don't have a significant other, just think of all the cheap, discounted candy after the holiday! :)

Ice Bat says "I ice you!"

Review: And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

Summary: Supremely sensible Emmaline Dove wishes to share her etiquette expertise with London's readers, and as secretary to Viscount Marlowe, Emma knows she's in the perfect position to make her dream come true. Marlowe might be a rake with a preference for can-can dancers and an aversion to matrimony, but he is also the city's leading publisher, and Emma is convinced he's her best chance to see her work in print...until she discovers the lying scoundrel has been rejecting her manuscripts without ever reading a single page! 

As a publisher, Harry finds reading etiquette books akin to slow, painful torture. Besides, he can't believe his proper secretary has the passion to write anything worth reading. Then she has the nerve to call him a liar, and even resigns without notice, leaving his business in an uproar and his honor in question. Harry decides it's time to teach Miss Dove a few things that aren't proper. But when he kisses her, he discovers that his former secretary has more passion and fire than he'd ever imagined, for one luscious taste of her lips only leaves him hungry for more.

Review: Apparently, it is perfectly ok for a woman not to have any morals or to have too many morals and be divested of those morals with ease.

Seriously, these books (this one especially) act like there is something wrong with having morals. Morals are not something you should throw away over one damn guy who can kiss well. And why can't women ever seem to control themselves? Why is it that women go from virgins (why are they always virgins?) to enjoying sex in a really short period of time? Learn some self control! I certainly don't mind a woman questioning her morals and eventually sleeping with a man before marriage in romance books, but it has to be done well, like in The Devil's Waltz. Otherwise, it gets annoying and old quite quickly.

What I disliked most about Marlowe was his off hand remark about how he hired a woman to prove that a woman could do a job as well as a man. That was a nice thing he did, but he doesn't see any worth in Emma or any women for that matter. I don't know how lust goes to love with those two. I also find it hard to believe Marlowe wouldn't pay any attention to Emma in all the five years she worked for him. I was glad that Emma was able to grow as a person, but it shouldn't have taken a man to do all the work.

Rating:

Recommendation: It's hard for me to recommend this book. If you can't get enough of rakes and tight laced spinsters, then you can give this book a read. 

Review: House of Pleasure by Deborah Court

House of Pleasure by Deborah Court

Summary: When Jane Eden inherits an old Victorian mansion on the outskirts of Boston, she has no idea what secrets it harbors. She soon discovers that it's a magic house, fulfilling all the sexual fantasies of its female residents. Losing herself in sensual dreams that take her to exotic places and delightful historical eras, she never considers what will happen if she ever loses her heart. 

Luke Thomas is Hollywood's most celebrated action-hero, used to swooning fans falling all over him. One day he meets a beautiful woman in a park who doesn't seem to be interested in him at all. It's a challenge he just can't resist. His desire to see her again transports him to Jane's house, and he gets lost in the arms of a lover who drives him into a frenzy of boundless pleasure. But will he gain her love when the prize is higher than she's willing to pay?

Review: A quick, smutty read with little else. 

This was a bit longer than a short story, but despite the added length, there was very little actual story. Just a lot of sex. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about sex, but I need some build up, some tension associated with it. The sex was quite hot and fun to read about. Why are authors so afraid to name female body parts? I don't want to hear terms like hot love channel. And I didn't get why loved blossomed between Jane and Eden that quickly. They had sex, a number of times, but there was no explanation besides an "instant" connection, which could have been attributed to the magic of the house. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys smut and doesn't need a story.

Review: The Devil's Waltz by Anne Stuart

The Devil's Waltz by Anne Stuart

Summary: Penniless heiress Annelise Kempton is hired by a rich widower merchant to execute his daughter's successful debut and help her snare a titled husband. The notorious Viscount Christian Montcalm is in debt, but determined to win over Annelise.

Review: A thoroughly enjoyable romance with a slow seduction and a happy ending.

After looking at books similar to this one, it seems like the spinster/rake romance is a common one. This was my first encounter with it (I haven't read much romance yet) so perhaps I enjoyed it more than I would have if I had read other books with a similar plot. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a tad annoying that the main female character constantly listed her faults even though the main male character finds so just damn attractive. And of course the womanizing rake falls in love with only one woman.

I really liked both Annelise and Christian. They were both stubborn, but are not afraid to come to terms with their feelings. Christian was delightfully bad, but not too bad. The interaction between Annelise and Christian was delightful. Chipple is a bit too evil to believe and although I suppose there are man out there like that, I think his evil was used a plot device. I liked the romance that developed between Annelise and Christian and that it actually took some time to develop. The ending was a bit too happy for my tastes, but it was still very satisfying. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of historical romance, especially Regency romance. 

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls' lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

Review: A dystopian novel with a hard to believe premise and decent characters.

I know that we have to swallow a lot of unbelievable premises in dystopian fiction, but some are more unbelievable than others. What I find more important than the premise is how well the premise is executed. I always hold all dystopian novels up to 1984, which might be unfair, but 1984 is one of my favorite novels so I do it anyways. I can certainly believe a virus that made everyone over 18 infertile, but I could not take the whole culture that came around because of it seriously. The slang didn't help either. It should either been taken out or toned down. A glossary would have been nice too.

The characters were extreme opposites of each other and I felt like they were plot devices used by the author to show how different the two cultures were and how they would clash. There was a lot of stupidity and blindly following by both characters, especially Harmony, but they do manage to come into their own beliefs by the end of the book. Since the book is told in 1st person by both twins, I find it hard to believe that the duplicity of the one twin wouldn't have entered her thoughts. I am interested to read the second book and see how everything develops between the twins.

Rating:







Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of young adult dystopian fiction who don't mind a rather wacky premise.