Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Last November I was in London and while visiting the Europe's largest bookstore I stumbled across Sarah Crossan's dystopian novel, Breathe. Breathe was published last October, so it's fairly new book, and I hadn't heard anything about it before. I took a leap of faith and I'm happy that I did.

Breathe is a future dystopian - nothing new or exciting these days when you can find different kind of dystopian novels everywhere. However, Breathe intrigued me; it has breathtakingly beautiful cover and interesting back cover text and very interesting choice of point of view. Also, Breathe is all about something everyone should pay attention to: global warming. Crossan plays with the idea that oxygen levels had plunged in a treeless world - humans destroyed all the trees and speed up global warming and the consequence of it is plunged oxygen levels. Humans can't breathe if there's not enough oxygen, so the pod's were created. However, because the space in the pod's is limited, the state lottery decided who get to live inside and the rest of humankind were left to slowly suffocate outside.

However, life in the pod isn't all about happiness years later when the society has taken a form inside the pod. The Society is divided into Premiums and Auxiliaries; Premiums are the rich ones who has enough money so they can afford all the oxygen they need to have a normal life. Auxiliaries don't have that luxory and they have to work hard pay for oxygen just to survive - they have can't afford most of things Premiums takes for granted like kissing their loved ones or exercising.

Breathe has three main characters: Alina, the auxiliary girl who belongs to the Resistance, a rebel group; Bea, the good auxiliary girl who wants to be part of the leadership programme; and Quinn, the premium boy whose father is important member and friends with the Pod Minister. There's different point of view in different chapters and Crossan had written the characters and chapters so well that you do not get messed up who is who. The characters itself are interesting and I could identify with them easily, especially with Alina. There's also many intriguing supporting characters. Crossan has really succeed of creating an amazing characters who you can identify.

I recommend Breathe for everyone. It might be an young adult book, but I think everyone should read it. Not only because of importance of global warming (which is a serious problem and Crossan has created a world where we didn't stop it, only made it worse), but because it's a good book with great characters. Crossan also has magic in her writing and I couldn't put the book down once I started to read it. This really is dystopian novel you have to read even if you're sick of all these future dystopian books out there. And if you're fed up of all there earth shattering romances? Then Breathe is absolutely for you! There is some romance on Breathe but it doesn't dominate everything else.

There's also one thing that I absolutely love about Breathe: it doesn't locate in the America like so many other future dystopian books. Breathe is located in the Great Britannia, but it also mentions other countries, too. It's nice and fresh!

I'm looking forward to read the sequel! It's coming next autumn.

- H

                                   

I wanted to read this for so long: Legend by Marie Lu

I heard people buzzing about Marie Lu's dystopian novel Legend a good while ago - that's why I thought I really needed to pick it up. I went to the biggest bookstore in Helsinki - and guess what, surprisingly, I found it!
The cover already lets you know the main character is serious about her mission(I read the UK-version). I kind of expected this one to be similar to the Hunger Games but I was somewhat wrong.

June lives in a society whose government trains people to become warriors(I wouldn't call them agents, they are taught violent abilities). She has scored the best result in her test. Her brother is a commander and they live in riches.

Day is the governments most wanted criminal. He has killed June's brother(or so they think). He tries to help his family out of poverty and sickness. He meets June by accident - and of course neither of them knows who the other one is.

After June meets Day, she starts to question the governments acts. She finds out she didn't even know her brother - or atleast not like she thought she did. June and Day start to put the pieces together and even June realizes what is going on. They start a rebellion against the unfair and cruel government. Is it too late for June to save Day and his people?

You will have to read it to find out:)

In my opinion Legend is easily read at one sitting. I'd recommend this one to YA-readers and possibly a bit younger ones as well.

-M

COVER REVEAL: Earth Star by Janet Edwards

Earth Star's, which is sequel to Janet Edwards debut novel Earth Girl, cover has revealed! Earth Star will be published in this summer, 2013. Personally, I can't wait it - Earth Girl took my heart and I'm dying to read the sequel. However, we get to see the book cover now, and guys - it's breathtakingly amazing! Take a good look, and get ready to fall in love with this cover:

- H


Harper Voyager informed about the cover reveal here.

You need to read this one! :Divergent by Veronica Roth

I know many people in the US have already heard about this one but I still NEED to tell you about my experience with Divergent. This must be one of my favourite books of all times. I heard about Divergent already in 2011 but somehow ended up picking it up as late as August last year. It took me less than two days to finish, hence the plot’s greatness and some wonderful charactersJ Personally I think Tobias, Uriah and Eric are simply the best characters in the book. They are so very different from each other but they all have something in common; Roth makes them remembable. Tris on the other hand, who is the main character, makes my blood boil every once in a while. You simply don't put cute guys on the floor!

 16-year-old Beatrice Prior lives in futuristic Chicago. She belongs to Abnegation and she has to decide if she will stay in her old faction or move to a new one. Either way, she has to choose. There are five factions and the factionless. The factions represent all different qualities of mind; Abnegation the selfless, Dauntless the brave, Candor the honest, Erudite the intelligent and Amity the peaceful. I can see some similarities with those and Harry Potter but it really doesn’t bother me at all. The books are so different in so many other ways, you really cannot compare them.

When Beatrice becomes Tris and chooses her faction, things start to happen. The cruel and clever leader of her faction, Eric, seems to like torturing the new initiates. He loves the power. The initiates have teachers to teach them how to cope and behave in their new factions. One of them is called Four, and right from the start when Tris sees him, she thinks he hates her. She couldn’t be more wrong.

Tris becomes friends with some of the new initiates. Christina and Uriah are always in the middle of the action. The initiates need to face some challenges to become a part of their new society. I guess Roth could have told more about the history of forming those factions and how some of the people don’t question the factions’ actions that much. There is the second book though, Insurgent (which is also great!!!), and the still-to-be-named third book. I think she will go into more detail in those two.

Four and Tris are trying to keep their secret because it would kind of make Four look bad. While trying to keep their relationship on a down mode, there are some speculations about the Divergent. You really need to read this book if you don’t know what I mean. I’d recommend this to everyone, not only the YA-lovers. Enjoy!(You will, I promise.)

-M

                                                                                                   

                                                                                           

                                                                                                           

We're back!

Sorry we haven't been updating for a while! More reviews on the way! Yay!:)

THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT

http://veronicarossibooks.blogspot.fi/2012/12/its-here-through-ever-night-is-here.html
 Cannot wait! 8th of January! Yay!

Lux-series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

About a month ago I was just searching for something new and exciting reading-material and I came across Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux-series. I ordered the first book called "Obsidian". Now I cannot wait for the fourh one to come out next year. Needless to say, I'm hooked.
I got addicted to Lux-series almost immediately. There's everything great books need; good plot, romance, action, comedy, feelings crashing all over the place, and of course I don't mind Daemon;) He's honestly one of the hottest and sweetest guys in the books I've read this year(or maybe ever). I just wish there were more guys like him. Armentrout did fantastic job writing these.
In "Obsidian", the main character Katy, moves from Florida to a small town in West Virginia. She runs a blog that is all about her book obsession.(sounds familiar, eh?) After her father's death, she and her mom wanted a clean start.
Katy moves next door to twins. Dee and Katy become friends over the summer and as the school year kicks off, sparks fly between Katy and Dee's extremely hot and douchebagey brother Daemon. Daemon wants Katy to stay away from him and Dee but doesn't explain why. Confused and angry, Katy of course doesn't listen, and everything seems to lead towards an inevitable crash. After some time, Katy finds out the twins secret and wants to help and protect them to keep them save. Even though Katy and Daemon don't get along that well, she does care about him(and vice versa).
The second book "Onyx" builds up the relationship between Daemon and Katy. Now that Katy knows about hiskind, they will both make sure that no one finds out about Katy. In "Onyx" Daemon shows more of his real intentions and caring nature. Katy seems to think "this might actually work between us". While trying to live the normal life, lots of abnormalities happen. Is Daemon right about Blake? What is worse than the Arum? Could Dawson still be alive? What about Beth?
The third book is called "Opal". Feelings are building up in this one. Now that Daemon and Katy are officially dating and still trying to hide their secrets, everything seems unreal. Dawson, finding Beth, Blake and Will. Something's not right. Where is the beloved DOD? Who can they trust? Daemon seems to be torn apart on who is more important to him, his family and hiskind or Katy. Katy wants Daemon to understand she can defend herself. Why doesn't she get that Daemon just wants the best for her?
Even though Katy doesn't always seem to understand what is going on and at times she's a bit whiney and needy, she kind of seems to grow up book by book. I also liked that these books were a bit more realistic than some YA-books tend to be, there were occasional curse-words, sex and heart-breaking sadness.
I don't know if men-readers would enjoy these books as much as we did but I guess it's worth the try:)
I'd recommed the Lux-series to everyone who likes supernatural/extraterretrial-things, great plots(don't we all) and romance.

-M

                               

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

Some months ago I bought a book called Earth Girl. It's fairly new book; it was published in the UK and Commonwealth last August, but nowadays it's also available in the USA and Germany. I was intrigued by the book right from the start - the UK cover is very eye-catching and back cover inscription awoke my interest. And it truly was everything and more the cover promised.

Earth Girl is Edwards' debut novel, and Edwards couldn't do any better, because the book is unique in it's own way and downright brilliant. Nowadays there are a lot young adult dystopian books and it's good to have some variety. Earth Girl isn't dystopian even if it might sound like a one of those. It's fantasy/science fiction that takes place in the far future, in the 28th century.

Earth Girl's main character is 18-year-old Jarra who is stuck on Earth because she was born with immune system that didn't allow her to survive any other planets. There's not many humans with immune system like Jarra's and that's why the Norms (people who can portal between planets) call people like Jarra throwbacks, neanderthals and apes. Jarra is sick of the Norms and their scornful attitude towards Handicapped, and she wants to show the Norms that Handicapped aren't worthless; that she can be better than any of them even if she is what they call apes.

There is only one reason why the Norms come back to Earth - their pre-history class. It is mandatory to anyone who wants to study history, and Jarra has a plan how to join the Norms' class. She is determinate to show them she's better than they are.

Earth Girl is an amazing book with brilliant characters. Edwards has done what many has failed: created convincing and realistic characters who have their own flaws and nobody is extraordinary. Jarra is a wonderful main character who's easily relatable and you really can feel her pain and other feelings she feels throughout the book. Edward's writing style is also praiseworthy; it's detailed but not boring at all.

I read Earth Girl in two days even if it has little over three hundred and fifty pages! I just couldn't put the book down because it took me within and didn't let me go before I finished it. Absolutely amazing and eye-catching book worthy of your time. Earth Girl is a must read, and I recommend it for anyone. It might be categorized as a young adults book, but it's definitely worth to read even if you're an adult. It's a book you just have to have in your bookshelf and it definitely is the best book of 2012. I'm also a history lover, so I'd say Earth Girl is everything I can ever hope for a book. My favorite this far, easily.

I'm looking forward the sequel, Earth Star, that's coming out summer 2013!

- H

Also, back cover of the book:

I know what you call us. Throwbacks. Neanderthals. Apes.
In the far future, the universe is divided into two different groups: the Norms, who can portal between planets, and people like Jarra, the one in thousand born with an immune system that doesn't allow them to survive anywhere but Earth.

But I have a plan.
Norms come back to Earth for one reason: to study human history - like the ruins of what was once New York City. But only if they don't have to interact with any Apes along the way. 18-year-old Jarra has a plan to change that.

This is one Earth girl who won't give in.

 

"Revived" by Cat Patrick

So, a while ago I went to Waterstones and found a book called "Revived" by Cat Patrick. The title caught my eye and I thought "what the hell, I think I might like that book". It took me less than two days to finish. (The book is a bit over 300 pages long)
The main character is an unordinary high school student named Daisy West. She has died five times and has always been brought back to life by this cutting edge medicine called "revive". Daisy has made a promise not to tell about this top secret-programm to anybody. Once again she moves to a different state with her fake parents and goes to a new school. She becomes friends with one of the most beautiful girls in her school. Audrey is nice, caring and funny — everything one could ask for a friend to be. Daisy has also a crush on Audrey's brother Matt who is adorable, sweet and good-looking. She and Matt start to spend more and more time together after Daisy finds out what's wrong with Audrey. They start to plan a future together, despite all the horrible incidents along the way.
"Revived" made me think about today's world and our morals. What could we do to help the world become more equal? I guess it's a long way to go. The book also made me cry at times and even though I already know this, it reminded me not to take anything for granted. Life is such a fragile thing.
All in all I think "Revived" has a good amount of romance, sadness and action. It has a fresh plot since most of the YA books I've read over the past year have all been about extraordinary guys and dystopian worlds. In this one the girl is unusual and tries to fit in to the normal world. She has never had any problems hiding her secret before but I guess what Patrick tries to tell us is when you grow up, you start questioning everything you once thought was right. You grow into your own right and wrong.

I'd recommed this book to anyone who hasn't read anything but dystopian books in a while. "Revived" is a nice change.


-M