The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.
And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.
But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever.

2.5 Star Rating
My Recommendation:  Interesting, but not an exciting read.  This is not a book I'd be rushing to tell my friends to pick up.

Recommended Age:  13+ Predictable, slow and not as complex as the last series.  Most of the concepts feel like I've read or seen them before.  While I was reading,  scenes from Caprica and The Matrix kept popping up in my head.  But this book wasn't as intriguing as they were.  Stupidity abounds!  I know the main characters are teenagers, but I think even at a young age there should be common sense and an instinct to survive.  I wanted to like this book so much, because I loved, ABSOLUTELY LOVED the Maze Runner series, but I just couldn't get into the story.

Plot/Pace:  Seen it, read that...  It's not exactly like TV shows and movies I've seen, but close enough that I'm not surprised at the outcome or how the plot flows.  Things started off ok, but they never picked up.  The end had a nice twist, but I could see it coming.  The climax took waaayyyy to long and I found myself flipping through pages and didn't miss anything important.

Imagery:  Not too bad.  The virtual world was described really well, along with the character perceptions.  Great depictions on the feelings of hunger and virtual death.

Romance:  None to speak of.  This wasn't a YA romance.  Although there was some hand holding.

Action:  Seriously lacking.  There were a few cases of "uh, oh, how will they get out of this one?" but based on the plot of the book I was expecting a lot more excitement.  I enjoyed the first test once they were on The Path and the human hallway chapter, but nothing else in the book caused me to have any reaction.

Characters:  What was the real point of the nemesis?  There's not enough involvement of that character for the reader to feel a real motivation to root for Michael and his friends.  I also think that better use of the secondary characters would have made the book more interesting.  Cutter and Ronika were interesting personalities!  Not enough depth put in to the lives of Michael's sidekicks.  They are just there to help him get the bad guy.

What Irked the Shiznit Out of Me:  "Oooohh...this guy is bad!  I can feel it!  I can sense it!  This is a trap!!! But damn I'm hungry, let's follow him anyway."  Really!  o_o

What Blew Me Away:  Nothing..at..all

If you liked this book, these would be A MUCH BETTER way to spend your time!

E-book Short Reviews - October 2013

Why e-book short reviews?  Well....ever been in a reading frenzy where you read 5 or more e-books back to back with no break in between?  And these books are fun, quick reads?  Well that's what happens to me sometimes and when it does,  I break from the long in-depth reviews I normally do and make it short and sweet (SAS)!

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.  Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.  Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first. Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?  Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night? In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

250 Pages
3.5 Star Rating - Recommended Age 15+
A very good follow up to Under the Never Sky.  The romance between Aria and Peregrine continues and has lost none of its excitement.  New characters and new crises keep the book interesting.   No situation in the book was easily dealt with.  
SAS:  I was never bored reading this book.  I enjoyed the storyline between Aria, Sable, Roar and Liv the most.  The 3rd book is definitely on my list to read.

Dark Genesis by A.D. Koboah

Life for a female slave is one of hardship and unspeakable sorrow, something Luna knows only too well. But not even she could have foreseen the terror that would befall her one sultry Mississippi evening in the summer of 1807.   On her way back from a visit to see the African woman, a witch who has the herbs Luna needs to rid her of her abusive master’s child, she attracts the attention of a deadly being that lusts for blood. Forcibly removed from everything she knows by this tormented otherworldly creature, she is sure she will be dead by sunrise.  Dark Genesis is a love story set against the savage world of slavery in which a young woman who has been dehumanised by its horrors finds the courage to love, and in doing so, reclaims her humanity.

233 Pages
4.5 Star Rating - Recommended Age 16+
Such an amazing story!!!  The book contains an extremely emotional story of life as a beautiful slave girl.  The story was very well written.  It showed Luna's acceptance of her situation, but in it her fear and anger.  Avery's love for Luna was an inspiration (really..like, that is how I want a man to feel about me)  But, I must admit, that as much as I loved the story the author did fall into the usual pattern of having the female lead intentionally do something stupid to create crisis (it really is annoying...)
SAS:  Oh so different from the usual vampire story.  I could not put this down.  The real life trauma of slavery, dark magic and the unknown was a powerful combination.  I cannot wait to see what the author has in store next.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.  But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.  Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

228 Pages
3.5 Star Rating - Recommended Age 14+
This book reminds me of Hunger Games.......without the fight to the death between the contestants.  America is a very strong-willed, strong-minded female lead and I liked that she stayed that way throughout the book.  The teen love triangle turned out to be better than I thought it would.  It's believable that although she loves Aspen, her friendship with Prince Maxon would turn into something more.  I liked that the author didn't rush into something romantic between the two characters.  In the first chapters of the book, the author makes you WANT Aspen and America to find a way to be together because they love each other so much.
SAS:  While I wish the story didn't read so much like Hunger Games, it was a good book.  The friendships and animosities between the contestants added excitement to the story.  Team Aspen!!

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.  America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.  Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

230 Pages
2.5 Star Rating - Recommended Age 14+
Very disappointed in the second book of the series.  I understand that the story is based on the love triangle between the main characters, but seriously.  There was so much back and forth by America my head hurt!  Make up your mind already!  There were a few things I did like about this book - the introduction of the rebels and the mysteries they represent;  the situation with Marlee;  Aspen is back in the picture!!!  Team Aspen!
SAS:  Not sure if I want to read the 3rd :(  America's character has changed from the very decisive, strong girl I admired to someone insecure, fickle and easily swayed.  The saving grace is that the storyline is still a good one and more interesting now that the rebels are more active.

Origin (Lux #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.
After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.
Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.
But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

313 Pages
4 Star Rating - Recommended Age 17+
Jennifer L Armentrout just can't write a bad book!  The places she's taking this story....ahhh!  I couldn't stop reading.  The romance between Daemon and Katy is always exciting and gets my blood pumping.  There's betrayal, surprises, intense action and loss.
SAS:  Amazing book.  You'll love the whole series so start from the beginning.  Each book gets better and better, so of course this is the best of the bunch so far.  Nothing else to say!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 


4 Star Rating 
My Recommendation:  Very good YA Novel and even funnier the second time around.

Recommended Age:  14+  I have finished both the Mortal Instruments and the Clockwork Series.  To get ready for the motion picture, I decided to re-read City of Bones so that I could remember the beginning of the story.    I must say, I totally forgot how HILARIOUS this book is!  Hilarious you ask?  Yes!  Jace and Simon's repartee between each other and Clary kept me smiling, chuckling and bursting out laughing.  Beyond the funny moments, it was a great book to read.  The action was exciting and the romance presented a buildup of things to come.  The characters were entertaining and innovative.  I NEVER re-read books, I like new stories to visualize, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading City of Bones again.  

Plot/Pace:  A common story concept - a special group born and bred to kill/capture evil creatures - but the story surrounding the Shadowhunters is very uncommon.  Clary not knowing what she is allows the reader to discover the new world along with her.  I relished the suspense in the story;  not knowing who to trust and  discovering the truth behind the lies.  The pacing of the book kept me from getting bored and browsing through.  I really fell into the story and the characters.

Imagery:  A fabulously imagined world.  The author's descriptions of what mundanes cannot see and the creatures that live among them was stunning.  The Silent Brothers are downright scary looking!  I'm in LOVE with Magnus Bane!  His personality, his quirkiness, the way he lounges is just sexy.  After reading the book, I had a good idea in my head of what each character would look and act like.
Side note - Haven't seen the movie yet, but let's say I'm disappointed in the way some of the characters look - JACE - and I'm hoping their acting fits the personalities in the book.


Romance:  Great teenage love triangle (actually a double triangle).  There's a budding love story, unrequited love and forbidden love.  Something for everyone.  While Clary and Jace are the main romantic couple, I actually felt myself rooting for Simon.  

Action:  I thought this story had a very unique way of passing on powers.  The addition of the parabatai made the fighting scenes more intense to read because it made me anxious to think what one would do to protect the other.    The descriptions of the fights were vivid and realistic.  Even in all of the violence and excitement there was humor.  

Characters:  There are books where the teen heroines are very annoying.  They don't know their limits, think they know everything OR they are too timid, too agreeable with the male leads.  This was not one of those books.  I liked Clary!  She has spunk and is not over confident in her abilities.  If she insists on doing something, its not because she thinks she's as good as the Shadowhunters who have been doing this all their life, it's because she wants to help her mom.  Jace is arrogant, but his sense of humor negates any ill feelings I would normally feel.  The characters kind of played off of one another - in conversation and in personalities.

What Irked the Shiznit Out of Me:  Nothing

What Blew Me Away:  The book was very amusing!  I smiled, chuckled and laughed a lot.  I would re-read paragraphs that I liked so that I could experience the feeling, the excitement or funny moment again.

Wonderful book to read, even the second time around.  The entire series was amazing and all are worth the investment to buy and hold onto.

If you like this book, what else might you like???

Magic Rises (Book 6) by Ilona Andrews

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

4.5 Star Rating
My Recommendation:  Definitely worth the read.  Very Enjoyable!

Note:  This is book 6 in the series and is not stand-alone.  You must read the previous 5 books.
Recommended Age:  18+ Man Oh Man!  This was the best one so far!  Magic Rises has EVERYTHING!  Humor, action, intense fighting, scheming, spontaneity, jealousy and romance!  Every character in this book and each side story was interesting.  The story was a roller coaster ride of new problems, emotional highs and lows and unexpected allies and adversaries.  I could not stop reading and could not wait to pick it up again.

Plot/Pace:  Perfect.  Throughout the book I kept thinking "What the.." "What's going to happen next"  "Whoa!"  I did not skip a single sentence.  There are twists and turns for the entire story and always something happening.

Imagery:  I had a MGM/Warner Bros production playing in my head.  The fight choreography was structured and very detailed.  The look of the shifters was intricate;  the weapons described with reverence.  I especially liked how the author gave voice to Kate's inner thoughts.  Through that you could understand her frame of mind much better.

Romance:  Wonderful display of what it is to be jealous even when sure of the love you have.

Action:  The book is filled with it - power packed.  There's fighting, life threatening situations.  In those situations, the characters are hurt accordingly.  Not just a scratch here and there, but major injuries, which makes the outcome much more believable.  Neither Kate nor Curran is invincible and they can't save everyone.

Characters:  Loved them all, even the ones you're supposed to hate!  The dialogue between the characters was fascinating.  Six books in and Kate and Curran still surprise me.  I'm not bored with their love for each other or the situations they find themselves in.  New characters in this story are just as interesting as the established ones.  Some even more so.  I think I'm going to thoroughly enjoy seeing Christopher's character in the next book.   Just what will Hugh have planned for Kate?!

What Irked the Shiznit Out of Me:  Nothing..well, ok, I was a little disappointed in Kate towards the middle/end of the book.  Can't say more since nothing I want to say would not spoil the book for those who haven't read it.

What Blew Me Away:  All...of...it!  Humor was spot on!  Drama was intense!  This was my favorite of the series so far.

Not a 5 only because I thought to myself, would I re-read this book?  Would it sit on my bookshelf for all times?  No, but it was still a GREAT read.

If you like this book, what else might you like???

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. 

She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street. Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.

5 Star Rating
My recommendation:  Buy the hardback, put on your shelf and loan it out to friends!

Recommended Age:  15+ (Due to Subject Matter)  I went to sleep reading, I woke up reading and at the end....I wept.  What an amazing real story.  Jo is a strong and vulnerable heroine.  Pushing through her circumstances to try and be something better.  Things don't magically work out and bad things happen.  She learns that trust is hard to give and that family doesn't always mean you have to share blood.  You dream, you love, you get hurt, you move on.  This story really touched me.  Days after reading it, I'm still reflecting.

Plot/Pace:  It starts well, ends well and is full of drama in-between.  The book is emotionally packed.  There are parts that made me laugh and parts where my heart ached for the main character.  The events that lead up to the climax resolutions were exciting and kept me anxious.  The pacing was splendid.  I couldn't put the book down.  The storyline had plenty of adventure to keep me engrossed in the story.

Imagery:  Beautifully built story.  In my minds eye, I could see myself walking down the street, walking up to the house on Conti street and meeting Willie's nieces.  I even pictured the dance that went along with Coki's singing.  The writing let me feel Josie's fear, her disappointment and pain.

Romance:  A slow and subtle romance.  Some heartbreak.  How I hurt for Patrick!  I could see it coming though...the way things were written, if you read between the lines you could guess the outcome.  LOVED that!!

Action:  There's a whorehouse and the mob, but the action  doesn't revolve around gun fights and knife fights.  The action in this book comes from the drama of the character's situations.  It was the anticipation of how things would pan out that kept things exciting.  What would happen to Charlie during his dementia?  What would be on the typed page?!  How would Jo figure out her money situation?  Is she REALLY gonna go through with it?!

Characters:  The character relationships were so wonderfully complex.  Even the minor characters were intriguing.  Willie's love for Jo, despite her harsh mannerisms was very touching.  The way the author developed the characters and the story, I could step in their shoes.  I could relate to Jo's disappointment with her mom, her sadness and her hope that something better was out there for her.  The characters flaws and insecurities showed through in their actions and decisions.  Making the story more real for me.

What Irked the Shiznit Out of Me:  Nothing really....although...I will mention that I could see that theft coming a MILE away!  Jo should have been too jaded to let that have happened.  But then again...the way she was written, as a reader you know that she doesn't want to expect the worst from those she loves.

What Blew Me Away:  Jo's relationship with her mom, Patrick, Willie and Cokie.  Silly, but I cried with Jo when she got Cokie's gift and his song.  My heart broke for Patrick when I realized why he made his final decision.  Things like that couldn't work out back then, like they can now....sad.  What I really loved about the book was that good outcomes don't always happen.  People get away with doing bad things.  There isn't always justice after betrayal.  And the real ending...is unknown.

Buy this book!  Read this book!  Keep this book!  And read it again in a couple of years!

If you like this book, what else might you like???

I don't know o_o!  This is my first time reading a non-fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian like YA book.  If you have suggestions, let me know!!!