Pawn by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn
Author: Aimee Carter
ISBN: 9781743564974
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: December 2013

Synopsis:

YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.


There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

My Thoughts:

I did not really know what to expect when I started reading Pawn, I have not any of Aimee's other books so I was not familiar with her writing style, but I have read my fair share of dystopians. As far as dystopians go Pawn does not shine out as being completely original. Does this make it bad? No, after all corrupt governments and underground rebellious groups are one of many things that make dystopians what they are.

I found the main character, Kitty, to be tolerable, at best, she is strong, smart and brave but I did not find her to be a very believable character. She makes some horrendous decisions that anyone (especially someone of only seventeen) would take a long time time and think very seriously about. . On the other hand, the secondary characters, especially the 'villains' were great. They were well written and their motives were not just black and white, but included lovely shades of grey.

Aimee's writing style is not overly complex with rapid pacing, making Pawn an easy and relatively quick read, even for a fairly slow reader like myself. I really enjoyed how, as the title implies, the story plays out much like a game of chess.

Overall, while Pawn was not an outstanding read it was enjoyable and I am interested to find out what happens next.

Thanks to Harlequin Teen Australia for the ARC.

The Last Girl by Michael Adams

Title: The Last Girl
Author: Michael Adams
ISBN: 9781743316368
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publish Date: October 2013

Synopsis:

The end of the world happened quickly. The sun still shone, there was no explosion - just a tsunami-sized wave of human thought drowning the world in telepathic noise as everyone's inner-most secrets became audible. Everyone's thoughts, that is, except sixteen-year-old Danby.

Everyone looked like bad actors in a poorly dubbed movie. Their expressions didn't match their emotions and their lips didn't sync with what they were saying. But they were all so loud.

God-he-looks-hot-Can't-she's-my-best-friend-How'd-she-lose-that-weight-No-don't-you-dare-Oh-no-please-

When The Snap sweeps the globe, everyone can instantly hear everything that everyone else is thinking. As secrets and lies are laid bare, suburbs and cities explode into insanity and violence. What might have been an evolutionary leap instead initiates the apocalypse.

Sixteen-year-old Danby Armstrong's telepathy works very differently. She can tune into other people but they can't tune into her. With only this slender defence, Danby must protect her little brother and reach the safety of her mother's mountain retreat. But it's 100 kilometres away and the highways are blocked by thousands of cars and surrounded by millions of people coming apart at the psychic seams.


Danby's escape is made even more dangerous by another cataclysm that threatens humanity's extinction. And her ability to survive this new world will be tested by a charismatic young man whose power to save lives may be worse than death itself.

My Thoughts:

The Last Girl is a unique apocalyptic novel, no zombes, no aliens, this apocalypse comes from sudden, involuntary telepathy. Imagine the chaos from being able to hear everyone's thoughts, the consequences would be catastrophic. Michael Adams has captured this chaos wonderfully in this page turning debut.
The Last Girl was really a breath of fresh air to the apocalyptic/dystopian genre which at the moment seems to be filled with zombies and insane governments. It is brutal and honest full of difficult choices and uncovers the gritty side of human nature and self preservation.
I love that the story is set in Australia, it is the first Australian apocalyptic novel I have come across and I can't wait to see more.
Danby and Nathan are great characters, they are strong willed, smart and compassionate. Jack is a very powerful character and I couldn't help but feel he was a little 'too good to be true' right from the beginning. I am really looking forward to finding out how the relationship between all three characters evolves in the next book.
Overall The Last Girl is a well paced novel, with plenty of twists and lots of action. I am eagerly awaiting The Last Shot, I can't wait to see what happens next!

Ashes by Ilsa J Bick

Title:                Ashes
Author:           Ilsa J Bick
ISBN:              9780857382627
Publisher:       Quercus
Published:      September 2011
Age Group:    Young Adult


 Synopsis:

 Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

My Thoughts:

The first thing that comes to mind about this book is the fantastically described zombie scenes. Lots of blood and gore, as to be expected from a zombie novel. As the story progresses we get a bit of respite from the creepiness, to point where it almost felt like I was reading a completely different book altogether, but surprisingly despite the change of pace the novel still seemed to flow really well only to take another turn and suddenly there is an unexpected cliffhanger ending that left me 'hungry' for more.
The main characters were likable and flawed. Alex is a strong and courageous character who is very self sufficient, perhaps a little to knowledgeable about wilderness survival for someone of her age who has a been receiving treatment for a large brain tumor. Ellie is a major pain but really she is just a typical eight year old and a terrified and confused one at that. Tom is highly skilled and  mysterious.
I am eager to discover the fate of Tom, Ellie and Alex. This book is a good start to what I hope will become a great series.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title:               The Hunger Games
Author:           Suzanne Collins
ISBN:              978140109084
Publisher:       Scholastic
Published:      2009
Age Group:    Young Adult

Synopsis:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My Thoughts:

This book is extremely hard to put down, it was a perfect choice for a read-a-thon book because it was so engaging and addictive. The action packed writing style kept the pages turning, with just enough description to really suck the reader in but not enough to make the violent scenes into a crazy, sadistic bloodbath.

Not only are the main characters likable and well written but also the secondary characters which is a welcome change. I have not read many books that have made me feel so connected to the feelings and reactions of the minor characters, it really made the story all the more intriguing.
The relationships of the characters were realistic and at times heartbreaking as friendships and alliances are forged only to inevitably be broken as the games progress. Trust, loyalty and friendship are major themes. 


Be warned though, this book is not for younger readers or the faint of heart, the whole concept of teenagers murdering each other (forced or not) is not going to be everyone cup of tea. It is a violent book, but it is not gory. 

 Suspenseful and intense, this book leaves you hungry for the next one in the series.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Title:               Blood Red Road
Author:           Moira Young
ISBN:              9781407124254
Publisher:       Marion Lloyd Books
Published:      2011
Age Group:    Young Adult


Synopsis:

In a lawless future land, where life is cheap and survival is hard, Saba has been brought up in isolated Silverlake. She never sees the dangers of the destructive society outside. When her twin brother is snatched by mysterious black-robed riders, she sets out on an epic quest to rescue him. 


My Thoughts:

Blood Red Road is a fast paced, action packed adventure. Saba's world has been turned upside down and is falling apart and she is determined to do whatever it takes to make things right, no matter what the cost. 
This is a book that is more about the journey than the destination. It was a delight to watch the characters grow and change as they struggled to overcome the obstacles that stood in their way, particularly Saba and her little sister Emmi. At the beginning of the book they are constantly fighting, as siblings do, but as the story progresses they learn that without each other they would be lost.
The unusual writing style does take a bit to get used to but I found it only enhanced the experience and added depth to the characters and world in general.
The storyline left a lot of unanswered questions, which has paved the way for the sequel.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title:               Delirium
Author:           Lauren Oliver
ISBN:              978-0-3409-8093-4
Publisher:       Harper Collins
Published:      2011
Age Group:    Young Adult


Synopsis:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

  
My Thoughts:

This book has been injected with so much emotion it was hard to put down. It will make you appreciate the little things that you somehow always forget to notice. 
It is a beautifully written story that captivated me almost instantly and just continued to get better as the story progressed. Just when I thought I had the plot all figured out another twist took me for a spin only to end in a way that left me breathless and hungry for more.
Overall it was and enchanting and exciting read, highly recommended. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Title:               The Knife of Never Letting Go
Author:           Patrick Ness
ISBN:             978-1-4063-1025-2
Publisher:       Walker Books
Published:       2008
Age Group:     Young Adult

Synopsis:  

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

My Thoughts:

It didn't take long for this suspenseful novel to grab me. I found myself being whisked away and left blind to my surroundings, unable to predict the twists and turns that lay ahead. It was an emotional read and not for the faint of heart. It made me laugh, it made me want to cry, it made me angry and it filled me with hope. It is jam-packed with action, murder, violence, betrayal and mystery.

The spelling errors, despite being justified, make it a bit of frustrating read and it took me a few chapters to get used to it but it eventually drew me deeper into the story. At times I wanted to grab the characters and slap some sense into them but that is just a part of what makes this book such a compelling read.