The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

A blurb from the author's website: 

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say?
But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?  

 The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it.  But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies – trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose:  love without truth or life without trust.

My Take

“The Testing”, the first in a trilogy, was fabulous!   While it did remind me of the Hunger Games, it’s very different as well.  As Cia went through the testing she came to understand her own strength, yet also held on to her humanity.  She realized that in working together and connecting to other human beings that we are ourselves stronger.   The building relationship between her and Tomas was not too over the top, and added a great element to the story.  I would definitely recommend this book and am already anticipating the next book in this series.  Btw, on the right side bar I've posted a free link to read the prequel and see the trailer.  Please go check it out.  Enjoy!  I’m giving this one 5 grade A kisses!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Stung by Bethany Wiggins

A bit from the author's webpage:

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn't remember going to sleep.  But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered - her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead.  Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand - a black oval with five marks on either side - that she doesn't remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost.  She's right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone - and on the wrong side of the wall.

My Take:

Stung was awesome!  One of the best books I’ve read in a while.  It was fast paced with unexpected turns around each corner.  I could not put it down and read it in two days.  It’s set in Denver which was also kind of a neat little thing for me, since I live very near Denver.  The storyline was spectacular and the characters were wonderful.  And isn't the cover cool too?!   I’m giving this one 5 big stinging smaks!!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

A short blurb about the book from it's goodreads page:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My thoughts:

Okay, I read this book awhile back.  I've been terrible about updating this blog.  However, I will say that this book really stuck with me.  I loved it from page one.  My fingers flew to turn the page.  It was suspensful and just a great story all the way around.  There were times that the descriptions got to be a bit much, but I really did love this book.  I can't wait to read the other books in this series.  I'm giving this one 4 1/2 air kisses (since Juliette can't touch anyone).  :)

Crossed by Ally Condie

Here's a quick little blurb from the product page: The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy in search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

My Take

 I liked Matched a lot and was anxious to see what Crossed would bring.  It wasn't disappointing.  I liked the fact that Cassia was stronger and more independent in this book.  There are some surprises that I never saw coming.  I like the new characters added to the mix as well.  I really enjoyed the time they all spent in the canyon, and getting to know the farmers that came from that area.  Whenever I read these books it always brings me around to thinking about This Perfect Day by Ira Levin (re-released and I desperately need to re-read).  I think it's very dystopian nature reminds me of it.  However, I would swear there are little whisperings around the edges that smack of similarity (only in minor details).  It's left off in a place making me want more.  I can't wait to read the third installment.  So definitely pick this one up and do yourself a favor and pick up This Perfect Day as well.  I'm giving this one 4 1/2 kisses!!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Here's a quite bite from Carrie Ryan's website:

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

My Take

This book was absolutely a page turner!  It was so suspensful.  I couldn't wait to find out what happened with Mary, Travis, Harry and everyone.  It's dystopian at it's best.  I never thought I could really get into the whole zombie thing, but this book was a definite must read.  You feel pulled into the storyline and the characters are relatable.  I'm giving this one 5 very alive kisses!  Oh and I'm currently reading The Dead Tossed Waves.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I won this book from Charmaine Clancy (ages ago) at Waggin' Tales.  Thanks to her and I wish I would have gotten to this book sooner.  Here's a bit about it from Mr. Shusterman's site: In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

My Take

Wow, this book made me think a LOT!  The thought of unwinding a child and parsing their organs out to all sorts of people was thought provoking to say the least.  I would never do anything like that and don't think it's right, but the whole scenario really gave you pause to consider.  It was easy to get drawn into the world of Unwind and pulled along with the story.

Connor is a bit of a trouble-maker but he's also a teenage boy.  I really felt for him.  Risa is a very accomplished pianist who has the misfortune of living in a StaHo (State Home).  She in no way should be unwound.  None of them should actually.  Certainly not the answer.  And Lev.  To tithe a child and just give him up as a sacrificial person without even thinking twice is horrible.

This story was a terrific suspenseful read.  I enjoyed it and would recommend it.  I'm giving it 4 tightly wound kisses! : )

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Here's a blurb from the goodreads page for WITHER: Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.
 
My Take
 
I received this ARC from Simon & Schuster.  I loved this book.  It's story sucked me right in.  Ms. DeStefano's world building was wonderful and I immersed myself in the pages of this lovely book.  Rhine is taken away and forced into a polygamist marriage with a man that she doesn't know, let alone love.
 
She becomes a good 'sister wife' to the other girls.  I thought Rhine's strength and resolve were amazing.  I wished I'd felt a little more invested in her relationship with Gabriel.  I liked his character but wasn't pulling for them until towards the end. 
 
I'm looking forward to the other books within this trilogy.  I can't wait to see where the next one takes us. 1 The cover is lovely on this book as well.  I would recommend this book and am giving it 4 1/2 kisses!
 

Matched by Ally Condie

Here’s a quick bit about this book from its amazon page : “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Cassia’s feelings of security disintegrate after her grandfather hands her a slip of paper just before his scheduled death at age 80. Not only does she now possess an illegal poem, but she also has a lingering interest in the boy who fleetingly appeared on her viewscreen, the one who wasn’t her match, the man she will eventually marry. What’s worse, she knows him—his name is Ky, and he is an orphan from the Outer Provinces. How could she love him as much as Xander, her match and best friend since childhood?

The stunning clarity and attention to detail in Condie’s Big Brother–like world is a feat. Some readers might find the Society to be a close cousin of Lois Lowry’s dystopian future in The Giver (1993), with carefully chosen work placements, constant monitoring, and pills for regulating emotional extremes. However, the author just as easily tears this world apart while deftly exploring the individual cost of societal perfection and the sacrifices inherent in freedom of choice.

My Take

This is one of those books that pulls me in and keeps me locked into it the entire way through. I find this type of immersion signifies not only great world building but wonderful story telling capability. I found myself deep in thought over things happening within it. I was surprised by the events as they happened. I can’t imagine having my freedom of choice taken away. Imagine not being able to choose your vocation, where you live or even who you love. You don’t get to choose your clothing or food.

I felt for Cassia, who was trying so hard to find her way. Her parents were wonderful and supportive. Ky was a great character. Not nearly as naïve as Cassia but very caring and guiding where she was concerned.  Her grandfather was inspiring, a man living on his terms as much as possible. 

This book had me looking around at our society. While it may not be perfect it’s certainly far from anything contained within the pages of MATCHED. The circumstances in the book, present a scary look at a future, while I know it would likely never occur, still a chilling tought.

As a writer, not being allowed to write was terrifying enough.  It almost made me weep to think of all of the art, poetry, books, songs, etc. destroyed.  I’m won’t spoil any of this for anyone. I only want to say, I hope there’s a second book. I’m dying to see what happens.

I loved the cover! I thought it had kind of a double message too. While on the surface it looks pretty enough, if you tilt it or the sunlight hits it, you see all the iridescent coloring on the cover. Giving the message that there’s more than surface beauty, most things require closer examination to truly shine.

This I’m giving 4 giant kisses!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Librarything as part of their early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Here's a brief summary of the book from Amazon:  Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox awakens after more than a year in a coma to find herself in a life—and a body—that she doesn't quite recognize. Her parents tell her that she's been in an accident, but much of her past identity and current situation remain a mystery to her: Why has her family abruptly moved from Boston to California, leaving all of her personal belongings behind? Why does her grandmother react to her with such antipathy? Why have her parents instructed her to make sure not to tell anyone about the circumstances of their move? And why can Jenna recite whole passages of Thoreau's Walden, but remember next to nothing of her own past? As she watches family videos of her childhood, strange memories begin to surface, and she slowly realizes that a terrible secret is being kept from her. Pearson has constructed a gripping, believable vision of a future dystopia. Here's a link to a site for the book - Who is Jenna Fox?

Jenna is slowly regaining her memories after a terrible car accident.  She's trying to work out who exactly Jenna Fox is.  The key lies in a mixture of who she once was, before the accident, and who she has become since the accident.  She has learned a great deal about the new Jenna, and things that were done in the name of saving her life.  There are several points when choices must be made that involve what's right or humane. 

The writing was tight and suspensful.  I was continually surprised by various turns of event.  Jenna's inner struggle with her own questions of humanity were thought provoking.  I liked this book.  It brought about thoughts of where we are going as a society with our technology and life saving abilities.  Who's making those decisions of who receives the best care possible and all life saving measures?  More importantly, who's deciding who doesn't?!  The cover is pretty jazzy.  No sex, swearing or substance abuse.  I say 13 and up.  I give it a solid 3 swaks.