Review: Still Point

It has been a while since I’ve blogged about anything—between teaching workshops for two weeks before school started to surviving back to school, I have been pooped.

But, I am back. And I am reviewing the final novel in one of my favorite YA dystopian series.

Title: ‘Still Point’

Author: Katie Kacvinsky

Pages: 345

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Available: September 2

Source: Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the final installment to the trilogy begun with "Awaken, " Maddie returns home to make her final stand against Digital School, and uncovers deeply guarded secrets about her family an new truths about herself.

My Thoughts:

‘Awaken’ is one of my favorite dystopian novels for teens—it reflects a world they currently live in a hyperbolic way. It is one of the few dystopian novels I’ve read where I thought, “I can see this in twenty years.” So, I am a fan of Kacvinsky’s writing and world-building.

With the final installment of the series, I was a bit surprised. But in a good way.

Maddie returns home and agrees to abide by her father’s rules, as long as he is home.

But the world is crumbling around them, and Digital School is in danger of being toppled. Maddie’s father is in the center of it; after all, he is the founder of DS. This gives his character a reason to be absent, and a way for readers to see a relationship between Maddie and her mother.

This whole series has focused on the strain between Maddie and her dad—so it was refreshing to have mom step in instead. A lot of times I do not enjoy parents being involved in YA tales because they tend to get in the way of the storytelling. That is not the case in this novel. It offers a softness to the hard, technological world in which people are living.

While Maddie is living home and fighting DS in her own way, I must not forget the other half of her heart. Justin.

Oh Justin. He is heartbroken that Maddie left without saying goodbye, but she has his heart. He is a fighter, not just against DS but FOR Maddie.

That is about all I feel I can say without giving away any important plot points.

Kacvinsky brings her series full circle with a satisfying ending. She builds on Maddie’s character development, and it is refreshing to see Maddie grow on her own, on her own terms.

If you have read ‘Awaken’ and ‘Middle Ground,’ you have to read ‘Still Point.’ The final showdown against DS happens; but be warned: there are prices to pay when something greater is at stake.

There is no ‘Allegiant-style’ ending here—but I still needed a few tissues.

Do I recommend this book?

Absolutely! This is one of my favorite dystopian series—and I reference ‘Awaken’ a lot when I work with teachers and with students. This series is one of the dystopian series that will open a lot of discussion into a classroom because some students are already living a life very close to what is being portrayed.

Let’s talk about books—what’s your favorite dystopian novel/series?

         

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator

Review: The Here and Now

Title: ‘The Here and Now’

Author: Ann Brashares

Pages: 242

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Available: NOW at your local library/book store

Source: Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

My Thoughts:

This book, I loved it. I found the plot interesting and engaging. Brashares had me from page one. This novel is not character-driven nor plot-driven. These two are a perfect marriage. They work together to deliver a solid dystopian tale. One that will have readers re-think sitting on the back porch during the hot summer months, where mosquitoes wait for their next meal.

Prenna is a character a lot of teen readers will be able to connect with—from her core, she wants to do the right thing. She wants to follow the rules.

Enter Ethan. He is not of her world; therefore, even speaking to him is a violation of the rules. But he is fascinated by Prenna, and he makes time to spend with her. Soon the two become close friends, and Prenna finds herself in constant trouble.

Rules are rules. They are in place to protect the people of the present as well to protect the future. A future that will not be there because of the destruction of mankind by mosquito.

Prenna and Ethan's friendship represents a complication—a major one that could result in the destruction of man even sooner than expected.

Prenna wants to discover the truth about the world she came from and what the future may hold. She is curious, and this is not something that is valued among her “people.”

They must protect themselves at all costs. All. Costs. Even if that means sacrificing Prenna.

There are secrets that must be kept. There is a future to protect.

But, are they doing all they can to protect that future? After all, what's the point of traveling back in time if it is not to work to make sure there is a future worth saving?

Do I recommend this book?

Absolutely. I especially recommend this book to readers of dystopia.

I love dystopia, and it is rare that I read one that I do not enjoy. I enjoy seeing how authors imagine the destruction of the world, and how their character creations work to save it. I find them almost cautionary tales of what could happen if we do not protect ourselves now.

And for this one, this destruction comes in the form of something so common, so simple, something we all experience: the mosquito.

Share your favorite dystopian read. I am always looking for new, interesting ones to read.

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator

Audio Review: The Selection

This cover - LOVE it!

Title: ‘The Selection’

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperAudio

Narrator: Amy Rubinate

Time: 8 hrs. and 7 min.

Source: Audible.com

I was searching Audible for something new—something YA with a bit of a twist. I have listened to several dystopian novels, and I tend to really enjoy them (as long as I enjoy the reader).

I have to say, I was not prepared for what was to come with this audio.

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

My Thoughts:

When I posted on Instagram that this was my latest audiobook, I had numerous readers tell me who much they loved this book.

One put it like this: it’s the Bachelor meets dystopian YA.

That is the perfect description of this novel.

The plot of the novel is engaging. From the moment I entered the world Cass has created, I was taken in. Sold. No need to even think twice. This was a world that I could tolerate. A new dystopia full of beautiful gowns, likeable female characters, danger, etc.

Of course, this story is so much more than that. It is a story of one girl’s journey to discover her own heart—her love for one and her possible love for another.

America Singer. Oh what a name—and what a character. I really enjoyed Cass’ development of America, a girl whose dream was to marry her one heart’s desire; a girl whose dream is shattered with the call of her name; a girl whose dream changes as most assuredly does she.

But America is much more than that. She is not like the others in the Selection. She is talented beyond words, has a gentle heart, a solid head, and possibly the only member of the Selection who can save their world if she is chosen to be Maxon’s princess.

And what of Prince Maxon? He is not at all I expected. I figured that Cass would develop his character slowly, to allow readers to grow with him. This was not what happened—from the moment he was a part of the storytelling, I was sold on his character. While America is there nursing a broken heart, I am rooting for the mending to be at the hands of Maxon, a boy growing into a man searching for a  wife who will be his true partner, not just his princess.

I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a dystopian male character like this since Peeta. I want to marry Prince Maxon.

This story is not all wonderment. There are 35 girls vying for Maxon’s heart. Well, really just 34 since America is there for the food. But that will soon change when she meets the man behind the prince, the one who really wants to rule the country fairly.

Since there are 34 other girls involved in the Selection, expect drama with a capital “D.” Readers will find it all: mean girl(s), sweet girl(s), blooming friendship(s), alliance(s), jealousy, revenge. Most of all, readers will find an engaging, fun story that brings dystopia to a new level—one where love is meant to be the center, at least for the public’s sake.

I must also include the rebel attacks. After all, this is a dystopian tale, and while Prince Maxon’s hunt for a wife is the intended focus, the true focus is on how the world around Maxon is falling apart, and how America can help him keep a clear head while Maxon decides which ladies will suit him the best.

I cannot wait to read the sequel, which I’ve read a lot of complaints about. Mostly that America cannot make up her mind as to who she wants the most—and while I haven’t read ‘The Elite’ just yet, let me say this: she is a teenage girl searching for the truth in her own heart. Of course she will have doubts; of course she will go back and forth on where her heart lies; this is a series and if America and Maxon both picked right away, there wouldn’t be more story to tell. I plan to just enjoy and see where Cass takes me, but I am hoping it leads America right into Prince Maxon’s arms because that is where she belongs.

Team Maxon!

With all of that said, I want to add a word about the reader. She was fabulous. She breathed life into all of these characters, transporting me to the world Cass created without reading it on the page. This is the ultimate goal I expect from audiobooks. The reader sells the storytelling almost as much as the writer, and for me, Amy Rubinate captured all of these characters for me.

I loved her.

What’s the best audiobook you’ve heard in a while? Share below—I am always looking for great audios.

                                                 

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator

Review: Pawn

It has been over a month since I blogged about a book. Yikes! I could blame it on the devastation of ‘Allegiant,’ but the truth is that my life as an AP Language teacher took over my time—and my brain—and now that I am on break, I hope to get a few ducks in a row to keep this a bit more up-to-date.

My first blog back is on one of my favorite genres, dystopia. I really enjoyed the storytelling of this novel, and it has become one of my favorite reads of 2013.

Title: ‘Pawn’

Author: Aimee Carter

Pages: 352

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Available: NOW

Source: requested from Netgalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE 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 love a good dystopian tale. There are so many on the market now, and some are very high quality storytelling while others are not, so when I find a new one, I always begin my reading with caution.

A few things I look for in a good dystopian novel: fast-pace plot, strong characters, a surprise twist I do not see coming.

This book had all three.

Some novels like to walk readers into the plot, to make us work for what is to come, but that is not the case with ‘Pawn.’ We are thrown in immediately, like ‘The Hunger Games.’ (I know a lot of people compare books to THG, but there is a reason. If a reader is a fan and is looking for another read that is as comparable, this is the best analogy to give.)

The first chapter mirrors the same pacing of THG—we are introduced to our main heroine, her plights in life, and then BAM! We are thrown into the overall plot. It is fast. It is horrific. It is wonderful.

And by wonderful, I mean the pacing. There was no wait for this novel. There was no “working for it.” There was just plot. And it was fast.

Then there is Kitty, this novel’s star. She owns this plot, period. I always felt like in THG Peeta and Gale hijacked the story, but not with this novel. It is Kitty’s world—and we are just reading about it.

What I love about her character is her strength in herself. She is an orphan. A nobody in the new world. She is also a level III for one simple reason: she cannot read. (Even in a dystopian world reading trumps in society.) This is a part of the novel that I really enjoyed because it reminded me of ‘The Reader,’ and it reminds readers that reading can save lives.

But back to Kitty. I really enjoyed getting to know her character, and I am curious to see where Carter takes us next with her. She is ferocious on the page, willing to do what she needs to do to survive and protect those she loves. There is a distinct difference between her character and that of other dystopian heroines, especially Katniss—Kitty is likeable. By likeable, I mean she seems like she could be one of our friends. In many dystopian novels it seems the heroines are so broken that being “friends” with them seems impossible.

But I could see myself hanging with Kitty.

And then of course there is a surprise twist. That is all I have to say about that. While some may say the twist was predictable, I didn’t see it coming, and it can be hard to “trick” me because I’m pretty good at seeing where an author is taking the story.

Not the case here. Carter has left the door open to many different possibilities, and I like it.

This book is for the dystopian lover in your life, period. It would also make a fabulous gift under the tree. Nothing says Christmas like a novel about a broken America where people are forced into living in the “categorical number” they are yielded by the government. I kid. But not really.

What’s the best dystopian novel you’ve read lately?

Comment below and let’s talk about books.

                                                                                          

Happy Reading!

-      The Hodgenator