The Park Service Review

338 pages

If Eden doesn't kill you, the Park Service will. In the post-apocalyptic future, a fifteen-year old boy stumbles on a paradise where the few remaining humans live on the run from deadly drones controlled by a mysterious Park Service. Now this boy must learn to survive in a world he never dreamed existed while searching for answers to why everything he was taught is a lie.

Review:
This novel is one of those dystopian stories with an amazingly different concept. Humans are looked at as pests so the few that live, exist underneath Earth's surface, at least in Aubrey's world. Aubrey is an intelligent and pretty adaptable character, and his resilience shows when he's exposed to the truth about Earth's surface. I loved the way all of the characters have such different personalities due to the environment they were raised in, yet they each have a realness that you can feel through the pages. Everything is very descriptive but not annoyingly so, it feels like you are actually there experiencing the world through the character's eyes. I feel like this story raises a lot of interesting questions dealing with morality but it isn't preachy about it. Even though this book isn't big on action, the adventure of traveling Earth's surface and discovering the mystery behind the Park Service keeps each page exciting and interesting. I definitely recommend this novel if you like dystopian fiction.

Movie Monday: Ender's Game Trailer

Orson Scott Card is known for his classic science fiction novels but perhaps the best known of them is Ender's Game. There has never before been a film adaptation of this novel so this should be quite a treat. With such stars as Harrison Ford and Viola Davis, I can't wait to see how they've remade this story for the big screen!

Story's End Review

416 pages

Long ago, a King ruled the land of Story. . . . During his reign, Heroes, Villains, and characters of all kinds lived out new Tales filled with daring quests and epic struggles. Then the King disappeared, and over the years, nearly everyone forgot that he had ever existed. Now an evil Enemy has emerged, determined to write a new future for Story that he will control. And an ordinary girl named Una Fairchild is inextricably tangled up in his deadly plan. Una and her friends Peter and Indy are desperate to find a way to defeat the Enemy. But Una soon discovers that the real key may lie in her own mysterious ties to Story's past--and to the long-forgotten King, who could be Story's only hope for survival.

Review:
This sequel does not disappoint as the tale of the land of Story continues. Things have become pretty chaotic since the Enemy's release. Once again we are able to view things through the eyes of several different characters with Una remaining the main character. Although Una is young, she is impressive in her determination to help save Story and defeat her parents. Una is brave yet impulsive, and both qualities help her on her journey with her friends. I'm not always the biggest fan of Peter, but he is also brave although at times constantly self-involved. I loved that we were able to see some of the other areas in Story and discover that not all of the Villains may be as bad as they seem. This novel is extremely fast-paced and takes you on a wild adventure that culminates into an amazing ending. This novel is more for middle grade ages although I believe it is written well enough to be enjoyed by anyone with a love for fantasy novels. I definitely recommend this if you like magic and fantasy tales but make sure to read Storybound first.

Movie Monday: Romeo and Juliet Trailer

Shakespeare is renowned for his classic writings and perhaps the best known of them all is Romeo and Juliet. I don't know whether this is still on the reading lists in high school these days but if you haven't picked up this classic masterpiece then you definitely need to.

There have been many Romeo and Juliet film adaptations, and I'm excited to see yet another one made for the big screen! Hopefully they continue to do the great Shakespeare justice!

New Releases This Week

The Eternity Cure Review

446 pages
Release date: April 30th, 2013

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally. Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Review (ARC):
This series is exciting and takes you on a fast-paced adventure that will leave you breathless. Allison is such a strong heroine, physically, but emotionally she isn't sure where she fits, especially after all she's been through as a vampire. This novel begins with Allison searching for Kanin, and as she goes on this journey, she discovers that there is so much more to being a vampire than she thought. Sarren is one heck of a villain, and his plans are more devious and insanely brilliant than Allison even realizes. Quite a few old faces return in this novel and some have the potential to either destroy or help Allison in her journey. I liked the fact that we got more of an insight into how the vampires live in New Covington as well as those humans that they protect. The action is almost non-stop in this story and it keeps every new page fresh and intriguing. The ending is absolutely insane and leaves us on a crazy cliffhanger that made me want the third book to be out and in my hands already. I absolutely enjoyed this novel and I definitely recommend it to those who like vampire dystopian fiction. Of course since this is the second novel in this series, make sure to pick up The Immortal Rules first.

The Ward Review

480 pages
Release date: April 30th, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure. However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.

Review (ARC):
This is a fast paced novel that grips you and doesn't let go. A world that is full of undrinkable water already promises a difficult life for those who can't afford better. Ren is one of those who struggle to survive, who only wants what's best for her sister and will do anything to help her through her sickness. I admire Ren because she is strong and fearless and also manages to survive in a world that is dominated by men. Almost all of the characters we meet have a hard outer shell to them from living dangerous lives. There is a bit of romance but not too much to overshadow the entire story. The only thing I didn't really like was the world building since I didn't really get a feel for the dystopian world Ren was living in. However, the little we know about Ren's world is barely noticeable in the larger adventure. This novel has so much more to it than just a post-apocolyptic adventure tale. There is mystery, action, and also some unexpected magic. I absolutely enjoyed this novel and I can't wait to see what happens next in Ren's world. I definitely recommend this if you like post-apocalyptic fiction.