The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) by Asiel R. Lavie

The Crossing Gate is the first New Adult dystopian book in the Waltz of Sin and Fire series that was sent to me by the author. In the kingdom of Elpax, transitions between stages in life such as reaching adulthood must be done by walking through a Crossing Gate. Whenever seventeen-year-old Lenora (Leen) tries to cross, she experiences extreme dizziness and feels physically ill. Even stranger is that people aren't supposed to be able to experience emotions such as love until they have crossed into adulthood, and Leen can. On the run for her life, she realizes that she has a destiny to fulfill, and that rebelling might be the only way to save herself and her family. 

Leen has completed a remarkable journey and transformation into a young woman. Oh, my, what a magnificent story!

After a future WW3, the world seems to return to habits like its ancient civilizations, ie. the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian empires mentioned. Also interesting is that it weaves in accurate geography and more modern areas like Guatemala. While being a scifi dystopian book, it is clear to see how one day, our world could end up like theirs.  

It is a very powerful story with immense potential for the series to be as epic and well-known as The Darkest Minds or Delirium or Shatter Me or The Fifth Wave. I can definitely envision a film adaption; its fast pace and vivid setting already reads like an action movie. One of the things I love about getting books from self-published authors or smaller publishers is finding books that deserve more credit than they'll likely get. 

The love triangle between Leen, Jason, and Erick was remarkably set up. There is constantly a lot of information thrown at the reader at once, especially with the lapses of time. But who she has feelings for and why change rapidly along with each secret revealed. By the end, Leen, and myself, aren't sure who she should be with. I also have some questions. For one thing, I don't believe in love at first sight. Was that emotion triggering in her when she spotted Erick something manufactured, forced into her mind as part of her destiny, or would she have felt that way regardless even if she didn't have visions of him beforehand? 

While it is technically labeled as a Young Adult book, I feel that New Adult would be better suited. While the main character is 17, there are many scenes of violence and discussion of sexual content, along the lines of the mistreatment of women in their society. The forced medical exams, interrogations, and overall use of force by law enforcement were extreme, and it made me angry. It made Leen angry, too, but she struggled with coming to terms with what that emotion meant for her, if she's ready to lead a revolution. Luckily, destiny, along with the pent-up frustration of the citizens, ultimately decided for her. I'm excited to see how Leen takes on her new responsibilities and the emotional decisions she will have to make.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) 
Author: Asiel R. Lavie

Publisher: Absolute Author Publishing House
Pages: 416
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
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Contingence (The Rover Universe Series Book 4) by C.E. Whitaker III

Contingence is the fourth book in the YA science fiction series The Red Rover that was sent to me by the author. Orion's sister, Kelly, is on the Yellow Rover base. She crashes into the planet Kethyrie, and is taken hostage and tortured. Meanwhile, as the cadets on the Red Rover base try to find the Yellow Rover, Dr. Marius struggles to cope with his deteriorating and dying body.

In comparison to the other three books in the series so far, this is my least favorite of them. This book switched perspectives from basically filler material to Orion's sister being tortured. The extreme shift from mostly uneventfulness to severe pain and torture seemed sudden and unnatural. The detail of the other cultures on Kethyrie is interesting, and Delly's torture and physical and emotional turmoil was well-written and vivid. A parallel can be drawn between Dr. Marius's opioid issue and Delly's torture, but I was disappointed in the other content aboard the ship. 

The amount of unnecessary curse words bothers me. When used in rare occasions, they could sometimes make a point, however when used over and over they become meaningless and show a lack of sophistication and real emotion. I counted 72 instances of cussing. The sexual scenes and their implications felt out of place and shoved in to make the cadets' sections of the book eventful. Not to mention being a distraction, the only other purpose of these could be to elicit emotion in the reader, and for me that was anger and shock.

It is problematic that I only liked half the book. Contingence is emotionally heavy and I was disappointed in how it felt like the plotline came to a halt, a sharp contrast from the intense and fast-paced previous book.

I still recommend the overall series, but I was disappointed in this one and I emphasize this book being for older YA readers due to the mature content. 

Title: Contingence
Author: C.E. Whitaker III
Publisher: C.E. Whitaker III
Pages: 275
Series: Yes, Book 4 of eventually 15
Rating: 3 Stars
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Frequency Of Distress (The Red Rover Series Book 3) by C.E. Whitaker III

Frequency of Distress is the third book in the YA science fiction series, The Red Rover, that was sent to me by the author. 

Instead of making a home on Araneus where the Aphotritons welcome them, the five cadets choose to leave and search for other Rovers in the hope that other humans survived the destruction of the Galicia star system. As they leave Araneus, they are attacked and captured to be slaves by the Draconoires, intergalactic pirates, on the dying planet of Felicity. Escaping this horror will be their toughest challenge yet, and will require more resilience, determination, and bravery than ever before.

"As beautiful as this world is, I’ll never consider it to be my home. Not while my family’s still out there,' Orion said."

Everyone's lives would be a lot easier if the Rover ships could send out a distress frequency call to the others instead of searching countless galaxies and getting killed nearly a dozen times. They have no proof that their families or anyone else from the other Rover Bases survived, and abandon a beautiful world in the hopes that their families are still hovering in space somewhere. If it were me, I might want to put the past behind me and move forward on a safe planet. Maybe, if the cadets knew what was ahead of them, they might have made a different decision. Or, was the horror that they go through worth the value of family? It is ironic that "Felicity" means "great happiness", according to Merriam-Webster. At what cost does it take to be happy in a dying world? 

Frequency of Distress is almost the definition of apocalyptic and dystopian. I loved the uniqueness in the plot, like the alien trapped in a glass tube who's powers stabilize the seismic activity of Felicity. While a familiar concept of being kidnapped and imprisoned as slaves, Whitaker embedded unique and clever details that made the situation original. I admire the teens' inner strength and determination. It is almost impossible to believe their grand escape and seems like something belonging in a Dwayne Johnson or Marvel movie. I admire these kids for their determination to not let the Draconoires break them.

I highly recommend you read this book! I do recommend this book for older YA readers due to some mature content and violence. I look forward to reading the fourth book, Contingence. 

Read my review of the second book in this series, Clash of the Celestials, here.

Read my review of the first book, The Red Rover: Origins here.

Title: Frequency of Distress 
Author: C.E. Whitaker III
Publisher: C.E. Whitaker III

Pages: 286
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 5
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Coming of the Spirits (Spirits Book 5) by Rob Keeley

The Coming of the Spirits is the fifth and final book in the middle grade fantasy series Spirits that was sent to me by the author. Ellie and Clara's plan in 1936 to set World War 2 back on track went awry. Present-day has the Nazis controlling Britain with the powers of the spirit world. History calls upon Ellie one last time, to finally be the Grand Defender and seal the breach between the spirit world and the mortal one. Except this time, Ellie has had enough with others ordering her future. Torn between the past, present, and the future, Ellie's friends from all over the timeline must come together and help her save the world one final time.

A great quote that sums up the book is from the pilot of DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "If we have the power to change the world, don’t you think we have the power to change our own fate?" Especially when the friends across time and worlds come together, it reminded me of that CW show. 

The majority of the series focused on Ellie helping others and bonding with other characters; in contrary, The Coming of the Spirits delved deep into the root of who Ellie is and the events in her life that changed time. Ellie has gone from a child to 18. In that time, she has grown not only physically, but emotionally and mentally. The setting of the books have aged with her appropriately. This the most intense and dystopian of the series. One climatic event was even a bit scary to me with its detailed imagery. As usual, Keeley's descriptions and settings were vivid and real. It is actually hard to believe that it was only 144 pages with how much had happened and how gripping the plotline was.

The series did wrap up surprisingly well. The ending was definitely unexpected. I was not prepared for that change of destiny, and I cannot find any foreshadowing that leads to this shock. While heartbreaking in the moment, I can understand why Keeley chose to end the series this way. While the choice seems almost contradictory to the plotline and previous books, it does attune to a theme of changing destinies and the course of history.

Overall I largely enjoyed the series and highly recommend it. The second book, The Spirit of London, is still my favorite. 

See my review of:

The forth book, High Spirits

The third book, The Sword of the Spirit

The second book, The Spirit of London

The first book, Childish Spirits

Title: The Coming of the Spirits
Author: Rob Keeley
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Pages: 144
Series: Yes, Book 5 of 5
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Epiphany (The Heir of G.O'D. Book 2) by Harper Maze

Epiphany is the second book in the YA dystopian series Heir of G.O'D that was sent to me by the author. In 4 days, Hailey's comet will destroy the virtual reality world Sol, unless the Heir decides to stop it. Upon getting Ana's visor upgrade and finally being able to see the real-world, she is discovered by the Church of G.O'D. and kidnapped, only to discover that she is Gaiana O’Drae- the Heir. With every group of political and economic power after her for personal gain and betrayals at every turn, she must decide who is worth trusting and live long enough to make the world-changing choice.

(For consistency's sake, I will continue to refer to her as Ana)

This was a huge gamble for her father to take. Create a comet to destroy Sol on her 18th birthday unless she finds out that she is the Heir, can escape all the people trying to kill her, get into his mansion, know what to look for, all in the hopes that she will... press a button? There are a million ways this extremely elaborate plan could have ended horribly. How could he even count on her still being alive? I feel very bad for Ana to have this giant burden on her. 

While I understand the corruption in their world, there should have been a stronger support system for her. One thing I do not understand is the amount of kidnappings and betrayals. While I understand trying to influence her decision, I wish more people treated her with respect and worshipped her the same way they worshiped her father. It is my hope that in the next book that she can rise up and become the leader of the Church of G.O'D and help both the suffering in the real-world and maintain fairness in Sol. Those aren't necessarily critiques, because writing in a way that causes emotions in the reader is helpful for drawing them in longer and making connections with the characters.

I do not know what I would have done in her situation. Honestly, I see the merits of destroying Sol and focusing on present real-life issues such as building safe housing, access to food and water, education, and medical care. On the other hand, Sol is so entwined with their economic society that destroying it with no plan of support ahead of time would be catastrophic. I look forward to reading the next book and finding out what she chooses to do and who she can finally trust to do it with.

I recommend this book and look forward to reading the final one, Exodus! Read my review of the first book in this series here.

Title: Epiphany (The Heir of G.O'D. Book 2)
Author: Harper Maze
Publisher: Harper Maze
Pages: 256
Series: Yes, Book 2 of 3
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Octopus Under the Bridge by Alice Kinerk

The Octopus Under the Bridge is a middle grade dystopian book that was sent to me by the author. After American troops were deployed into the Middle East to search for missing teenagers, a bomb was dropped on the White House that decimated most of the East Coast. Since then, food is scarce, electricity is a luxury, and rival groups like the Collectivist and Phoenix fight and terrorize the populations. After the President is shot, 14-year-old Jay Everton's parents send him away to live with his grandmother on the Key Peninsula. But when Jay learns of his father's secret work and Phoenix attacking his family and friends, he must sail back to Tacoma and save his sister. 

For a book this short, I am surprised that The Octopus Under the Bridge still contained a developed plot structure with round characters! Jay is shy and intelligent, and I liked watching him gain the confidence to stand up for himself and his family. The hint of romance with Sarah was also nice. The setting is eerie and mysterious. I love the amount of imagery and other figurative devices that were used to make the setting rich and full of suspense.

I like how the book contradicted the Guilt by Association Fallacy, which unfortunately is common in times of conflict, as is assumption of good and evil. The Collectivists and the Phoenix both have major issues with the current government, but have different ideas and ways to get there- similar to the octopus and the squid. Initially I had a hard time understanding the theme and metaphor around the octopus, but further into the book it did make a lot more sense. Well, now I know that Washington is famous for octopi!

I will say that the cover definitely needs some work to convey the seriousness of the story. Never from reading the synopsis on Amazon (or the nonexistent one on goodreads) or looking at the cover did I guess that this would be an exciting dystopian book! While the ending is climatic and does conclude Jay's specific journey, I am still very curious as to what happens to the nation and Tacoma. I wish it was longer, and I hope Kinerk writes a sequel! However, the length could make it more appealing for younger readers.

I recommend this book!

Title: The Octopus Under the Bridge

Author: Alice Kinerk

Publisher: Alice Kinerk

Pages: 142

Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Wolfish (Wolfish Book 2) by Matt Ward

Wolfish is the sequel to Cynetic Wolf in the Wolfish series that was sent to me by the author. Still reeling upon the death of his wife and son at the hands of a betrayal, Raek is placed in the role as President. The near impossible task of uniting the immortals, cyborgs, enhancers, and half-animal hybirds (like him) becomes harder with new enemies, terrorist attacks, and a deadly virus. Bringing his brother into the government to help also may not have been the best idea.

The emotional turmoil and depression that Raek suffers after the loss of his wife and son is described amazingly, and makes this story heart-wrenching. This is one of the few books I have read with such genuine pain and grief. Raek is part wolf, so he is not entirely human, but the intensity of his emotions make him more relatable to readers. While science fiction, the dilemmas in the book have strong parallels towards long-standing issues of tyranny, racism and Islamophobia, as well as the coronavirus.

Almost every kid at some point dreams of being President (at least I have), and Wolfish does prove that the job is a lot harder than it looks. Having a high moral standard and setting out to help people is often contradicted and stopped by red tape and other politicians with selfish motives. Mistrust and conspiracy are so common in governments that even Raek, whose goal is only to unite and heal the people, is easily undermined. It was very frustrating to see a man with pure intentions be dragged down by those of tyrannic motives. 

A bonus was how Wolfish also addressed traumatic brain injuries like CTE. Watching how a peaceful, righteous man evolved into someone with an entirely different and opposite personality. I love it when villains are not as simple as they seem.

I highly recommend this book!

See my review of the previous book in this series, Cynetic Wolf.

Title: Wolfish
Author: Matt Ward
Publisher: Myrmani Press
Pages: 277
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Munmun by Jesse Andrews

Munmun by Jesse Andrews is a YA science fiction novel that completely challenges main societal beliefs. It is also a satire and strongly allegorical. in this alternate reality, the amount of money you have is exact to your height, so that those who are nearly broke are as tiny as ants and those like Bill Gates, for example, would be as tall as the Eiffel Tower. Teen Warner and his sister Prayer are tired of worrying about being literally stepped on, eaten by a cat, and not having access to medical care. As Warner starts physically and economically scaling up, he faces significant moral dilemmas and must decide what is more important- his size, or his character.

The book clearly showcases the extreme societal unfairness that even just having a dollar can do to your life. I have never read a book so effective in describing the extreme challenges that being a lower-class citizen must face. Munmun is brutally honest about a major issue of corruptness in society that a desire for money causes. This heartbreaking story opens one’s mind to the burden on one’s character that having money can make. As teenagers start getting allowances and become fascinated with buying clothes, jewelry, makeup, and start teasing and judging those without, Munmun is a necessary eye-opener that has the potential to completely change one's perspectives. Munmun should be taught in schools.

While the siutation is rather depressing, the book definitely isn't! I adore the fact that this is a satire and is still lighthearted and even uplifting at many times. Warner is a boy to remember. Trapped in an impossible situation, he still tries to make the best of it and try to save his family. Warner struggles with rage and guilt. He ends up in terrible situations, and over the course of the novel he is forced to decide whether or not to be towering over others (physically and emotionally) or to stand by his moral conscience, and accept who he is. Warner makes some awful choices, but he has tremendous character growth and truly becomes a better person by the end. The hint of romance was also very sweet and heartbreaking.

I highly recommend you read this book! I do recommend this book for older YA readers due to some mature content.

Title: Munmun
Author: Jesse Andrews
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Pages: 407
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Heir of G.O'D. by Harper Maze

Heir of G.O'D. is a YA science fiction book that was sent to me by the publisher. After fracking caused an enormous earthquake that triggered a volcanic winter, humanity plunged into sickness and depression. Gary O’Drae then created Sol, a virtual reality world. This allows Ana, secretly blind, to see. But Drae put an expiration date in Sol, unless his child comes forward. Faced with the reality of her blindness, Ana must take extreme risks to find someone who can help her see in the real world, which puts her directly into the path of the Church of G.OD. and their mysterious intentions.

For a science fiction book, the premise is extremely realistic with the environmental disasters that fracking caused and the turn to virtual reality as a result. Heir of G.O'D. managed to be educational as well, driving home the point about the dangers of fracking and ignoring scientific warnings. There is a glossary at the end, which appeared useful at times. The description of Ana being blind was heart-wrenching, and Heir of G.O'D. shows the extreme risks one is willing to take to save their life. The ending provides an intriguing premise for the second book which would completely change their world.

It was very fast-paced, and my critique is that I wish it could have slowed down and expanded some parts. Often two or three arena battles could be covered in the same page, and I wish the most important ones could have been further described. I also wish there would have been an explanation for why the blind are persecuted, and the storyline was rather predictable. Despite these concerns, I did enjoy reading it!

I recommend this book, and I am interested in reading the next book.

If you are interested in this book, I recommend you read Warcross!

Title: Heir of G.OD.
Author: Harper Maze
Publisher: Harper Maze
Pages: 230
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Dust by J.R. Devoe

Dust is the first post-apocalyptic fairy tale book I received from the author. Dust is released today! In the future when Earth is mostly dead and humans mostly extinct, intergalactic pixies arrive through a magic gateway to prepare the planet for new settlers. Alien Nya, with the power to harness sonic vibrational frequencies to turn things to dust, discovers that humans still remain on Earth, and befriends a human boy, Dexa. After reporting their existence, she hopes that her kind will leave. But instead, antagonist Jexa sets to kill them. Nya decides to follow in her mother's footsteps and lead a giant rebellion against Jexa to save what is left of humanity.

Nya is courageous and one of the bravest protagonists I have ever encountered. Her drive to help humanity and do the right thing despite the serious danger of losing her life was incredible to read. I loved the inspiring message of being the spark of light in the dark and being kind to those who are different than you- something we should follow today in these dark times.

I loved Dexa's drive to save his own people, as well as Nya. I enjoyed the hint of romance between the two that I predict will be explored further in the coming installation. I enjoyed how their complex relationship did not hinder or distract from the plot development. The future scenario of a destroyed environment will quite frankly a possibility, and I enjoyed how while the book was very fantasy, there were hints of reality embedded.

Growing up, I have been obsessed with fairies and magic, so Dust was super fun for me to read. The cover is absolutely stunning and I love the magic glow surrounding Nya. Speaking of magic, the imagery surrounding her powers, especially near the end, was terrific and I enjoyed the increase of her ability and confidence in herself by the end. I loved the ending being filled with happiness and anxiousness and sadness all at the same time. I enjoy that there was a firm conclusion to keep readers satisfied, but also a gateway (no pun intended) to a huge problem with exciting promise for another story.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Dust
Author: J.R. Devoe
Publisher: Evening Star Publishing
Pages: 217
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Cynetic Wolf (Wolfish Book 1) by Matt Ward

Cynetic Wolf is a YA dystopian book that will be released next week on March 26, 2020. I received this book from the author. In 2096 after a bio-plague wiped out the majority of the population, humanity has fractured into multiple subspecies of immortals, cyborgs, enhancers, and half-animal hybirds, like Raek- part wolf, part human. He lives with the extreme inequality and brutality from the world's government until his little sister is killed. Then, he joins the resistance.

This story was equal parts tragic and empowering. Raek's courage is extraordinary. There was lots of violence and some gruesome scenes, however Raek has such a big heart that it overpowered some of those scenes of his desperation. Raek is a tremendous, natural leader who has the world's best interest at heart. Over the course of the novel he realizes that there is no such thing as a fully equal, peaceful society- but that doesn't mean he will stop trying.

While the world created in this story differs immensely from ours, their societal values and inequalities ring true, like the cycle of poverty with unequal access to education, and the heavy values of greed. I appreciated finding those connections to "real life". The huge battles near the end felt like a Dwayne Johnson movie! The plot kept changing and almost nothing is predictable! The ending was shocking and heart-wrenching- I don't know how Ward will be able to top it with the next book!

I recommend this book and cannot wait to read the next!

Title: Cynetic Wolf (Wolfish Book 1)
Author: Matt Ward
Publisher: Myrmani LLC
Pages: 342
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Viperob Files by Alister Hodge

The Viperob Files is a YA dystopian book about a group of teens who discover a conspiracy and race to prevent it. This book was sent to me by the author. Fast forward to an island off the coast of Australia in 2194. The misuse of fossil fuels led to a global warming catastrophe with sea level rise over 30 meters and ocean acidity so high that trilobites proliferate. Ethan, Jaego, and Gwen live on an island fiercely controlled by the Viperob company. Its citizens are nothing more than slaves. When the three teens come across a secret project where the Viperob are planning to invade the country, they must leave the island and get to the mainland to warn the Australian military before it's too late.   

The cruelties of the Viperob honestly remind me of the BEIC in India or King Leopold II of Belgium and what he did to the Congolese. Lieutenant Harris disgusts me and angers me. He is extremely violent and has no empathy for others. He is a manifestation of humanity at its worst- and he's just a mindless robot following the orders of someone even crueler. I don't think I've been this angry reading a book in a long time. I love it!! Creating powerful protagonists and making the reader care about their success is just as important as creating terrorizing antagonists and making the reader hope for them to fail. I did!

I am amazed at the courage and bravery of these three teens. My mouth dropped in awe at some of the major close calls. These kids are surviving by the skin of their teeth. The Viperob Files was absolutely thrilling and terrifyingly realistic. Having the trilobites come back to life was a humorous twist that I, being the science nerd that I am, found completely fascinating!

Hodge has told me that he is in the process of writing the sequel. I cannot wait to find out what happens next! I highly recommend this book!

Title: The Viperob Files
Author: Alister Hodge
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Pages: 217
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Kill Code by Clive Fleury

Kill Code is the first book in a YA dystopian series about corruption and abuse of power. I received this book from the author. In this dystopian society in 2031, global warming has decimated the Earth with increasing rising seas and deadly heat. The world is ruled by the few rich and powerful, supposedly hosting soap kitchens and helping the poor. Actually, all the NSC do is steal money and power for themselves. Tricked by massive propaganda, ex-cop Hogan Duran is excited to face the trials to join the NSC and help the poor community. As he becomes immersed in their world, Hogan discovers the truth and must try to fight back against their cruelty.

I absolutely loved this action-packed book! I was completely sucked into their world and I couldn't take my eyes off the pages! This book would make an excellent movie as the fighting scenes were perfectly executed and full of suspense. The intensity grew with each page, and I was anxious for them. I was sad when the book ended with an amazing cliffhanger. It is rather short book, so I was shocked at how the effectiveness of the pacing made it seem a lot longer.

The issue of the rich abusing their power is painfully obvious even today, so the predictions Kill Code makes are very realistic. I enjoyed how the concepts and technology felt crazy but still probable at the same time. I love how he and Ruby worked together as a team, defying the central idea of their society that everyone should fend for themselves. Hogan has a huge amount of empathy for others, something unique to the set of characters featured.

I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, Blood Code, which will be out before the end of the year.

Title: Kill Code
Author: Clive Fleury
Publisher: Tck Publishing
Pages: 148
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Obsidian Fragrance (Bronze Rebellion #4) by L.C. Perry

Obsidian Fragrance is the fourth and final book in the YA dystopian series Bronze Rebellion that was sent to me by the author. Princess Irene heads back to the rebels with grand news; Ebony is her sister, an illegal child of the King. As the two princesses return to the palace to kill the King and Queen and take Irene's rightful place on the throne inside, the ultimate war looms outside. As the Rebellion of the Free pulls out all the stops, many will make the ultimate sacrifices for freedom.

Obsidian Fragrance is a show stopping final battle! It was very emotional and filled with lots of loss. This book clearly illustrates the cost of war. However, I loved that whenever they lost someone, they put their anger into revenge and strength for battle. Yes, there was gory and heartbreak, but the underlying tone of hope was so powerful and inspiring. I have real respect for these people. While Obsidian Fragrance contained devastating losses, the characters' determination and love for each other was enormous.

This book, in accordance with all of the others, were extremely well-written and a totally amazing quality. I loved watching all the characters grow into the warriors and rulers they came to be. I felt like they were human beings, and I know that out there in some countries there are people sharing their struggles. The overall theme of family was beautiful, and I cherished the breaths of romance. I personally love when there's an epilogue, because I get to see the future. It concluded the series happily and wonderfully.

I highly recommend this book and this series!

Title: Obsidian Fragrance
Author: L.C. Perry
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pages: 350
Series: Yes, Book 4 of 4
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Monument 14 is the first book in a YA dystopian trilogy. One day in 2024, a volcano erupts, which triggers a massive tsunami, which triggers an earthquake. In this specific town, the earthquake breaches a chemical plant, which creates a gas leak, making the air toxic. Under these circumstances, a school bus of kids becomes stranded in a superstore.

One of my pet peeves with this book is the fact that it is set in 2024. There is nothing futuristic, nothing that signifies anything out of the normal. We see toxic chemical poisoning and natural disasters all the time. The plot was also very anticlimactic. There was no escalation or surprise. Yes, there were lots of very good ideas but they weren't extreme enough for my liking. 

It seemed too easy to survive. Just live in a huge store with food and water for about a year and babysit. I was waiting and waiting for something to happen but nothing did. Needless to say, this book was boring, except for the occasional violence, romance, and drugs that are conveniently siting in the pharmacy, which was useless. I think many borderline "mature" scenes were just added for fun and there was no use or purpose whatsoever for most of the content of the book to begin with.

In general there wasn't really anything all that special or different. Apart from the concept itself, the characters were quite bland. Dean is just an average boy, and really isn't very good at anything. Yes, there was a wide range in personality of all the characters, but there was nothing solid or emotional to grow attached to. I didn't care for the characters, and therefore, the story. 

I might continue reading the series just to find out what happens, but I do not recommend this book. 

Title: Monument 14

Author: Emily Laybourne

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 352
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 3

Rating: 2 Stars

Goodreads

Agate Memory (Bronze Rebellion Book 3) by L.C. Perry

Agate Memory is the third YA dystopian book in the Bronze Rebellion series. This book was sent to me by the author. Princess Irene joined the rebellion to end slavery, oppression, and slaughters ordered by her corrupt parents. She's fought in battles, but now she must take on her toughest challenge yet; taking over the castle from the inside. She'll return to her home and take over, using her power as future queen to free slaves and change the world. She soon finds that nothing is more powerful than secrecy, and her family's past might hold the key to topple the kingdom. Meanwhile, Ebony and the other rebels fight to the death, and Ebony will have to reveal her biggest secret to save her life.

I love how Irene blossomed into the queen we all knew she could be. She is ready to take over her kingdom and fix all of her parent's mistakes. She's ready to show her scars and use them to her advantage. I love how she walked each step with confidence and authority. The pressure she had to be carrying was enormous but not once did she crumble. I loved watching her take action and help free her people. She might be one of my favorite heroines of all time, especially considering her tremendous amount of growth in these past few books. Her persistence and morality is amazing- this world needs leaders like her.

This is by far the most dramatic book in the series so far, and I loved every page! Just as how I adored the scenes of brute strength, smug, and confidence, the fragile scenes of screaming and crying were breathtaking as well; these were so well written that I could feel her every cry piercing my heart, however I am also very proud. It was mind blowing to see how much strength and power radiated from Irene's body and how she could command even her own parents. I am impressed at the author's creativity, not only to build this world and the characters, but of the revelations she created towards the end of the book. They were bizarre enough to be believed, and yet catastrophic. I am very excited to see where the next book goes with the most recent confession.

I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read the next and final book in the series, Obsidian Fragrance!

Read my review of the previous book in this series, Emerald Dream.

Title: Agate Memory
Author: L.C. Perry
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 495
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 4
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Taking by Kimberly Derting

The Taking is the first book in a YA dystopian trilogy about a girl who disappears for five years and emerges with special powers. Kyra awakens five years later next to a dumpster with no recollection of where she's been. To make things stranger, she hasn't aged a day, and has strange abilities. The last thing she remembers is being surrounded by fireflies and a bright light. It turns out that alien fireflies are the least Kyra has to worry about.

Kyra is not a heroine or a character that I would ever look up to. For one thing, her attitude is disrespectful and egotistical. She doesn't care about anybody, and doesn't even stop to care for herself, either. She's angry that the world went on without her and that her friends grew up. It's been five years! Right off the bat, there is another thing that really makes me angry- there's no freaking out. Where's the screaming? Crying? There is no emotion or huge anxiety- just a selfish, "whatever" attitude.

The only dramatic scenes really just revolved around Tyler, who was supposed to be 12 and a little kid. I also understand that maybe he secretly liked her all those years ago and was excited of the prospect of being with her, but anyone with a little common sense would freak that this girl disappeared for five years. Seriously, he wasn't the least bit concerned about aliens? The bottom line is that The Taking featured a character that I have no interest in with a plot that is too hard to believe. I was so excited to read this book, and it was a huge disappointment.

I do not recommend this book, and I will not be reading the rest of the series.

Title: The Taking
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 368
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 3
Rating: 1 Star
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Survivors of PEACE (Secrets of PEACE Book 3) by T.A. Hernandez

Survivors of PEACE is the final book in the thrilling YA dystopian trilogy, Secrets of PEACE! Sent to me by the author, this installation is released today! The PEACE Project has fallen, and the Republic has risen. With a nation desperately trying to heal, chaos and terrorist attacks are frequent. When an old friend comes to Zira asking for her help in tracking down terrorists, Zira, Tripp, and Jared are glad to help. However, they soon find themselves getting into much more than they bargained for in a final battle for democracy.

What I loved most about this book was how all the characters held each other up and supported each other. Tripp dealt with overcoming his addiction, and it was sweet how the whole group held him up. Zira suddenly must lead a team of special operatives for the federal government, and everyone welcomes her! Unlike in previous books where there's cruelty on every page, there's acceptance and love on every page of Survivors of PEACE, and that's amazing. There was an overall hopeful tone, which I really loved.

Even though they don't have to blindly follow orders from Ryku anymore, it is obvious that the horrors left their mark. While their country is moving forward, the characters must forgive themselves for what they've done in the past and be able to move on with their lives, too. I enjoyed how Zira and Jared fought their inner demons in addition to fighting Ryku and terrorism. Something I found special was how Survivors of PEACE brought up real-world issues and the fundamentals of democracy, as well as equality. I felt that this book wrapped up the series nicely.

I highly recommend that you read this series!

Read my review of the previous book in this series, Renegades of PEACE!

Title: Survivors of PEACE
Author: T.A. Hernandez
Publisher: Sanita Street Publishing
Pages: 281
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 3
Rating: 5 Stars
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Hungry by H.A. Swain

Hungry is a YA science fiction book about a futuristic world where nobody needs to eat. In One World, food no longer exists. Instead, everybody is fed medicine with nutrients in it. The government of One World says this prevents famine, gets rid of obesity, and prevents war. Everything she believed changes when Thalia begins to feel hunger. She meets a boy from the underground movement to bring food back, and they run away together to find real food.

I was extremely disappointed, as I had very high expectations for this book. The original concept was incredible, and I loved the beginning so much. But the more the book progressed, the more it went off the rails with too many new ideas and too much of an abandonment of the ideas left unfinished. The ending of the book threw me off a lot with no indication of a sequel.

The plot with the farm was just so irrelevant and disturbing. It's a completely different story that I just had no interest in. The harvest is absolutely revolting and makes me sick to my stomach. The cities, One World, revolution, and government lies are really what I cared about, and it makes me sad that I did not enjoy the book as much as I wanted to. It started out a 5 star, but the more it went on the more it started to deteriorate.

I do recommend that you read this book, but don't get your hopes up.

Title: Hungry
Author: H.A. Swain
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 384
Series: No
Rating: 3 Stars
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Emerald Dream (Bronze Rebellion Book 2) by L.C. Perry

Emerald Dream is the second book in the four book Bronze Rebellion series. This YA dystopian book was sent to me by the author. Princess Irene, ignorant of the horror and torture her parents order for their citizens, is kidnapped by the rebels. While first living in fear of them, Irene begins to see the truth of her kingdom- slavery, human experimentation, and worse. After experiencing and witnessing the appalling state of women and children, Irene will no longer sit by and watch. She joins the rebels, and vows that once she is queen, she will transform the nation and fix her family's corruptness.

I love this book so much! Irene shows such maturity, and completely defies the stereotype brought on her. A princess is not a defenseless little girl. Ebony and Irene are complete opposites, but are united in their goal to end suffering. Irene brings out the vulnerability in Ebony, while Ebony brings out the soldier in Irene.

Asher's past is extremely complicated, and he pushes away everyone he cares about due to his self-deprecating nature. I loved how Irene refused to listen to him, and was constantly there for him. The added romance was terrifyingly strong. There was many, many, many pages of describing the emotions and physical yearning and desire involved in a relationship, and I say she outdid herself. I have no idea how Perry will top this book in the rest of the series.

Emerald Dream is emotionally raw and inspiring. It would take multiple pages to describe a single minute of emotions, and contains jaw-dropping painful references that made me teary-eyed. The author does not shy away from harsh violence, but rather focuses on the emotion that fuels the violence rather than the act itself, making it easier to read, and easier to connect to. Emerald Dream jumps enormously in the amount of intensity, violence, and tearful scenes. This was a real mission, many real human deaths the characters had to try to prevent. This was extremely stressful, and I could not tear my eyes away.

I highly recommend this book, and I cannot wait for the next one!

See my review of the first book in this series, Gold Shadow!

Title: Emerald Ream
Author: L.C. Perry
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 520
Series: Yes, Book 2 of 4
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads