After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia is a collection of 19 young adult dystopian short stories. There are a lot of ways the world could end, and a lot of ways to lead up to that. 19 authors had their own way of thinking about it, and wrote these stories about what it would be like.

I feel like not all of them are actually dystopian, or rather, not explained that way. In some of them, it is not clear at all what the dilemma is. For example, in You Won’t Feel a Thing by Garth Nix, it is explained that a boy has a toothache and then turns into a ferret, however there was no reasoning behind how it happened, or its effect. Some of the short stories were harder reading levels than others. There were a couple that I had to skip as they were so hard for me to understand, while at the same time there were some that were very easy. For example, in Visiting Nelson by Katherine Langrish, I had no idea what was going on.

At the same time, there were four stories I really liked. One of them is Rust With Wings by Steven Gould. There are these bugs that eat and destroy metal, and it causes a lot of problems for the people who have metal fillings on their teeth, or artificial limbs, as well as cars, keys, phones, belts, and other things of that nature. It had a clear beginning, middle and end, and I could understand the problem and the solution. I also liked The Great Game at the End of the World by Matthew Kressel. Honestly, it kind of scared me a bit, but I liked the variety of conflicts and how they were developed. 

I think it was worth reading, but be prepared that if you read it, expect there to be some ones you like and some ones you don't.

Title: After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia

Author: Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Pages: 384

Series: No

Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads

Resist (Breathe Book 2) by Sarah Crossan

Resist is the sequel to the young adult dystopian book Breathe. Alina, Bea and Quinn are in a bad situation. Quinn started a civil war, Alina lost her home and what she cared about, and Bea lost her family. To top things off, the pod's Special Forces are looking for Quinn. When the three get separated, they must fight for what they started alone, and decide where their loyalties are.

Breathe was better than Resist, but it still has its perks. I liked that the three of them split up, and it showed more things that were happening elsewhere. I also liked Ronan, the new character. He was a bonus that added to the chain of events.

I enjoyed how Sequoia came into play. It was so different from the pod, and it was like another civilization with its own dystopia to deal with. The ending was a little chaotic when all the characters were together, but other than that the ending was good.

However, the plot was confusing to follow. With another perspective added in, it made for four separate stories to keep track of. I would have hoped for something more action filled.

I recommend that you read these two books!

Read my review of the first book, Breathe.


Title: Resist (Breathe Book 2)
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 368
Series: Yes, book 2 of 2
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Five High School Dialogues by Ian Thomas Malone

When Ian Thomas Malone contacted me to review his new YA realistic fiction book, Five High School Dialogues, I was excited to read this unique book. I received my free review copy of his e-book yesterday and could not put it down! This book is basically five short stories written as a script and will be released on February 26, 2016.

George Tecce calls himself the Chief. As a high school teacher, he gives students advice about getting through their high school years. The first dialogue is mostly about respect. The second dialogue is about bullying and ways to deal with it. The third dialogue is about the risks of underage drinking. The fourth dialogue is about working well with others on group projects, and the fifth dialogue is about prom.

I like that Five High School Dialogues could help incoming high school students feel more relaxed about starting high school and know that there are staff members that can help. It could also inspire teachers to see other ways to interact with students. Overall, this engaging book is inspirational about how to handle certain situations, and teaches how to view things from a different perspective. I was impressed with how well I could personally relate to the group project situation.

I thought some parts were very eye-opening. For example, in dialogue one, the Chief says, "It’s not so much a matter of being expected to know everything. The simple problem is that by not knowing the answers to questions that your students ask, you can feel like your credibility is vulnerable." That never occurred to me before, as the book can help students also understand their teachers.

Some parts were funny as well. I found myself laughing out loud! My favorite passage of dialogue was the first one, as I felt it was the most insightful. The only part that I would change is to make the prom one a little shorter, as it took a while to get to the point.

I definitely recommend that high school students read Five High School Dialogues! If you are looking for a gift for college students, you may enjoy Five College Dialogues or Five More College Dialogues.

Title: Five High School Dialogues
Author: Ian Thomas Malone
Publisher: Eleventh Hour Literary Press
Pages: 255
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Breathe is a young adult dystopian book with a sequel. The oxygen levels in Earth drastically lowered after the government cut down a lot of trees to make room for farmland. Global warming just made matters worse for Earth. A company called Breathe figured out how to manufacture air and put the survivors in a glass dome. Other than that dome, the world has no air. If you argue with their ways, you are sent out to suffocate.

Alina is part of the resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she has to escape and go back to her group to help rescue Earth and bring back all the trees. Quinn is a Premium who never worried about air before. His father works very high up in Breathe. Bea is Quinn's best friend, and only worries about having enough air. The three team up and leave the dome with two days of air. In these couple days, they will learn all the secrets about Breathe, and change the world.

I loved this unique plot because I have never read a book where the world has no oxygen. The book alternates points of view between the three of them in each chapter. I like it when books do that because you can get more of the characters thoughts and feelings than you would normally. Sometimes when authors do this it makes the book confusing, but I could easily tell who was talking and follow along.

The personalities of the characters complimented each other perfectly. Alina had strong beliefs and was very loyal. She wanted everyone to be happy. She was the strongest. Bea was kind and passionate, and thought things through a little bit more, which saved them from bad situations. Quinn was stuck in a love triangle with Bea and Alina, which added a lot to the story. 

I highly recommend you read this book, and I cannot wait to read the sequel, Resist!

Title: Breathe

Author: Sarah Crossan

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 390

Series: Yes, book 1 of 2

Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads

Steelheart (The Reckoners Book 1) by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart is the first book in the fantasy and sci-fi YA trilogy The Reckoners. 12 years ago, Calamity appeared in the sky, a bright red star or comet. It gave regular people superpowers, and they were called Epics. 10 years ago, when David was 8 years old, the ruler Steelheart ended his father's life. Ever since, David has kept many notes and journals on every Epic he has ever seen, recording their weaknesses and everything about them. Armed with this information, David is ready for revenge on Steelheart and has a plan, but he can't do it alone.

The only people who fight Epics are the Reckoners, a group that wants justice. They are not exactly accepting applications, but David has information that nobody has. Along with weaknesses of almost every Epic there is, David has seen Steelheart (who is supposed to be invincible) bleed.

Steelheart is pretty much Superman as a villain. They have the same powers, however the weakness is different. He made an interesting villain, and his weakness was very surprising when they finally figured it out.

I loved David. He was so determined and never gave up. He is such a funny character, and even with all the anger in him, he still gets a laugh here and there. He walked into danger instead of away from it, even more so than the Reckoners. David is obsessed with metaphors, almost as much as he is with Steelheart. His metaphors are so unpredictable and hilarious. My favorite was "like a brick made of porridge." It's something you would never think of, but with David's funny explanation, it made sense. While this could be used for comedy purposes, it actually helped explain how the character felt.

I highly recommend you read this book. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, Firefight.


Title: Steelheart (The Reckoners Book 1)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Ember
Pages: 384 Pages
Series: Yes, book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Counting by 7s is an inspirational book about overcoming pain and the meaning of family. Willow Chance is a genius. She is obsessed with counting by sevens, medical conditions and plants. After getting a perfect score on the state exam in 17 minutes, her principal thinks she cheated, and refers her to the school counselor. There, she gets her first friend, Mai Nguyen. They bond over speaking the same language. Willow has never had a friend before, and her life starts to get better.

Then it got worse. Willow's parents pass away from a car accident, and she is an orphan. She pushes through the grief by helping others, and with the help of a taxi driver, Mai, and her counselor, she learns the true meaning of family and friendship.

I liked how Willow pushed through the pain of losing her parents. Instead of focusing on what she lost, she focused on what other people lost, and plants. Instead of sitting around and crying, she used the pain to her advantage. I also liked the little stories about other people. I liked the taxi driver and the little details about him. The tiny details made a difference in the overall tone of the book.

The thing I did not like was that I wanted more of the genius part. I would have liked to go in deeper with the exam and the principal. I also would have liked more of Willow's feelings and less of her actions. It was difficult for me to connect with her.

I recommend you read this story.


Title: Counting by 7s
Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 380 pages
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

Courage for Beginners by Karen Harrington

Courage for Beginners is an inspirational middle grade book about being yourself and overcoming obstacles. Mysti Murphy has a difficult life. Her mother has agoraphobia, which means she is scared to leave the house. So everything that involves going outside, her father does. That all changes when her dad falls out of a tree and hits his head. With him in the hospital, it is up to Mysti to take care of the family.

Meanwhile, Mysti has just started seventh grade, which is not going the way she planned. Her only friend has left her for an "experiment" where he is a hipster. Mysti loves to daydream and pretend she is a character in a book, but that is not the best help in real life.

I loved Mysti's character. She feels like a character in a book, and she loves to be happy. When someone is sad, she tells them a joke. Her energy and creativity are contagious. If I were in her school, I would want to be her friend. Mysti really stepped up and helped out, and that is inspirational to me. Courage for Beginners is very realistic, and it shows some of the conflicts that you wouldn't see just by looking at someone.

However, the one issue I had with the book was that nothing got solved. There was an ending, but it was quick and accomplished nothing. It felt to me that someone just ripped out the pages at the end. 

I do recommend you read this book. 

Title: Courage for Beginners

Author: Karen Harrington

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 304 pages

Series: No

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads

The Death Cure (The Maze Runner Book 3) by James Dashner

The Death Cure is the third and final book in the dystopian YA Maze Runner trilogy series. The WICKED tells them that most of them are immune to the flare. They also say that the trials are over, and they want to give everyone their memories back. Thomas, however, remembers more than they think, and what he remembers tells him to not believe a word they say. While everyone else gets back their memories, Thomas, Newt, and Minho refuse. Thomas will do anything to save his friends, but the truth is more dangerous than everyone thought, and will be what will save the world- or destroy it.

The Death Cure had a lot of action and suspense. I was hooked onto what Thomas would do next. I also liked that Gally was back in the story. I am not sure if I can forgive him for what he did, but that just made me like the book even more. A lot of things happened in the book, and I was excited for the end.

That was a big mistake. I am so mad at James Dashner for the end. It was rushed and confusing. I also really disliked which character didn't survive! I can think of at least three different endings to the series.

Overall, I think the series was worth reading.

Read my reviews of the other books in this series:

• The Maze Runner (book 1)
• The Scorch Trials (book 2)

 

Title: The Death Cure (The Maze Runner Book 3)
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 325 pages
Series: Yes, Book 3
Rating: 3 Stars
Goodreads

The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave Book 2) by Rick Yancey

The Infinite Sea is the second book in the YA dystopian trilogy The 5th Wave, also a movie that hits theaters on January 22, 2016. Cassie Sullivan and her friends survived the first four waves, but the fifth is still in progress, and they are wanted dead. Meanwhile, Evan is recovering from his injuries with Grace, desperately trying to get away and back to Cassie. At the same time, Ringer is taken by Vosch, who reveals a huge secret to her.

While I loved the first book, the second book was a huge disappointment! It was appealing that we got to hear from Ringer's side of things, and the analogies about chess were very interesting. I liked the new characters, Grace and Razor. The relationship between Grace and Evan was fun to watch.

I thought the pace of the book was very confusing. The unimportant parts were so drawn out and long, and then all of a sudden the important part happens and it goes by in a page! It's like, "What just happened?"

I will not give any spoilers to the people who have not read this yet, but I have to say how confused I am at the secret that is revealed. I think it was supposed to clear misconceptions, but it left me wondering and filled with countless questions. In my opinion, the series would be way better off if it stuck to its original story.

I recommend that you read the series, and I will definitely read the final book, The Last Star, when it comes out on May 24, 2016!

Read my review of the first book in the series, The 5th Wave.

Title: The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave Book 2)
Author: Rick Yancey
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 300 pages
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 2 Stars
Goodreads

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave movie hits theaters on January 22, 2016, and is based on this captivating YA dystopian book. I always believe in reading the book before watching the movie. One of my favorite quotes is by J.W. Eagan, "Never judge a book by its movie."

In The 5th Wave book, Cassie calls the aliens "Others." They have been attacking Earth in waves. In the first wave, they stopped technology. In the second wave, they caused tsunamis. In the third wave, they used birds to spread an advanced form of Ebola. In the fourth wave, it was discovered that the Others could go inside humans and control them.

As the fifth wave approaches, the Others take all the remaining children to a military compound. Cassie's younger brother, Sammy, was taken as well, and he is being trained by Cassie's crush from school, Ben. Before Sammy left, Cassie promised to come after him. She will do anything to keep her promise and rescue Sammy, even if it means she might lose her life trying.

The 5th Wave was non-stop action from the beginning to the end, and I loved every second of it! There was never a stopping point; it was always going and reaching new conflicts. The minute one was solved, another one came. It was interesting to have a dystopian book that was not just conflict with other humans, but had alien forces as well. I also liked that as the world was falling apart, the characters still joked about when it was normal. I enjoyed that the people didn't completely change in the face of chaos.

The only thing I didn't like was that it was slightly confusing in some parts. The narrator switched, and sometimes it was hard to tell who was talking. The beginning was also confusing, as it didn't really explain anything for about 20 pages.

I cannot wait to watch the movie! Follow me on Twitter to see how I think the movie compares to the book. I cannot wait to read the next book, The Infinite Sea! 

Thank you to my English teacher for letting me borrow this book!

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 457 pages
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads