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Krista:

 Characters

One thing I am going to say is … oh man did Jennifer Rush get something right about this group of boys. Each one was not only sexy, but had their own characteristics so that every reader will end up relating to one of them (or all of them). The strong supportive one, the funny one, the smart and witty one and of course the brooding angsty one. Although our main character is a little on the naive and timid side, she has huge growth and character development, you’ll definitely root for her.

Favourite

Sam, the pensive leader who cares just as much for everybody’s safety as much as finding the answers. Also the main character’s dad comes in as a close second favorite.

Least Favourite

I didn’t really have a least favourite until the end of the story (spoiler) but if I have to choose one I had a lot of doubts about the mother.  But I felt her character lacked a lot, I wanted more photos, more diaries.

Beginning

Anna and her father run a lab in their basement. The boys are all caged in separate glass rooms and have unusual scars and tattoos on their bodies. Over the last 5 or so years Anna has become close with all of them, monitoring them and forming a bond with Sam. But the fact that none of them can remember their pasts is upsetting and eventually they must get free to find the answers.

Storyline

As the story progresses we find out that even with the loss of their memories, the boys have clues to their past. They must solve the puzzle while running from the corporation which is always one step ahead. But where does Anna fit into the story? The clues unravel and she has more to do with their past lives than even she ever knew about. The pacing of the story becomes a roller coaster as they have very little information to go on, and cannot trust anybody. Very little down time and a twist or two that you won’t see coming.

Ending

Lots of action, twists and feelings. Yay no cliffhanger! Story wraps up very nicely, but also leaving a couple of possibilities the direction book 2 will go.

Thoughts

My favourite thing about this story is the variety of characters. I was surprised that even with everything that they experience, it’s like in some way all of the characters are soul-mates (not the romantic kind)  – they all have some destiny that is tying them together. They don’t fight with each other as much as I would have expected and are so close it’s like they read each others minds. At first I was on the edge about the main character and her connection to the story but was very happy with the end results and found it a page turner. I really enjoyed every minute. *Also a quick note that I listened to the audiobook. The narrator Casey Holloway does a great job, especially in giving a voice to Anna.

Quote

“You’re the only person I trust. That’s not something to waste.”

 

Bel:

Cover

I have a weakness for sexy images of men’s backs, so this one is a BIG hit with me. The tree overlay will make more sense after reading. Promise.

Characters

They all go through hell in this book so it’s not easy to pick a favourite.

Favourite

Anna. Strong. Female and not wimpy.

Least Favourite

Trevor. Spoilers so you’ll have to read to find out why.

Beginning

4 guys are trapped in the basement of the house of a scientist and his daughter. They are effectively lab rats.

Storyline

They escape and take Anna along with them.

Ending

The boys have had their memories altered by the people who were experimenting on them, however you’ll have to read the book to find out just how twisted this all gets.

Thoughts

I thought this was along the same threads as Partials by Dan Wells, in so much as the characters are just the play toys of a much larger entity. However, it’s not set in a futuristic or post apocalyptic world.

I did enjoy the ethical questions raised. The characters finding out just how corrupt the world they live in really is, was enough to make me want to throw the book away, but that’s not always a bad thing.

Quote

When he didn’t answer, I muttered, “Maybe a stone to sharpen your horns?”

He called out as I headed back to my desk, “How about a fifth of vodka?”

Anna’s dialogue with Nick.

 

 Lisa:

Cover

Uhmm, who doesn’t want a piece of man candy on the cover of such an amazing story?

Characters

Altered has a great cast of characters and my favourite things about them is that no one is who they seem to be or even they think they are…

Favorite

I really liked a lot of the characters in Altered! Anna was down to earth and her heart is devoted to Sam. Sam is protective and caring to Anna. Cas is flirtatious, but absolutely harmless. Trev is Anna’s best friend, which she desperately needed at times. And Nick is big and angry, but by the end of the story, the reader gets to see a more gentle and kind side of him.

Least Favorite

I can easily say I don’t dislike any characters in this book. Everyone is interesting and mysterious; no one is who you think they are, which allows for a lot of twists and turns throughout the story!

Beginning

Altered doesn’t hesitate to throw the reader right into the action. The story first introduces you to a very quiet girl named Anna; home schooled, helps her dad with work, and normal. Altered also introduces the reader to four boys named Sam, Nick, Cas and Trev, who are living in Anna’s basement as science projects. Having tests run on them, and being monitored twenty four hours a day; Anna’s dad’s work!

Middle

Follows the five on their run from the agency who is trying to take back Sam, Nick, Cas and Trev. Throughout their journey the five discover a lot about the boys, but they also discover a lot about Anna… things she didn’t know… things she would have never seen coming…

Ending

Uhh… mind blown!

Overall Thoughts

Altered overall was amazing! I couldn’t get enough of it. Not only did I fan girl over Anna and Sam’s “relationship”, I also wanted to learn more and more about the boys; how they became experiments, who they were before. But by reading Altered you learn a lot more than you even thought you would, you learn more about Anna and how she’s connected to these four boys, even before she discovered them in her basement!

 LOVED Altered and can’t wait to see what Erased has in store!

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Bel:

Cover

I adore this cover art. I acquired my copy from Book Depository and it’s in hard cover format. When I opened the package I was blown away by the finish on the dust cover. It is very much like my copy of Chime, in that it has a dewy shimmery finish to the picture, however the real kicker is the effect of the flames on both the back and the front.

I seriously gush about how special these flames are. They’re not quite holographic, not quite embossing, and it is almost 3D in appearance. It feels like it may have been laser enhanced and it definitely goes on the list of really awesome cover details. Congratulations to Jessica Handelman on a job well done.

Characters

There was a minimalistic cast list in this story and it helped solidify the relationships and conflicts between the Demarco’s and the Angotti’s.

Favourite

Trey, he’s cool enough not to drive the meatball truck to school, yet sweet enough to keep an eye out for his sister without being an overbearing ass.

Least Favourite

I think I have to agree with Lisa on this one. Jules had me wanting to pinch her by the time the storyline was kicking into high gear.

Beginning

Jules sees visions of a vehicle accident on billboards and on the TV, instead of the things that are actually there. She tries to ignore the vision until she recognises one of the bodies.

Storyline

She decides she’s going to alter the future and save lives.

Ending

Read it and find out.

Thoughts

I like the family dynamic between the 3 Demarco siblings. It makes me almost wish I’d had a sister. (almost)

There are some touching moments between Jules and Sawyer that warmed my heart.

And MAN after flying through this, I wanted pizza something terrible. Load me up with everything, just hold the cheese if you please.

Quote

‘Trey follows my glance. “Oh,” he says. “The enemy. Let’s wave!”‘

Lisa:

Cover

Due to not having seen the cover in person, I don’t feel right judging it by a 250 x 250 pixilated image from my computer screen.

Characters

In general I really enjoyed most of the characters and the relationships between them.

Favorite

I’m stuck deciding between three; Jules’s brother and sister, or Sawyer. I loved the relationship the siblings had and it made me wish that older brother and I were closer. It seemed like they were more like best of friends than siblings. But I also really liked Sawyer. Unlike Jules, he was down to earth, and acted realistically (well, as realistically as anyone can act, when someone like Jules is telling him he’s going to die).

Least Favorite

Jules… I’m sad to say this, but yes. I thought she was funny towards the beginning of the story, and I figured that my liking for her would grow as I continued reading the story. But I was wrong. When things got intense, and the visions started becoming clearer, Jules started to act a bit immature. She handle the visions and the entire situation childlike; like a twelve year old, instead of a seventeen year old.

Beginning

We are introduced to the main character Jules, who is no one special. She doesn’t have many friends, just her brother and sister. She works for her family’s restaurant almost every day. Jules and her siblings are forced to take the food truck to school, even though it has two big meatballs sitting right on top. Jules seems quirky and funny, and the beginning of the story really pulled me in.

Middle

After we get to know Jules and a little bit about her family, the reader is introduced to the boy she has always loved, Sawyer. This is where Crash becomes really similar to Romeo and Juliet, where Sawyer and Jules can’t be together due to their families’ restaurant rivalry. I didn’t really mind this at all, it was a funny and interesting spin on the classical story we read in middle school.

Ending

The ending is what’s making me want to read the second book! The ending shows that Jules isn’t the one seeing the visions any more… but someone else is; meaning this nightmare isn’t over.

Overall

I liked the story. The beginning is what hooked me in, the middle wasn’t to my taste, and the ending is forcing me to read the second book. The beginning was funny and had me interested. The middle had no twists or turns, and Julie was getting on my nerves. The ending was the biggest twist, and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next. I was also confused as to why the reader never finds out why Jules is suddenly having these visions… but maybe McMann is saving that for the second book.

Krista :

Cover

I agree the flames in the centre of the eye is what drew me into the cover. I found it fit the story very well and great imagery. It leads the reader to thinking this is going to be a very intense and dangerous story.

Characters

Two families, both in the restaurant business that have been enemies for years. We follow Jules, the daughter of one of the restaurant owners as our main character.

Favourite

I am tied between each of Jules’ siblings, and Sawyer. They all seemed so down to earth and especially her sister, very responsible, caring and helpful even at her younger age.

Least Favourite

Jules! Ouch I know that the main character really carries the story but man was she a pain. There were several points in this story that I rolled my eyes at her actions and decisions.

Beginning

Jules is constantly seeing a vision of a fiery car crash on repeat throughout her whole day and decides that it’s too much of a distraction, since she is the only one that can see it, it must be her destiny to stop it from happening.

Storyline

When Jules realizes that she knows one of the people dying in the crash, and he’s very close to her heart she will do everything in her power to stop the event from happening.

Ending

Not as predictable as I would have thought, it did have a twist to it and in a way Jules raised the bar a little on my original feelings for her.

Thoughts

I had a harder time reading this story than I thought I would. It was something that I was really looking forward to reading this  year. Yet at times I found myself wishing it (the story)  wasn’t so dragged out and had been in fact a short story or novella instead. The lengthening of the story into the novel is the most likely reason that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought because of how frantic Jules became, as the story went on. Without her siblings and Sawyer making her calm down at points, she would have been unbearable. So thanks to friends and family playing a big part in this one!

Quote

“The crash is my life.”
“I do not have 25 hours and 22 minutes to save the world, I have one hour 22 minutes. ”

I chose these quotes because it shows how much Jules takes this vision on as a personal issue. It becomes her and she becomes it, nothing else in her life matters – completely obsessed.

http://lisamcmann.com/

http://lisamcmann.blogspot.com.au/

Hardcover, 233 pages

Published January 8th 2013 by Simon Pulse

ISBN: 1442403918 (ISBN13:9781442403918)

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Bel:

Cover

In the same vein as Partials, we have teenage backs. This time one female one male looking out over a cityscape and a large body of water in the foreground.

Characters

Dan hasn’t failed to amaze me with the depth of his characters. Their growth and the authenticity of their reactions make this an eerily spot on representation of how I imagine people would be like in this type of situation.

Favourite

Toss up between Kira and Samm. Just awesome.

Least Favourite

Dr. Morgan. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and no truer phrase has ever described a character.

Beginning

We pick up from the end on Partials (duh) Kira is out searching for a way to save both species, human and partial alike.

Storyline

There’s a reunion between Kira and Samm and they have to go to hell and back.

Ending

Not telling.

Thoughts

If I didn’t need to sleep I would have ripped through this one as quickly as I did Partials. I LOVED this one even more so because it forces you to think about why certain decisions may be difficult in the short term, but really, what would you do for the greater good, and can the term ‘at any cost’ really apply in your life? We’re again being asked to analyse our moral compass.

The only poopie thing about this being a brand new book and having read it so quickly, is I now have most likely a year or more to wait to find out what happens next. ARRRGGHH!!

Quote

“Sometimes a vote of confidence can be the most nerve-racking thing in the world” Kira

Krista:

Cover

I think the covers represent the stories well in this series. As Samm and Kira and their travels into the cities are the main focus of this story, them looking off into the distance is a perfect representation for this story.

Characters

We mostly follow the story of Kira and Samm, but at times break off to what is happening in other towns and parts of the partial war that has begun on Long Island. The story is told from different perspectives to get both sides of the story, but the majority is still from Kira but the other from Marcus, back home on the Island.

Favourite

Kira is my favorite character. I love how determined and smart she is. She is always putting the lives and betterment of other people above her own needs and questions everything. Deciding answers for herself.

Least Favourite

I have to agree with Belinda on this one, Dr Morgan. Of course the villain of the book, the one we love to hate and hopefully in the end will get what’s coming to her.

Beginning

We find that Kira has left the island in search for information about the Trust, the people who invented, made the partials in her search for the cure. Back on the island, the Partials leader is searching for Kira and the war begins, as the people begin to form groups and get ready for war.

Storyline

Kira and Sam are on the search for the Trust. They must find the inventors or information on how the partials and the company ParaGen so they can find the cure that is causing them to die. Also the cure for reason the humans are not reproducing. Time is running out before both populations will die off.They travel from New York to Denver in search of information and in danger of getting captured any minute. The alert has gone out for Kira and everybody is looking for her.

Ending

Not quite a cliffhanger, but this one leaves us in a pretty intense moment. With so many questions left still to be answered. I’m seeing that the next book is going to be full of action, and answers.

Thoughts

I didn’t end up loving this book as much as I did Partials.. A lot of information is given to us in this one, but it’s spread out and this is a rather large book. So it took some time to get through. Not as many action scenes to break up the traveling and amount of information that we are given. I think that the Partials series is very unique with a blend of science fiction, survival story that really gets you thinking. I can see that the next book in the series will answers a lot of the questions that are still up in the air. As well as a lot of action and hopefully some adventure with the war that has begun.

Quote

“It’s not enough, is it? Just to follow; just to have faith in someone bigger and smarter and better informed. That’s how we’re built, that’s how every Partial is wired – to follow orders and trust in our leaders – but it’s not enough. It never has been. We’ve followed our leaders, and sometimes they win and sometimes they lose; we do what they say and we play our part. But this is our decision. Our mission. And when we’re done, it will be our victory, or our defeat. I don’t want to fail, but if I do, I want to be able to look back and say, ‘I did that. I failed. That was all me.”

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Bel:

Cover

I deliberately got the UK cover because I think it was prettier. It has foil work and yep, pretty much everything else is the same. Love me some foil. Shiny!

Characters

I think the theme this year is blurring the lines between good and evil. So much potential for nasty people here, and then, I can’t say to much more or else there will be spoilers.

Favourite

I’m going to pick the same one as I am guessing both Krista and Lisa will pick… COLE!!! Just cause he’s *sigh* Cole.

Least Favourite

Wren and Poppy. What a pair of fair weather friends.

Beginning

Alice begs her parents to take them all to Emma’s ballet recital. Thing go from bad to worse and Ali’s life will never be the same again.

Storyline

Ali has to try and fit in at a new school after moving in with her Grandparents. Friends are made, lust is in the air and what on earth was that smell in the backyard?

Ending

You won’t guess it, and I’m not telling. ENJOY!

Thoughts

Zombies, I thought, what on earth are the other girls making me read this month? However, I kept the hope alive because Gena Showalter’s books have kept me company on many a late night. She certainly didn’t disappoint this time around and now I’m gonna be twiddling my thumbs waiting for the next book in The White Rabbit Chronicles, Through the Zombie Glass. Thank goodness there was as much romance as there was fighting and the restless dead, because Gena is a master at romance writing.

Quote

“I can’t promise we’ll ever use you for a hasty getaway,” Cole said, “but with a little work, you might be able to race my grandmother-while she’s on her scooter.”

Krista:

Cover

I was instantly attracted to the cover of this book, the colors and details really stand out. Beautiful dress and I love black covers on books. The summary sounded amazing – a heroine to root for. I was expecting a re-telling of Alice in Wonderland, but this is its own and completely different story with very little similarities to the world of Wonderland, if at all.

Characters

There are a lot of characters in this one, but it mostly focuses directly with the relationship between Cole and Alice. So not too overwhelming.

Favourite

Cole definitely grew on me by the end of the book (complete hot-ness factor) but my favourite character was Kat. She liked to tease, but was never brutal, mean or a bully. I liked her because of her completely honest way of looking at herself and situations, always telling it how it is, and with humour.

Least Favourite

This may be a shocker, but I didn’t like Justin. Thrown in as a possible love interest at first, I feel like we never got to know him. Thus he was no competition at all for Cole as far as a relationship. And we didn’t get to know him on a personal level, he was too shy and didn’t play a big enough part for me to feel he was needed. I thought his sister played a better role than he did and we get less of her than we do of him in the pages. But she made a bigger impact to the storyline and the scenes that she is in.

Beginning

There is a little bit of background story in the first couple chapters explaining Alice and her life with her parents and sister before the accident. But then the first half of the novel really focuses on the romance she forms with the bad boy Cole. Cole’s name was mentioned more in this book than the word, monster or zombie.

Storyline

Alice’s father has always been paranoid and never lets them out at night because of the danger/creatures that roam around. Her mother seems mostly distracted and worried about her alcoholic father rather than caring for the children as she should (forgetting birthdays etc) When Alice runs a guilt trip on them for her birthday a horrible accident happens and she loses them. Now, having to move in with her grandparents and going to her parents old school, she learns more about the hidden dangers that killed her family, and meets Cole, dangerous, brooding and hot! Alice decides that she wants revenge on the creatures that ruined her families life, and she is willing to fight and put her own life on the line to get it.

Ending

Although it didn’t end with a cliff-hanger, you can get glimpses of where the ending is heading throughout the story. There are several hints dropped, maybe to prepare the reader for the decisions that she must make.

Thoughts

I agree here with Belinda that when it comes to romance, this author knows how to write it well. And I would suggest that readers interested in this book should be more of a romance reader than a horror reader, because as somebody who does not like romance, I was disappointed with how much time was spent on the relationship aspect. Also for those that are looking for a traditional Zombie, you won’t get that either. The author has put a twist in the story that seemed a little religious to me and as somebody who was looking for some good old fashioned Zombies, I wasn’t a fan of how they were portrayed here, or the way they had to be battled, or how not enough people died. I can say that I’ve never read anything like it before and she really has a way with dialogue, banter, humour and dynamics between the characters. It was what kept me reading.

Quote

“As you so eloquently pointed out in the forest, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but we almost…you know… in public!”

“You know. That’s what you call it?”

Was that amusement in his tone? “Do you want me to punch you in the face?”

“No, I want you to be still and listen to me.”

“That’s not happening.” He sighed, a wary sound. “Even if I promise not to you know in public again?”

Lisa:

Cover

Never really having seen the cover before, I actually went to my local library to go pick up the book and I was amazed!! It isn’t shiny, covered in gold or glitter, but there’s a tremendous amount of detail and thought put into it. Not only is the cover amazing, but also the back and the inside.

Characters

Overall, I found the characters to be really unique and interesting. Sometimes a little too lovey dovey and mushy, and other times a little too “hardcore”. But I really liked the main characters Alice and Cole, I liked their friends, and I even liked Alice’s grandparents and their “talks”!

Favorite/Least Favorite

Alice in Zombieland didn’t have any characters that I disliked, or found annoying, so I don’t actually have a least favourite. I did feel that the connection between Cole and Alice was a little over done, and too lovey dovey for me. For goodness sake, they barely know each other, and he’s already telling her what to do, and what he needs to do to “protect” her! Another thing I found a irritating about Cole was that he didn’t know what he wanted, one minute he wanted to be with Alice, the next he didn’t. Make a decision and stick to it!!

I do have to say, there were a lot of times that Cole’s over-protectiveness was cute, and Alice’s fantasies were interesting, and in the end I really enjoyed the two, and the way they were, when they were with one another.

Beginning

The story starts on Alice’s Birthday (that her parents forgot all about), and like any other day, she isn’t allowed to leave the house once its dark, and her family isn’t going to her little sister’s, ballet recital. Finally having talked her parents into letting them attend, the night turns bad within the blink of an eye.

Middle

After having lost her sister and parents, Alice moves in with grandparents, lives in a new house, that isn’t zombie-proof. She goes to a different school where she meets Cole and has an instant connection. As she learns more about this bad boy, and his mysterious friends, Alice find out that she isn’t the only one fighting the zombies.

End

I hate reviewing this part, because I always feel like I’m giving too much away, if I haven’t already…

Deciding to join Cole and his friends on their hunt for zombies, Alice realizes that her dad was right about everything, and that she is a lot stronger and more powerful than she thought she was. With the help of Cole, she begins her training to hunt and kill zombies…even if they are her family.

Overall Thoughts

…uhhhhh… LOVED IT, COULDN’T GET ENOUGH, AND CANT WAIT TO GET THE NEXT BOOK!!!

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Bel:

Cover

I believe I have the US 2012 paperback. The face of a delicate young lady and a forest in glorious shades of green and cream grace this surreal looking cover. The font of the title is in a burnished gold, and I don’t know if it’s the paper or an overlay effect, but it’s dewy and shiny and it gives the cover dimension. All said and done it is extremely beautiful. I’m glad they left the visible eye on the lady as a semi regular colour rather than photo shopping it to blend in more with the back ground, making it pop.

Characters

This book took me by surprise. It’s a little bit classic literature, with gentlemen and gentlewomen, and a little bit teen drama. However, as with all good books not everyone is as they seem and just when you think you have someone sorted, they go and change on you.

Favourite

I have to say I loved Rose. Honest to a fault and though everyone takes her to be a fool, she’s got hidden depths.

Least Favourite

My goodness I could not STAND Briony. I wanted to smack her up the side of the head. But I guess the constant self-deprecating inner dialogue works for the story. I had, however, had enough by the 5th chapter.

Beginning

We are brought in on a request by Briony to be hanged for being a witch.

Storyline

The story plods along and we learn about life in Swampsea, and her budding friendship with Eldric.

Ending

Not what I was expecting, but it was enough to redeem the book from driving me completely nuts to actually liking it.

Thoughts

If you have no issue with reading a narrative told from the point of view of a truly miserable character, then you’ll love this book.

The setting was lovely and the use of old mythology brought perils for locals to be wary of.

Quote

Wine and bread. This has always seemed rather ghoulish to me, as though one were smearing the threshold with puree of Christ.

http://www.frannybillingsley.com/index.html

361 pages Paperback

Published April 12th 2012 by Speak (first published March 17th 2011)

ISBN 0142420921 (ISBN13: 9780142420928)

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