It is New Year’s Eve and the world is celebrating. For Schuyler Van Alen, however, that is a luxury that she cannot afford. In her world – the world of angels and demons, Heaven and Hell, Blue Bloods and Conduits – there is no reason to celebrate; and less time. Jack Force, the boy she loves, has been missing for months and might well be dead. Even that is not something that Schuyler has time to dwell on because Lucifer is moving against those who would oppose him; and Schuyler tops that list.

She is the key to unlocking the Gate of Promise and leading her people to Paradise, if only she can figure out how. And she has to figure it out soon, or Lucifer will destroy the gate and take away the only chance she has. Luckily she is not alone. Her best friend, Oliver, is with her as always, and she has allies with the werewolves. She may also have friends who are closer to Lucifer than to her.

Gates of Paradise is the seventh and final book in the Blue Bloods series. For a series that has been running since 2006, you would expect an epic finale. And, in some ways, you get it.

Gates of Paradise brings together all of the characters that the Blue Bloods series has been built on. In their own ways, they are all working toward winning the looming final battle. Whether they are rallying their forces, trying to solve the puzzle of the key to the gate, or weakening Lucifer, each person has a part to play.

This strategic team-work coupled with the flash-backs to mistakes made in the past – or in past lives – builds a solid foundation for an epic showdown. But, for all the build-up towards it, the final battle is a disappointment. It’s an almost blink and you’ll miss it affair. This would be fine if there were few or no repercussions to the battle; but well-known characters are cut down in a casual sentence and entire clashes of powerful foes are summed up in equally few words. It feels as though de la Cruz is racing toward an invisible finish line. It’s a pity because the ideas touched on in the final scenes – love, sacrifice, weakness – are handled well; they’re just not as fleshed out as they should be.

Ultimately though, I think that fans will get what they would have wanted out of the end of this series. A final journey with the characters they have loved through previous books – Bliss, Lawson, Schuyler, Jack and Mimi Force, Kingsley and Oliver – a chance at seeing how the battle changes them and a look at how the survivors adapt to their new lives without the threat of death hanging heavy over them.

Gates of Paradise – Melissa de la Cruz

Atom Books (January 15, 2013)

ISBN: 9781907411502

Krista McKeeth continues her vlog review series by discussing a young adult SF thriller by Debra Driza.

Belinda compares the book and film version of Tomorrow When the World Began by John Marsden. I must say, that I (MDP), enjoyed the movie version a lot.

Book

I read this one when I was in high school and swore that I would never bother with the Tomorrow series again. English classes have a lot to answer to for killing reading passion.

Seven teenagers head bush, and on their return to civilisation they realise the enitre region has become the epicentre of an invasion of Australia. They decide to slow down the enemy and take back their town.

Back then, I didn’t have the world knowledge to visualise the imagery, and the themes went over my head. Now, however, I get it. I no longer hate the unapologetic way that Marsden brings a country town atmosphere to the setting, and the fair dinkum Aussie-ness of the characters.

Yes, the book is now dated by 20 years or more, but the struggles are still relevant. It includes themes of love, fear, and the primal urge to survive, which are timeless and give Tomorrow, When The War Began a level of relevance, regardless of the decade. An Australian teen classic!

Paperback, 304 pages

Published June 1st 2006 by Scholastic (first published 1993)

ISBN 0439829100 (ISBN13: 9780439829106)

Film

The film opens with Ellie recording a recount of her experiences. It then moves on to aerial shots of outback Australia with Steer by Missy Higgins adding an authentic ambience to the shot. Ellie working the property with her Dad certainly highlights the contrast between innocence and survival.

The movie has been updated from the book with the inclusion of contemporary technology such as mobile phones and videos. Filming was done across New South Wales, including places like Port Stephens and the Blue Mountains, which is exactly how I pictured it while reading.

The casting is as I imagined it, though I am not entirely sure if actor, Deniz Akdeniz, thought he should act the way he did, or if he was directed to do so. It just seemed off.

The storyline gallops along and there are no fatty bits to be trimmed. The adaption by the director, Stuart Beattie, is respectful and authentically brings the spirit of the book to life. They hit all the high points and, thank goodness, some of the more gruesome elements from the book are just a flash on the screen.

As mentioned before, the soundtrack is also pretty catchy with Jet, Wolfmother, Missy Higgins, and quite a few other great Aussie acts adding our flavour to the score.

It looks like there are plans to make the second book, The Dead of Night, next. I just hope the casting, script adaption, and location shoots can be lined up to bring the world John Marsden created to life.

When a plane goes down in the ocean, only one survivor is found – a sixteen year old girl who has no memory of her past.

She cannot recall her name, her face or her life before the accident. When a mysterious boy shows up, claiming to know her, she doesn’t know what to believe. But believing him means giving up any illusion of safety she has.

Usually, I try to keep reviews relatively spoiler-free, but the main premise of Unremembered doesn’t begin until about half-way through the book; so, it’s impossible to discuss without giving away some major plot-points: be warned!

I wouldn’t say that Unremembered starts out slow; but, it does explore a lot of Violet/Sera’s reactions to everything around her. When no one comes forward to claim her, she has to try to understand the way the world works with the help of her new foster family. This is one of the most interesting parts of the story, seeing how she struggles with everyday words and ideas, while being able to solve complex puzzles in record time.

Unremembered has an amazing premise. Amnesia, a super-smart girl, a shady organisation and a mysterious boy who may or may not be a friend. Unfortunately, there is something lacking in the execution of the story. For my part, I think it is complexity. Brody is playing with some serious ethical dilemmas here, but instead of delving into the mess, she sweeps it aside to follow a basic story-line. This isn’t a problem. Some of the best stories are uncomplicated; but, considering the moral issues that Unremembered stirs up, I would really love to see more analysis in that regard.

Violet/Sera’s abnormal intelligence and lack of understanding of current trends, along with the fact that she initially thinks that the year is 1609, makes it clear from not-very-far-in that this is a time-travel novel, though the reveal doesn’t come until much later. This too, Brody could have handled with more intricacy. Time does not merely change technology, it changes entire mindsets. The whole structure of the social and political world should alter with time, but Brody’s characters all seem to be in keeping with our time, not theirs.

Unremembered is in no way a bad novel. It’s beautifully crafted, compelling and easy to read. However, it could have been so much more. It has all of the ingredients for a gripping dystopian action-adventure; it just comes out a bit fluffier.

Unremembered would best suit YA readers who liked their romance with a side of fantasy, rather than liking fantasy with a dash of romance. While there are heavy sci-fi elements to the story, none of them are explored deeply. It’s more of a romance-action-adventure with a little mystery thrown in. Anyone who has read and loved Lauren Kate or Becca Fitzpatrick should relish this one.

Unremembered – Jessica Brody

Macmillan (February 28, 2013)

ISBN: 9781447221128

Bec

Cathy and Heathcliff – Wuthering Heights

Clementine and Joel – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Gomez and Morticia – Addams Family

Navarre and Isabeau – Ladyhawke

Clark Kent and Lois Lane – Superman

Bel

Booth and Brennan in the TV Show Bones

Hazel and Gus from the book The Fault In Our Stars

Kat and Patrick in the film 10 Things I hate about you

Beckett and Castle from the TV Show Castle

David and Maddie from the TV Show Moonlighting

Amy

Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay – Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)

Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers – Women of the Otherworld series (books) and Bitten (TV)

Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars – Veronica Mars (TV and movie)

Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo – Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire (books and TV) – *sniffle*

Daine Sarrasri and Numair Salmalin – Tamora Pierce’s Immortals series (books)

Chris

Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl

Ezra Fitz and Aria Montgomery from Pretty Little Liars

Wily and Felicia from Valentines Day (The Movie)

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games

Tobias and Tris from Divergent

Krista

Stan and Wendy : South Park (TV Show)

Beauty and The Beast (Disney Movie)

Edward and Bella (Twilight Book Series)

Nastya and Josh (Book: Sea of Tranquility-upper Teens)

Elizabeth and Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) My favorite version of this story is the movie starring Kiera Knightly

 Mandy

Hazel and Gus – The Fault in Our Stars, book and film

Maggie and Seth – the film, City of Angels

Buffy and Angel – the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Shrek and Princess Fiona – the Shrek movies

David and Keith – the TV series, Six Feet Under

Joelene

Lofty and Tonker – Monstrous Regiment

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy – Pride and Prejudice (BBC mini-series and book)

Katchoo and Francine – Strangers in Paradise

Cassel Sharp and Lila Zacharov – Curse Workers trilogy

Lois and Hal – Malcolm in the Middle

Lisa

Alex & Brittany – Perfect Chemistry

Grace & Sam –  The Wolves of Mercy Falls

Violet & Jay – The Body Finder

Cassie & Ky – Crossed

Mia & Adam – If I Stay