Review: John Carter of Mars Collection - Edgar Rice Burroughs

Rating: 4
Husband: loved it (long ago when he was a lad)
Got it: Nook
Price: $0.99 for them ALL!
Finished: 2012

Synopsys (A Princess of Mars):

Let the adventures begin, as Captain John Carter finds himself transported to the alien landscape of Mars-where the low gravity increases his speed and strength exponentially. Taken prisoner by Martian warriors, he impresses them with his remarkable fighting skills, and quickly rises to a high-ranking chieftain. But the heroic Carter's powers thrust him right in the middle of a deadly war raging across the planet--and a dangerous romance with a divine princess.

Review: 
After getting dragged unwillingly to go see the Disney film for John Carter of Mars, I was HOOKED. I know the movie got terrible reviews, but I think that had a lot more to do with misplaced expectations then the quality of the movie.

I came home and immediately downloaded the books onto my nook and got to reading that night.

The collection includes three novels by ERB:
A Princess of Mars
The Gods of Mars, and
Warlord of Mars

The style is different then what people read/write now; very documentary style/journal-esk, but I have to say that I was captivated.  I managed to get through all three books in a week. I couldn't put them down and I read well into the early hours of night.  Work suffered.  The dog did not get his regular length morning walks. I was tired.

I don't think that I have had that much book enjoyment for 99 cents ever!  If you have not read these, then I really suggest you do. Also - content appropriate for YA.  Very modest back in the day! 

Also. I love Tars Tarkas!!

Review: Divergent - Veronica Roth

Rating: 2.5
Husband: didn't read
Got it: Airport Retail
Price: $15.99
Finished: last month

Synopsys:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Review:
I was disappointed in this read. The premise was interesting, I liked the division of the society into factions, but it felt like it was done for the sake of making the society interesting, not really adding any value.  Each faction seemed to hate the others. So how did it function then? Where were the lessons learned from pre-apocalypse that would make the factions needed.  Wouldn't each faction appreciate the sacrifices of the others?  It ended up as a distraction to me through the book.

The idea is that everyone HAS TO act a certain way, i.e. that they were born to a faction and must act like that faction seemed silly. Then letting people choose to be something else at 16. Duh, who wouldn't at 16?! I would've gone to live with bears in the forest at 16 to get away from my parents. 

Also, The Divergent was supposed to be special, but to me, every character in the book only "acting" like their chosen factions attributes and not actually like that.  Which could be argued as the point of the book, I suppose. For me, it just clouded into a murky "what the hell".   I found it hard to believe that this society was any more successful then the collapsed one, once again, I suppose that could be the point?  Everyone was "playing" at being like this characteristic, but no one really was. Messy.

I also didn't get a clear picture of what the brave class was all about. What were they defending against. Not once was there any idea to what caused this faction to be needed.  There were some fences, and that was all.  Irritating.

The romance and character development of Tris was solid, and I liked how she worked. She was smart, steady and strong without being a superhuman. She was a great character, in fact she is the only reason that I liked the book, so its getting a 2.5 instead of a 2.

I know this is a series, but I don't have enough interest in book one, to bother to read on.

Review: Maze Runner - James Dashner

Rating: 2
Husband: Didn't finish (but I made him start so that I could get validation on my thoughts, which he did)
Got it: Airport Retail
Price: 14.99
Finished: late 2011 

Synopsys:
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Review:
Hated it.

I really had to force myself to finish. Every new scene made me think "what? why?".  Why why why why why?  and stuff like, "that stupid" and "who would do that?" etc etc ad nausium.  It was a poor mans Hunger Games without the excellent background, characters and well... everything else.

I actually turn my head when I see the sequel in stores. 

This book was a resounding disappointment. None of the characters lived up to their selection for "the maze". The whole thing seems really contrived, disjointed, and unappealing to me.

Teens and kids should be given a better ending then, "its a real life video game to solve the worlds problems".  If you want your kid to read something like that, run out now and get them a copy of Enders Game.  Now that a great boy-centric, solve earths problems kind of book that a tween/teen/YA should read.

Note: I have also read reviews from people that say this is one of their favorite books.  *shrug*.  This is my review, and my opinion. I guess I can't like them all.

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Rating: 5
Husband: like it
Got it: Nook
Price: $7.99
Finished: late 2011

Synopsys:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review:

This was a recommendation from a friend, and since we typically like what each other is reading, I downloaded it on the nook last winter. I was not disappointed!!!!

This was an excellent YA urban fantasy. I couldn't put it down! The romance was well done.  The action was excellent.  The Husband liked it and tolerated the romance with ease (because the story was so great).

 

I loved the main character, her development and discovery through the book was first class. The supporting characters were fascinating and I honestly wanted there to be pictures.  The other "world" was enticing, well thought out and had such great texture and background.  I loved that the antagonists were flawed zealots, but not evil. Both sides fight for what they believe is right. That made for great energy in the book, it was a serious page turner.

 

If you have not read this book and you like YA urban fantasy you must get it!  Well work the full price nook download.

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Review: Hollowland - Amanda Hocking

Rating: 3
Husband: didn't read
Got it: Kindle
Price: Free download
Finished: recently

Synopsys:

Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

This is a young adult title with some language, violence, and mild sexual situations recommended for ages sixteen and up.

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Review:
I will admit I'm slightly obsessed with Amanda Hockings success and wish that I had the prolific writing speed that she does.  I have been meaning to read the Tyrlle series, but now that they are no longer self-pub'ed, I'm not sure that I want to pay the $8.99 for the download. For $2.99 I know I would....there's that magic number that J.A.Konrath keeps going on about.  I'll be looking for these in the second hand bookstore for sure.

Back to Hollowland.  For a free book, I can't complain too hard. I felt that some of the situations were a little "out there", but the pace was high, and it kept me turning the pages even if there were times when I was a little drawn out of the story by the unbelievable-ness of a few situations.  However, I did like the lead, her cohorts were great and Amanda didn't scrimp on the death of regular people. Which pleases me.  Also, I like the hook to the next series.

The romance wasn't great, but thats not why I read these books anyway. The climax (so to speak) was rushed and I didn't particularly like it.  I will agree that its for older teens, 16+ for sure since there is full sexual intercourse.

I'm debating part two, Hollowmen.  For $0.99 its hard to go wrong, and I'm leaning to a yes, mostly because of the hook and as I write this I can feel that I'm getting more interested to know what happens, and that is the hallmark of good.  You got me. I want to know.  All in all, if you like a cheap read, and it does keep the pace going, then this is a yes.  It was good.  I'm likely going to DL part two next week, if not tonight while I'm laying in bed deciding what I'm going to pick up off the bedside table.

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