Prodigy (Legend #2)
by Marie Lu

Summary
Picking up nine days after Legend left off, we find June and Day fleeing from the chaos created in the wake of their escape from the Republic. With no other options available, they head to the Colonies and turn to the Patriots for shelter. In exchange for the medical help Day so desperately needs, Day and June agree to work with the Patriots and assist them on their next mission. But the plan requires them to be separated, and as new information comes to light, both Day and June strive to uncover the truth and do the right thing before it’s too late to go back.

Review
Prodigy starts out slower than Legend, providing a lot of background info. on the war before the action really kicks off about half-way through the novel. Once again, Lu does a wonderful job of world-building, creating two distinct and believable societies in the Republic and the Colonies. As we learn more about each faction, it becomes difficult to discern if the military severity of the Republic is really so much worse than the corporate control of the Colonies. The lines between good and evil are blurred even further when it comes to the leaders of both sides. What originally seemed so black and white in the first book is thrown into question as both main characters struggle to determine who really has the best intentions.

While the story focused more on Day in the first book, June is really given the chance to shine in this installment as she attempts to work her way back into the Republic. As she becomes more deeply entrenched in her old life while still trying to remain true to Day, I found myself growing more and more sympathetic to her plight.  The secondary characters also change and grow considerably in Prodigy. Tess who was so supportive and sweet becomes bitter and distrusting, while Anden who originally seemed little more than a shallow pawn develops into one of the more interesting players on either side. An unpredictable ending steers the story towards a new and exciting direction for the final installment in the trilogy.

Verdict
While not quite as gripping and action packed as Legend, Prodigy answers many questions and progresses the story to an exciting new place. I look forward to the conclusion of Day and June’s story in the third book (which is rumoured to be titled Champion).

See my review of Legend the outstanding first book in the trilogy here.

I received this book for review from the Publisher.

The Sea of Tranquility
by Katja Millay

Summary
All Nastya wants is to start over in a new place where no one knows her story. All Josh wants is to be left alone and not have deal with all the people who know his story. And though they won’t openly admit it, they both really want life to not hurt quite so much. Sensing a common ground, the pair are drawn to each other and a slowly develop a fragile bond while building a friendship that may just give them what they really need.

Review
I don’t know how to put into words how wonderful this book is. It’s a slow building, extremely emotional and heart wrenching story that exposes the raw and agonizing aspects of two teenager’s horrific secrets. The character development in The Sea of Tranquility is superb! As their secrets and innermost thoughts are gradually revealed, Nastya and Josh become so real that I felt like they were people who existed in my life. Even the secondary characters were perfectly written, each one unique and essential to the story. And while this may be listed as a YA romance, it’s not a story about teenagers (even though it is) or romance, but a story about loss, overcoming tragedy and the strength of the human soul.

Verdict
The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written emotional journey that I never wanted to end. I will read whatever this debut author writes next!

*I received this book for review from the Publisher via NetGalley.

Legend  (Legend #1)
by Marie Lu 

Summary
What was once the United States of America is no longer. Now the partially flooded state of California is ruled by the Republic and they’re at war with the neighboring Colonies. 15 year old Day has been secretly surviving on the streets ever since he failed his Trail. But stealing from the rich to help the poor has made Day an enemy of the Republic and it’s getting harder to stay under the radar. June is a prodigy who scored prefect marks on her Trial, and is now on the fast-track to a prominent position in the Republic army. When fate forces their paths to cross Day and June end up in a battle of wits as they unknowingly attempt to thwart one another. But the truth changes everything, and now the stakes are so much higher than either of them originally thought.

Review
I was really in need of a great “can’t put it down” book and Legend absolutely delivered! Even among the sea of popular dystopian fiction, the plot is original and unpredictable and a few surprise twists left me stunned. I found Lu’s vision of society in the future to be much more believable than those in other dystopian novels because it wasn’t so drastically different from what we know today. More time spent on character building than world description means that the characters in Legend are fully fleshed out with both good and bad traits and distinct personalities. The story switches back and forth between Day and June’s point of view, and the strong voice of each character makes this is one of the most effective uses of this technique I’ve seen.  It’s so refreshing to find a YA novel that doesn’t overwhelm the story with sappy, all-consuming love, but still finds a way to bring a touch of romance to the story.

Verdict
One of the best books I’ve read this year, Legend had me flipping pages well into the night.  I can’t wait for Prodigy (book 2) to come out in January.

September was a pretty average reading month, I read 4 books which has helped keep me ahead of  my reading goal. At my current pace I should successfully finish 50 books this year.

September Reading List

37. The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber (Sept 3) – See Full Review Here

38. Living With the Dead (Women of the Otherworld #9) by Kelley Armstrong (Sept 13)
I somehow skipped this one as I read the Women of the Otherworld series, but because the books switch narrators, reading them out of order isn’t as much of an issue as it is with some other series. I personally prefer the books that focus on the werewolf pack as opposed to the demon women, but this Hope story was a good page turner, with a mystery that I didn’t figure out.

39. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (Southern Vampire 10.5) by Charlaine Harris (Sept 16)
The Sookie short story is only OK, but the Companion portion of the book is outstanding! It includes excellent recaps of the previous books along with a helpful timeline. And the character bios are fantastic. A great reference for any fan of the series.

40. The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner (Sept 29) *e
I wasn’t sure what to think about this one at first… It’s like the YA book version of LOST. It starts off with the protagonist (and the reader!) in a very confusing place, and the lack of information was frustrating at times. But with plenty of action, interesting characters and lots of intrigue, I was hooked by the end of the story. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel  (Books 1 – 6)
by Michael Scott

After finishing the final installment in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, I feel somewhat cheated. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series and was enthralled with the way Scott had successfully woven so many wonderful historical characters into his well thought out world of magic and monsters. Unfortunately after the first 3 books in the series, the story lost its charm and the remaining books each left me more frustrated than the last.

Click here for reviews and thoughts on previous books in the Nicholas Flamel series.

Far too many characters and not enough plot momentum bogged this series down to the point where it was a chore to finish the later books. The entire series of SIX books spans only THREE days of time in the story. Even though there was plenty of action in the story, with only a single day (or less) being covered in each book, there was so much detail that the plot became lost. The characters were interesting and well written, but with such an abundance of them it became hard to keep track of them all and those that were favourites were lost in the crowd.  I continued to struggle through believing that all of this would eventually lead to a satisfying ending for Sophie and Josh, the Twins of Legend. Sadly, the satisfying ending never really came. The final book did wrap up many of the characters stories, but the looping and ambiguous nature of the ending didn’t make the struggle to get there feel worth it.  I think that if this series had been edited down to 3 or 4 books, it could have been amazing. Have you read the series? What did you think… am I judging too harshly or did you feel the same?

Insurgent (Divergent #2)
by Veronica Roth

Summary
After the horrifying events that occurred on Initiation Day, Tris and Four are joined by some unlikely allies as they make their way to the Amity compound in hopes of finding a safe haven. But before Tris can be much help to the growing group of dissatisfied faction members, she must find a way to overcome the grief and guilt that are threatening to overwhelm her. While trying to move forward and determine what comes next, Tris realizes that uncovering the secrets that started the war between the factions may be the key to their next move.  Will she be able to deal with her issues and uncover the truth before it’s too late? And can she make the right choices without having to loose any more people she cares about?

Review
Picking up right where Divergent left off, Insurgent makes for a gripping and action packed second installment in the series. Roth continues to delve deeper into the characters’ history and mindset, creating layered and complex individuals that are rarely matched in YA fiction.  The world-building in this novel is also excellent. We learn more about the other factions than expected, and combined with (minimal) knowledge of current-day Chicago, I found it easy to visualize the city as it is in this dystopian future.  Despite the time spent on character development and world-building, the plot does not suffer. The story moves quickly and is rarely predictable. A surprising ending with a huge impact on the future of the series makes for a satisfying stopping point in the current story, but still leaves the reader wanting more.

Verdict
Insurgent is an excellent follow-up to Divergent that builds on the first novel and moves the story forward beautifully. I can’t wait for more!

*I won this book in a contest. Thanks @HarperCollinsCa!

The Future of Us
by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Summary
In 1996 few people had a computer in their home, the internet was a strange new place and Facebook hadn’t even been invented yet. So when Emma Nelson logs onto her AOL account for the first time, she’s understandably confused when a window for Facebook pops up on her screen. As she explores this perplexing website, Emma is shocked to discover that somehow this page seems to be all about HER but 15 years in the future. Unable to deal with this bizarre discovery on her own, Emma confides in her next door neighbour (and once best friend) Josh. Josh is convinced it’s a prank until he gets a look at HIS future self, and really likes what he sees. But the pair soon discovers that even the tiniest action in the present can have a huge effect on the future. Will Emma and Josh be able to manipulate their future to ensure happiness or will they end up destroying everything before they even get there?

Review
With a truly unique and innovative concept, The Future of Us captures the reader quickly and keeps them hooked with a perpetual desire to find out what will happen next.  Emma and Josh are likeable, although slightly selfish characters, which makes them believable teenagers. A collaboration between two authors, each chapter in The Future of Us alternates between the two main characters point of view. While this tactic can often be confusing – especially in this case when the characters have a very similar voice – it was an excellent way to show how different Josh and Emma’s views of the future were. While some potential for greatness was wasted with unexplored plot-lines, The Future of Us is a thoroughly enjoyable, feel-good story that moves well, even if it doesn’t overwhelm. The 90’s references were perfect, and the questions raised by the possibility of seeing your future kept me thinking for days after I had finished reading.

Verdict
The Future of Us is a quick, easy read that’s hard to put down. With an original concept and thought-provoking message, Josh and Emma’s story will appeal to readers both young and old.

*I received this book for review from the Publisher.

The Space Between
by Brenna Yovanoff

Summary
Daphne, the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith has spent her life in a city made of steel. Unwilling to indulge in the common behaviour of her sisters, she has forgone the pleasures of earth for an eternity of nothingness in Pandemonium. But when Obie – the one person who breaks up the monotony of her existence – goes missing, Daphne sets aside her fears and ventures out into the world to find him. The only clue she has is Truman, the human boy she met when Obie saved him from eternal damnation in Pandemonium. With Truman’s help, she struggles to rescue the one person that matters most before it’s too late. In the process, Daphne discovers her true power and learns that life is full of the unexpected and people can be saved in more ways than one.

Review
The Space Between is a dark and haunting tale, written in wonderfully descriptive prose so that even the bleakest scenery appears vivid and harshly beautiful.  The story is broken up into three parts: Hell, Earth and Heaven. As is to be expected, Pandemonium (hell) is very bleak and as a result the story doesn’t fully come to life until Daphne ventures to earth. Yovanoff has an interesting take on good and evil, breaking out of the norm to allow angels to be harsh and demons to show kindness. Consequently, the characters in The Space Between are unique and original. And it was very refreshing to read a YA fantasy novel with NO love triangle!  The light romance that was in the story was subtle and believable. My one issue with The Space between was the shift between 1^st person and 3^rd person narrative in an attempt to show both Truman and Daphne’s points of view. It was too subtle to be effective and was often confusing. The final battle was somewhat anti-climatic, but the story continues after the final showdown, and I very much enjoyed the unexpected ending.

Verdict
A beautifully written and fresh take on the standard YA fantasy fare, The Space Between is both eerie and yet heart-warming at the same time.

*I received this book for review from the Publisher.

Inheritance (Inheritance Cycle #4)
by Christopher Paolini

Summary
After the siege of Feinster, Eragon and Saphira continue to travel across Alagaësia with the Varden in an attempt to take control of the land and thwart Galbatorix’s supporters. The further they venture, the more they fear their enemy is too powerful to be defeated.  Eragon trains as hard as he can in hopes of becoming a strong enough fighter to defeat the all powerful Galbatorix, but nothing he does seems to be enough. When unexpected allies join their side, the Varden’s hopes rise, but will it be enough to bring down the most powerful magician in the land? Or will Eragon and the Varden be forced to admit defeat and live under Galbatorix’ rule?

Review
If you’ve come this far in the series then you’re probably already a fan of Paolini’s remarkable characters in the Inheritance series. I love each of the characters and would have a hard time picking my favourite (it’s Saphira). Each of the characters are complex individuals with both strengths and flaws, and their unwavering convictions make it hard to dislike even the most evil players. Rich background stories are woven throughout the four books and Inheritance is no exception, as we finally learn more about the Dragons history and the fall of the Riders.

While the books are sometimes criticized for being too long and drawn out, I for one don’t have a problem with how the story has progressed or its conclusion. While I must admit that Inheritance did drag a bit in the middle, I still enjoyed all the side adventures that brought Eragon and his friends to where they are today.

***SPOLIER IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH***

For those of you expecting a big love scene, you may be disappointed… Eragon’s story has never been a romance, but a tale of growth, strength and overcoming obstacles against all odds. I think Paolini handled the Eragon/Arya situation perfectly in keeping with the true spirit of the novel.

Verdict
It was a long time coming, but Inheritance makes for a satisfactory conclusion to Eragon and Saphira’s story, while still leaving the door open for possible future Rider adventures. This fan is satisfied.

*I received this book for review from the Publisher.

Hey! Here’s a challenge I actually completed successfully. Yay me!

I had so much fun with the 2010 YA Reading Challenge, that I couldn’t wait to sign up for it again in 2011. This year, the 2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge was hosted by Jamie at For the Love of YA.

There are four levels to choose from in the YA Challenge:

1. The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
2. The “Fun Size” YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
3. The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
4. The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

Here are my 20 books:

1. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
2. Gone by Michael Grant
3. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
4. Subject Seven by James A. Moore
5. Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
6. Eona by Alison Goodman
7. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
8. Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
9. The Final Warning by James Patterson
10. Marked by PC Cast
11. Betrayed by PC Cast
12. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
13. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
14. Matched by Ally Condie
15. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell 
16. The Dark City by Catherine Fisher
17. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
18. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
19. Crossed by Ally Condie  
20. The Warlock by Michael Scott