Ink and Bone~ Reviewed by Hailey Hinrichs

"There is no place in the world for librarians who lack the will to defend books against wars, rebels, and Burners. Books cannot fight for themselves."

             In a world where personal ownership of books is forbidden, Jess Brightwell and his family are involved in a thriving black market where illegal books are sold. The Great Library is the main source of knowledge in every major city and it is where any literature in all of history can be obtained instantly on a blank, which is like a tablet where any book can be sent for you to read.

             Jess has been used as a delivery boy for his father for years to deliver illegal books to his customers. But when Jess begins to decide against taking over his father’s business, he is sent by his family to be a spy in the Library's service. When he meets new friends and begins to understand the worth of the library more, his loyalties are put to the test. Especially his loyalties to the people who control the Great Library. When a member of his training group creates a new device that could destroy the foundation of the Library, Jess realizes that the leaders of the Library will do anything to preserve the knowledge of the Library, even if that means sacrificing human lives.

             This book was very interesting so I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I loved that the topic of this book was about all books being virtual because I feel like it is something that may very well happen. Technology is advancing and SO MANY things are on a computer that most people don't even think to pick up a book anymore. I liked this new world Rachel Caine created and I definitely think that the whole process of the Library was very well developed. There were a few twists in the book that I didn't expect but I really did like and it definitely got me to keep wanting to read more to find out what would happen next. I would recommend this book to any of my friends and I would definitely recommend this book be bought for our library. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series Paper and Fire!

The Book of Ivy~ Reviewed by Hailey Hinrichs

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What would you kill for?

            After a war that destroyed most of the United States, Ivy Westfall’s family came to power and founded the country Westfall. But when the Westfalls lost in a conflict with the Lattimers, they lost their power and the Lattimers began to govern Westfall as a dictatorship. Ivy grew up hating the Lattimers and the new laws they created, especially arranged marriages. Every year the daughters from the Westfalls marry the sons of the Lattimers.

            This year it is Ivy’s turn.

            To the Lattimers, it’s just another marriage.

            To the Westfalls, it’s their chance to regain power.

            Ivy’s father and sister have given her the task to kill her new husband, Bishop, in order for their family to return to power. But as Ivy begins to understand more about Bishop and his family, can she find the will to do it? What if everything she once knew actually wasn’t true? What if Bishop really isn’t as brutal and awful as her family told her? Will she be able to kill the only person who seems to actually understand her? As her love for Bishop grows and she finds out the truth about her mother’s death, Ivy realizes that things definitely are not what she grew up believing.

            I really enjoyed this book so I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I loved the characters, especially Ivy’s character. I really liked that the author made the arranged marriages seem realistic and that not every marriage worked out because in all honestly, that’s how it works sometimes. In arranged marriages, I would expect things to not always work out or for there to be some complications, especially for the kids who are only 16. Also, at the beginning of the book I was worried that I could already tell how the book was going to end. I was wrong. There were some really good plot twists in the book and they completely caught me off guard. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any of my friends

Firstlife~ Reviewed by Hailey Hinrichs

"If at first you don't succeed, kill your opponent."

            In the Firstlife, you decide which realm you are going to join once you enter the Everlife. Either you choose Myriad or Troika.

            Tenley does not want to chose.

            Because of her resistance, she is locked in a facility with other teenagers to be tortured into figuring out which side she will chose when she enters Everlife. During her time in the facility she is alone, watches friends and her boyfriend die, and is bullied by other inmates. Life seems meaningless. That is until Killian and Archer showed up to the facility.

Archer and Killian have been sent by the two realms to try to make Tenley join their realm in the Everlife.

            When Tenley and Sloan, a friend in the facility, escape they get a chance to see what each realm has to offer. On the run, Tenley finds herself stuck between a fight for her soul. But who can she really trust? What choice will she make if the realm she is leaning towards isn't the one where the boy she's falling for lives? Tenley is determined to make a decision for herself but will she be able to keep herself alive to make the decision?

            
             I liked this book so I gave it 3 and a half out of 5 stars. I think the whole idea of the Everlife and the realms was an extremely interesting idea and plot for a story. But the part that confused me the most was I never really felt like I knew the definite reason why Tenley wanted to be so resistant. I get maybe wanting to find your own future but she had the choice of choosing which realm to enter into, yet she was so  against choosing either side. That's a big thing that kind of bothered me was how stubborn she was. It was hard to connect with her character. Most of all though I did like the whole plot to the story and how the author created this unique way of living in these two lives. There also was some romance in this book, but it definitely was not all the story was about. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.  



Forget Tomorrow~ Reviewed by Hailey Hinrichs

 

 

 

 

          In a world where your future has already been decided for you, Callie anxiously awaits her 17th birthday to see what her destiny holds for her. But when she sees that her future only holds trouble, she's dumbstruck watching her future self kill her little sister. Shortly after, she's placed in Limbo which is a prison for future criminals.

          When she escapes from Limbo, she tries to change events to alter her future so she doesn't end up taking her sister's life. In trying to run from the government and hoping she can change the future, she sets up events that she hopes will create a new future. If she can't, she will have to find a way to save her sister from the biggest threat of her life; herself. 

            I really enjoyed this book so I gave it 4 stars. I really enjoyed how Callie progressed throughout the book and her actions. I really like Dunn's choice of writing and how she didn't rush the events to get through the book. I liked that each event was very well thought out to help the progression of the book. What I loved most about the book was the dystopian society and being able to see your future right before you. That is extremely interesting to think about because I know a lot of people want to see how their future will play out and what direction they should go in. All in all I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to any of my friends.



Above -- Reviewed by Paige Espinosa

          Imagine being abducted from a fair with you whole town right there but no one notices you leaving. Blythe Hallowell is taken from her small town's annual Horse Thieves Picnic by the school's weird, survivalist librarian, who she learns has been planning on keeping her hidden and safe from the impending apocalypse. This is the story of Blythe's life hidden underground in an abandoned missile silo, kept by a mad man, and of how she comes to find her way back above.
     I gave this  book three and a half out of five stars because it was good, I just had a hard time really getting into it. It was definitely original and unlike most books I've read though which I really liked. I really liked how no main character was really truly likable or totally despicable. Even Dobbs- a crazy kidnapping madman- wasn't all bad. He was really just wrong in the head because his intentions were, arguably, good. Blythe starts going a little bit crazy underground and by the end she isn't anything close to the sweet sixteen year old that got kidnapped; she's a thirty-something year old woman who lost her whole childhood and had her future dreams crushed as well, which made me not even like her character's attitude and thoughts at time. I would recommend this to anyone who wanted to read a new, original dystopian novel.

The Ask and The Answer - Reviewed by Maggie Devero

Chaos Walking Series; Book #2

The Ask and The Answer by Patrick Ness

Reviewed by Maggie Devero

What is one supposed to do when their safe Haven....doesn't end up being that safe after all?

In this continuation of Chaos Walking trilogy, Todd and Viola have made it to their destination; a city called Haven in which they are supposed to find safety from the impending army of Prentisstown, and welcome the next set of settlers from the Old World into their new life. But even before they manage a step into this place, it's already not what it's supposed to be: Mayor Prentiss has beat them there and removed the old leader from his position, declaring himself the Mayor of NEW Prentisstown, and even better yet the PRESIDENT of the entire New World. Todd and Viola are separated, and must face their own struggles separately. Viola learns the trade of being a healer, and also how Mistress Coyle the head healer, is plotting against Mayor Prentiss as her old position of leader of revolutionary group the Answer. Todd is forced to work for Mayor Prentiss alongside the Spackle, original inhabitants of the New World and slaves of the settlers, doing hard labor and realizing just how much they hate their masters. He eventually works his way to right-hand-man of Mayor Prentiss, just as Viola joins ranks with the Answer to take him down. The two believe they have joined opposite sides, and must act accordingly. But once reunited, everything changes, and takes another turn for the worse....

Aaaaaand I'm back with the review for the second amazing book in this trilogy.  As expected, this book was just as amazingly written as the first; none of that second book let down I have experienced a lot in the past. As before, the writing style just absorbs you into the New World, right into Haven/New Prentisstown and all the changes they're having to adapt to, due to horrible Mayor Prentiss. The POV of the story goes back and forth between Todd and Viola, accentuating the separation of the two and the different sides they've taken. I also really like the way Ness plays these two together; in need of one another, but hasn't brought it completely into the romantic spectrum yet. God forbid he's almost making me want a romance between the two, hinting at it like he does, but not making the whole story rely on the fact that they are romantically involved with each other. Love it. I also adore how completely different the setting is from the first book to this one. The first in the swamps, and then to an actual civilization in this book. The contrast between the two and how they affect the story is striking. I cannot explain how much I'm loving this series...I've already worked my way into the final book before even posting this review! If you've read the first book, and loved it continue on, my friend. A great adventure awaits you. Five stars without a doubt.

Under The Never Sky Reviewed by Paige Espinosa

     Reverie is a secure, well-guarded bubble, protecting its inhabitants from the outside world, known as the Death Shop, because of all the different ways to die. Aria is just living her normal life until she finds herself kicked out of Reverie and living outside in the Death Shop, trying to survive with an outsider who is just as unhappy about being stuck with her as she is about being stuck with him. 

     I gave this book three out of five stars because it took forever to get into but by the end it was alright. The characters weren't super intriguing and the big "plot twist" at the end wasn't as shocking as the author probably thought it would be. I wish the author had been clearer about her description of the world in this book because even now, I have absolutely no idea what the Aether is even though it was a big deal in the book. Sometimes I would be sure that this world was a future version of our own world but then things like the Aether would confuse me and make me wonder if maybe this world wasn't actually like Earth but something completely made up. There are more books in this series but I'm not planning on reading them. Some girls might really like this book, every single chapter is half awkward romantic/sexual tension and half macho-wilderness-survival. Honestly, I'm just getting tired of these types of books and wondering about their dental hygiene the whole time they're making out... 

Inhuman- Reviewed by Paige Espinosa

     Delaney Park McEvoy is just your average teenager growing up after a plague that wiped out the Eastern half of The United States. The giant wall separating the West from the East is a regular sight for her, she attends classes online to prevent spreading germs among other students and she dresses up to impress boys with her best friend, Annapolis. That is, she was normal until biohazard agents crashed a party she was attending and seized her to test for possible contamination with the Ferae virus.
     Ferae is a virus that has evolved over the years after the initial epidemic of plague. Now, humans living on the East side of the wall who are infected with Ferae don't just die, they mutate into feral animals, intent on mauling every other human in its path- or so the government says.
     I gave this book four out of five stars because it was well-written, a quick-read, and interesting and engaging from the first page to the last. I enjoyed how one of the boys involved in a budding love triangle acknowledged this development and decided he was out of it, there would be no love triangle. (However, later on there is still a love triangle; I wish it would have ended there and then when Rafe declared we wouldn't be a part of it.) I also had a few moments where the Ferae virus seemed so ridiculous I wished they were just zombies instead. Tiger-men and men with tusks just pushed the envelope to the brink for me and "manimals" pushed it too far. ("Manimals" are people infected with Ferae who are mutating but aren't feral yet. It also makes me think of Pillow Pets and it sounds like something that would be advertised on late night television for "just $19.95 plus shipping and handling!" The term the author used was just too comical for me at points during the book.) Despite my dislike for the ridiculously far-fetched apocalyptic premise, by the end of the book I really loved the characters and even loved a "manimal" that I couldn't stand when it first debuted in the book. Overall, it was an amazing book that I would definitely tell others to read!