THE AWAKENING by Kelley Armstrong – REVIEW

 

HarperCollins – April 28, 2009

Reading book 1 in this trilogy, THE SUMMONING, is recommended before reading THE AWAKENING.

Chloe Saunders can see ghosts.  She can also raise the dead – mostly without meaning to.  After being sent to Lyle House because her dad thought she was unstable (see THE SUMMONING), she found out that it was just a front for the Edison Group – a corporation that studies paranormal activity.  Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Rae escape in hopes of finding Derek and Simon’s dad and putting a stop to the Edison Group’s evil plans.  Freedom doesn’t last long though.  Chloe is captured and forced to reveal the location of Simon and Derek when THE AWAKENING begins.

After regaining her freedom and being reunited with her friends, Chloe begins to learn more about her powers while staying one step ahead of the Edison Group.  Simon, Derek, and Chloe learn some very disturbing information about their genetic makeup and struggle to come up with a plan to bring down the people responsible.  In addition to the struggles she is already dealing with, Chloe is faced with a massive betrayal. 

With the help of an unexpected ally, Chloe and her friends move one step closer to taking down the Edison group.  She realizes there is no way she will ever be able to return to her old life and that she is going to have to find a way to make this new one work.  Chloe’s relationship with Derek becomes stronger, but it is still unclear what is going on with her and Simon.  It will be interesting to see if there is a romantic element in the future and how the brothers will handle it if there is.

THE RECKONING is the third and final book in the Darkest Powers  Trilogy.  Readers will be clamoring for it to find out how everything turns out for Chloe and her friends.

Visit “Chloe’s” blog for a free novella about Simon and Derek and events leading up to their arrival at Lyle House.  It is being written in serial form.  Kelley Armstrong is posting a section on the 1st and 15th of every month.  When it is complete it will be transferred to the locker section of “Chloe’s” website. 

The Summoning
(Darkest Powers, Book 1)

The Awakening
(Darkest Powers, Book 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LORD OF MISRULE by Rachel Caine – REVIEW- Possible Series Spoilers

 

 

NAL Jam (Penguin) – January 6, 2009

Be aware that you will need to read the other books in the series in order to fully understand the world of the Morganville Vampire Series.

Glass Houses
Dead Girls’ Dance
Midnight Alley
Feast of Fools
Lord of Misrule

 

LORD OF MISRULE picks up right where FEAST OF FOOLS leaves off.   Bishop is in town and Morganville is on fire. Vampires are choosing sides and the humans are using the confusion to rally together and try for a take over themselves.  Claire, Shane, Michael, and Eve have their hands full and danger is around every corner.  

Amelie gives everyone a job.  Eve goes with Oliver to Common Grounds to protect the valuable territory, Michael heads to the University to protect the thousands of clueless students, Claire is set to go with Amelie to rescue Myrnin, and Shane is going to drive the Blood Mobile around to keep it and an important book out of Bishop’s hands.  Just making it through the night is going to be tough.  

LORD OF MISRULE lives up to the expectations of the others in the Morganville Vampire Series.  There is non-stop suspense, heartwarming romance, and great vampire action.  Rachel Caine has done an excellent job keeping the action going through each and every one of the installments in this series.  You’ll be chomping at the bit to get your hands on the next one, CARPE CORPUS, which is due for release on June 2, 2009.

At about 240 pages and $6.99 each, these books are accessible to everyone.  If you haven’t started the series yet, be sure to get GLASS HOUSES today.  You will be addicted on page 1.

Lord of Misrule
(The Morganville Vampires, Book 5)

 

HUNGER (GONE BOOK 2) by Michael Grant – REVIEW

 

 

 

Things aren’t getting any easier in the FAYZ (Fall-out Alley Youth Zone) since the big Thanksgiving Battle against Caine and the other Coates Academy kids.  In fact, everything seems to be going from bad to worse.  Sam, the appointed leader of Perdido Beach, is feeling the pressure of all the day to day decisions.  The biggest problem that everyone is facing is starvation.  With the fear and confusion that followed the disappearance of everyone 15 and over, the kids that were left did what they wanted – including eating what they wanted. Nothing was done to preserve food for the future, so meats and vegetables went bad, leaving food in short supply.  The kids in Perdido Beach and Coates Academy are left eating what canned food is left.  One day it might be asparagus for breakfast, wax beans for lunch, and hot dog relish for dinner.  No one is in good spirits and when Caine recovers from his encounter with The Darkness and makes another move for power, things only get worse.

Sam is suffering from all the stress, Little Pete’s powers are getting scarier every day, some of the kids that haven’t developed powers are beginning to start trouble, and important people are switching sides.  Danger is at its all time high.  Death seems imminent.  

Michael Grant has produced a very satisfying sequel.  The tension and excitement in the story is palpable.  Character development continues to be a strong point.  The new characters that are introduced add to the plot, but our favorites from GONE continue to play a large role in the story.  HUNGER is the second book in a six-part series.  Michael Grant is currently working on the third which will be titled LIES.  HUNGER will be released June 2009, but be sure to read GONE first, you’ll need the backstory to really appreciate the sequel.

 

GONE by Michael Grant

As a fan of apocalyptic science fiction, I was very excited to read GONE by Michael Grant. 

In the blink of an eye, everyone over the age of fourteen disappears.  POOF!  Teachers in the middle of a lesson, mothers preparing their babies’ bottles, people driving down the road – all just GONE!  Panic begins to spread and no one knows what to do.  Sam, who proved himself a hero in the past, is automatically given the role of leader in Perdido Beach or the FAYZ as it becomes known. 

Sam, together with Astrid, her autistic brother Little Petey, Quinn, and Edilio  begin to attempt to piece together what happened.  They eventually discover a transparent barrier surrounding the area and the power plant at its center.  The barrier forms a ten mile radius around the plant.  It is painful to the touch and there don’t appear to be any openings. 

On top of being forced to care for themselves, Sam and the others must make sure that the young children are cared for.  Several people take up the task of caring for the babies and toddlers at the day care.  One young man even inventories stock and continues to run the local McDonalds so people can come in for something to eat.  Everyone is nervous, but things seem to be under control – until the kids from Coates Academy show up.

Coates Academy is the prestigious boarding school up the hill from Perdido Beach.  The Coates Academy leader is Caine and he makes it very clear that he intends to take charge of the town.  Things start to take a turn for the worse shortly after Caine takes charge.   Bullies are the ones running the town and many don’t feel safe.

Three other things are causing everyone to feel scared:

1) Some of the kids are gaining powers.  Some can heal wounds, others can move things around with their mind, and some develop super speed.
2) Animals are mutating.  There are seagulls with talons, coyotes that can talk, and cats that can teleport from place to place.
3) Once you hit your fifteenth birthday (exactly to the minute you were born) you POOF!

It’s a frightening world.  Bullies against the weak; Rich kids against the townies.  Lines are drawn and sides are chosen and everyone prepares for battle.  If you enjoy science fiction or liked LORD OF THE FLIES , this is a book for you.  Don’t let the length scare you off because it is definately worth the read.  My only complaint is the ending.  It leaves you with many unanswered questions.  Nothing was really solved.  Michael Grant has said that he plans this to be a six book series and is finishing up book #2 now.  He intends for a book to be released every summer until the series is complete.

 

GONE by Michael Grant

As a fan of apocalyptic science fiction, I was very excited to read GONE by Michael Grant. 

In the blink of an eye, everyone over the age of fourteen disappears.  POOF!  Teachers in the middle of a lesson, mothers preparing their babies’ bottles, people driving down the road – all just GONE!  Panic begins to spread and no one knows what to do.  Sam, who proved himself a hero in the past, is automatically given the role of leader in Perdido Beach or the FAYZ as it becomes known. 

Sam, together with Astrid, her autistic brother Little Petey, Quinn, and Edilio  begin to attempt to piece together what happened.  They eventually discover a transparent barrier surrounding the area and the power plant at its center.  The barrier forms a ten mile radius around the plant.  It is painful to the touch and there don’t appear to be any openings. 

On top of being forced to care for themselves, Sam and the others must make sure that the young children are cared for.  Several people take up the task of caring for the babies and toddlers at the day care.  One young man even inventories stock and continues to run the local McDonalds so people can come in for something to eat.  Everyone is nervous, but things seem to be under control – until the kids from Coates Academy show up.

Coates Academy is the prestigious boarding school up the hill from Perdido Beach.  The Coates Academy leader is Caine and he makes it very clear that he intends to take charge of the town.  Things start to take a turn for the worse shortly after Caine takes charge.   Bullies are the ones running the town and many don’t feel safe.

Three other things are causing everyone to feel scared:

1) Some of the kids are gaining powers.  Some can heal wounds, others can move things around with their mind, and some develop super speed.
2) Animals are mutating.  There are seagulls with talons, coyotes that can talk, and cats that can teleport from place to place.
3) Once you hit your fifteenth birthday (exactly to the minute you were born) you POOF!

It’s a frightening world.  Bullies against the weak; Rich kids against the townies.  Lines are drawn and sides are chosen and everyone prepares for battle.  If you enjoy science fiction or liked LORD OF THE FLIES , this is a book for you.  Don’t let the length scare you off because it is definately worth the read.  My only complaint is the ending.  It leaves you with many unanswered questions.  Nothing was really solved.  Michael Grant has said that he plans this to be a six book series and is finishing up book #2 now.  He intends for a book to be released every summer until the series is complete.