Feed

Feed
by M. T. Anderson


In a future world where internet connections feed directly into the consumer’s brain, thought is supplemented by advertising banners, and language has gone into a steep decline, a little love story unfolds. Titus, an average kid on a weekend trip to the moon, meets Violet, a brainy girl who has decided to try to fight the feed. Assaulted by a hacker who interrupts their connection, they struggle to understand what has happened to them – and to everyone around them. -Back o' the Book

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this book. I've read it more times than I can remember and just thinking about it makes me want to read it again. It takes some time to get used to the jargon used in the futuristic setting but after a while it starts to make sense.

This book is all about consumerism and the degradation of language and writing (most kids growing up don't know how to write with their hands, thanks to their feed they are connected to). I found this book to be a warning sign for the direction we as a nation and as a species are heading to. Very powerful stuff if you stop to think about it and not just read the words. I've forced my sister to read this and now she is in love with it too and rereads it occasionally.

The one downside to it is the amount of foul language ridden throughout the book, although it's just another example of the degradation of society that takes place.

-Highly Recommended

Willow

Willow
by Julia Hoban


Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow's parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy, one sensitive, soulful boy, discovers Willow's secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the "safe" world Willow has created for herself upside down. -Back o' the Book

The subject of this book is very sensitive but I like reading books like that. I have to say, however, that the characters and the way it was written was a little too dramatic for me. Not even the good kind of dramatic but the middle school "my life is horrible" kind of stuff. Willow did go through a lot and she was justified in her pain but after a while I wanted to smack her and tell her to accept the help and get better. I know I'm a hypocrite when I say that but maybe if the characters were more mature I would be a little more forgiving.

It was an alright book. Definitely for a younger group (just not too young). I don't think I would recommend it to many people, but who knows, you may just love it.

If I Stay

If I Stay
by Gale Forman


In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands. - Back o' the Book

I thought this book had a very interesting premise, it reminded me of The Lovely Bones, which I should also do a review on. I was curious how the author would pace it since Mia is almost dead and just floating around but she brought you back to many flashbacks of her life. I would say this was beautifully written and hard to put down. The main character was very different from most female leads to see in Young Adult novels. It is pretty sad in some areas and I found myself torn, just like her, about whether she should stay or go.

I would recommend this to older YA readers since there are some gory scenes and death is a bit of a touchy subject.

-Recommended

Ashes

Ashes
by Ilsa J. Bick

     An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
     Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. 
     For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human. -Back o' the Book

     This book had me gripped from the first page. I seriously did not want to put this one down. I was careful to try and not read it right before bed because it is a little creepy. I wasn't totally sold on the book description but once I realized what it was all about, I knew this was my kind of book!
     The main character was someone I could relate to and I liked the fact that she can really take care of herself (especially since her cop father taught her all the right things about guns and how to handle them). This is the first in a trilogy which I thought strange because most post-apocalyptic book don't have sequels for obvious reasons. I can say that I can't wait for the next book to come out in a few months because I really became emotionally invested in the characters and their story. One of my favorites!

-Recommended

Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick

     For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. 
     With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. 
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
- Back o' the Book

     I've been in a reading frenzy these last couple weeks but so far this is my favorite! Filled with great characters and a best friend that actually made me laugh, this book was hard to put down. I probably digested the thing in about four hours and I'm definitely going for book 2. Some scenes between Nora and bad boy Patch had my heart all a flutter like I was in the book.
     I thought it was going to be mostly romantic and teen angst but there is a good amount of mystery in there that kept me guessing the whole time, not ever positive of who to trust (much like poor Nora). Especially well written, I'd say this is one hot novel that really got my blood boiling, in a good way. *wink wink*

-Recommended

Wake

Wake
by Lisa McMann

     For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
     She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.
     Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant... 
- Back o' the Book

     I thought this one was very well written and easy to read. The writing style was different in a way that it seemed like quick thoughts coming from Janie's mind. It zipped by but held my attention. I was pulled through this story as fast paced as it was and I really enjoyed it. It seemed not too far fetched and I really liked Janie's character.
     Very quick, very engrossing. I do believe I will be getting the next book in the series.

-Recommended

Juliet Immortal

Juliet Immortal
by Stacy Jay

The most tragic love story in history . . . 
     Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But Romeo didn't anticipate that Juliet would be granted eternal life, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light.
     For 700 years, Juliet has struggled to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent, while Romeo has fought for the dark side, seeking to destroy the human heart. Until now.
     Now Juliet has found her own forbidden love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy their happiness.  - Back o' the Book

     As a fan of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, I couldn't help but get this. I was never much into Romeo but it was written so beautifully that it became an instant favorite. This book is much much later. The premise was interesting but the execution was not what I has expected. There were interesting characters all very diverse in personality and voice and it kept me guessing.
     I could almost say there were a little too many twists or "rules" to the book. I can't exactly explain that because there is a whole intricate system of the "higher beings" in the book that was very confusing and not much light was shed on the subject. I think it made for a good read and if you're a fan of romance then this would be a nice addition to your collection.

-Recommended