Swans & Klons

 

Swans & Klons

Nora Olsen

ISBN: 978-1-60282-874-2

4 Stars

*This is an uncorrected galley I received from NetGalley*

Rubric has lived for sixteen years without questioning her pampered way of life or the way of life for those, called Klons, that serve humans. When the girl she is dating, Salmon Jo, takes her on an adventure to the laboratory where human and Klon fetuses are made, they learn a secret so horrifying that they take drastic measures to change Society. Those who rule, the Doctor’s, will try to stop them and with no help from teachers or friends they have to depend solely on their love for each other as they run for their lives.

The solitary complaint is that I felt that more depth was needed in the explanation of Society.  I am not sure if this is going to be part of a series or not, so maybe it will be touched on more thoroughly in future installments.

So far, in my reading experience, this is a unique plot and I always enjoy running into that.  This is another novel with a strong female protagonist, even if she doubted herself. Rubric and Salmon Jo both have a lot of personality and complement each other perfectly.  The minor characters all fit the story nicely and it doesn’t feel overcrowded. Pacing in this one is quick and easily flows from page to page. (This could easily be read in one sitting.) There’s not a lot of action but it isn’t necessary since the story is interesting enough to hold attention. This is a great novel for teens (and a lot of adults too) since it is a story about self identity and getting to know and appreciate oneself. If there are more books to follow I will pick them up without question and I recommend this one.

Ex-Patriots

 

Ex- Patriots

Peter Clines

ISBN: 978-0-8041-3659-4

This is a sequel in a series so please keep that in mind while reading this review.

*I won this book through library thing*

4 Stars

As the heroes continue to protect the citizens of the Mount from the plague of ex-humans the fact of their dwindling supplies weighs heavily on their minds. It seems the Army, bringing the hope of a rescue that they have all been waiting for, shows up in the nick of time.  Even better is the fact that there is a secret base in Arizona and that base is protected by a platoon of super- soldiers. Unfortunately for them to all work together they first must confront the dark secret at the heart of the base and fight an even darker enemy.

Getting my complaints out of the way in the beginning seems to work best. First, there are a lot of minor characters to keep track of. After awhile some seemed to just all blend up together in a glob. Luckily they were only minor characters and easily separated from more vital ones. Second, it took me a little while to get into it.  That is really just a side not since that was only for the first quarter or so of the novel. It worried me since I really liked Ex-Heroes.

The characters’ unique personalities have to be the biggest positive. The heroes are so different but they work so well together. Their weaknesses are also more apparent which only makes them seem more vivid and either likable or not.  Of course the action is another major positive point. There is no shortage of nail biting fight scenes and they are so well described that I could easily imagine it all in my head as I read along.  As a zombie fan I will always appreciate when someone does something unique with the genre and the author pulls that off again. I absolutely recommend this novel. If you haven’t read Ex-Heroes….what are you waiting for?

YA Icons Tour!

I attended the event at the University Place WA library last night. If you get a chance to catch the tour you will have an absolute blast!

Poison

Rest In Peace Bridget Zinn!
I read this book because I had heard the author's story and was happy to find that my library had a copy. (I will be buying a copy) Reading about the remarkable woman who wrote this novel is inspirational and I know that I will think of her often.
Poison is a book that is fun to read and hard to put down. The characters are lovable,humorous and their relationships work so well with the story line. There's action, adventure, and romance along with a very strong female protagonist.
Closing this book was bittersweet but I am so glad that I read it. I really, really recommend this one!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

This is another novel that I am so glad I picked up. I went into it not knowing much about it and was blown away.  I honestly did not want to put it down...ever.  Standing in the check out lane at Walmart last night it was out of my bag and in my hands. Most people waking up at 4am for no reason would try to go back to sleep, but not me; it was time to read some more. Instead of my continuing to gush I will tell you the thing I loved the most. Whenever a novel goes into the historical realm I don't focus on the major events but the little things that tend to be overlooked.  There were a few minute details that the author added that excited me just as much as the amazing characters, incredible plot and realistic relationships. Needless to say...I recommend this book!!!