Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

 

Summary:

 

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent, Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Ally Condie's Matched. 

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 368 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: September 25th 2012 by Random House

 

Time travel, dystopian, romance, young adult those were the key words that made me want to read this book. Well, those words and the fact that it came pretty highly recommended by Kimba @ Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

 

Anyways I'm always wanting to read more books written by Canadian authors so when I found out that this novel was written by a Canadian author I made sure that I put my library hold to active so I could get my hands on this one even faster.

 

Yesterday was an entirely unique read and in a book world where so many books are similar in plot it's awesome to come across one that is so refreshingly different. C.K. Kelly Martin was able to create a wonderfully unique plot line with an awesome and seldom used time setting.

 

The book follows Freya a young girl from the future who is sent back in time with her younger sister and mother shortly after there is an epidemic that claims the life of Freya's brother and caused her father to be left behind. However, Freya has no real recollection of the life she led before she landed in Toronto in the year 1985. She has the memories but they feel as though she never really lived them. Despite the holes in her memory she begins to adjust to life in Canada until she sees Garren and something tells her she knows him. From there the novel takes us on a wild ride where we find Freya and Garren running for their lives trying to keep their hands to themselves and trying to find a way to have a future together.

 

For me my favourite thing about the book overall was that it was set in Toronto where I was born, raised and still live in. While the book takes place in 1985 (5 years before I was born) there are some references to locations that I recognized like streets, shops and even the odd bus stop and that really endeared this young adult novel to me. I have no idea why but this city is so seldom used in novels it makes it even more especially when it is used and the fact that the author is actually from this city and grew up in the time period made the book's setting all that much more authentic and I really enjoyed reading about my city.

 

The characters were interesting too while I didn't adore Freya and Garren I did like them. For me Freya was a little too unsure of herself in a lot of situations or she was too confident so it felt as though she had a bit of a split personality disorder. I did like that she was willing to get to the truth about who she, her family and Garren really are and why she things are not what they really seemed.  Garren though was probably my least favourite character. I thought that he was really rude, sometimes cruel in the way he said things and I didn't appreciate the way he treated Freya as an inconvenience for much of the novel. He just didn't sit well with me even after he begins to remember Freya from his past I just couldn't connect to him. Plus, I wish that the author had made Freya and all the other characters a little more detailed I would have liked to have gotten to know them better and I think that would have helped bring the story line together more.

 

The book was a little bit slow at first but it sure sped up and sometimes I was left grasping at straws because things would happen in the novel so quickly that I was left baffled and had to go back and re-read a few pages here and there. The plot was interesting though. I went into the book expecting it to be the typical dystopian book but it turned out it wasn't like that at all in fact to me this novel wasn't much of a dystopian read but I suppose that depends on the reader. To me this was just more of a light sci-fi read. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns in the plot that kept me reading. I never knew what going to happen next and what really hooked me on the book was one big surprise character in the end of the book and I have to say when that character was introduced I fell hard for the story itself and I give huge kudos to the author for adding that character in. I also liked learning about how and why Freya and Garren were placed almost 100 years in the past but I wished that more detail had been used to explain it all. I liked the mixture of romance, science fiction, with a bit of mystery that the author wove into this novel and I thought she wrote a really successful book. The way the book ended also made me wonder if there is a sequel to this book in the works because I have a lot of questions left unanswered.

 

I would recommend this to novel to fans of young adult romances with a sci-fi/dystopian twist. It's a unique read and it's one that I think shouldn't be missed. The author is a fresh voice in this genre and I hope she writes more book this. I for one am going to be reading as many books as I can by this author because she's wonderfully talented!

 

Liked it!
★ ★ ★ 1/2 

 

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A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis

 

Summary:

 

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 386 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: January 10th 2012 by Razorbill

 

Last year I picked up Across the Universe and really loved it and I'd been waiting to finally read the second book A Million Suns for ages before I read it a couple weeks ago.

 

This book picked up 3 months or so after the the ending of Across the Universe which is just where it needed to start off. I thought it was great to get back into the world on the ship Godspeed because to be honest I've really missed the author's writing.

 

Since the first book left off, Amy is trying to adjust to life as she now knows it. She is so different from those on the ship with her and her only ally is Elder, the teenage leader of the ship who took power in the first book.

 

In this book there was a lot more suspense in it than the first one and it was drawn out through the entire novel and I loved that about it. Often in YA fiction the authors do not carry out suspense very well and it ends far too soon and is altogether anti climatic. However, Revis in my opinion did an outstanding job of creating a suspenseful plot.

 

I think that while I enjoyed the first book a lot that the author really did hit her stride with this one. The plot was a lot stronger and better paced than that of the first novel and a lot of the questions I had while I was reading Across the Universe and ones I had after I finished reading it were answered in A Million Suns. However, now I have a whole bunch of questions that I hope the third book will finally answer for me.

 

This book had a lot more violence, intrigue and romance than the first book because now Elder is the leader of the people on Godspeed and the relationship between Amy and he seems to go up and down like a bloody roller coaster. One moment their getting closer and the next events on the ship are tearing them apart turning the book into a bit of an angsty read but I enjoyed that part of it. I'm not a huge fan of "perfect" love stories where everyone gets along and everything is grand and wonderful. The emotions of the book were very real which I think is extremely important.

 

A huge mystery was solved in this book and one would think that that would solve the problems Amy and Elder are facing on the rapidly deteriorating ship Godspeed a whole other can of worms is inevitably opened and it will be very interesting to see where the book goes from here.

 

The only big problem I had with the book was how Elder treated Amy sometimes. It is his fault that she was brought out of cryo-stasis because he thought she was beautiful but in this book he seems to blame her a lot for the discord their relationship causes amongst the people of Godspeed who believe Amy is a freak and he goes so far as to call her one as well. In my opinion he has absolutely no right to be like that with her and if it were me in Amy's place I would have decked him long ago. Instead, I found Amy to be a little to deferential to Elder it was as though the pain he caused her was alright just because he had a lot of responsibility. I felt that Amy had lost a wee bit of the fiery personality that she had in the first book and I hope that she regains that strength in the next book.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed finally reading the second book in this series and I would highly recommend this series to all those who enjoy sci-fi ya romances that aren't too....science fiction-y. If that makes sense. Even if you aren't a fan of the sci-fi genre this series is a great read and if you've read the first one and haven't read A Million Suns yet I highly advise doing so soon. I can't wait to see where the next book leads and I'm glad that book three will be released in January.

 

Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

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Wheels by Lorijo Metz

 

Summary:

WHEELS is a sci-fi adventure filled with mystery and romance—a coming-of-age tale that proves it takes more than super powers to save a planet.

McKenzie Wu doesn’t know her great-great grandmother married an alien or that her great-great-great uncle is alive and systematically eliminating a race of beings on a tiny planet light years away—she has enough to worry about. Molecules keep rearranging themselves to suit her slightest wish, but only at the most inconvenient times. If that weren't enough, she’s been dreaming about an accident; one she’s had no memory of until now and, if true, means McKenzie is responsible for her mother’s death.

When McKenzie stumbles upon a portal, transporting her and her friend Hayes to the tiny planet of Circanthos, she learns the inhabitants believe she is the “One” destined to save them from H.G. Wells, a name that sounds strangely familiar, and his Tsendi warriors. But while her newfound ability might give her superhero status back on Earth, halfway across the galaxy it’s commonplace—all Circanthians can particle-weave—and if they can’t stop H.G. Wells, what can she hope to do?

With the portal closed and no idea how to get home, McKenzie must learn to use a power she does not want and accept her mysterious past, or risk losing everything—her father’s love, her new alien friends and the boy.
Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 328 pages
Source: Review Copy
Publication Date: July 22nd 2012

This was another one of those surprisingly good reads that I've been encountering more and more frequently lately and I absolutely love that. Nothing is better than going into a book interested and curious then finding out that you're enjoying a book more than you thought you might.

What impressed me the most about Wheels was the extreme amount of details that the author Lorijo Metz was able to incorporate into her novel. Since this is a sci-fi novel I knew going into it that there would be a fair amount of world building but I didn't expect it to work so cohesively with the plot, I loved that about it though because I really enjoy when authors make such a huge effort on that front. I enjoy learning as much as I can about the world that the story is set in because if you have crappy world building skills then your story just doesn't work as well. Lucky me though, because Lorijo had a real knack for this.

As much as I loved the world building and how impressed I was by it, my favourite thing about the novel over all was Mckenzie Wu. Rarely do you find a YA novel with a wheelchair bound teenager as the saviour of an entire world. I thought that was pretty kick ass because of that unique aspect and because maybe it will open up the eyes of other readers who may in turn one day pen their own novels with diverse characters like McKenzie. I was so glad Mckenzie was such a strong character though and I loved her whole attitude towards everything.

Just because she was in a wheelchair she didn't let it get her down too much, and she wasn't boring  either plus I liked that her relationship with the male lead wasn't a case of insta love and was based more on mutual respect and admiration not just a doddering teen romance.

The alien races were also very well thought out and I was impressed that Lorijo made time to create alien religions and gods into the story. I thought that was a nice added touch because those details gave the aliens as well as the story an added complexity.

Overall this was a well written story with many elements of H.G. Wells's famous novel The Time Machine mixed in just enough without being a complete re-write of the story. There were a couple of grammatical errors in the book but besides that this was a good novel and one that I hope leads Lorijo into writing a series based on it. It definitely has the potential.

If you enjoy young adult novels ad especially young adult novels with a science fiction theme I really recommend reading this book. It's well worth the read.

*I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

 Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

 

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Reluctant Protector (Protectors #1) by Nana Malone

Summary:

For five years, Cassie Reeser has been her brother’s personal lab rat. Peter’s experiments have made her a stronger, faster, better human. And she’s not the only one – he’s been experimenting on others as well. For five years, escape has eluded her. Until now. When she finds out he plans to sell her as a human weapon she knows it’s now or never. To make her escape she’ll sacrifice family bonds and leave behind the one person who’s ever helped her. Cassie’s learned to shrink from kindness and to never trust anyone. She knows the day Peter finally captures her will be the day she dies. To elude her brother and save the others, she’ll have to risk her body and her heart. What she doesn't expect is a chance at a normal life.

Seth Adams is used to sifting through lies to find the truth. As a former war correspondent he knows what evils lurk in the world. When he finds Cassie hiding out in his car trunk, her story sounds like a fantastical dream. But, before long, he witnesses firsthand what she’s talking about when they’re attacked by a group of Peter’s soldiers. As a result, he goes through his own transformation into a super human and realizes the extent of what Cassie is running from. Cassie might not think she needs his protection, but he’ll die before he lets her brother have her back.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 97 pages (e-book)

Source: Kindle freebie

Publicaiton Date: December 28th 2011 by Nana Malone

This was another one of the books that I read for my Goodreads group's 24 hour read-a-thon a few weeks ago and I actually went into this one thinking it wouldn't be that good, mostly because I was still down about having read A Dixie Christmas by Sandra Hill which I had finished just before reading this one.

But, the book turned out to be much better than I thought it would be. I really liked the sci-fi aspect to the novel. I thought it was refreshing in a world of paranormal romances (which I still adore). I thought the whole concept was actually really good and Cassie is definitely a strong female character and I like the fact that she's taking on the alpha role which I'm finding in my pursuit of books is a rarity in a lot of romance stories.

While the book was very short (97 pages) I thought it was really well written and Nana Malone managed to create a great story that has some steamy bits. Its perfect for those looking for a shorter read with a little bit of a twist while retaining the steamier bits.

I would have no issue recommending this book to fans of romance especially those that like it with a bit of a sci-fi twist because this one was really well written given the shortness of it. Though be prepared for a cliffhanger ending. The good news is that you won't have long to wait because according to the author's reply to one of my tweets, the second book in the series is set to release on June 5th.

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★ ★ ★