Broken City By D.D. Chant

Broken City

By D.D. Chant

This is book number one in a story about a post-apocalyptic world where families live in tribes in one of the many abandoned buildings left over after something known as, “the crash” happened.  The main characters of this story are Deeta Richards and Tom. Deeta longs to see what is outside of her building because the only ones allowed outside of the compound are soldiers who go out and fight whatever is still out there and Tom is one of those soldiers. Tom is her dearest friend in this new world and although he keeps secret about his life before he was brought to Clark Tribe , Deeta never expected him to have kept the secret he shares with everyone after a kidnapping occurs from her. It is after this kidnapping that her entire life is turned upside down, and changes in a way she never expected it to.

The first half of this story is describing the longing Deeta feels to see the world outside of the tribe, her friendship with Tom, and describing the rules and traditions of the tribe. Although Deeta has her own family she spends a great deal of her time taking after the Jepsjon family that consists of three children, Tom, and the father figure being Professor Jep. Everything in the compound is routine until one night that men in camouflage break into the compound and kidnap Dec Jepsjon while the soldiers who fight outside the compound are gone. When the soldiers return and find that Dec , one of the Jepsjon children, has been taken it is then that Tom shares a family secret with the entire compound, and the tribe is in uproar over it. Soon after the tribe votes to decide if Tom and the remaining Jepsjon family should be allowed to stay in the tribe, the tribe must go out into the city and move to the Marshall tribe for protection against Tom’s secret.  Once the Clark tribe has safely moved into the Marshall compound, the remaining Jepsjon family leaves without saying a word and that same night there is an attack on the Marshalls. Deeta and her sister, Jan, is then taken by the same camouflaged men that took Dec. From this point forward I will keep a secret from you because I do not like to spoil a good story but just know that there is a war, conspiracy, and a new found love within all of it.

Although I was extremely skeptical reading this book, picturing it being similar to a Hunger Games type plot, but changed my mind when I read the first few pages of the book I cannot wait to read the second book and hope that D.D. Chant releases it soon considering Broken City came out in 2010. D.D. Chant had         a few errors that should have been caught in the editing process, but overall is an excellent author and I love how through her descriptions, such as on page 273 when Chant writes the following “The children are listening to one of Uncle Jep’s stories as we enter the flat, it is an idyllic picture: Tarri has again wrapped herself around Uncle Jep and with her head on his shoulder is staring sleepily into the fire. The rest of the children are huddled on the floor, the fire’s warm glow playing over their excited faces.”  With such beautiful imagery I am truly able to visualize everything as if I am Deeta herself.

Katie

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The Breeders By Matthew J. Beier

The Breeders

By Matthew J. Beier

In the future homosexuals are reigning supreme and through genetic manipulation control the sexuality of a child making heterosexuals are only a backup plan in case their plans fail most of them are sterile and only a handful are able to reproduce. Grace is a heterosterile, until she becomes pregnant after an encounter with Dex Wheelock. Now she must fight to save the life of her unborn child.

Some aspects of this book are really interesting, such as how Grace became able to reproduce, but then you have to world in which the author has created in which homosexual men are purely driven by their sexual organs. This book is highly adult with rape and consensual episodes around every corner, literally in some instances.  I think if Matthew J. Beier had integrated a perspective of a homosexual man not in the resistance but going along with the political regime then it would have been easier to relate to this book, as it is I just can’t imagine a world where homosexual men have turned into Nazis and all they care about is sex and destroying every last breeder out there. The afterword is a good touch to the novel itself as it explains some things but the purpose of a good book is to do this through the narration. I do think it’s an interesting concept I just wish it had been a bit more believable than it is. 

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The Moon Dwellers By David Estes Review

The Moon Dwellers

The Dwellers Book One

By David Estes

Humankind was forced into the depths of the earth soon forming a new society called the Tri-realms, with three distinct realms Moon, Star, and Sun. The Moon realm is the furthest into the ground and this is where the “Pen” is. The Pen is a penitentiary and houses anyone who has committed a crime or anyone who may cause crime in Adele’s case since she is sentenced to life imprisonment for something her father did. One day Tristan the son of the President and a sun dweller comes down to the moon realm and as soon as he lays eyes on Adele he feels an over powering connection. But soon a war breaks out amongst the three realms everyone’s life will be irrevocably altered.  

Am I the only person who has caught the similarities between the Mormon’s Three Kingdoms of Heaven and the Tri-realms? I mean the Three Kingdoms of heaven are broken down into the Sun, The Stars, and The Moon Kingdoms. Each one holding a different set of people but since this is the Moon book I will focus there, The Moon realm houses the poorest and the worst people in society; The Kingdom of The Moon is for liars, thieves, and the worst kinds of people. This is not a bad thing the three kingdoms of heaven is a great bases for a story I just can’t believe in all of the reviews I have read No One has pointed it out. The story itself is amazing full of romance and action, David Estes’ is a magnificent writer who is able to bring to life each scene making this a great dystopian novel.  I have to give the author his credit though, not only did he dedicate the book to his wife but he named the main character after her, if that didn’t win him brownie points then I don’t know what would.

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Renegade by J.A. Souders Review

Renegade

The Elysium Chronicles Book One

By J.A. Souders

Evelyn Winters has been bred to be genetically perfect blonde hair blue eyes; she lives in the perfect underwater city known as Elysium. Evelyn has been adopted by Mother and is in training to become the next Mother, ruler of the city. She never questions anything until one day Gavin Hunter falls off a cliff and ends up in Elysium. Evelyn does her best to tend to the surface dwellers wounds and soon comes to realize that this surface dweller is nothing like what Mother has told the people about. With the realization she soon discovers more to this twisted web of deception that Mother has created.

What do you get when you cross an undersea city with a crazy dictator? Nothing but trouble according to the author, and I would have to agree. J.A. Souders creates a complex and beautiful society underneath the ocean then she destroys it with a fearsome villain making this a truly fascinating read. As Evelyn is trying to help Gavin escape Evelyn soon begins to unravel from the perfection she appears to be, to something much more complicated. As her “programming” begins to unravel and she starts to remember her past discovering things about her life that had been replaced with memories Mother wanted her to have. With each character and each scene the author brings to life an intense and captivating novel.

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Memoria. A Corporation of Lies By Alex Bobl Review

Memoria. A Corporation of Lies

By Alex Bobl

In futuristic New York City, Memoria Corporation offers a service that people cannot refuse erasing traumatic memories from a person’s mind.  Frank Shelby comes home one day to find his girlfriend lying strangled in his bed leading him into the maze that is Memoria. He must infiltrate Memoria to clear his name and as he does so he soon stumbles onto something much more heinous.

I love dystopian novels so it would be hard to disappoint me when I pick one up. This one though, stands out amongst the rest not only is it an adult novel (most dystopian novels lately have been geared towards young adults) but it is also plausible. The citizens must wear electronic bracelets that track the persons movements, also people who were born after the great war must have their memories wiped every year by law, add in the big bad monster is a corporation you have an interesting take on what the future could be. I have to say that this novel reminded me a lot of 1984, though with a much better ending, so if you enjoyed that one you will most definitely like this one. All in all it’s a great read full of espionage and conspiracy and the best side of humanity’s survival instinct.

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The Miracle Inspector by Helen Smith Review

The Miracle Inspector

By Helen Smith

In the near future, London has become an oppressive society, one in which women are not allowed out of the home to work or even socialize with other women. Lucas and Angela is a young couple who have become restless in this society, Angela is tired of being a captive in her own home while Lucas is tired of working as the miracle inspector and facing day in and day out of women fabricating miracles just so they can have some company. Soon they decide they will try to escape London throwing them into more conflicts then they had imagined.

Helen Smith writes novels with a wicked sense of humor; anywhere from dark humor to crude nothing is safe when Helen Smith begins a novel. This novel is a little different with a lot less of the absurd content, though it is not what I expected from the author I found myself falling in love with this story. Now granted, I am a sucker for a dystopian novel, but this novel is so realistic it is scary. The women are sheltered from the cruel world and the dangerous men who live in it they are not beaten or abused just sheltered to the point they are not allowed to leave the house. Unlike many dystopian novels this one does not lean towards the extreme or the science fiction making it unique and definitely an interesting read.

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Eve by Anna Carey Review

Eve

Eve Book One

By Anna Carey

Ninety Eight percent of the world’s population has been wiped out by a deadly virus, leaving many children orphans in the aftermath. Eve is one of these orphans, she lost her mother when she was a child and sent to a school where she became the top of her class and the best student they had seen. Eve looks forward to being sent across the lake to the dorms where the graduates will learn a trade, until she discovers that the girls sent to the dorms will never leave instead they are used to breed children, as many as they possibly can at a single time, after her world has been shattered all Eve can think of is escaping.

This is certainly an interesting novel as we travel along with Eve into the true aftermath of a world that has been left decimated. Once Eve escapes and is in the outside world the author truly brings to life a scary possibility full of gangs and the worst form of human nature possible, but she also shows the best side when Eve reunites with a classmate and is saved by a young man we see both sides of the coin, true love and true evil. Not only is Anna Carey able to create a world that you come to fear, and make you fall in love with each character along the way she also manages to pull on your heartstrings at every possible moment, if you are highly sentimental I recommend a box of tissues by your side as you read this novel. This was a fantastic beginning with an unexpected ending ensuring you will continue on Eve’s journey.

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Sneak by Evan Angler Review

Sneak

Book Two of the Swipe Series

By Evan Angler

Logan Langly is searching for his sister, when she was preparing to receive her mark that would make her a true citizen she was “flunked” at the last minute; she was taken from her family and everyone she knew. Logan has come across a lead in search that will take him to one of the worst places imaginable, Acheron, a prison for the markless. As Logan continues on his search he soon becomes part of an underground “river” for the markless who wish to find freedom.

Though I haven’t read the first novel in this series this book was absolutely amazing. The beginning can be a bit confusing if you don’t know what is happening but soon you are wrapped up into a story full of outstanding characters each one bringing a different aspect of this story to life. Though the main story centers around Logan and his sister it also encompasses Peck, the leader of “The Dust” a rebel group of teenagers, who is also searching for Logan’s sister as they had been very close before she went missing and also Erin a marked girl whose father is one of the men sent to track down Logan though she does everything she can to help Logan himself. Each storyline intertwines flawlessly making this an interesting and captivating read.

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Crossed by Ally Condie Review

Crossed

Matched Book Two

By Ally Condie

Cassia is determined to find Ky after he has been taken by the Society into the Outer Provinces where the Society intends for him to be a casualty in the ongoing war. But after Cassia arrives she finds that Ky has already escaped into the mountainous caverns. Along the way she discovers remnants of a society that has survived until now and other startling revelations. Soon her journey is not just about finding Ky but also joining the rebellion in hopes of changing the Society itself.

In this book we find out more about Ky and his past as he relives lost memories that have resurfaced due to being in close proximity to where he has once lived, the life Ky once had is so captivating but we also learn more about Xander and Cassia creating a more diverse love triangle between the three and the reader dying to know who Cassia will chose. This entire novel may not have been as great as the first one, sequels rarely are, but the more the story progresses the more enthralling it becomes. Ally Condie did a remarkable job in expanding the story into so much more, creating two other civilizations to coincide with the Society and adding new dimensions to an already fascinating story.

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1984 by George Orwell Review

Nineteen Eighty-Four

By George Orwell

George Orwell creates a world where the government has complete control and even thinking of something that “Big Brother” does not seem worthy is punishable by torture and or death. Big Brother has complete control of the citizens and alters the information people receive so that they blindly follow whatever is put forth to them. The main character, Winston Smith, dares to defy what he is being told and tries to rebel, unfortunately he lives in a society where you cannot trust anyone and Big Brother is always watching you.

This is definitely a thought provoking novel of blind faith, and the inner workings of the human psyche. What makes children turn on their own parents? What would you do if you were not even allowed to enjoy intercourse? These are just a couple of the questions that George Orwell brings to mind, I am not sure if we could ever truly know the answers to some of the questions that are posed in this novel and I hope we would never have to find out. It was an interesting book and I am glad I read it.  George Orwell was able to capture such a frightening future so realistically some people have begun to believe this story may be prophetic, I myself see it as purely science fiction. This is truly a classic in every sense of the word and I believe it will stand the test of time to scare the daylights out of generations to come.  

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Divergent by Veronica Roth Review

Divergent

Divergent Trilogy Book One

By Veronica Roth

In once was called Chicago the people are divided among five pre-determined factions each one based on a person’s characteristics. But Beatrice Prior has the option of belonging to three of the five she is an anomaly she is divergent, able to manipulate the simulation that is used to determine where she belongs so she has a choice. She chooses Daunted the courageous who push themselves to face their fears in order to protect those around them until the Erudite faction begins to change everything for each of the factions.

It is interesting to think that people could be categorized by their own human behaviors but it is far too unrealistic, no one is enough alike to become an entire colony of people. The factions are inventive however with each one focusing on a set of standards that were used to improve the quality of each person life.  If you can ignore this hiccup it’s not a bad book, well written and the descriptions are so well done you can see yourself in the shambles of what was once a great city. The only other problem I have with this book is that the main character is supposed to become stronger but the way it is written she still seems the same to me hopefully in the next book we will see greater changes.

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The Running Man by Stephen King Review

The Running Man

By Stephen King

Writing as Richard Bachman

In a time where poverty is the norm, Ben Richards is willing to forfeit his life to save his eighteen month old daughter who is dying of influenza. Richards is soon chosen for The Running Man, a reality TV show where everyone is hunting him for a prize. When nowhere is safe and you must survive to earn your prize what would you do to win?

I don’t remember watching this movie but I know if I were to ask my mother she would swear I have seen it, growing up with a Stephen King buff I probably have, but when I first started this book the first thing I thought was Jebus it’s the original Hunger Games, without children killing each other. Ben Richards is an average guy in hard times which makes him highly relatable, well unless you are a spoiled rich kid I guess, and he is just doing his best to support his family which adds into the story a sympathetic dimension. All in all it’s an interesting read; if you are a fan of the dystopian genre then you should definitely pick this one up if you haven’t read it already.

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Children of the Gods by Monica Millard Review

Children of the Gods

By Monica Millard

Every twenty-thirty years the “Gods” come into the village where Reka lives to choose a new host body. Reka tries to blend into the crowd and prays she will not be chosen but unfortunately she is and not just to host any “God” but the queen. When they pull her into the ship that will soon become her home every part of Reka fights back but as they insert the queen into her body she fears it was all for nothing, that is until she wakes and realizes Anaya is the consciousness that lies in the background and she is still in control of herself.

This book starts off a bit slow, there isn’t much action in the entire thing it is a romance as Reka begins to fall in love with the man who is her king, Jaxson. The inner turmoil she must face is the main focus of the story and Monica Millard did a wonderful job the only thing I wish is that when she mentions the flashbacks that Anaya is showing Reka that she would go into more details some of them she just mentions that Anaya did it and moves on. If you are a fan of Stargate then you will love this book they are very similar in some aspects but then very different in others, it is an interesting book and I hope I will be able to read the next book since this one is left with a fantastic cliff hanger!

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Matched by Ally Condie Review

Matched

By Ally Condie

Cassia lives in a world where the Society decides everything even who she can marry and have children with for optimum results. In a world where you are told what you can and cannot eat, where you cannot even run in public Cassia is content but when it comes time to her own match an error occurs she not only sees the face of her childhood best friend but also a boy who is a pariah in the Society, Ky, and should never have been entered into the match. When her grandfather slips her a forbidden poem from his deathbed and she starts to have feelings for Ky, it accumulates and she begins to have strange rebellious feelings towards the Society she has always entrusted.

The perfect Society where you have no choices whatsoever what would it be like to have your entire life broken down into statistics and from those statistics you become completely predictable? What would it be like for someone to be able to find that perfect someone for you and you never have to wonder about whom you will marry you would never even have to worry about divorce because they would be absolutely perfect for you. Allie Condie answers these questions and then brings it to life, yes if you knew nothing else it would seem perfect but when you get a taste of your own freedom what would happen. This was a great book it was well written and believable, you can see yourself in this world and how seemingly perfect it would be. The romance was beautiful and as Cassia deals with her own conflicted feelings the author manages to clearly express them so as we feel them too. I can’t wait until I can read Crossed book two of the Matched series and we can go on adventure with Cassia that I truly hope will not disappoint.

 

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Pure by Julianna Baggott Review

Pure

By Julianna Baggott

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Detonations had left people Fused with objects or even other people Pressia stumbles upon a young man who is known as a Pure. Being Pure is a reference to those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked by living in a dome that protected them from the Detonations. Partridge is the only person in the history of the dome to have escaped its confines as he sets out to find his mother. After Pressia finds him she begins helping the boy and is pulled down into a strange series of events that will forever intertwine her fate with Partridge’s.

Julianna Baggott has created a fascinating and strange world where people and object become one. It is a very unique and intriguing look at a post-apocalyptic scenario. This story is full of growth and learning to accept yourself for each of your own flaws. The descriptions are spot on to bring this strange place into the most vivid of displays within your own mind.

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Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Review

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

Welcome to the world of Panem, the country that was once called North America in this futuristic tale we are thrown into the Hunger Games with a young woman named Katniss Everdeen. Panem is made up of the Capitol and the 12 districts, introducing us to an autocratic government where the districts must follow the Capitol’s rules any signs of defiance or disobedience is punishable  by the authorities in this case the peacekeepers.  At one time there had been an uprising of the thirteen districts against the Capitol but twelve were defeated and the thirteen had been “obliterated.”  As a reminder that such an uprising should never happen again the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games every year taking a boy and girl from each district and pinning them against each other in a fight to the death.  

I started reading this book after seeing the trailer for the upcoming movie, in my mind I thought “that looks pretty cool.” So I decided to try out the book, because of the trailer I had a vague idea what the book would be about. From the very beginning I was engrossed in Katniss’ tale of adversity, from having to provide for her family since her father’s death, to her younger sister being chosen for the Hunger Games and immediately taking her place, and even more that might spoil the book for you! Usually as I read I some-what compose a review in my head I may read an interesting part and start composing how I want to include it in my reviews but for this book I was so captivated that my mind did not once even wander, which in itself is a feet for me.  This is definitely a young adult novel but if you want a fun easy read I would suggest you give this one a shot.

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