Sea of Stars (Kricket #2)

Sea of Stars by Amy A. Bartol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series.

Sea of Stars finds Kricket in a difficult situation. She's chased, captured, chased, captured, chased, rescued, chased, captured, rescued. Rinse and repeat. Sounds like it would be repetitive and boring - but it's anything but that. It's a page-turning adventure that never slows down.

The trouble here is that Kricket is the child of parents from two warring clans. There is a prophecy that one of them will fall. So the leaders of each one want Kricket for their own - and especially because she has the gift of foresight. She gets knocked down by visions of the future. This works both for her and against her, depending on whose company she is in. Both factions want her; to one she's a military weapon. To the other, she's the intended consort of a political leader (or so he's decided). Ultimately, she's a capable girl on the run for her life.

The world building in this book is amazing. The planet of Ethar is brilliant in description; the floating Ship of Skye, the Valley of Thistle, chases through a city being ravaged by battle, even a medic unit are vivid and real. The characters are rich. The soldiers from the first book, Under Different Stars, are back and are just as entertaining as before.

Kricket seems to be a character able to maintain the balance between a smart, independent woman and the classic damsel in distress. She loves her man Trey and invites his rescue and protection. But she's also a smart, saavy girl who can escape when she's captured. She's an alien girl raised as a human who's coping with this new world as best she can. She's making decisions on the fly and leading when required. She's the furthest thing from a fainting flower as you can get.

And this is evident with the introduction of some new characters who are exactly that. This planet has a culture where women are indeed the weaker sex and are completely dominated by men, even though they are the ones with the true power. Kricket throws all that away and constantly questions the status quo. She doesn't just meet circumstances on her own terms, she pushes other women to do the same. I love this character for the example she is.

Kate Rudd narrates this on audio. She is spectacular. Bartol is a great writer, but Bartol and Rudd are simply amazing as a team.

I cannot rave enough about this series. It is completely enthralling. Just read it.

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Good For You (Between the Lines #3)

Good For You by Tammara Webber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally Reid Alexander has met his match.

In this third installment of the Between the Lines series, reckless movie star Reid Alexander finally messes up enough to get sent for some serious rehab. It isn't drug or alcohol addiction rehab as one might think - it's community service for having run his car through the house of a family in poverty. And it's about time.

We've gotten to know Reid as charming, self-absorbed and selfish in the previous books in this series. He's had a cavalier attitude about life and been focused on his own amusement. He's lived a pretty hedonistic life. He's a jerk. But he meets his match when he's sent to put in a month building a house through Habitat for Humanity. He meets Dori, who is unimpressed by him and is both a little star-struck and equally irritated with herself for being so. She's the daughter of a pastor and down-to-earth. But she's also the high-minded one when it comes to the relationship, which is a nice departure. Reid doesn't want to be there but mostly just doesn't want to stop being himself. Of course he can't help but be himself, his charming self, and Dori finds herself required to rise to her own standards and expectations.

It's nice to see Reid's character evolve here. The second book in this series was a bit unbelievable, light, fluffy, even silly. This book brings the story back to a level that takes the characters seriously. There is real change that happens in the life of this guy who ultimately finds himself lost in his life. That potential everyone thought they saw really emerges here. The best part is that Reid himself is the most surprised by it.

Dori is a girl who has lived a life of faith, doing what is expected but not to meet those expectations that are imposed by others. Instead they are ones she places on herself. When real disaster strikes in her life, she is forced to question that faith. She gets hit with the old "why do bad things happen to good people" slap. She begins to work through it and we get to see that in real life, faith is a journey and not a destination. And sometimes that journey can take a road that goes completely the opposite direction of the ultimate destination. Belief doesn't solve the problem, it provides a way through and it is never easy.

This series previously was a lighter look at romance and celebrity. This book brings out real emotion - heartbreak, gratitude, the gladness of potential beginning to be realised, the struggle of the stages of grief. It delves far deeper than just a teenage romance. This story has weight.

On audio the book is narrated by Kate Rudd and Todd Haberkorn. They are simply wonderful, giving just the right voices and emotional gravity to the characters. They were the perfect choices to narrate this series.

This series has gotten markedly better with this third book. If that's any indication of the quality of the fourth book, I can't wait for it.

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Savage Drift (Monument 14 #3)

Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Toto, we're not in Monument anymore.

The Monument 14 kids have finally been rescued and taken to a refugee camp in western Canada. It's not the best of situations. In fact, it's not even as good a situation the kids had in the Greenway store from the first book. It is believable but sad, portraying the bureaucracy of the management of a natural disaster. It is reminiscent of the way FEMA handled the survivors of Hurricane Katrina but with a heavier hand. The camp is a place of refuge certainly, but it is also contained. The refugees aren't able to immediately leave and there is some funny business going on.

This final installment encompasses escape, adventure and serious danger in a way that goes beyond the first and second books. There is an element of the horrors of a concentration camp. There is a madman with a bit of power who is determined to wield it in a demeaning, destructive way. There are victims of the chemical weapons spill who are left to deal with the devastation they have caused while under its influence. And there are Dean, Astrid, Jake and Niko who are determined to rescue Josie and ultimately find their way to true safety.

The great thing about this book is the way the characters have naturally evolved. They still aren't adults but are teenagers who have been weathered by circumstance. They've gotten tough and have cast off any illusions about their situations. They don't condemn or hate adults but are smart enough to be wary of them. Dean is still struggling with a jealous resentment of Jake. Jake is still a jerk. Astrid is still conflicted. Niko is doggedly determined.

The action is steady as is the pacing. This is a page turner. Things get pretty desperate and some adult themes are referenced but not completely explored. It is age appropriate.

On audio the book is narrated by Todd Haberkorn, who has been the voice of Dean throughout the series. He was the perfect choice for a narrator. His ability to interpret the dialogue and narrative are absolutely expert.

This is a wonderful end to a great post-apocalyptic series. I'm sad to see these characters go! There are a series of novellas that go along with the series and they are worth checking out. They only add to what is already a thrilling tale of survival. Don't miss this series.

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Sky on Fire (Monument 14 #2)

Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Usually the middle book of a series is the lull in the action. This book blows that idea right out of the water.

Sky on Fire continues the story of the 14 kids, trapped in a Monument, CO Greenway store after both a natural disaster and a chemical weapons spill. They've survived pretty well, even after the effects of the chemical weapons spill manifests its effects on the kids. They've also been smart enough to spot adults that might not want to help. But this line gets blurred as they, as kids, struggle to balance their natural need for adult guidance with the necessity to avoid the crazies. And ultimately they find the need to be proactive in their own rescue.

A lot happens in this book. It's an interesting blend of some new characters, some new adventures and a lot of disaster and suspense. The darker side of the situation is revealed here. The real heroes rise up. The leadership structure of the group changes somewhat; those that can and can't handle it becomes glaringly evident. Because the characters are established, the action can come to the forefront. And because the story has progressed to include adults, the story itself becomes more adult. The kids here have become kids only in terms of their age; in all other ways they are simply survivors.

The adults in the story are portrayed positively for the most part. The actual villains are really just older kids. And in the end, Dean and Alex and Niko and Josie have to make mature decisions that will best benefit the group as a whole. The suspense here is palpable.

On audio the book is narrated by Todd Haberkorn who is just stellar. He makes the book come alive through Dean and Alex's voices. The book could not have benefited more from a better narrator.

This book takes the Monument 14 story to a whole new level. It is riveting, a true page turner. And a satisfying ending still leaves loose ends, paving the way for what promises to be a thrilling end to the series.

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Monument 14

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you have to survive an apocalypse, doing it in a Greenway Store (think Target or WalMart) isn't a bad way to go.

This is the story of Dean, a regular high school junior in Monument, CO who is riding the bus on the way to school. Suddenly there's a hailstorm of epic proportions, causing the bus to crash. The bus carrying his middle-school-aged brother fares better; the bus driver runs it right through the doors of a Greenway store. She unloads her kids and then drives over and collects those kids left on Alex's bus, taking them also to the Greenway. She then goes for help, leaving 14 kids to survive in the Greenway store until she can bring back a rescue team.

Several of the kids are young, ages 5-8. There is also a a natural leader, football jock, a bully, a resourceful girl who steps up as a mother figure to the younger kids, a spunky girl with divided loyalties, a very obnoxious third-grader and Dean's brother Alex (who is a bit of a tech prodigy). It's impressive the way they organise themselves while still remaining kids. There are scenes where they decide that everyone needs new clothing, they manage to cook dinner, they make a place to sleep and a trash/bathroom area and they seal off the air supply to the store. On the other hand they have petty disagreements, eat candy non-stop, cry for mommy and opt out of helping to organise things. They're very resourceful and yet very immature. They're an interesting bunch.

The characters are what really make this story good. They're kids behaving like kids in an extreme situation where there are no adults. Some rise to the occasion, some don't. Dean vacillates between feeling lost, resenting his role in the group, struggling to break out of his social stereotype and feeling guilty for any and all of his negativity. He's a kid who's not cool but has had a crush on a girl for a long time. Seeing the way that translates to this extreme situation is really interesting. Jake is the star football player who always gets the girl - but he also loses his place in the group when it becomes apparent that being a sports star in high school doesn't always make you a great leader. Seeing him struggle to accept his new position (and fall from grace) is both heartbreaking and guilt-inducing when it really does seem fair. Niko is the geeky guy with all the good ideas who wants to lead but doesn't have the people skills that Jake has. But he can get things done even without Jake's help and support. Alex is a little brother through Dean's eyes, but fortunately Dean sees much more in him and Alex rises to Dean's expectations and requests. Dean is the best kind of big brother, drawing out Alex's strengths and taking care of him at the same time.

The romance here is complicated, but only such in that it's high school. It's teenagers trapped in a social structure that no longer works, except that they don't know how to navigate the new situation. Put that together with the apocalypse and a chemical spill and it's kind of a mess. And that's the best part, because this story is anything but a mess.

On audio, this book is narrated by Todd Haberkorn. He is fantastic! He's able to give voice to these characters in a way that brought them to life. I have a copy of this book in print, and flipping through it I know I never would have loved it had I not listened to it first.

This a fabulous YA apocalyptic book with identifiable characters that are well written. The story, although clearly fictional, is just this side of believable because of the way the kids respond to their environment and each other. It's fast paced and full of suspense. This was all around a great read.

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The Book of Strange New Things

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much has been said about this book. Some call it a masterpiece, innovative, fresh, thought-provoking. For me, this is a book about faith, plain and simple. And certainly a new take on it.

Peter is a missionary, but not one in the traditional sense. His mission field is several light years away on a different planet. The indigenous people there have requested a pastor to come and teach them in exchange for goods they provide to the human population there. The interviews begin and Peter is selected, although his wife is not. The two resolve to trust God that this is His Will and Peter travels to the planet, courtesy of a major corporation with a vested interest there. So his posting is purely secular in nature, a nice contrast to the man of faith that Peter is.

Peter's actions in the book are pretty typical of a pastor. The idea that the church is more important than his wife is a recurring theme, as it is in the real lives of pastors today. There is true sacrifice in his separation from his wife Bea on both their parts; this is seen in the correspondence between them. And there is the standard problem of absence; their lives are completely different despite the connection they both have to the home where Bea has remained. The details of her everyday life become mundane to Peter, who is having a completely alien experience. He’s also so immersed in his alien experience that he can’t translate it well to Bea, who then feels left out. Faber was able to expertly translate life in the service of the church, and that’s a pretty good trick for someone who doesn’t do it for a living.

The characters here are well-developed. Faber doesn't concentrate overmuch on Peter’s past in order to make him relatable. Instead we got just a few glimpses which balanced him out nicely. Of particular interest were the aliens. We forget their shocking appearances right along with Peter as he develops relationships with a few. An interesting assumption here is the idea that these aliens need saving just like humans do. Add to that the fact that not all the aliens are excited about the church and Peter and you have essentially the human experience displayed in alien form. They don’t behave much differently than we do.

The workers on the colony were interesting and varied. Seeing one crew member’s reaction to a eulogy Peter gives for a worker who has died was so true to reality; she has a very emotional reaction and then later is embarrassed about it, determined not to allow it to change her despite Peter’s lack of judgement.

The plot does meander a bit into more philosophical territory as Peter struggles to make sense of his relationships and mission. Some of that seemed a bit farfetched, only serving to move the plot along. Things change dramatically from there and Peter seems to gain some clarity. By the end of the book, he has made a decision about which he is as certain as was his decision to make the trip.

Any book dealing with religion and the Christian experience is going to spark controversy. But as a person in ministry for most of my life, I have to say that Faber got it more right than wrong. My favourite scene was the funeral for the dead crew member and Peter’s eulogy. It was a brilliant piece of writing that captured Peter’s view of the secular world from a place of faith. It also expressed the best of what a Christian should be. If that eulogy is any indication of the person that Peter is, then I want to attend his church.

The book was narrated on audio by Josh Cohen. While his voicing of the narrative was excellent in its translation, I found his voices for the aliens to be contradictory to my own imagination. Because of this I switched to the ebook. This is not to say that Cohen did a bad job there, it’s just that for me, this book was better read in print.

I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a philosophical examination of people and life and God and what it means to have a relationship with God. So many people get this religion thing wrong; Faber set a missionary in space and got it very, very right.


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Bad Romeo

Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ladies and gentlemen, let the well-written dysfunction begin.

Talk about a Bad Romeo. I couldn't put this aside (not down) because I just needed to see how it ended. But it was difficult, because it's been awhile since I've read two more screwed up characters.

Obviously this is a character driven book, so let's talk about said characters. Cassie is an ingenue, desperate to please everyone and well-liked because she usually does please everyone. She's also a very good actress. She meets Ethan at the auditions for a prestigious east coast drama school and is drawn to his dark moodiness and general disdain for not just her, but everyone. We progress relatively quickly through the "I hate you/I love you" stage with a strong emphasis on the chemistry between these two actors.

Ethan pushes Cassie to stop trying to please everyone and she does, at least everyone but him. She goes from being a shy innocent desperate to be liked to being a closet nymphomaniac. This isn't a book filled with sex, it's a book filled with a girl who can't think of anything else. Rayven could have used that element in a way that would have added spice to the story. Instead, we got this deluge of Cassie's pent-up sexual frustration. It was like dumping an entire container of cinnamon into a spice cake. It completely overwhelmed the story.

Then we have dark, moody Ethan with his relationship issues. They were well-founded but again, too much! This was a boy with deep feelings, granted. But some degree of acting like a typical male would have lent some believability to the story.

The story is told alternating present day with flashbacks. This really does save the story. It's a good story and well-told. But these characters! I'm glad I stuck it out to the ending, because it was worth it. But it was a struggle.

On audio this book is narrated by Andi Arndt. Her voice for Cassie rang pretty true to the character. But her lower register male voices weren't as good. That's something that just can't be helped with her vocal range. So while she might not have done the male characters true justice, she still related the story well.

I'm interested in the sequel. Rayven is a good author; I just hope we'll get characters who've grown up and figured out their demons.

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When I'm Gone (Rosemary Beach #11)

When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Let's just add one more character into the soap opera that is Rosemary Beach, why don't we?

Mase Manning is a good one to add. He's a no-nonsense cowboy from Texas who's been taught good manners by his Mama. He meets Reese Ellis, who has escaped a home of abuse and is now cleaning houses. This is the perfect setup for Mr. Protective-to-the-point-of-controlling meets Ms. I've-got-a-problem-trusting-men-and-need-rescuing, With this particular story Glines throws in dyslexia, making Reese even more worthy of rescue. So since Mase has instantly fallen in love with her, he pays for a therapist to help her overcome it.

To it's credit, this romance is a slow build after the initial instalove. It grows over a series of phone conversations. So while Abbi Glines hasn't deviated from her framework, at least she took some time to build it. It only adds to the enjoyment.

It's that basic plot with no real frills. Nan, an evil spoiled brat from earlier books in the series, makes an appearance in this one. And she is as evil and selfish as ever. Other characters from earlier books also come in and out, giving us glimpses into how their lives have gone on since their story was told.

This is really just the standard, dependable stuff from Abbi Glines and we all love it. She does these kinds of books really well and once you get started on a series, it's hard not to keep going. It's like a piece of chocolate when you need one. Guilty pleasure!

On audio this is narrated by Grace Grant and Jason Carpenter. What a wonderful change from Elizabeth Louise and Sebastian York, who have done virtually all of the previous books. Glines was smart to change up the narrators, giving some truly different voices to the characters. It made the book more enjoyable and not just a repeat performance.

There are still a few more books to come in this series, so it's only a matter of time before the next piece of chocolate. It's nice to know Abbi's always providing dessert.

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