These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars

Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Yes, Starbound #1

Pages: 374
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Hyprion
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy

Feelings: 
I have been seeing the cover of this book around for a while. I have to admit that I liked the cover and that was part of the reason I picked it up to read.The title of the book was also intriguing. This book had huge promotion based on the cover, which I admit is really pretty so it was hard to miss.

For some reason this has been classed as science fiction but I don't agree with that completely. The technology isn't a big enough part of the story to make this feel like science fiction to me. It felt a lot more like fantasy and romance to me. From the description I knew that was what it would be like so I wasn't surprised by the lack of science fiction feel.

About the story let me say that I thought the writing in this was better than a lot of other young adult that I have been reading. It does have a Titanic of space feeling to it but I think it was a good enough story that it didn't feel like it was stuck there. Also that was only a very small part of the story and from there we moved into the survival on a strange planet.

I would recommend the book but I know this isn't a story everyone will like. I think that even in the young adult fantasy/science fiction crowd it will have a specific group that like it. I'm not sure I can say who it will be though.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

Title: A Long Way Gone

Author: Ishmael Beah

Type: Audiobook
Narrator: Ishmael Beah
Genre: Memoir

Series: No


Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Books on Tape

Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads

In the more than fifty violent conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What does war look like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But it is rare to find a first-person account from someone who endured this hell and survived.
In A LONG WAY GONE: MEMOIRS OF A BOY SOLDIER, Ishmael Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a powerfully gripping story: At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. At sixteen, he was removed from fighting by UNICEF, and through the help of the staff at his rehabilitation center, he learned how to forgive himself, to regain his humanity, and, finally, to heal. This is an extraordinary and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.

Feelings: 
This was a hard book to listen to as a young boy becomes a soldier and part of a war in his country. I knew of what happened in Sierra Leone but it was far away and I wasn't really sure of what happened. This book tells in detail what it was like to be a soldier in the army as a child. 

While it was difficult to listening to this audiobook I am glad that I did. Living in the stable west I can remain detached from events like these but stories bring them to the from and make us look. When we see it is hard not to want to help make things better. I don't think we have the solution but working together as during the UNICEF gathering solutions can be generated.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Sierra Leone's recent past. It does take a bit of will to read as a lot of what happens is terrible. This is a memoir that takes place during a civil war.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Title: Allegiant

Author: Veronica Roth

Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Yes, Divergent #3
Pages: 526
Copyright: 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Feelings:
This book explains the world in which they live but I have to admit I didn't really like the explanation. I also didn't think this book was as strong as the other books. The weakest point in the books has been the relationship between Tris and Tobias, Four, and this book didn't improve in that regard. The way the relationship is dealt with still seems weak to me and not believable.

The ending of the book was a bit of a surprise and I appreciated that. I just felt that everything that lead to that point was weak and needed to be a little more developed. They just left one dangerous situation I don't think they are going to jump right into another one. It seems more like they would want to have a little time to themselves and to digest what they just learned but they don't do that.

Of all of the books this one was my least favorite. I would recommend it to those that want to finish the series but I wouldn't start the series if again if I knew the last book would be a let down.

Dog Songs by Mary Oliver

Title: Dog Songs 
Author: Mary Oliver 
Type: Poetry 
Genre: Poetry 
Series: No 
Pages: 127 
Copyright: 2013 
Publisher: The Penguin Press 
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads
A collection of new and favorite poems, celebrating the dogs that have enriched the poet’s world

Beloved by her readers, special to the poet’s own heart, Mary Oliver’s dog poems offer a special window into her world. Dog Songs collects some of the most cherished poems together with new works, offering a portrait of Oliver’s relationship to the companions that have accompanied her daily walks, warmed her home, and inspired her work. To be illustrated with images of the dogs themselves, the subjects will come to colorful life here.

These are poems of love and laughter, heartbreak and grief. In these pages we visit with old friends, including Oliver’s well-loved Percy, and meet still others. Throughout, the many dogs of Oliver’s life emerge as fellow travelers, but also as guides, spirits capable of opening our eyes to the lessons of the moment and the joys of nature and connection.

Dog Songs is a testament to the power and depth of the human-animal exchange, from an observer of extraordinary vision.

Feelings:
This book has a different feeling from past poetry that I have read by Mary Oliver. The poems are all about her dogs and I felt like they were simpler than some of her other writing. I still really enjoyed the poetry and am glad I read it. The simplicity of the poems adds to the human dog connection that these poems demonstrate.

One of my favorite poems in the collection was The Sweetness of Dogs. It is very simple but it shows how dogs lean on our hearts.

Percy, meanwhile,
leans against me and gaszes up into
my face. As though I were just as wonderful
as the perfect moon. (p. 61)

There are thirty-five poems and one essay included in here and I thought it was a nice tribute to dogs and their people. I could argue that one of the poems felt more like an essay to me but that really doesn't matter. This is a collection of poetry for those that love dogs. Dog Songs sings to the dogs in our lives and those before, reminding us how much they give us in the simple act of love.

And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Title: And The Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Type: Novel
Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: No

Pages: 402
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Riverhead Books

Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads

An unforgettable novel about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else.

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

Feelings:
At first I wasn't sure if the book would all come together. Each chapter was told from a different characters point of view. I really enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns and I had high expectations for this book. I thought at first that each chapter seemed like it's own story and in a way it was but it also was all connected. I liked that at the end of the book I could see how it all came together.

The first thing I really liked from the book was a lullaby, which was adapted from a poem I later found out but I still really liked how it connected the siblings. Abdullah and Pari sing to each other and each has their own verse.

Abdullah pulled the blanket over their heads. Underneath, he sang into the nape of Pari's neck:  I found a sad little fairy
Beneath the shade of a paper tree.

Pari, already sleepy, sluggishly sang her verse.

I know a sad little fairy
Who was blown away by the wind one night. (p.32) 

The book brings together many narratives in a satisfying conclusion. I wouldn't say this book is uplifting but it does have happy parts. It also shows the pain families can cause each other. The emotional pain and healing the characters go through gives hope in what would otherwise be a bleak story.

I highly recommend this book to those that liked Hosseini's other books.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Title: The Summer Prince
Author: Alaya Dawn Johnson
Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: No
Pages: 289
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: From Good Reads

A heart-stopping story of love, death, technology, and art set amid the tropics of a futuristic Brazil.

The lush city of Palmares Três shimmers with tech and tradition, with screaming gossip casters and practiced politicians. In the midst of this vibrant metropolis, June Costa creates art that’s sure to make her legendary. But her dreams of fame become something more when she meets Enki, the bold new Summer King. The whole city falls in love with him (including June’s best friend, Gil). But June sees more to Enki than amber eyes and a lethal samba. She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will stage explosive, dramatic projects that Palmares Três will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government’s strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, unfortunately in love with Enki. Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Pulsing with the beat of futuristic Brazil, burning with the passions of its characters, and overflowing with ideas, this fiery novel will leave you eager for more from Alaya Dawn Johnson.

Feelings:
June Costa is a resented in the Palmares Três pyramid and she has always put her art first. She lives in tier eight one of the higher levels placing her among the individuals with more going for them. Enki the new Summer King is from verde the lowest level and not the nicest place in Palmares Três. 

June and Enki form a friendship built around creating political art. Gil Junen's best friend became Enki's lover his first night as the new Summer King and June feels it is necessary to keep things between herself and Enki about art and not to let it become sexual. As the Summer King Enki has many lovers. People allow him this because he will die at the end of the summer to justify the queen staying on a queen. 

The third thing you should know about Enki is that he wants to die. He doesn't seem like the kind of boy, I know. They almost never do. But he wants to be a summer king, and so he wants to die. (p. 13)

This is a story about young individuals in a world of adults that don't age and who are given power but Enki a young summer king who will die. I really enjoyed reading this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it was still good.

I would recommend this book to individuals that like young adult fantasy and science fiction.
 

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey

Title: Brilliance
Author: Marcus Sakey
Type: Novel
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Yes, Brilliance Saga #1
Pages: 452
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: From Good Reads

In Wyoming, a little girl reads people’s darkest secrets by the way they fold their arms. In New York, a man sensing patterns in the stock market racks up $300 billion. In Chicago, a woman can go invisible by being where no one is looking. They’re called "brilliants," and since 1980, one percent of people have been born this way. Nick Cooper is among them; a federal agent, Cooper has gifts rendering him exceptional at hunting terrorists. His latest target may be the most dangerous man alive, a brilliant drenched in blood and intent on provoking civil war. But to catch him, Cooper will have to violate everything he believes in - and betray his own kind.

From Marcus Sakey, "a modern master of suspense" (Chicago Sun-Times) and "one of our best storytellers" (Michael Connelly), comes an adventure that’s at once breakneck thriller and shrewd social commentary; a gripping tale of a world fundamentally different and yet horrifyingly similar to our own, where being born gifted can be a terrible curse.

Feelings:
The reason I'm not giving this book a 4 is because Nick Cooper is an asshole and he knows it but he doesn't seem to care. Somehow, I did come to like him as a character but it took a while. I liked the premise of the book and found that interesting so I thought I would give it a try and see how it turned out. I'm glad I did but it was difficult at first because Cooper really is a difficult character.

Brilliants are a little like the X-Men with special skills. Brilliants aren't quite as powerful as the X-Men though. When I first picked up this book to read it I didn't think it was a series. I found out when I got to the end that it is a series.

The government is made up mostly of non-brilliants, the majority of the population. The brilliants are often subjugated and this leads to them form a resistance. The resistance is viewed by the government as terrorists and thus begins a war that Nick Cooper working for the government would do anything to stop. After hearing a person ask "how do we tell who is good and who is bad," he has an idea about how to gain access to the other side. He agrees to take the blame for an attack and thus be hunted by his own organization. I thought the second half of the book, Cooper on the run, was better than the first. I'm interested to see were it goes in the next books.

I would recommend this book but it is violent and I don't think for everyone.