Review: Under the Never Sky

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes, it's another dystopia. But it's original. And I happen to like this stuff, ok? One person has evolved more as a result of human genetic interference and another as a result of Darwinian selection, and they have to learn to appreciate and help each other, which makes things interesting. Sure, I'll buy into it, and probably the 2nd one, too. Just try to ignore the edition with the pink cover.

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Review: Under the Never Sky

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes, it's another dystopia. But it's original. One person has evolved more as a result of human genetic interference and another as a result of Darwinian selection, and they have to learn to appreciate and help each other, which makes things interesting.

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Review: Illuminae

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I did try. Maybe 100 pages wasn't enough of a try. I appreciate that the authors put so much work and detail into this thing. But in the end, it was WAY too much. This isn't a novel. It really is a thorough, complex, technical CASE FILE of so many different types of narrative (emails, illustrations, military reports, etc.) that it is nearly impossible for 1 person to digest and appreciate it all. In real life, this compilation of information would be given to a team of analysts to organize and then write up the summary. That's what I want. The summary (...and the story and the emotional angle of the characters). But that could just be me.

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Review: Illuminae

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I did try. Maybe 100 pages wasn't enough of a try. I appreciate that the author put so much work and detail into this thing. But in the end, it was WAY too much. This isn't a novel. It really is a thorough, complex, technical CASE FILE of so many different types of narrative (emails, illustrations, military reports, etc.) that it is nearly impossible for 1 person to digest and appreciate it all. In real life, this case file would be given to a team of analysts to organize and then write up the summary. That's what I want. The summary, the story, and the emotional angle of the characters. But that could just be me.

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Review: MILA 2.0

MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A decently entertaining book. Some of the plot lacked purpose other than shock value, such as the "tests" set up for Mila. I just felt like the book was trying really hard to be like Hunger Games or some other dystopian game-that's-really-a-war. So even though I couldn't buy everything the book was selling, it was entertaining enough for a few hours of mindless audiobook listening.

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Review: Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love that my library's audiobook app led me to this gem. I've discovered other novels that haven't been as good, but it's all worth it when you find one like this. What a fresh, fun take on the fairytale Cinderella story. Seriously. Cinderella a cyborg? Yes, please! (Bet you can't guess what the shoe looks like that she leaves behind on the stairs.) An alternate, dystopian reality where the world faces the threat of war from a lunar kingdom? What?? Yet it all works somehow. And it's intriguing.

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Review: Beautiful Redemption

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes. A satisfying end to the saga. There are some beautiful things about this book, as with the rest of the series, such as secret messages conveyed via local newspaper crossword puzzles, the atmosphere of a rural southern town that permeates every aspect of the story, and the inherent otherness that all characters possess in their own way and which they each have to come to accept and understand in order to lead a fulfilling life. If that sounds too abstract, don't let it keep you from reading the book. There's plenty of magic and action and romance and suspense to keep you flipping pages without trying to analyze what it all says about the meaning of life.

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Review: The Winner's Curse

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Hm. It was an interesting fictional world, with interesting culture tensions. The first half was, weirdly enough, more interesting than the 2nd half. Even though the 2nd half was obviously meant to be more intense and action-packed. It was just a little too contrived in the end. Too predictable. The characters should have been able to surprise me more. I guess it's hard to develop a romance that feels real when the two lovers in question find themselves pitted on opposite sides of a political upheaval.

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Review: Prudence

Prudence by Gail Carriger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes, Gail Carriger's cheeky yet proper voice is in full swing here. It's fun to read. The characters are as engagingas ever and the storyline is as droll as ever, with the main objective being to get to India to procure what could be the best tea EVER. Really, that's the plot. But then of course, there's the lineup of other subplots that enriches everything: shape-shifting heroines, flying dirigibles, werewolves, and romantic interests as diverse as they can be. I don't know that I was quite as captivated as with the Finishing School series, but still fun stuff. Definitely.

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