Pure - Julianna Baggott

Pure (Pure #1) - Julianna Baggott
Grade: YA
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost--how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked: Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss--maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again. (Description from Goodreads)

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I didn't know much about this book and series before I started reading it, other than a work mate loved and that the tagline said fans of The Hunger Games would enjoy the series. I'm always nervous about recommendations like that, with strong comparisons to BIG book franchises; but I LOVED this book! It wasn't perfect, but it was an addictive, on-the-edge-of-my-seat, action-packed story. One of the best dystopian/sci-fi novels I've read in a while.

We start the story with an introduction to the changed world Pure is set in. An atomic explosion has rocked the world, causing surviving humans to fuse with living and inanimate objects - dolls, birds, other humans, cars - anything they were connected to at the time of the explosion. These changes alone would have made for an interesting storyline, but not all humans faced the Detonations. Some were saving in a Dome structure set to regulate air and sustain human life. These people were protected from fusing to objects and are known as The Pure - not a single defect on them. There was so much potential drama between these two settings that my heart was soaring. Rebellion? War? Forbidden love? I couldn't decide which one I was hoping to see. In the end, rebellion and war were the one's that won out for me, especially because my chosen relationship occurred outside the Dome and Pure sphere.

This book was a perfect example of when third person stories work so well. Out two main characters - Pressia (a girl from outside the Dome) and Partridge (a boy 'lucky' enough to be saved by the Dome) - both have equal POV page time, showing life on the outside, the twisted system inside the Dome and the clash of worlds when these two meet. There are a couple of other POV changes throughout the story, which at times weren't really necessary, but it all worked out ok for me. I loved having these two voices and views - they were strong, detailed and made it easy to fall into their world. And what I loved more was that there was not even a speck of romance hinted between them. I'll admit, I worried at the start that there might be, especially when I decided - long before there was any obvious chemistry and before Pressia and Partridge me - that I wanted Pressia to end up with the courageous, intelligent and loyal Bradwell, another boy from outside the Dome with birds fused into his back.

But relationships aside - because they were actually a minor part of the story - I loved the action in Pure. We're introduced to the idea of a militia group on the outside, intent on recruiting any 16 year old kid and turning them into soldiers to fight against the Pure. But a twist midway through the book turns everything on it's head and we find out not everything about the Dome is quite what Pressia or Partridge have been led to believe. And now it's time to fight against the Dome - there was just so much action!

My only complaints were that some of the plot-points popped up out of nowhere. We're not told exactly what time the story is set in. You assume it's a bit in the future, because Children were being chipped with tracking devices and biotechnology developments were a lot bigger than I expect they're at now (not that I would really know). It was all a bit uncertain where the story was placed in terms of our own timeline. Pressia, Bradwell and Partridge were also very quick to figure out important changes for the story. They would have no clue what their next move should be, but someone would say one word and suddenly all doors were open again - and everything was explained like it was obvious, even though it was completely unknown 2 sentences ago. But this didn't stop me from loving the book.

I'm so happy the third book was just been released, because it means I can get my hands on books 2 and 3 as soon as I can. Looking forward to it!

4.5/5 stars

Kim
(Also posted on Goodreads)

Altered - Jennifer Rush

Altered (Altered #1) - Jennifer Rush
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

They were made to forget. But they'll never forgive. 

Everything about Anna's life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch, at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There's Nick, solemn and brooding; Cas, light-hearted and playful; Trev, smart and caring; and Sam . . . who's stolen Anna's heart. 

When the Branch decides it's time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape. Anna's father pushes her to go with them, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. On the run, with her father's warning in her head, Anna begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about herself. 

She soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they're both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away. (Description from Date A Book)

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I adored this book! Altered is an addictive read, I couldn't put it down!

What's strange is that you find out so much form the blurb: a lab, with 4 boys being held - boys that have been genetically altered in strange and curious ways. Stronger, more dangerous and yet unknown at the same time. And then there's Anna, a teen and daughter to the scientist running experiments on the altered boys. Why are they being tested and developed into something more than human? Well, for a secret agency with government connections, of course. But when this group, The Branch, tries to take them away and the boys escape taking Anna with them, a troubling journey to uncover the mystery of their past takes hold.

The four boys were the first part that made me curious. I loved how different they all were. Cas, with his inability to sit still too long, but a giant obsession with food. Trev, who had an incredible memory and loved to bring up quotes that matched almost every situation. Nick, who I think was the most dangerous of the bunch because of his darker attitude and harsh take on life. And Sam, a natural leader maybe, but a brilliant strategist and someone with a protective streak and an obvious hidden past. These boys drove me crazy, but in a good way. I loved their connection to each other, the way they bounced off each other, it made them seem closer. Which I guess is possible when you live in a lab with only the 4 of them for years. However, the biggest mystery behind them all was their hidden pasts. A memory loss from the time before arriving in Anna's world. And when you've got gaps in your memory the only thing left to do is search for answers.

I loved this quest to uncover the hidden pasts. The focus was entirely on Sam and his back story. After leaving himself a few cryptic clues, the groups set off to make sense of it all. It was a bit strange how easy it seemed to follow all the link, despite a bit of trouble deciphering a few of them, it did come pretty quickly. Presumably, Sam had hidden all these clues to surviving outside The Branch; and while you would assume he'd be able to figure them all out, it was a tad easy for someone who couldn't actually remember leaving the clues anywhere. But that didn't stop me from enjoying it. I loved every new discovery, and I loved that each boy, and Anna, had a part in piecing together their trip. It wasn't just Sam figuring out all the bits on his own - there was real team effort going on.

At the start you're aware that Anna has deep feelings for Sam, so I was on the look out for a bit of romance between the two of them. I was not disappointed, although there was a bit of twist that threw me off for a while. I loved their little moments together! I can't wait to see more of it.

Speaking of twists, there was more than one. I guess that makes up for knowing about escaping from the secret lab in advance and the easy trail of clues, because some of these surprise plot lines left me speechless. One in particular hit me extremely hard. I was really impressed with the twists, I just wasn't expecting them, and they changed the dynamic of the story. Everything gets darker, you question bits from the beginning - I was completely turned around.

I have no idea what to expect from the sequel, but if it has even half the twists, danger and excitement, I know I'm going to love it!

5/5 stars


Kim
(Also posted on Goodreads)

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) - Rick Yancey
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up (Description from Goodreads)~ * ~ * ~

There is almost no way for me to put into words just how much I adored The 5th Wave - This book is by far the best book I’ve read this year and I know I’ll be obsessing about it for months to come. (Kerrie: I have a love/hate relationship with books that are full of tension (as this one was). I found myself glued to the book, unable to put it down, wanting to know what will happen next, all this with my stomach in knots.)

The world we’re introduced to is one crumbling. We’re given a very detailed and emotional tale about how humanity was vastly unprepared for life forms outside of Earth; and when those life forms – The Others – decide to wipe humans off the face of the world – well, let’s just say it’s going to be extremely hard to fight back. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who is intrigued by sci-fi stories, but never obsessed with them. (Kerrie: I'm not against Sci-Fi but I don't seek it out. I am a Roswell (TV show) fan so I'm good with aliens) The 5th Wave could be the story to make me obsessed – at least with humans fighting against invasion stories. That’s partly what this book is all about: fighting for survival. I loved the way the world was set up. There are new rules, new ways to prepare yourself for the worst. Your old worries (like whether your crush likes you or not) are thrown out the window. This is a dark and dangerous book and it tackles some deep moral issues; but it was so full of energy and emotion that you just can’t put it down.

There are a lot of hard decisions in this book. A lot comes down to trust: who to trust, how to learn to trust and how to get over the guilt if you decide you can’t bring yourself to trust and must fight for your own survival. I can understand why, in a world full of live and die situations, the characters would choose to fight like hell to stay alive no matter the cost. But it made for a very emotional and intense setting, with a lot of shoot-outs and death. The tricky part comes when the world has faced an incredible amount of destruction, when there’s a limited amount of humans left on the planet and everyone knows it – how do you know who you can trust and who is an alien clone out to get you? Answer...you don’t know, so you just keep fighting. There was that constant voice in the back of your head that was telling you it’s a kill or be killed world – it definitely kept the blood pumping.(Kerrie: Since Cassie didn't know who to trust I didn't know who to trust - So it was just a full on, stomach in knots, unputdownable novel)

I really enjoyed the way the book was set up – sections dividing up the events and switching point of views and chain of events with every new section. I loved getting a look at multiple situations and characters, and I really wasn’t expecting that. The back blurb introduces us to Cassie Sullivan and Evan Walker, and you assume they will be our focus characters, especially when Cassie starts the book off. You start to think the story is Cassie’s alone, when it’s so much more than that. (Kerrie: I LOVED Cassie! Not only was she a survivor, she did it in a way where she didn't truly loose herself. Yes, she changed. She killed. She lost her innocence. But she still held on to her love for her brother and her humour in times of horror) Cassie’s fight for survival is only part of the story, with her almost standing alone against a force so powerful you question her right mind for thinking she has a chance against an entire alien race. But despite that, you can’t help admiring her strength and determination, her struggle to trust without losing hope in the world. I adored her history and loss and the emotion she brought to the table.

But it’s not a single person against the world. Military base camps are being set up, training children to identify and eliminate the enemy. When the world crumbles around you, I’m not sure giving seven year olds guns is the way to go; but it certainly sends a powerful message. I loved the strict training and intense indoctrination at these military camps. The lifestyle, harsh mental stress and reimagining of these teens and kids – preparing them for an existence of killing humans or human look-a-likes is just so confronting. I’ve deliberately not mentioned characters here because it would absolutely ruin the shocking twists that pop up – you have to read it for yourself!

The one person who does deserve a mention though, is Evan Walker. I may be slightly obsessed with this book boy. Evan was a puzzling mystery, one that I thought I’d worked out early, but you come to realise you’ll never completely know Evan. In a world where death is almost literally around every corner, it’s hard to remain innocent and untouched – and Evan’s no exception – but he was one of the sweetest characters I’ve come across lately. His fiercely protective nature when it came to Cassie, the touching way he sat and washed her hair, and the almost reckless offer to go on dangerous missions and jump into situations to keep her out of danger made me melt. But what I loved most was how he never once tried to control Cassie. He offered, pleaded and suggested for her to stay away from trouble, but he let her make up her own mind and stood by her every step of the way. (Kerrie: I love how he was always there for Cassie. I really have no words for Evan, other than amazing. Anything else I say might be a spoiler)

I delayed reading the end of the book because I knew there was going to be a gigantic wait for the sequel. But this is the sort of book you can’t put down. A rescue, a fight and minimal chance of survival...and then the final pages hit with questions pouring out of your mind and no hope of answers for months to come! It’s going to be a very long wait. (Kerrie: This book...that ending was torture! It's really cruel that we now have to wait and see what happens to everyone)

An incredible start to an addictive series. The 5th Wave is a book everyone should get their hands on.

5/5 stars

Kim
(Originally Posted on Goodreads)