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Deception (Dark Matter #2)
Deception (Dark Matter #2)
Teri Terry | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Deception is the 2nd book in the Dark Matter series by Teri Terry. I was given the opportunity to review the 1st book, Contagion, and thoroughly enjoyed it. When offered the 2nd book, I jumped at the chance.

Deception starts where Contagion ends. Shay, believing she is the carrier of the epidemic, surrenders to the army. Kai is heartbroken and feels betrayed because Shay left. After discovering survivors like Shay are not carriers, he is desperate to find her.

I enjoyed the 1st book more than the 2nd. Because it is a YA book, there is the obligatory love triangle. Still, it is worth reading. We are introduced to other groups. They are survivors, those hunting the survivors, and those behind the epidemic. One of the people we learn more about is Dr. Alex Cross, Kai's hated stepfather and Callie's father.

The 3rd and final book in the trilogy, Evolution, is available for pre-order. Its release date is August 11, 2020. I am looking forward to seeing how the trilogy ends. Will Kai and Shay end up together? What will happen to Callie? Will she get her revenge?

View my review of Contagion at http://philomathinphila.com/2019/08/11/200-word-review-of-contagion-by-teri-terry/.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/16/20.
  
Demon Kissed (Demon Kissed #1)
Demon Kissed (Demon Kissed #1)
H.M. Ward | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Demon Kissed (Demon Kissed #1) by H.M. Ward
In this book you have the age old tale of good versus evil - angels versus demons - demons versus hunters - which ever way you want to look at it. In this they are Martis who are good, and Valefor who are bad. But then throw in a twist or two and you have a really good story.

The character development for all of them is good but I do have to say that the main female just irritated me at the beginning. She does get better as the book goes on though. The plot and storyline has a good pace to it and enough action to suit most.

Recommended for YA/Paranormal fans.

* Verified Purchase ~ January 2013 *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Radio Silence
Radio Silence
Alice Oseman | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Minority Representation, fun formatting (0 more)
Great LGBTQIA representation in a YA novel
Representation MATTERS. Don’t let anyone tell you different. The two main characters in this book are GLBT – and asexual, which is a rarely-seen demographic. One of them is a WOC! And that’s IMPORTANT. We need representation of minorities in books, movies, TV, media – wherever it can be seen. So all those kids growing up, thinking they’re weird, or the odd ones out, or broken, can see themselves on the screen and realize that other people are going through the same things. That it’s NORMAL.

I also love the different formatting the author uses when representing texts, or phone calls, or the podcast that the kids create.



Read my full review at https://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com/2017/08/26/book-review-radio-silence/
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated Slayer (Slayer #1) in Books

Mar 19, 2019 (Updated Mar 19, 2019)  
Slayer (Slayer #1)
Slayer (Slayer #1)
Kiersten White | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.7 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I saw that Kiersten White was writing a Slayer novel, I was completely intrigued. I really liked Paranormalcy.
So, the extent of my Buffy knowledge is limited to the film. But, apparently, crap has gone down, and everyone hates Buffy? The novel does an ok job at filling in necessary gaps, so I wasn't completely lost. Overall, the story was just meh and predictable. I'm fairly sure I've already figured out the entire book series to come. It's also another reminder that new YA is not for me, at all. The characters were...well, kind of meh. The story didn't really pick up until the last 100 pages Overall, this was an ok book, it wasn't good, but it wasn't god-awful. I definitely don't plan on continuing to read the series.
  
Two-Way Street
Two-Way Street
Lauren Barnholdt | 2007 | Young Adult (YA)
4
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Firstly, this book was written almost ten years ago when MySpace was a really popular site. Now if it had been a newer, edited version where all the MySpace's were replaced with Facebook or Twitter I might have gelled with it a little more.

Secondly, it's supposed to be YA but the way the characters were acting for 18 year olds was pretty ridiculous at times. It was like they were fifteen or something. I struggled to get Courtney. She was so annoying at times, so whiny and inner turmoil-y. So immature compared to some other books I've read lately.

Thirdly, the thing that split them up was pretty obvious after about 100 pages. A lot of drama over something that could have been so easily sorted out.

Not my sort of book.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Break of Dark in Books

Aug 2, 2019  
Break of Dark
Break of Dark
Robert Westall | 1982 | Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I must have been 12 or 13 when I first read this, and back then part of the fun came from the sense that these actually felt like adult stories, for all the book is advertised as being basically YA fiction: quite apart from the substantial quantities of profanity and sex, many the characters aren't typical YA identification figures: middle-aged seaside policemen, earnest young vicars, suburban couples, and so on. These are still hugely readable and satisfying stories even now many decades later.

But what are they about? Well, there are two stories of ghosts (a haunted Wellington bomber during the second world war, and a rather stranger tale of an unwitting medium), two of very atypical alien visitations (a cautionary tale of a young hitch-hiker, and a blackly comic one concerning a spate of peculiar crimes in a small resort town), and one of an inner-city vicar who stumbles onto something very creepy in the crypt of his church. All of them are engagingly and skilfully written, and immaculately paced. Good reads for all ages.
  
13 Reasons Why  - Season 1
13 Reasons Why - Season 1
2017 | Drama
It not afraid to go there (1 more)
Clay
There are better YA book about suicded i would of prefered be made (1 more)
Triggery for self harmers and those who attempted suicde
There are better adaptions of suicide premise in YA
From the age off 11 i self harmed at 23 that changed into worse depression and suicide attempts. At the time of these events i never really heard of people my age doing that so i think that seeing this series could of helped in some way not feeling alone. I did read the book 10 years ago and as it wasn't visually as graphic as the TV series it made me release other people go through bad stuff and get into suicidal places. My problem with the show isn't the suicide it about the blame she forces onto everyone else. For me when i made the transition from self harming and depression to truly ending it other people didn't come into play, The suicide was merely the only option to my own though no matter what had or happened in the past nobody else should be taken down for it. I know know that it will always affect others in ways you cant know but at the time I never saw it. So for me books about suicide in YA fictional field that handle it better are books like All The Bright Places are better at exploring this premise and i look forward to the film as its been optioned.
As for the Tv version of this show I loved Clay and the boy who played him the acting was superb and I enjoyed the series however for people who still self harm or are suicidal this show is very very triggory.
  
Rise of the Hearts
Rise of the Hearts
Antoine Bonner | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am having a difficult time writing a review for Rise of the Hearts by Antoine Bonner. The premise of this book is not new but the summary was worded well enough that I was looking forward to reading it. The cover caught my eye and made me want to read it even more.

Unfortunately, it was a challenge to finish it.

I did not relate to or care about any of the characters. The story did not flow well. I had trouble following the story and was confused about what was going on. I reread sections to see if I could figure out the story. I was never able to follow the plot.

This is NOT a young adult (YA) book. Based on the description, I had mistakenly thought it was appropriate for younger readers. It is not and it is marketed as an adult book. There are several passages that are not appropriate for young adults.

The book was only 198 pages. I was not very far in when I was considering stopping. I continued and struggled through the entire book. On the last few pages I allowed myself to just skim it because I was so lost.
  
IL
I Like You Like This
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I quite enjoyed this book - there were a bit of issues with transitioning into different mindsets - I prefer when each person is either labelled or there is a space to show there is another person talking, so I had a bit of a problem following along in a few parts, but since most of the book is Hannah it was not a huge issue.

I read an arc of this book, I saw the description and it immediately spoke to me - being a self conscious acne riddled (adult mind you) I was like, hey first hook line and sinker. Hannah's family life is pretty awful for her, she tries to escape I think using Deacon, their time together was actually quite amazing to read. You get those fluffy romances most YA books have and this was different. I thought it was great.

Onto the ending - if I don't get a book 2, or a novella, or SOMETHING I'm going to be very upset, you can't do that to me! You just cant! I'd totally read this book again, and I would recommend it (to certain members of my family/friends, as I know some people wouldn't be interested in the content there's a lot of drug talk, etc.)
  
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KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated The Resistance in Books

Feb 6, 2018 (Updated Feb 6, 2018)  
The Resistance
The Resistance
Gemma Malley | 2008 | Children, Dystopia, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.0 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Story Line (0 more)
Characters (0 more)
A Nice Quick Read
This book is perfect for those who want a nice quick YA dystopian read. It will literally take only a few hours to read. I read it in about 6 hours and I am a slow reader. The story line is great. In fact, it is its most greatest strength. This book, I think, is the worst of the three books in the trilogy. Not much really happens in terms of plot until the end. But it makes up for it with the third book.

The main downfall of this book is the characters. I'm sure I mentioned it previously. Although some of the characters are good, like Pip, Richard and Mrs Pincent, other characters are lacking. Peter is too centered around wanting action, and being the hero, Anna thinks she's strong but is actually quiet a passive character when you think about it. Jude always thinks he is the underdog, a shadow of Peter and loves Sheila, even though they barely know each other, and Sheila is whiney. You notice these traits more in this book because the book has a gradual buildup of action so you have no choice but to focus on the characters.


The book does not shy away from controversial topics. Where other authors would have left the scene to the imagination or alluded to it, Malley delves right into it which forces us to be exposed to the same trauma as the characters. It helps highlight what is wrong in their society and allows us think about the ethical situations and implications of what is happening. For this, I applaud Malley greatly.

It is not a terrible read and the third book makes up for what this book lacks but the are room for improvements in this collection.