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"The door slid open and Clarke knew it was time to die." What a way to start the book. Kass Morgan dives right into her storyline with an in-your-face opener. It took a bit of time before I, as the reader realized what this book was about. She began by setting up a number of characters, switching between perspectives, to quickly introduce you to the players. Those people who will have the biggest impact upon the storyline.
Each character is thrown into the mix, destined to be sent to Earth. The first in a long, long time. While not all make it, we are still treated with back stories and past relationships. Had the author not included those scenes, her characters would have been much more difficult to relate to. You come to briefly understand what the person goes through, exactly why he/she is so angry and hurt, and what they each did to become subjected to the fate of the 100. Personally, I would have preferred that greater attention had been given to character development rather than relationship development.
The Earth was unlivable for so long, and yet they send these 100 "children" as guinea pigs, rather than trained professionals. People who could colonize, build shelters, feed the colony, study the land and environment, or even tend to the ill. Instead, these youths are forced to come together with a common goal - survival.
One gets to a certain point in the novel and then realizes they don't entirely know what these different living situations/names mean. Of course, the Walden and Arcadian people seem to be of a lower class, economic, and social standing than the Phoenix. Walden also had an outbreak at one point that had to be quarantined. But beyond that? I'm not entirely sure what the distinctions are. Clearly the Phoenix people are "posh", with foreign accents, prone to extravagances and taking what they have for granted. But how did they come to be in that, dare I say, caste to begins with? Were people settled based upon their original locations on Earth? Or perhaps based upon the money/knowledge they could provide? Unfortunately, that aspect of the story is not very clearly explained. It seems that the author took more time to focus on the intricacies of the relationships than the world building.
Sometimes the author was redundant, choosing to repeat the same fears/desire over and over again. Yes, we understand that the medicine is missing. Was it flung from the ship before the crash or during? Can they survive without it? We don't know yet, but if we didn't realize the medicine was important the first time it was mentioned... We certainly realized it after the tenth.
This book has a very unique concept in that it combines the post-apocalyptic Hunger Games or Divergent-type Earth with space. While it may exist in other novels, I've not yet read something similar. Where it does seem to follow typical YA novels is the fact that it has a love triangle. Those seem like they are a requirement, as they are in most popular young adult novels. (HG, Divergent, TMI, Vampire Diaries, etc.)
There is a bit of mystery in the book as well. It seems that the reason one of the characters is arrested must be kept a secret, even from the reader. The author continuously has the girl think to herself, 'Why isn't he asking me about my confinement?', 'He's happy, this is for the best [that he doesn't know.]', and even has her love interest say "I heard a rumor about a girl on Phoenix who was arrested for..." Yes, there was a dramatic pause. And no, he does not finish his sentence. After the third or fourth time, the author finally reveals the girl's situation during a flashback.
Throughout the novel, the author develops the relationship between two main characters. Unfortunately, it's a bit jarring and sporadic. It quickly jumps from bitter hatred from the moment they step foot on Earth to reconciliation after one act, then back to hatred. Again, after one act. While relationships can be a roller coaster, this is a bit too authentic to the carnival ride.
The relationship is not perfect, especially when she has a second possible love interest. A guy who after only a short while, thinks of only her before he falls asleep. That girl must be something. The first time they really spend any time together, he decides that making out is the best course of action. Much to the dismay of her other love interest, though it does not dissuade him. Sound familiar?
It doesn't take long before he snaps at her and their brief... Whatever it was is over. Or is it?
They must be masochists, because it seems they're just gluttons for punishment and emotional, gut wrenching hurt... Or just those that don't learn from history. (Doomed to repeat it and all that.) Who would continuously subject themselves to that kind of torment? Move on and let yourself heal. It's not a post-apocalyptic world that only the two of you can repopulate... There are other individuals in camp with you. (Like the second guy you may or may not like, but that you certainly make out with in the woods.) But that's just my perspective.
While I found myself bemused and skeptical at times about certain aspects of the book, none of those times corresponded to the purposefully exaggerated environment that they must adapt to on Earth. Rather it is the progression of relationships, situations characters find themselves in, and utterly disastrous karmic intervention. Seriously, they must have really messed with the world for it to so perfectly separate two lovers as it does.
I suspected there would be a particular plot twist and unsurprisingly it came to fruition approximately 98% of the way through the book. I'm intrigued to see where the author takes it and how it will develop in the sequel - The 100: Day
21 (which is next on my review list!)
I find myself enjoying the read, dispute the obvious flaws one notices whilst reading it. If you take it as an easy, enjoyable read - then that is what you will come away with. If you expect it to be a fantastic piece that delves into the human psyche to truly draw you into a character's life and relationships - then you will be quite disappointed. Overall, I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy dystopian, teen romance series.
Each character is thrown into the mix, destined to be sent to Earth. The first in a long, long time. While not all make it, we are still treated with back stories and past relationships. Had the author not included those scenes, her characters would have been much more difficult to relate to. You come to briefly understand what the person goes through, exactly why he/she is so angry and hurt, and what they each did to become subjected to the fate of the 100. Personally, I would have preferred that greater attention had been given to character development rather than relationship development.
The Earth was unlivable for so long, and yet they send these 100 "children" as guinea pigs, rather than trained professionals. People who could colonize, build shelters, feed the colony, study the land and environment, or even tend to the ill. Instead, these youths are forced to come together with a common goal - survival.
One gets to a certain point in the novel and then realizes they don't entirely know what these different living situations/names mean. Of course, the Walden and Arcadian people seem to be of a lower class, economic, and social standing than the Phoenix. Walden also had an outbreak at one point that had to be quarantined. But beyond that? I'm not entirely sure what the distinctions are. Clearly the Phoenix people are "posh", with foreign accents, prone to extravagances and taking what they have for granted. But how did they come to be in that, dare I say, caste to begins with? Were people settled based upon their original locations on Earth? Or perhaps based upon the money/knowledge they could provide? Unfortunately, that aspect of the story is not very clearly explained. It seems that the author took more time to focus on the intricacies of the relationships than the world building.
Sometimes the author was redundant, choosing to repeat the same fears/desire over and over again. Yes, we understand that the medicine is missing. Was it flung from the ship before the crash or during? Can they survive without it? We don't know yet, but if we didn't realize the medicine was important the first time it was mentioned... We certainly realized it after the tenth.
This book has a very unique concept in that it combines the post-apocalyptic Hunger Games or Divergent-type Earth with space. While it may exist in other novels, I've not yet read something similar. Where it does seem to follow typical YA novels is the fact that it has a love triangle. Those seem like they are a requirement, as they are in most popular young adult novels. (HG, Divergent, TMI, Vampire Diaries, etc.)
There is a bit of mystery in the book as well. It seems that the reason one of the characters is arrested must be kept a secret, even from the reader. The author continuously has the girl think to herself, 'Why isn't he asking me about my confinement?', 'He's happy, this is for the best [that he doesn't know.]', and even has her love interest say "I heard a rumor about a girl on Phoenix who was arrested for..." Yes, there was a dramatic pause. And no, he does not finish his sentence. After the third or fourth time, the author finally reveals the girl's situation during a flashback.
Throughout the novel, the author develops the relationship between two main characters. Unfortunately, it's a bit jarring and sporadic. It quickly jumps from bitter hatred from the moment they step foot on Earth to reconciliation after one act, then back to hatred. Again, after one act. While relationships can be a roller coaster, this is a bit too authentic to the carnival ride.
The relationship is not perfect, especially when she has a second possible love interest. A guy who after only a short while, thinks of only her before he falls asleep. That girl must be something. The first time they really spend any time together, he decides that making out is the best course of action. Much to the dismay of her other love interest, though it does not dissuade him. Sound familiar?
It doesn't take long before he snaps at her and their brief... Whatever it was is over. Or is it?
They must be masochists, because it seems they're just gluttons for punishment and emotional, gut wrenching hurt... Or just those that don't learn from history. (Doomed to repeat it and all that.) Who would continuously subject themselves to that kind of torment? Move on and let yourself heal. It's not a post-apocalyptic world that only the two of you can repopulate... There are other individuals in camp with you. (Like the second guy you may or may not like, but that you certainly make out with in the woods.) But that's just my perspective.
While I found myself bemused and skeptical at times about certain aspects of the book, none of those times corresponded to the purposefully exaggerated environment that they must adapt to on Earth. Rather it is the progression of relationships, situations characters find themselves in, and utterly disastrous karmic intervention. Seriously, they must have really messed with the world for it to so perfectly separate two lovers as it does.
I suspected there would be a particular plot twist and unsurprisingly it came to fruition approximately 98% of the way through the book. I'm intrigued to see where the author takes it and how it will develop in the sequel - The 100: Day
21 (which is next on my review list!)
I find myself enjoying the read, dispute the obvious flaws one notices whilst reading it. If you take it as an easy, enjoyable read - then that is what you will come away with. If you expect it to be a fantastic piece that delves into the human psyche to truly draw you into a character's life and relationships - then you will be quite disappointed. Overall, I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy dystopian, teen romance series.
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Doctor Who: Sleepy in Books
Nov 30, 2020
This was a re-read for me, as I had read SLEEPY when it first came out in the late 90s. While I remembered parts of the book, it was, more or less, like it was fresh. Most of my time was spent "gobbling" as many books as I could, allowing me to "escape" the humdrum life I was leading and my not-so-cool bachelorhood. So, yeah, a fresh start of sorts to this read.
SLEEPY is the first book that begins the overarching "Psi Powers" story line. Author Kate Orman wastes no time, throwing us right into the deep end of the pool as the book opens! The ride that begins never lets up, providing with well-fleshed out characters and minor characters, as well as providing an intriguing and thought-provoking backstory.
In both the Virgin <i>New Adventures</i> as well as the BBC's <i>Eighth Doctor Adventures</i>, Orman was always favorite of mine, as well as a number of the pre-NuWHO fans. Her characters, goodies <b>and</b> baddies, were always full of depth, giving something than us tropes. The Doctor, regardless of the Incarnation, was treated properly, offering a much better Doctor than the new series has shown us.
The book requires focus when reading. That is, it works better if you can read it in room without distractions (musical film scores playing in the background don't count as a distracting), without anyone trying to talk to you while you're trying to read, i.e. my wife (!). There's some truly heady stuff going on the pages within, and if you ride it out, you will not be disappointed!
In the 61 <i>New Adventures</i> that Virgin Books published from 1991-96, there are several that stand out as cornerstones of the WHO-niverse. SLEEPY is one of those "cornerstones". If you see this out in your travels, perusing a cool used book shop, pick this book up, as it well worth the time!
SLEEPY is the first book that begins the overarching "Psi Powers" story line. Author Kate Orman wastes no time, throwing us right into the deep end of the pool as the book opens! The ride that begins never lets up, providing with well-fleshed out characters and minor characters, as well as providing an intriguing and thought-provoking backstory.
In both the Virgin <i>New Adventures</i> as well as the BBC's <i>Eighth Doctor Adventures</i>, Orman was always favorite of mine, as well as a number of the pre-NuWHO fans. Her characters, goodies <b>and</b> baddies, were always full of depth, giving something than us tropes. The Doctor, regardless of the Incarnation, was treated properly, offering a much better Doctor than the new series has shown us.
The book requires focus when reading. That is, it works better if you can read it in room without distractions (musical film scores playing in the background don't count as a distracting), without anyone trying to talk to you while you're trying to read, i.e. my wife (!). There's some truly heady stuff going on the pages within, and if you ride it out, you will not be disappointed!
In the 61 <i>New Adventures</i> that Virgin Books published from 1991-96, there are several that stand out as cornerstones of the WHO-niverse. SLEEPY is one of those "cornerstones". If you see this out in your travels, perusing a cool used book shop, pick this book up, as it well worth the time!
Something Cryptid This Way Comes (Love in Maplewood #9)
6.0
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Trevor Casal loves Maplewood and will do anything for its residents, including hosting the town’s...
Contemporary MM Romance
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Lovesick in Books
Feb 27, 2019
This is my first book by this author, and I must say, I liked it, but I wasn't in love with it. It was a little slow and very hard to get into. It took me a little longer to read this one than my other books, and for that, I have to give this book a 3 in ratings.
Jeanmarie, Chuck and their friends are wonderfully created. They were good for their roles in the story, I will admit. The plot line, while slow, did make me smile at times, and at others, I had to grab a tissue because, well, the ending it had was really one of emotion!
That said, I still recommend this book to others to try. Others may find that they don't have a hard time reading and will love it wholly. As for reading more of this authors work, I definitely look forward to trying more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Jeanmarie, Chuck and their friends are wonderfully created. They were good for their roles in the story, I will admit. The plot line, while slow, did make me smile at times, and at others, I had to grab a tissue because, well, the ending it had was really one of emotion!
That said, I still recommend this book to others to try. Others may find that they don't have a hard time reading and will love it wholly. As for reading more of this authors work, I definitely look forward to trying more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Silkworm in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading the 2nd installment in this series, especially given how much I enjoyed the first. As it turns out, I enjoyed this one just as much. The characterization is still great, with the 2 leads being a delight to read about again, and the world they inhabit is wonderfully detailed and built out. Most important to this kind of book however is the mystery itself, and there's a cracking good one here. This time out, Strike finds himself on the hunt for a missing writer, at his wife's request. When the author turns up quite viciously murdered, he shifts gears into figuring out the culprit. I can't say I figured it out, but who it did turn out to be made perfect sense, with all sorts of little details being very important in reaching the conclusion, which is exactly what I look for in this sort of novel. I loved reading every page of this book and look forward to reading the next one.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated It's Murder, My Son (Mac Faraday Mystery #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2019
We meet Mac Faraday for the first time. He does from a divorcee to being rich in a matter of a few days or weeks. He is caught to be told he had inherent the Spencer manor at Spencer point. What a change from living in middle class.
Once he arrives, there been a murder for him to solve and he meets his neighbors and half brother. What a mystery of a neighbor and he end up with owning the dog. The author does a wonderful job of introducing us to the main characters.
This case seem to be break open once Mac shows up and what up with the police chief? He seem like he trying to keep the murders a secrets and what ever happen to him? There seems to be quite a few murders on the lose?
It seems his mother, Robyn try to help by giving her son a journal. Want to guess who comes with the house? I think this is planned by his mother a bit. Who to know for sure.
Once he arrives, there been a murder for him to solve and he meets his neighbors and half brother. What a mystery of a neighbor and he end up with owning the dog. The author does a wonderful job of introducing us to the main characters.
This case seem to be break open once Mac shows up and what up with the police chief? He seem like he trying to keep the murders a secrets and what ever happen to him? There seems to be quite a few murders on the lose?
It seems his mother, Robyn try to help by giving her son a journal. Want to guess who comes with the house? I think this is planned by his mother a bit. Who to know for sure.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated The Society of Extraordinary Raccoon Society on Boasting in Books
Dec 19, 2019
Did your kids or children try to outdo the other? Well, this book might be a good one for you and children or grandchildren. It is good for your nieces and nephews to read too. They all can learn through this book.
This book is about boasting and learning about it. Morty and Maggie learn about this though the SOERS group they join. Maggie says something that makes Morty upset.
I love the fact that these main characters need to learn about different things. They do it by making mistakes but by helping those in need in their community. This is what SOERS do and still learn lessons. Your children can learn along with with Morty and Maggie though this book.
The author does a wonderful job of teaching a lesson but also making it fun. The book does rhyme while reading the story. It is good for first-time readers as well. Children can learn to rhyme and learn a moral lesson about boasting. Learn the best way to do that through the lord.
This book is about boasting and learning about it. Morty and Maggie learn about this though the SOERS group they join. Maggie says something that makes Morty upset.
I love the fact that these main characters need to learn about different things. They do it by making mistakes but by helping those in need in their community. This is what SOERS do and still learn lessons. Your children can learn along with with Morty and Maggie though this book.
The author does a wonderful job of teaching a lesson but also making it fun. The book does rhyme while reading the story. It is good for first-time readers as well. Children can learn to rhyme and learn a moral lesson about boasting. Learn the best way to do that through the lord.
The Unmumsy Mum Diary
Sarah Turner and The Unmumsy Mum
9.0
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She's back! The Unmumsy Mum has put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!) once more to bring...
President Me: The America That's in My Head
Book
Imagine a world where New York Times bestselling author, comedian, actor, television, and podcast...
In Pursuit of Glory
Book
Bradley Wiggins is a British sporting legend. Not only has he won seven World Track Championships...