Did you know that if the electricity stops, 90% of the population will die? It’s this delightful premise on which Gone Dark is built. I have to admit,Did you know that if the electricity stops, 90% of the population will die? It’s this delightful premise on which Gone Dark is built. I have to admit, it took me a while to be brave enough to continue reading this book after initially starting it. I wasn’t in the right headspace for “major event in which the population struggles to survive and people die”, you know, given the situation with things in the world right now, but I am so glad I did pick it up again, because I got hooked.
Gone Dark is a compelling story of survival and what it takes to be a survivor. Zara was raised by her dad, trained to hunt, prepare for disaster, shoot a crossbow and every skill she’d ever need to survive anything. But it’s been years since she lived on the compound, after her mother moved them back to civilisation. Now, Zara spends more time in survival video games than honing any real survival skills. But when Zara notices a pattern in the recent blackouts, she fears it’s a sign of something bad coming. No one believes her. Not her best friend, school friends or even her mother. So when the power goes out and stays out across the entire country, Zara does what she knows how to do - survive. But it will take everything she knows to reinuite with her mother, team up with and keep her gaming buddy Gabe safe, and rescue her best friend.
Readers who love dystopian books will love Gone Dark. It’s highly addictive and compelling reading and I can’t wait to add it to our shelves, alongside other “the world is ending but we’ll survive” titles. If there is a time to show just how strong teens are and can be, it’s now and Zara is one very strong character. Her growth across the pages of this book is absorbing and she swings from one crazy, horrifying scenario to the next, yet she doesn’t let it stop her. Her faith in humanity is challenged, but it’s how close to home this tradgedy is that really gets to her.
I loved the group that band around Zara. It’s starts with Gabe, but as they travel to find and rescue Gabe’s sister, they start to find other teens like them who want to survive. There is a bit of romance as well, which is the perfect relief to this otherwise thrilling (although the romance is kind of thrilling as well) tale.
Perfect for fans of Clare Zorn’s The Sky So Heavy and Erik J Brown’s All That’s Left In The World.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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I’ve been meaning to write and share this review for a while now but I just haven’t been able to put into words just how incredible and amazing and adI’ve been meaning to write and share this review for a while now but I just haven’t been able to put into words just how incredible and amazing and addictive this book is. It’s also slightly terrifying. And amazing.
Okay, here goes.
Dystopian, queer romance, illness that is wiping out the population. That completely undersells everything that this book is. It is heart and grief and fight and sacrifice. It is love and family and loss. It’s discovery and it’s a book I just loved. So much.
An illness, far worse than COVID and the pandemics that have come before, has decimated the population and the world as we know it. Andrew is injured, on foot, and desperately trying to make up for the mistakes he’s made. Then he stumbles upon Jamie. Jamie is hiding out in the cabin he and his mother escaped to when things started to get bad. Now he is on his own, but with plenty of supplies, thanks to his mother’s quick thinking. When Andrew appears on his doorstep, he isn’t sure if he can trust him, but he also knows he has to help this injured, hurting, desperate boy. Over the course of Andrew’s recovery, they form a solid friendship and so Jamie decides to accompany Andrew on his journey. On their perilous journey, they face danger they never could have predicted and make decisions to survive that will haunt them. They also grow closer and while Andrew is sure of his feelings towards Jamie, for Jamie it is new and unexpected and he’s not sure what it means for him. But survival comes first and the boys will do everything it takes to face the secrets that haunt them and the future they so desperately crave.
Honestly, just go and preorder, order, buy, borrow, beg (don’t steal), this book, find yourself a comfy corner and come back when you are done reading. Only then will I have been able to impart to you just how good this book is. I’ve had a book hangover for weeks!!! It is fantastic, scary, beautiful, sad, brilliant and all the feelings. I loved it. Can’t wait to get it on our library shelves and into the hands of readers.
I have already added Erik J. Brown’s next book to my to-read pile - still without a title or a synopsis - because I know I have to read it and as soon as humanly possible. I adore the way he brings characters to life and puts them through hell and makes me LOVE it. Congrats Erik J. Brown. What a debut!!
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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When We Are Invisible is the sequel to The Sky So Heavy. Published eight years after the first book, some might say this is a very long awaited sequelWhen We Are Invisible is the sequel to The Sky So Heavy. Published eight years after the first book, some might say this is a very long awaited sequel. It doesn’t disappoint.
Readers are reunited with Lucy, Max and Fin. When We Are Invisible picks up where The Sky So Heavy left off. Lucy, Fin and Max are running for their lives. Fleeing the bloodshed and horror of Sydney, they head for the hope of safety and food at the Wattlewood commune. Finally surrounded by enough food and water, safety, blessed warmth and adults who are taking a stand to protect them, things at Wattlewood are good. But Lucy isn’t sure everything is as safe as it appears.
While When We Are Invisible is a continuation of The Sky So Heavy’s story, it is its own book. The first book was written from Fin’s perspective, while in the sequel, Lucy takes over the narration. It is amazing to see the world through her eyes. We learn more about her family and the life she left behind, as well as the events that haunt her and the things are troubling her now. It creates a different perspective and a different focus for the story.
It is interesting reading When We Are Invisible, about a global event that effects the entire world and the supply of resources and how people react, while living though a global pandemic. It makes me want to create an inventory of my pantry and perhaps befriend a prepper. Reading When We Are Invisible again reinforces how accurate Zorn’s interpretation of how people react to such events was in the first book (though maybe she understated the importance of toilet paper. It does get a specific mention in this second book). It is a confronting look at survival and the lengths people are willing go to, to survive. This second book looks beyond the initial struggle for resources to the placement of power and what safety means, as well as highlighting important issues around abuse and power imbalances in relationships that are prevalent regardless of society’s level of pending doom.
Lucy is a female character and the events of their arrival and stay at Wattlewood feature her female perspective. It brings to light the differences in how those from different genders are treated, the power differences asserted by some characters and the fight at all times to stay safe. There is an incredibly powerful passage in the book that I know all women and girls will relate to.
This shift in focus and perspective made this novel so powerful. It is both a continuation of the overall story but an important book in it’s own right. No second novel syndrome here. However, to make sense of the story, it’s recommended that readers read the books in series order. Will there be a third book? I would welcome a third book and the continuation of this compelling story, but the ending does feel a little more concluded than the events of the first, so it could go either way.
Dystopian fiction fans and those who enjoyed the first book will not be disappointed by this expertly crafted story.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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What a superb, beautifully written book. Thought-provoking and action filled, The Dog Runner is an Australian, middle grade novel that is dystopian fiWhat a superb, beautifully written book. Thought-provoking and action filled, The Dog Runner is an Australian, middle grade novel that is dystopian fiction at its finest. This will be sure to please teen readers and make for a fantastic class novel.
I loved every page of this book. I was a little worried about the dogs. As a dog lover, I don’t usually read books about dogs - I can’t handle any injuries or death. I am very happy to say (any maybe it’s a spoiler, but I think it’s important to share) that aside from a small injury none of the dogs are harmed or die. This book has a dog-happy ending. Can’t say the same for some kangaroos, snakes, possums or other small creatures. For those who don’t like hunting or animal deaths, there are quite a few descriptions of killing and preparing animals for food. It’s done with care, but with details.
MacDibble presents a society and world in which grass crops have all failed and animal farming has been destroyed. People in the cities and suburbs are fighting for food, waiting for deliveries from the government that aren’t coming. People are looting and rioting and gangs are roaming.
Ella, her half-brother Emery, father and mother live in a small apartment along with three dogs. They hide the dogs, as many judge them for having extra mouths to feed when food is already scarce. When Ella’s mother doesn’t return from work and her father goes out to find her and also doesn’t return, Ella and her brother escape their apartment, taking their dogs along with two others, and using a bike sled, set out across the country to try and make it to Emery’s mother’s property.
I love the integration of the Indigenous perspective in this novel. I found it so wonderful to learn a little about Indigenous plants and farming techniques. I want to learn more now. It always amazes and saddens me that there is such knowledge out there, such a wonderful history of caring for the land in ways that work, that isn’t practiced by the majority of famers today. This book is both a warning and a offers a seed of hope. It will make a fantastic starting point for a unit of investigation into Indigenous farming techniques and history.
I loved Ella. She is the main character and narrates the story. If you are looking for a strong female voice, you’ll love Ella. She’s not fearless, but she never gives up. She protects her brother, family and dogs with everything she has in her. She knows how to scavenge for food and she endures the long and hard journey they face.
This is a book about survival, doing what it takes to protect the people and animals you love and a hope for building a better future.
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I went through a whole range of reactions while reading Keystone. I couldn’t have hated the beginning more. I was disconnected, confused and ready to I went through a whole range of reactions while reading Keystone. I couldn’t have hated the beginning more. I was disconnected, confused and ready to put the book down and never pick it back up. However, I reasoned I was very busy at work and was only reading the book in short fits and I really should give it a better chance to capture my attention. I’m glad I did. One week into my holiday, I picked it up again. There were sections in the middle that made me cringe, but the story comes together and I was intrigued by the mix of social commentary, dystopian story and heist novel. By the end, I was hooked. What a fabulous turn around. The end reads like a thrilling action movie. I’m intrigued about where the series is going to go next.
Keystone dumps the reader right into the middle of the plot and action. So much so, that I actually stopped reading and went to check if this was a second book in a series. The story starts in the middle of big events for Elisha, the main charcter, and readers must just go along for the ride, picking up details about who she is, why she’s just jumped off an exploding yacht, who and what the Disconnects are, the slightly futuristic world, and what on earth is going on, along the way. This sudden start makes it hard to connect or care about Elisha’s trauma (because we are not sure what really happened anyway) or grief (how can we mourn characters we never met?). It only gets more confusing from there, as she somehow joins (or has already joined??) a group of spies. After reading on a bit and some backstory is provided via journaled flashbacks, it made a lot of sense for the book to start after Elisha (or Ella) has left her Influencer life as she is rather unlikeable before and that is more palatable as she reflects on her mistakes and how she wants to change. I would have liked a few more details about what she knew of the Disconnects and Keystone as she started there, but I did eventually figure out the essential details.
There were so many awesome ideas in this book, and the premise was so exciting. I love the reflection on a social media addicted world and how this was explored in its extreme. I loved the idea of a training centre for spies. I loved the idea of reverting to old technology. And then there were just awesome things, like a hidden village in the tree tops. Sadly, I was a little distracted by the lack of details about Elisha and why she was joining Keystone, so my advice to readers is just take it as it comes, the details and backstory come later. There were a few things that got on my nerves. There needs to be a massive trigger warning for the attempted suicide that is outlined in detail and real time in the story. I think that could have been handled better for readers, but sadly the shock value is achieved. Elisha’s attraction to Garret and her love triangle with Adam is rather cringe worthy. She does attempt to resist the endless attraction, which I appreciated, but she is often distracted and I thought that detracted from her awesomeness as a naturally gifted spy.
The ending ramps up the tension and the sexual attraction, leaving the story well placed for a second instalment.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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This Vicious Cure is the eagerly awaited third and final book in the This Mortal Coil series. I was a little delaying in picking up this third book afThis Vicious Cure is the eagerly awaited third and final book in the This Mortal Coil series. I was a little delaying in picking up this third book after it’s publication (or one of the other librarians gave it to a student before I could read it!) so it was during the height of the first wave of COVID-19 that I was reading this conclusion to a series about a serious virus that kills and dramatically alters society. It’s surprising how many books there are bout deadly plagues and virus, but I think the This Moral Coil series is one of my absolute favs and is always one I love recommending to students.
This Vicious Cure follows on from the conclusion of the second book. The characters (and readers) have been through so much since the first book. Honestly, a happy ending seems a little unlikely. The action starts up again almost instantly. Please be aware this review may contain spoilers for the first and second book. You should read the series in series order. This Mortal Coil is perfect for fans of science fiction, dystopian novels, action, a touch of romance, strong female lead characters, coding, technology and the absolute terror of humans and society.
The chapters in This Vicious Cure alternate between Jun Bei and Cat. The stakes are higher in this final book, the odds worse. But Cat and Jun Bei are both incredibly strong and clever young women. Love the women in STEM rep (sad that I even have to point it out).
Fans of the series will love this conclusion to the series - I certainly did! The This Mortal Coil series is highly recommended. ...more
3.5 stars. Okay, you had me at Krav Maga, and prepping. If I’m going to read a doomsday book, having a character who knows that they are up against is3.5 stars. Okay, you had me at Krav Maga, and prepping. If I’m going to read a doomsday book, having a character who knows that they are up against is my kind of book. Day Zero has all the destruction, terror and political unrest you would expect from a book about the end of civilisation as we know it. Along with lots of action and tension, Day Zero plunges readers into a world that is scarily similar to our own, as political fractions rip society apart.
Jinx doesn’t much care for politics, history or who won the recent election. She’d rather focus on her upcoming campaign in her favourite computer game. But then she, her younger brother and her step-sister are caught up in one of five building explosions that kills thousands and sends the population into a terror-driven run on the banks. When her step-father is arrested for the explosions and her mother taken as part of the investigation, Jinx knows their only chance of survival is finding her father, a doomsday survivalist expert, a computer genius and best friend of the man who is currently trying to hunt her down.
The terror and emotions in Day Zero are very authentic. Jinx and her siblings spend the majority of the first half of this book either freaking out, trying to figure out what to do next or arguing. The stress-induced tension was very realistic. And despite all of Jinx’s training with her father, including Krav Maga, weapons handing, drills for survival and exit strategies, she doesn’t get much time to get her head around what’s happening or what to do next, so she and her siblings spend a lot of time bouncing from one near miss to another. Along the way, we readers learn a little about the political climate of the book’s setting. The political unrest is the basis for the societal meltdown - two political parties, one newly elected president who seems to be there because of a rigged election, the other side in hiding in fear for their lives, explosions attributed to the losing political side, martial law declared, and a hunt for those deemed responsible. Jinx and her family are the targets and she must do everything she can to survive.
Day Zero is the first book in a planned duology and the conclusion of this first book gives readers an exciting climax and a big twist to set the scene for book two. Day Zero is the perfect book for readers who love action-drive YA.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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Rogue is the second book in the two book dystopian series, The Vault. As the follow-up to Hive, Rogue took the world of Hive and blew it wide open. WiRogue is the second book in the two book dystopian series, The Vault. As the follow-up to Hive, Rogue took the world of Hive and blew it wide open. With the same curious and ever-searching main character and even more incredible descriptions of the surrounding landscape, Rogue gives readers and Hayley the answers they were searching for in book one.
Hayley had so many questions and when the son gave her the option to leave her confined life behind and explore what else was out there, she took it. Now, Hayley finds herself in a place she never could have imagined, with new creatures, landscapes and rules. But she can’t forget the people she left behind, and, as she learns more about this new world, she isn’t sure if she should let her old world go or if she should share her new-found discoveries.
Once again A.J. Betts totally delivers on the descriptions and the way in which she builds the story and landscapes that encompass it. Now outside the confines of her old world, Hayley has so much to discover. And while the Australian landscape and creatures described may be familiar to most readers, it is seeing it all through Hayley’s eyes that is really cool. It is totally believable that Hayley has never before heard of the ocean or the sky or stars. She discovers these things alongside her new friend. I loved Kid. Loved his enthusiasm and kindness. He was a great addition to the story.
As well as expanding Hayley’s world, Rogue also gives readers some answers about the place Hayley was born and raised, as well as the condition of the wider planet earth. Set in the future, the reality is an all-too scary portrayal of both political and climate changes. As a result, Rogue is the perfect discussion starter for important topics of refugees, governmental control, population control and regulation, the environment, plants, animals, extinction, family, and relationships. Hayley, and the reader, can’t help but compare this new Earth to the contained world Hayley left behind, and the reader, alongside Hayley, must ask the question of which is better, or perhaps less wrong. I did enjoy the ending though, and thought it was the perfect ‘get out of jail free’ card. Giving no right answers, yet still providing a fulfilling and satisfying ending. There are still a lot of things left unanswered, which while leaving gaps for the reader remains true to Hayley’s perspective as the narrator and doesn’t provide details she would not know.
Rogue is best read after first reading Hive, and this two-book series is both compelling and unique.
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Hive is a unique dystopian story. Intricately crafted, the world beautifully written, this gentle and compelling story is just the start of an excitinHive is a unique dystopian story. Intricately crafted, the world beautifully written, this gentle and compelling story is just the start of an exciting two-book series. The narrator, alongside the reader, knows only of the day-to-day rhythm of life and the stories she has been told. As she questions, explores and discovers scant details, she, and the reader, learns there is far more to the world than she could have expected.
Hayley is a beekeeper. It is her job to tend the Hive, just one of the gardeners in the gardener house, one of the six houses, that rely on water from the source and follow the patterns set out by the generations before them. But Hayley has a secret, one that has her questioning everything around and soon the walls of her world seem to hem her in. But will questioning provide the answers she is looking for?
Hive is not action heavy. Instead it relies on gentle storytelling and Hayley’s curiosity to drive the plot. A little slow at times, the ending gives away a few details about the state of the world that made me eager to read on. Hive is the first book in a duology. It felt very much like just the beginning of the story and I hope the second book will make things so much more interesting and clearer. I recommend having the second book on hand when starting Hive, especially when the ending is such a surprise and so abrupt.
The construction of Hayley’s world, told to the reader through Hayley’s eyes, is so detailed and beautifully crafted. The descriptions are beautiful but I loved how it remains true to Hayley’s voice and her knowledge. It also means that the reader only knows what Hayley knows, and so the details about her world and how it came to be are few. More is revealed at the end but I’m sure the second book will expand on these unknown entities.
Hive - a new and unique voice is YA Australian dystopian fiction, perfect for readers looking for something just a little bit different.
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The XY is a compelling and unique work of speculative fiction that asks the question, what if? What if a drastic illness reduced the population by halThe XY is a compelling and unique work of speculative fiction that asks the question, what if? What if a drastic illness reduced the population by half. What would the world look like? How would things have changed 60 years on? What if the half that was left to start over were all female? What if a young girl, who has only know life in this new era, met a boy, a strange creature she recognises only from history lessons? How would she treat him, how would it change her world?
River lives in a world two generations on from an event that changed everything. When she finds an injured stranger on the road home, she is shocked to discover it is an XY - a boy. When she saves his life and takes him back to her community, it will forever change her life and how she views her world.
The XY instantly caught my attention with its intriguing summary. A world where men have disappeared, a world where gender norms are switched or challenged. It wasn’t until much later, after requesting a review copy, that I realised this book has already generated a fair amount of buzz and criticism, having already been published by a different publisher under a different name. I do not know if the text has been dramatically altered between the editions or not, but for clarity, my review is of the 2018 Sourcebooks Fire publication.
I was impressed with the writing style and the overall effect of the novel. It’s clever, thought-provoking and undoubtedly going to create a stir. When I mentioned this title to my high-school book club members, I was instantly met with delight from the girls and outrage from the boys. But I do not, personally, think this book is about man hate. Nor do I think it is trying to say that women are better than men. The cause of the reduced crime and complete restructuring of the world is not because it is run by women as such but more because of the massive event that led to women running the world. Image the death of half the population. If that happened today that would be a loss of 3.8 billion people. That would be a massive, hugely horrific and traumatic event, and that’s exactly how it is portrayed in The XY. Things changed not because men are bad, women are good and the death and segregation of the former led to the freedom of the later, but because things had to change and with change came the opportunity to start afresh. To enact new, fairer ways of governing. To create an international set of agreements that value life and truth. To protect the environment. Perhaps the world wouldn’t be a peaceful as it is in River’s world - but I’d like to think that men or women would try to make the world a better place. Perhaps, if removed from the world and segregated from women, men wouldn’t remain in an army-style, video-gaming, woman-hating lifestyle. Again, Bergin makes it clear that this is just one section of the male population, and that perhaps other sections were raised differently (then again, you just have to look to some of our leaders today and it becomes totally plausible). But for the purposes of the story, it provides the necessary what if question - What if women created a new world, a new way of living without fear and restrictions and what if men continued to live with the same overall mindsets of today’s world.
The trauma of the death of the male population is remembered by the grandmummas, but a boy is a new and very strange thing to River and others of her generation. I love River’s voice and the first person narration that allows the reader to be fully immersed in her world and thoughts. She very funny, and I loved her fire, indignation, confusion and compassion. There were so many times I laughed - out loud, snort-laughter - at something she or her great-grandmother Kate, said. She loathes Mason and the troubles he has brought to her world.
Aside from a dear relationship between River and her friend Plat, there is no romance in this story. There is also little action. Instead, introspection, humour and quiet reform are the strengths of this book. It doesn’t delve too deeply into the world outside River’s sphere, doesn’t explore all facets of the new society. Make what you will of the world Bergin has created. Maybe you would have written it differently, maybe you think a world without men or a sanctuary removed from any female input would be quite different, but it any case, I found The XY to be a thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable novel.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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Access Restricted is the sequel to the amazing and scarily possible All Rights Reserved. With just as much action and intrigue, Access Restricted onceAccess Restricted is the sequel to the amazing and scarily possible All Rights Reserved. With just as much action and intrigue, Access Restricted once again delves into a world where every form of communication is owned and fees charged accordingly, where history and knowledge have become propriety information only accessible to those with wealth and standing, where one girl unwittingly became the leader in an uprising, and where that girl must once again risk everything for a chance of a better future.
There has been much debate in my high-schoolers book club, who all adored All Rights Reserved, if a sequel was needed. The first book could, arguably, be concluded and left as it was. Others suggested they were happy with the ending, and that any more could possibly ruin the awesomeness of the first book. Others still, myself included, desperately wanted more -more of Speth, more of her accidental rebellion and uprising, and more explanation of the world in which she lives and the consequences for her actions. Would everything she had already done and sacrificed really change things? Had it really made a difference?
Access Restricted picks up almost immediately after the conclusion of All Rights Reserved. The WiFi is down in the Portland Dome where Speth lives, taken out when Speth blew up Rog’s tower. People are free from the system that controls and charges for every word they speak, every gesture they make - for now. The race is on to crack the DRM on the food printers so that the population doesn’t starve, and Speth knows that there will be people coming to seek revenge for her actions. Others, especially the groups of Silents, are looking for Speth to lead them, to tell them what comes next, but Speth just wants to flee with her sister to find her indentured parents. With a small group of friends, Speth manages to escape and for the first time see the world beyond the dome. But there is so much more at stake than her freedom.
Access Restricted continues the brilliance that is All Rights Reserved. One thing that continues to resonate with the many readers who I’ve seen devour this book is how very real it feels, how very possible, and that makes it very scary. And, as the author notes in his acknowledgements, it seems the world is ever marching towards this reality. In the first book, Speth started a rebellion with her silence. Now she has taken down the WiFi and Silas Rog’s control of the city, she has the power to speak and she’s not sure what to say. One thing I have especially loved about these books is Speth. She’s not hero material, not your typical amazingly gifted, ‘of course she’s going to save the world, she was born with that sole purpose’, chosen-one hero. Instead, she’s just a brave young girl who desperately wants to save her family and doesn’t know how to do that. She makes mistakes - some of which have cost her the very people she wants to protect. But she’s also clever. I love the way she pieces information together and creates solutions.
The first half of Access Restricted was a little hard to get into, not for lack of action, because there are plenty of high action and high tension scenes, but due to indecision. Speth isn’t sure what to do and the things she and her friends do do, happen mostly because they have no choice. But as they continue their journey outside their dome’s borders, a clearer picture of what America has become and why emerges. I enjoyed seeing the bigger picture and the backstory to Speth’s world and the Word$ system. The last half of Access Restricted was impossible to put down. As things heat up, as the tension mounts and as I despaired that there was no way it was going to end well, Speth, her friends and their determination and resilience never failed to amaze.
There are so many things I loved about this book, outside of the cleverness of the story, especially the focus on family and what it means, and that there is no romantic subplot for the main character. Seriously, and it doesn’t need it!
If you a looking for a YA dystopian with a difference, for a book that captures your imagination, and for characters that are both relatable and easy to root for, then look no further than the Word$ series. This unique and cleverly crafted duology is very highly recommended.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
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Your One and Only is a compelling YA science-fiction novel that tackles the complexity of love, compassion, community, genetic engineering, and what iYour One and Only is a compelling YA science-fiction novel that tackles the complexity of love, compassion, community, genetic engineering, and what it means to be human.
Althea-310 is one of ten Althea sisters from the 310 generation, one of nine homo factus models that make up their community. When the leaders of the community reveal that they have created a human from genetic remains, Althea-310 is shocked by how unlike one of her brothers and sisters he is. Jack has been raised alone outside of the clone community, raised as a human, and so it is not only his face and build that differs so greatly from the nine models. The clones are unwilling to trust Jack but Althea-310 is strangely drawn to the outsider.
This sci-fi, set far into the future of a world that has degraded and broken and then slowly rebuilt, looks far more at humanity and what it means to be human than at the science that has led the clones to where they are. As such, this book is about love and emotions, belonging, and understanding. Despite that, the world building is well constructed and well thought out. The clones’ world has evolved from human society, but, much like the clones themselves, has been altered over the years, refined, and has lost something of its humanity. Sex is used as one example of how many remnants of human society have been changed into rituals, without spontaneity or emotion.
Despite most of the characters in this book sharing one of nine names, there were, surprisingly, a number of distinct characters who become important and memorable parts of the story. Although, I’ll admit that it did get a little confusing. I really couldn’t distinguish between Nyla-313 and Nyla-314 (I think the former is Althea-310’s friend), and Althea’s sisters blurred into one similar mass. But through this, it is hard not to capture the overall effect and message - that difference and individually is what makes us unique and human, and is what the clones have lost through their continual genetic modifications.
The romance doesn’t develops until the latter half of the book, and rightly so, as Althea has much to learn before her views about difference and ‘the human’ change enough for her to truly get to know Jack. While the romance does play an important part in the story, it is certainly not the focus. Instead, the story is more about Althea and other characters coming to understand and value individuality, and for Jack to understand the clones’ society and his role within it.
As yet, I have not heard anything about this book being the first in a series. It works perfectly as a standalone, but I would welcome further books. There is more that can be discovered, greater change to be enacted, a different future to be lived out. If there is to be a second book, I will eagerly join with these characters again as they forge for themselves a new and more accepting society.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library....more
The Undercurrent is a fantastic book, Australian futuristic, speculative sci-fi at its very best. Paula Weston delivers on action, family dynamics, poThe Undercurrent is a fantastic book, Australian futuristic, speculative sci-fi at its very best. Paula Weston delivers on action, family dynamics, politics, environmental destruction, romance with chemistry that is off-the-charts hot, and a genuine Aussie-ness that made me feel totally at home among the gumtrees.
Julianne De Marchi knows she is a little different from everyone else. No one else has an electrical undercurrent inside them, a current that seems impossible to control and is deadly to others. The current stole her normal life, ended her mother's career and is responsible for leaving them so broke Julianne is willing to interview at Paxton Federation -the enemy- to get a job. But when protests turn violent, Jules is forced to turn to the mysterious Ryan Walsh, who seemingly just happened to be in the same place at the same time, for help. The Feds want to know if Jules and her mother are responsible for the latest attack, the Army, including Ryan, have their own interests in the De Marchi women, and the Paxtons are out for blood. It's going to be interesting - if Jules can stay alive long enough to find some answers.
The Undercurrent is electric and wildly addictive. I'm a little sad that it's being promoted as a stand-alone title, as I would love to continue on this wild ride with such amazing characters. I enjoyed reading The Undercurrent as my work lunchtime book, which meant reading it over a long period of time in short, lunchtime bursts. And while it was very difficult to put down at the end of lunch each day, it was very easy to keep picking it back up. And of course, I had to read the end as one big chunk, because there was no way I was putting it down once things started building to a climax.
The Undercurrent is the perfect crossover novel, appealing to older young adult readers, new adult readers and older readers alike. Told through multiple perspectives, with both teenage and adult protagonists, this book is approachable for so many readers. While technically it is a futuristic speculative novel, it has a grounding in an all-too-real and scary present and future. I enjoyed the world Paula Weston has created. The politics of food production and genetically modified crops and animals dominate the political climate, while private funding from large corporations control both the government and the army. Farmers must join with GMO corporations or be forced out of water and funding access, and nuclear power has created huge radioactive waste problems.
The setting truly comes to life under the deft hand of Paula Weston. Australian readers will be intimately familiar with the settings, which range from inner-city Brisbane to South Australian farmland. But it was the characters, from Jules and her determined mother to Ryan and his team, that really feature in this book and make it shine. There are a number of characters and they each play an important role in the story. I particularly liked Ryan's family and the time that was taken to share their story.
The Undercurrent is a creative and unique novel, perfectly situated within the sci-fi genre and yet offering something a little different for readers.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library....more
This book deserves a victory dance for awesomeness. But I'm actually too shocked to move right now. This Mortal Coil is mind-blowingly awesome. PreparThis book deserves a victory dance for awesomeness. But I'm actually too shocked to move right now. This Mortal Coil is mind-blowingly awesome. Prepare yourselves, I'm afraid this is going to be one of those gushing, I-just-loved-it-so-much reviews. But this book totally deserves it.
This Mortal Coil expertly combines breathtaking world building with endless action, insane plot twists that just keep coming, and some seriously amazing characters. Add romance in the midst of apocalyptic chaos with intense chemistry, a zombie virus that is wildly spreading, and some very impressive technological advancements that all seamlessly fit with scientific explanations, and you have one amazing book that is impossible to put down
Catarina has survived the last two years on her own, doing anything she has to, to outlive the deadly Hydra virus that has killed millions and driven most of the population into hiding underground. Ever since her father, the world's most famous geneticist, was taken by Cartaxus soldiers, Catarina has lived alone, and with limited tech and resources, she has had to rely on her impressive hacking skills to survive. Until a Cartaxus solider turns up on the doorstep of her hideaway cabin. Cole insists he is there to help, but her father warned her never to trust Cartaxus. But Cole demands that her father has finally created an antivirus for the plague and that she is key to unlocking it.
This Motal Coil is set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, where science has evolved so much that humans can recode their DNA using panels in their arms connected to branches of tech within their bodies. But viruses have also evolved, making the world a very deadly place in which to live. The Hydra virus is one seriously scary virus. It makes zombie-like monsters not only out of those infected, but also in those who respond to someone who is in the second stage of the virus - mad, consuming bloodlust that can result in short-term immunity. And that pretty picture on the front of the book? Well, I guess that represents the cloud of flesh exploding when someone dies from the virus. Like I said, scary stuff.
This book doesn't pull its punches. I thought I might faint from a few descriptions of the procedures or injuries or, let's just call them, events, in this book. Everything is incredibly realistic and scientifically (to my very limited knowledge) makes sense. There is a lot of discussion woven into the story about genetics, DNA, coding, hacking, and everything that works together to make this world seem so real. It gets frightening pretty quickly when you can totally imagining that all happening in real life.
While the plot is amazingly detailed, with endless tension and action, it's the characters that I most loved about this book. Catarina is everything you could want in a strong, intelligent, brave, and feisty heroine of a sci-fi novel. Where another girl might have melted under the hands of the (very, very) handsome solider, Cat tells him to get his hands off or she'll break his fingers. She has survived in a seriously brutal world, is strong and ruthless, but also kind. Despite everything she hasn't lost her humanity. And then there is Cole. A trainer solider, forced to protect, stubborn, and sweet (don't tell him I said that). Together, Cole and Cat are dynamic, and their story only gets better and better the more the plot unfolds. Did I mention twists?
Of course, there are also a whole range of amazing secondary characters, a few of which I really want to know a lot more about. Hopefully in the next book. And now I am dying to read book two in this series. I know it is going to be epic and possibly heart-attack inducing but so very worth it. Can't wait.
This Mortal Coil is a superbly crafted sci-fi thriller, intelligent, brutal, and impossible to put down, it is very highly recommended.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library....more
All Rights Reserved is a clever and timely dystopian novel that introduces a world where speech and communication is controlled and monitored for capiAll Rights Reserved is a clever and timely dystopian novel that introduces a world where speech and communication is controlled and monitored for capital gain. It is scary in its portrayal of a future world that is all too possible. With characters who quickly garner the reader's support, All Rights Reserved is a highly thought-provoking novel.
Speth knows that at the exact moment of her fifteenth birthday every word she says, every gesture, every move of affection will be monitored, recorded, and she will be charged accordingly. But when her friend suicides just moments before her Last Day speech, Speth is horrified and knows no other option than to remain silent. She unwittingly creates a silent revolutionary protest. But it is hard to lead a revolution when you have no plan and can't communicate. With her family falling apart around her Speth knows she must never stop fighting if she is to save herself and her family, or if she is to hopefully affect some change in her society.
This book captured my imagination. It's one thing to have a dystopian novel where characters are forced to kill each other for entertainment of the population - sure that might happen - but a world where everything is copyrighted, a world where you can sue someone with a touch of a button on the electric cuff wrapped around your wrist? - now that is something I can totally see happening. It's scary!! Everything in this novel was just one step advanced from our current technology and politics. Houses are now printed, as is food. There is a stock market for words. The polarisation of wealth has increased. The Cuffs that control Speth and her friends' every word and moments are not that far removed from the bands and watches available now that monitor everything from movement to heart rates. Scary! And that's exactly why this is such an important book.
This book is a important conversation starter. As a society, we need to discuss how we want our world to look like now and in the future and it is important to consider how every little step now impacts that future. Copyright, food production, technology, privacy, censorship and surveillance are all key themes raised in this book.
Injustice makes me all sorts of angry, and there was so much injustice in this book. At times it felt claustrophobic. The book is truly evocative. I felt as if I was right there alongside Speth, who has no way to communicate, no way to protect her family, no real options, no plan. At times I was frustrated by this lack of a grand plan. Just when things seem to move forward or Speth has an idea it always peters out or it is unobtainable. But I suppose this is highly realistic of Speth's situation. There is no shortage of tension and heartbreak in this novel. There is also plenty of action to supplement the storyline.
All Rights Reserved is a timely and important book and a very worthy addition to the dystopian genre. I can't wait to share this with our readers, and while the ending is satisfying, I know that the Word$ series has so much more to offer.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library....more
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