Buy Dark Promise on Amazon

Rylie has it all – great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.

First things first: I want to thank TBG Tours for including me in this one. I am seriously loving these things. I mean, reading free books and swapping witty comments with their characters? If paradise isn’t the word, then I don’t know what is.

Now, I know exactly what you’ve been thinking since seeing Dark Promise‘s cover: Faeries. Spelled with an ‘e’, no less. Haven’t we been through this already? Haven’t we already familiarized ourselves with this supernatural element? Haven’t we already seen all there is to see when it comes to these winged beasts?

To answer your questions: yes. You’re right in every way of the word. Miss Crane and Miss Jager don’t actually have very much to add to the already abundantly overwrought YA faery world. I don’t think that there is much to add to it. Since that flying trend a while back, everything else faery is just more of the same.

What’s important to grasp here is that that’s okay. So you’ve seen all that faery jazz, so what? There’s a reason the fay became popular in the first place. And, hey, I’d take faeries any day over stalker-eyed mermaids. Besides, Dark Promise‘s supernatural realm involves gloomy castles, magical gardens, mysterious artwork, and– this is the fun part– one  love-triangle-initiator who just  happens to be tall, dark and handsome. Oh, and did I mention that this guy’s father kidnapped Rylie in adherence to his super evil plan? Oh, wait! This isn’t mutual attraction, this is Stockholm Syndrome!

But apart from that whole kidnappee-falls-for-kidnapper thing (otherwise known as a certifiable psychological affliction) and some minor characterization issues, I really did enjoy Dark Promise. It was a completely escapist no-brainer read, and everybody needs one of those once in a while. I’m giving it a sturdy 3.0/5 stars. This one is for the people who don’t automatically roll their eyes when they see “faery” spelled with the ‘e’.

But here I am talking about letters when I could be talking to our protagonist of the hour. On to my interview with Rylie herself!

ANA: Okay, let’s start with the basics. What’s your favourite subject?

RYLIE: I’m really not a fan of school, but if I had to choose I guess it would be web design. I like things to be neat and orderly, and when you are coding a site you have control of the outcome.

ANA: Ah, a neat freak. Completely understandable. So, I’m guessing that you’re not a pleasure reader, per se, but out of all of the YA books that you’ve read, which is your favourite?

RYLIE: Don’t judge me, but I’m a huge Twilight fan. I feel really bad for Robert Pattinson. I can’t believe Kristen would cheat on him with that gross older man. I’m hoping they get back together.

ANA: I hold no disrespect for Twi-hards, but I will say that I never would have guessed that you’re one of them. On other things I don’t know about you, what’s your personal motto?

RYLIE: Don’t follow the beaten path. Go your own way and leave a trail.

ANA: Do you have any idea about your career after high school? A web designer, maybe?

RYLIE: I guess it depends on if I have to marry Kallan or go off to college with Adam. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I guess I should start thinking about that.

ANA: Speaking of your future, I’m sure that you’d want it to involve Adam, your lovely boyfriend. I know that you two have been BFFs forever, but tell me: how did he ask you out?

RYLIE: It was really sweet. After Adam won an important baseball game, he said the only thing that could make the day any better was if I would be his girlfriend. At first I thought he was joking, because we had been friends for so long. I didn’t think he thought of me that way. But when his lips touched mine, I knew it wasn’t a joke. We’ve been attached at the hip ever since. He really is a great boyfriend.

ANA: Sounds romantic, too. Well, Adam definitely passed the boyfriend test. Moving on, the colour of a faery’s wings must mean something. Why do you think that your wings are pink and purple?

RYLIE: That is a great question, and one I do not have the answer to. I’ll have to ask Azura next time I see her. It does seem like light faeries have pastel colours and dark faeries have darker coloured wings.

ANA: Although your faery name is Oleander, you prefer to go by Rylie. Do you have anything against flowering bushes that come in a multitude of colours?

RYLIE: I really hated the name Oleander at first, but it’s starting to grow on me. Just don’t tell Azura or my mom. I’m trying to accept my heritage—it’s not easy.

ANA: No, I don’t imagine that it would be. Oleander does have a sort of ring to it, though, so you’re lucky in that sense. After all of the misadventures with your name and other obstacles in the faery realm, how is going back to your ‘normal’ life working out for you?

RYLIE: It has been strange going back to the human realm and knowing that another world exists so close by under our noses. I shouldn’t admit this, but I miss Kallan.

ANA: Ooh, my daily gossip quota has officially been filled. Thank you for that juicy little tidbit. Finally, do you have any clue as to what the future holds? Or, in more specific terms, what do you think the next book-worthy happenings in your life will be?

RYLIE: I heard a rumor that Kallan is going to be visiting the human realm soon. I’m nervous, because I love Adam, but part of me is drawn to Kallan.

ANA: Folks, I believe that we have a teaser. I knew that this was going to be a great interview! A big thanks to Miss Crane and Miss Jager for making it happen.

I’ll keep you posted,

Happy Tuesday! Starting this week, I’m participating in The Broke and the Bookish‘s Top 10 Tuesday weekly meme. This week’s theme is Top 10 Books on your Fall TBR List, and I am counting down from number 10.

10.

Publication date: February 28th, 2012.

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

You might have noticed that I was supposed to read Pandemonium this summer. If this were the case, you would be right. Delirium‘s ending was so unsatisfactory, I just don’t see how I could have missed it. Better late then never, though, right?

9.  

Publication date: August 30th, 2011

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story…

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

For some reason, I feel like I’m the only person who hasn’t read this book. It’s an oldie, but it must be a goodie. It looks really freakin’ scary, too, and Halloween is just around the corner…

8.

Publication date: September 4th, 2012

From internet stars Elle and Blair Fowler comes a scintillating new novel that takes readers Beneath the Glitter of the glitzy L.A. social scene.

Welcome to a place where dreams are made.  And where nothing—and no one—is ever what it seems.

After their make-up and fashion videos went viral on YouTube, sisters Sophia and Ava London are thrust into the exclusive life of the Los Angeles elite.  Here fabulous parties, air kisses, paparazzi and hot guys all come with the scene. Sophia finds herself torn between a gorgeous bartender and a millionaire playboy, and Ava starts dating an A-list actor.  But as they’re about to discover, the life they’ve always dreamed of comes with a cost.

Beneath the glitter of the Hollywood social scene lies a world of ruthless ambition, vicious gossip…and betrayal.  Someone close to them, someone they trust, is working in the shadows to bring the London sisters falling down. And once the betrayal is complete, Sophia and Ava find themselves knee-deep in a scandal that could take away everything they care about, including the one thing that matters most—each other.

Oh, a beach read. In the fall. I have a feeling that I’m going to need the mental break, so I am welcoming this contemporary with open arms. Plus, look at that cover. Swoon.

7. 

Publication date: September 18th, 2012

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

I have been coveting What’s Left of Me for months. Months. The premise is just so intriguing, and I can’t even begin to cover how much potential this book  has to make an impact on an emotional level. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

6. 

Publication date: August 19th, 2011

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon’s army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona’s power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled “Emperor” Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power – and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .

Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

You can tell from its cover that Eona is a fantasy involving tons of mythology, a kick-crack heroine, and– that’s right– dragons. What you can’t tell is that, unlike its predecessor, this book is also supposed to involve some sort of romance. Yum.

5.

Publication date: September 4th, 2012

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home—and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia’s origin—a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of Lost.

Let me get this straight: secret laboratories, the key to immortality, and “awakening romance”s? Oh, I am so there. So there.

4.

Publication date: August 23d, 2012

As a child, Gretchen’s twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch’s forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They’re invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past — until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn’t gone — it’s lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak’s infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

First things first: look at that cover. I don’t know if I should be completely freaked out or just plain awed. Either way, my mind is blown. I’m actually not quite sure as to why I never read this book; I really enjoyed the first in the series, Sisters Red, and so I’ve been wanting to for ages. Hopefully, I’ll finally get to it this fall. Maybe in late October, when it’s time to embrace Halloween’s shivers…

4.

Publication date: September 25th, 2012

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

Lia Habel’s spellbinding, suspenseful sequel to Dearly, Departed takes her imaginative mash-up of period romance, futuristic thriller, and zombie drama to a whole new level of innovative and irresistible storytelling.

I would like to thank Lia Habel for showing me not only that the steampunk genre exists, but that it’s really freaking cool. Especially when it involves zombies. Team Living Dead all the way!

2.

Publication date: November 6th, 2012

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

If I could rate a book based solely on title, or cover, or description, this would be a 5-star wonder. Scratch that, this would be beyond any scale that I could use. Unfortunately I don’t work that way, so total fangirling for this series’ debut will have to suffice. For now.

1.

Publication date: October 2nd, 2012

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . .

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six–who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

Okay, you caught me red-handed. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan isn’t strictly YA– but it should be. I have been a dedicated fan of Percy Jackson since he was a misguided 12 year-old , but how old is he now? 16? That’s not exactly children’s book material. In any case, the next Rick Riordan book comes out on October 2nd: otherwise known as my birthday(!). I don’t know what miracles I worked in a past life to deserve this, but I plan tn taking advantage of it.

All summaries are from Goodreads.

I’ll keep you posted,

Cassandra Rose Clarke is the author of two up-and-coming YA novels, The Assassin’s Curse (a wild fantasy involving magic and pirates), and The Mad Scientist’s Daughter (a self-proclaimed tale of love, loss and robots). Here, she delves into the obvious coolness of assassins, the origin of her cat’s name, and her passion for gangster movies.

ANA: It takes a pretty huge imagination to come up with a world involving magic, assassins, and pirates. What inspired you to come up with The Assassin’s Curse’s world?

CASSANDRA: I get asked that question a lot and I feel like I can never come up with a satisfactory answer for it! A lot of the inspiration came, I guess, from wanting to write something that wasn’t set in the usual pseudo-medieval European fantasy world, mostly just because I find that setting somewhat dull. And I’ve always enjoyed pirates and have read up on the history of piracy some, so that’s how they worked their way in. And assassins are just cool. That’s an objective fact.

ANA: Well, obviously. And assassins mixed with pirates? I am so there. Moving on, though, what’s your dream cast for The Assassin’s Curse?

CASSANDRA: For Ananna — Keisha Castle-Hughes (she played the main character in Whale Rider).

For Naji — Although at this point he’s about thirty years too old, I kept picturing Oded Fehr whenever I wrote Naji.  He’s most known for his role in The Mummy.

ANA: Okay, Oded Fehr is better than perfect; that is exactly how I pictured Naji. Speaking of him, romance certainly did not play a huge part in The Assassin’s Curse. Did you consciously choose to let Ananna and her journey take centre stage?

CASSANDRA: I did. I mean, I knew that there would be a romantic element when I sat down to write the story, mostly because I almost always incorporate some sort of romantic element into my writing, but I wanted Ananna to be her own person before she got to that point. In real life, a romantic pairing involves two complete people; why should books be any different? I tried to write the romance so that neither Ananna or Naji were defined by the other — hopefully I was successful!

ANA: You were definitely successful! Additionally, the role reversal with your characters (Ananna exuding the confidence of the typical YA male lead and Naji possessing the insecurities of the classic YA heroine) was absolutely refreshing. Did you purposefully develop your characters in this way?

CASSANDRA: Yes and no. Although I did purposely write Naji as more insecure than Ananna, I didn’t really think of it as a role reversal. It pleased me quite a bit when I saw people point that out, though, because it’s always fun to see those happy accidents in your writing. I largely wrote Naji as insecure because that’s how I imagined the character — as someone whose physical attractiveness, his handsomeness, was a big part of his identity. When he perceives that as being taken away (since it really wasn’t), he has to struggle to re-find himself. Ananna, on the other hand, didn’t allow her appearance to define her identity, and so she doesn’t have that particular struggle.

ANA: You really aren’t kidding– Ananna doesn’t let her appearance define her to such an extent that in The Assassin’s Curse, we never veritably find out what she looks like. So, how does she look?

CASSANDRA: Well, I actually drew a picture of her awhile back, so I’ll just show you that!

This is her at the start of the book, right before she’s about to get married off to Tarrin of the Hariri.

ANA: I love the doodle! When you were in high school, did you know that you were going to write a book? Because, darnit, if I could draw like that, I would seriously be thinking about personally removing the ‘starving’ from ‘starving artist’.

CASSANDRA: I had no idea what job I wanted when I was in high school — my conceptualization of the future stopped at college.  I enjoyed reading, writing, and art, so I imagined my future would involve at least one of those three things. I do remember constantly writing the starts to novels, but I never finished them. By college, though, I knew I was going to write a book eventually.

ANA: Who is your favourite YA author?

CASSANDRA: Francesca Lia Block. I first read her when I was in high school, and I still love her books now that I’m adult.  Her stories tend to be somewhat minimalist, but I always related to her characters, who tend to be outcasts in one form or another struggling to find their place in the world. Her writing is gorgeous, evocative, and poetic, and her books have single-handedly made me want to move to Los Angeles.

ANA: Well, I’ll have to check her out. But in the meantime, can you tell us 3 random facts about yourself?

CASSANDRA:

1. I’m teaching myself Spanish using Rosetta Stone, children’s books, and fanfiction.

2. I named my cat after Robert Baratheon, from George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire books. (My cat’s full name is Robert Barcatheon.) I chose this name when he was a kitten because he’s black of fur, but as it turns out, he has Robert Baratheon’s exact personality, too.

3. I love gangster movies. I have no idea why — there’s a lot about most gangster movies that should probably annoy me, but I just devour the things.

ANA: Gangster movies. Huh. My personal guilty pleasure is cheerleader movies, and so I completely get what you’re saying about the annoying thing. That’s sort of what makes them so enjoyable, though, isn’t it? Anyway, if you could take 5 things with you onto a deserted island, what would they be?

CASSANDRA:

1. The largest MP3 player in existence crammed with as much music as possible (and some way to charge it, I guess)

2. Drawing pens (also useful for writing stuff)

3. Stacks and stacks of drawing paper (also useful for writing stuff on)

4. A cast-iron frying pan

5. A spatula (figured I should have a couple of practical choices)

ANA: Please give us a teaser for the sequel!

CASSANDRA:

I made it to the spring without incident, which left me feeling more than a little smug. The woods were still and the sky thick with the threat of rain. Nothing moved but me: no shadows, no creeping curls of mist, no beasties watching me from the trees. Even the spring seemed calm, nearly stagnant–just a few faint gurgles let me know it was still running.

I dropped the bucket into the spring and took a long drink. It tasted steely and cold like always. Then I filled the bucket to the brim and stood to walk back to the shack.

Something small and sharp zipped past my head, so close I felt the swish of air from its movement, and impaled itself into a nearby tree. I dropped the bucket, water sloshing over my feet and legs, and slammed against the ground. I was tense and ready to defend myself, but at the same time I couldn’t help thinking, Damn it, Naji was was right.

ANA: Oh, the suspense. I can barely stand it. Thank you so much for the interview, Cassandra!

I’ll keep you posted,

Buy Partials on Amazon

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what’s left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

This is not a book. I repeat, this is not a book.

This is an epic. This is an emotional journey. This is a masterpiece so gripping, so riveting, so intense that tying it down to one word, “book”, may actually be offensive. This is Partials, and it’s the best dang novel I’ve read since sobbing like a child became cooler than toaster ovens.

Kira Walker is, above all, an idealist. Beyond this, she is many things: a medic-in-training, a mad scientist, a subject of first love, a teenage girl driven by the absurd notion that she can save the world. A notion that is, of course, not unfamiliar to the majority of our teenage population. A notion that is, in Kira’s world, a hope so fiercely hoped that it is hardly uttered out loud.

Bring in Marcus, Kira’s trusty boyfriend who just happens to be loving and supportive.  Oh, and if you weren’t swooning before, he’s also unbelievably (and slightly sarcastically) hilarious. Yep, attractive.

“Look on the bright side,” said Marcus.
Kira waited.
“This is the point,” she said, “at which you would traditionally suggest a bright side.”
“I’ve never been a real traditional guy,” said Marcus. “Besides, I’m not saying I know a bright side, I just think this would be a great time to look at one.”
Jayden raised his fist, and the group stopped walking.
“Jayden just hear a bright side,” whispered Marcus. “There’s an uplifting metaphor creeping through those bushes.”

However, this is not a chipper story; this is not a tale of a happily-ever-after shared by two very fortunate teenagers. No, this is a story of aftermath, and of the number of ways that a society can fall apart, and of what happens when they all do.

A company specialized in the manhandling of genetics, named ParaGen, created the Partials: biological machines that seem exactly like humans, but are stronger, faster, better-looking, sporting built-in weaponry. These killing machines were once loyal to the US; they fought for their country during the Isolation War, and having won it, were assigned mundane jobs for the good of the community. However, sometime later they rebelled against their government, leading the world into turmoil and leaving dozens of humans dead, and finally releasing the RM virus to finish the job– a virus that killed more than 99% of the world’s population.

Partials takes place 11 years after that fatal day. The small fraction of mankind that is immune to RM has taken refuge on Long Island, but it is hardly the unified nation portrayed in the image to which it desperately clings. Amongst other things going wrong, rebels surround Kira’s community, tension grows inside of it, and attempts to find a cure to RM become more frantic. They become so frantic, in fact, that the government—because what would this novel be without a corrupt government?— has begun to breed the remaining humans like cattle in the fervent hope that a child is born immune.

“Forget love, forget freedom, forget choice, just get knocked up and save the damn world already. ”

~Kira paraphrasing the Hope Act

Oh, and did I not mention that the youngest known human being on the planet is 14 years old? Oops. Humanity’s fast-approaching expiration date must have slipped my mind.

Wow; all of this talk and we haven’t even gotten to my favourite part of Partials yet: the medical commentary. Kira, besides being a total kick-crack heroine, is one smart cookie: she’s in training to become a medic in the maternity ward. You might think that the maternity ward is somewhat, if only slightly, boring—and you might be right. However, you need not fear: when Kira takes the search to find a cure to RM into her own hands, Partials waves all of those pregnant mothers goodbye and slam-dunks its readers into private laboratories, dumbed-down medical jargon , and medical phenomena explained.

If you are at all familiar with my reading preferences, you’ll know that a novel integrating a plague (taking post-apocalyptic plots to the next level since the 14^th century), great medical elements (sci-fi like you’ve never seen it before), and a wildly corrupt and selfish government (also known as the best part of a dystopian!) is not only right up my alley, but the best book I’ve read all summer. Partials is the book for you if you liked Cinder’s Human-Like Cyborg V.S. Unfeeling Monster battle, if you liked Contagion’s dip into the medical domain, or if you appreciate good plots, great characters, and a helluva of a lot of action. 5/5 stars!

I’ll keep you posted,

Hey guys!

As you may or may not know, I ventured into the realm of disproportionate stick figures yesterday when I reviewed Torn by Ashley S. Morgan. Miss Morgan herself, clearly inspired by my mad cartooning skills (this is the part where you say: “What skills??”) has been kind enough to provide us with a copy of her novel for giveaway. So a big thank you goes out to her!

Torn is a great novel, full of passion, brooding love interests, and new twists on old stories, and I hope that the lucky one of you who scores a copy enjoys it as much as I did.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’ll keep you posted,