REVIEW: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Title: Not a Drop to Drink
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: September 24th 2013
Pages: Hardcover, 320 pages
Source: Bought

Summary from Goodreads:
Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

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• It is refreshing to read about a strong female lead, while Lynn is frequently rough on the edges and on the stubborn side she is far from weak.  She grows and changes through the story; the rough edges became softer and she learned to love more than just her mother. 
• The intense story line and society McGinnis created.  I felt like there was tension through the whole story; constantly worrying about the water situation and potential enemies.
• While I do not agree with all the choices she made, I really enjoyed that the author took quite a few risks.  Some aspects like the romance were pretty predictable but then there was a curve ball.  It kept the story fresh and it kept me wanting to read more and more.  

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• While it is not a huge issue, I wish some aspects of the world in its deserted state were better explained.  I did not feel like I had a complete picture of the world Lynn lived in.  I could picture her house and its surroundings just not much past that point.  
• I was not the biggest fan of the ending.  Parts of it felt unnecessary. My thoughts went along the lines of... "WHYYYY?!?!?!" 

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Not a Drop to Drink is a suspenseful post-apocalyptic book with a strong female lead that has surprises throughout the whole book.  Definitely recommend it to those looking for a scarily realistic take on the future with subtle romance yet strong character growth and development.  

ARC REVIEW: Mortality (The Hitchhiker Strain #1) by Kellie Sheridan

Title: Mortality
Series: The Hitchhiker Strain #1
Author: Kellie Sheridan
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Release Date: March 19th 2013
Pages: Paperback, 271 pages
Source: ARC obtain from Author through NetGalley

Summary from Goodreads:
After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death.

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough.

This is my second zombie book/series, my first being the Forest of Hands and Teeth series. Mortality’s dual POVs and action filled plot made Mortality quite a fast read. Mortality reminded me a lot of The 5th Wave but with zombies. The way the zombies took over the world reminded me a lot of the movie, The Crazies. Combine the two and you have Mortality!

There are a lot of parallels to be made to various alien invasion stories and infectious disease spreading stories. The plot was fast paced and definitely full of action. One of my only reservations is the originality of certain plot points. Sheridan did add a new twist on the zombie infection that was a nice addition but there was still a lot of stereotypical zombie apocalypse plot points. For example, there is a rouge army that is trying to re-build and restore some order to society.  When the first zombie cure came out it was only given to those with money and prestige (which then backfired).  Makes sense but it is a common thread in other stories too.

I also commend the way the two POVs intertwined with each other and kept the story moving. The first person point of views made it easy to feel the emotions the characters were feeling, grow attached to them, and root for their success through their journeys.

The two story lines progress at different rates, one story line gives more background on how the world came to be in their current state while the other story line explains more of the current status of various survivors. Between both story lines, the background and history is clearly described while explaining the current situation both girls face. We are left with a bit of a cliff hanger but it is not a cliff hanger to complain about!

I would recommend Mortality if you enjoyed the style and overall mood of The 5th Wave and if you love zombies. It may not be to most original zombie story but it was a well written, well developed edge-of-the-seat read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

ARC REVIEW #172: Deception (Defiance #2) by C.J. Redwine

Title: Deception
Series: Defiance #2
Author: C.J. Redwine
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 27th 2013
Pages: Paperback, 480 pages
Source: Traded on YA Book Exchange

Summary from Goodreads:
Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.



But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

Oh my goodness, I thoroughly enjoyed Deception.  The story starts off right where the first book left us.  Rachel and Logan are left with a ruined city, the Cursed One still alive, and their old leader still free.  Logan has become the leader of the survivors, trying to lead them to safety and secure alliances.  

I loved Defiance, so I was hoping Deception did not suffer from middle book syndrome and I can easily say it did not.  My only small dislike was the ending.  It was clear it was left for the next book to pick up right where this one ended but it was so abrupt.  This is how I felt.

But, back to the awesome-ness that is this series.  The romance is perfect, it is slow building and plays a larger role in this book yet never overpowers or becomes too much.  Redwine continues to develop the lies and deception that the brutal Commander perpetuated. The characters evolve and grow; while I cannot exactly relate to them or the environment they are in, the characters are easy to root for and understand all the complex sides to their personalities.   Redwine drops some serious drama in the last pages that I was not expecting at all which is always a bonus!  So between the powerful love story, continually developing characters, and frequent battle scenes I was flying through the pages.

Overall Deception was solid 4.5 stars!  Even though I can appreciate and understand why this book ended the way it did, super intense cliff hangers are not my favorite.  I totally feel left hanging and now I have to wait!!!   Logan and Rachel's journey was so action filled with beautifully crafted lies being exposed along the way leaving the reader to enjoy a crazy fun read that keeps you guessing.  

DNF: The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Title: The End Games

Author: T. Michael Martin

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: May 7, 2013

Pages: 369, Hardcover
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:

It happened on Halloween.

The world ended.

And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing.

The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.

And the brothers will never be the same.

I tried guys, I really did. I just... I can't. I can't. And here's why:

1. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Nope, not a clue. Are they playing a game or not? At first I was convinced they were. Then I got to page 61, and I was convinced they weren't. By page 110, I don't have the damnedest idea. And...

2. What the hell? Ok, so they are running from zombies. {Got it.}They are trying to get to the Safe Zone. {Ok I am still with you.} They come across Zombie worshiping religious folk. {Umm...what?} A scary looking man arrives in a hot air balloon to save the day. {Did you just say hot air balloon? Yeah, you lost me.}This is all just bizarre and I have better things to do with my time then mentally prepare myself for whatever ridiculous and unbelievable thing the author had planned next. 

3. I hated the writing. It was choppy and immature and confusing. And it wasn't just when he was talking to his 5 year old brother, his internal dialogue was the same. It was hard to follow, and extremely difficult to enjoy and it only enhanced my overall feeling of 'WTF'.

"Dang, she's so cool.
Dang, don't think that.
Dang, why?
Because of on account of this being the most horrible time to get a crush on a girl.
Oh. Right. Daaaang."

4. I just. don't. care. I literally had zero desire to keep reading. Let me guess - they find the safe zone after a few battles with some Bellows or Zeds or whatever. Maybe some secondary character that I don't have any connection with dies. And I'm going to guess that they find their mom because everyone loves happy endings and shit. But if this happens or not - makes no difference to me. 

I feel like I was reading a different book, because I am usually not super critical and quite a few people enjoyed this... like 4 stars enjoyed this. I can appreciate that Michael would do anything to keep his brother safe. That's commendable. But I can read a book that doesn't drive me bonkers to feel a touching relationship between brothers.

Maybe it's me. I don't know. But yeah.. that's why I opted to not finish and pick up a book I actually give a crap about.

Angelfall (Penryn and the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall
Series:  Penryn and the End of Days #1
Author: Susan Ee
Publisher: Feral Dream
Release Date: May 21, 2011
Pages: 283 pages, Paperback
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:
It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

"There's no denying that this is the real deal, though. Men with wings. Angels of the Apocalypse. Supernatural beings who've pulverized the modern world and killed millions, maybe even billions, of people."

Angelfall was 283 pages of GREATNESS! From page 1 the entire book was go go go, full of action.  Penryn, her sister, and mother need to leave and move to safety away, which is not an easy task with dangerous gangs and killer angels around every corner.  The modern world has been destroyed by the angels of the apocalypse, people fear the angels and each other; there is no real safe place to be anymore.  On their quest to safety, Penryn and her family come across a group of angels fighting. While hiding  behind a car they witness an angel, Raffe, have his wings cut off by dark angels, unfortunately those dark angels see them and kidnap Penryn's wheelchair-bound little sister.

Penryn's unstable and mentally ill mother runs off so Penryn is left with no family, only a broken angel.  Penryn decides this angel and his broken wings could be of use to her and help her get her sister back so she forms a partnership with Raffe.  Raffe and Penryn must make it to the arie,  rescue her sister and  have his wings reattached.  Simple....Right? Only some tiny problems: Raffe is on the outs with the angels, humans want to kill angels, and other creatures are on the loose eating humans.

When I started this book I had no idea what I was getting into.  The destroyed world is described so vividly, it was not hard to imagine the destruction and overall despair of the human race.  Susan Ee does not waste a second building the dark world, intense and action-filled plot.

Penryn: I LOVED Penryn.  Every time she got in a fight, I liked her more! Her fighting skills and the way she takes on guys is pure awesome! She is so tough and stubborn yet has a huge soft spot for her family. 

Raffe: He is an angel without wings, just plain broken.  As much as he wants to hate and not care for Penryn he slowly grows to truly care.

Paige and Penryn's mother: Paige is disabled and in a wheelchair while Penryn's mother is insane, she has violent tendencies and paranoia. The uniqueness of the family makes Penryn a stronger person and forces her to run the family, this atypical dynamic enhances the plot. 

Every detail about the character's had significance and played a part in the story. The angel aspects are done wonderfully; the angels are powerful, strong, and dangerous creatures who abide by their own sets of rules and standards.  Raffe and Penryn's dynamic was perfect and their relationship did not take over the story, it was instead a nice addition.  For being on the shorter end of stories there was no lack of detail or action. I LOVED IT!!

Overall, this was easily a 5 star read.  If I had to describe the whole story in one word, it would be intense.  Angellfall has angels (duh!), dystopian/apocalyptic world, war, and a subtle love story. 

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This is Not a Test

Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Pages: 323, Paperback
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

The minute I finished reading this book I looked to see whether or not there was a sequel. I already knew there wasn't but I just refused to accept that ending. WHAT THE HECK COURTNEY SUMMERS. I spent most of this novel waiting for a certain ending (I am impatient like that) and then as I got closer and closer to the end of the book I began to accept that maybe another outcome would ensue. Well I was rather upset when NEITHER ending happened especially since the two endings are rather black and white with no grey area. The fact that Courtney Summers found a grey area is because WE DIDN'T GET AN ENDING. I will forever be in a state of unrest not knowing "what's next" (not really, i'm just being dramatic). I wish I could be more specific but I don't want to spoil anything and well, maybe it will add to the suspense for those who haven't read it!

I obviously still enjoyed this book judging by my 4 star rating. But it read more like a dark contemporary than anything else. The characters were trying to survive themselves and each other more so than the zombies outside. You really could have replaced the threat of zombies with anything else and the book wouldn't be very different. But the presence of zombies did enhance the the overall feel of utter hopelessness. It was well done too, not cheesy or unrealistic. I think this was a result of the intentional lack of focus. No details were added that weren't necessary to the story. It was a smart move.

Sloane had already given up on life by the time the apocalypse started. After years of abuse from her father, the only thing keeping Sloane together was her sister Lily. So when Lily betrayed her and left, she lost all hope for a better future. She's surprised to find herself in the company of 5 other students who want to survive, when all she wants to do is die, even if that end comes brutally at the hand of hungry zombies.

Tension is high in the gym. Siblings Grace and Trace blame Cary for the death of their parents and mentally break him down one blow after another. Their obvious division takes its toll on the others. Rhys stands by Cary, meanwhile Harrison follows whoever he believes gives him the best chance for survival. Rhys is a strong character but has a more subtle presence next to Cary, the natural leader, and Trace, whose controlled by his emotions. Sloane largely remains impassive, mostly due to her inability to feel much of anything anymore, but nevertheless emotions of longing and connection start to creep in.

This story's strength is in its characters and their relationships. The threat of zombies has everyone on edge and their feelings are on overdrive. There is obvious loss, and a desperation to hold onto what little is left. These kids are forced to grow up really fast and make decisions that will make the difference between life and death. Courtney Summers does a beautiful job building these characters and portraying their struggles. Lastly, Sloane's POV is an interesting one to have since she doesn't share the same will to live as the others. It was a very unique dynamic and created one compelling read. I was hooked!

Breathe (Breathe, #1) by Sarah Crossan

Title: Breathe (Breathe, #1)
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Greenwillow
Pages: 373, Hardcover
Release Date: 10/2/2012
Rating: 3 stars

Summary from Goodreads
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. . .

The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.

Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Breathe is a YA dystopian novel with an interesting and convincing idea. Atmospheric oxygen levels have depleted to a meager 6%, killing off most of civilization during a time referred to as “The Switch”. A fraction of society has been saved and are living in glass pods under the control of Breathe, an organization that has discovered how to manufacture oxygen. However, not all pod members are created equal. There are two primary factions of people, the premiums and the auxiliaries. While the Premiums can afford to buy enough oxygen to live a relatively normal life, auxiliaries are rationed only enough to live a sedentary lifestyle. Almost anything worth doing - exercise, dancing, making love -requires excess oxygen that most cannot afford. And naturally, the premiums are a bunch of snobs who stick out their noses at auxiliaries. Oh, and the government has society addicted to higher levels of oxygen than they need so their bodies don’t stand a chance in the “Outlands”. Yeah well, no wonder there is a resistance, which is how we get our plot. People want to grow some trees, the government wants to destroy them to keep control - I’ll leave the rest of the details for you to discover.

This book is written from the viewpoint of Alina, Quinn and Bea. Unfortunately there is not much character development in this novel, and I didn’t fall in love with any of them. I will struggle even to describe them here...  Alina is the member of the resistance and I think is supposed to be the tough, aloof one. Quinn is a Premium with a heart, such that he doesn’t act privileged or consider himself better than the auxiliaries. Bea, Quinn’s best friend and auxiliary, is the quiet and compassionate one and she’s got a huge crush on Quinn who doesn’t even notice her (this is our bit of love story in the novel but it pretty much takes a back seat).

This book was just an average read for me. It didn’t really make me feel anything, except perhaps a small appreciation for oxygen. Again, I felt nothing for the characters, there were no scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat (or whatever reading surface I happened to be utilizing), and the ending didn’t make me long for the next book. I didn’t mind reading the book, but I didn’t mind finishing it either. Yes, I will likely read the second, but I won’t have any desperate yet imaginative thoughts as to how I can get my hands on a copy.