Vivian Apple has been left behind. Some of the believers are gone--not all of them--but some of them. Including Vivian's parents. Vivian herself couldVivian Apple has been left behind. Some of the believers are gone--not all of them--but some of them. Including Vivian's parents. Vivian herself couldn't be converted. She thought her parents and the rest of the believers were all crazy until she came home the morning after the end of the world and found holes in her parents' bedroom ceiling.
Vivian joins up with her best friend Harp and a mysterious boy with mysterious motives named Peter. They head off on a cross-country journey for answers about what happened to their parents. When they finally find out, it may be more than they wanted to know.
This is a kind of Leftovers for the YA population. I listened to the audio version and liked the reader. There's some light romance here and good friendship stuff. I'll probably pick up the sequel....more
If the romance took a more central role in Insurgent, it did so even more here. I would have liked a little more action on the plot side, which was inIf the romance took a more central role in Insurgent, it did so even more here. I would have liked a little more action on the plot side, which was intriguing, and a little less on the romance side. It felt a little cheesy to me.
This book alternated viewpoints--going back and forth between Tris and Four. I understand why the story had to happen this way, but I missed Tris as the sole narrator.
Overall, I wasn't unhappy with this as a conclusion to a riveting and creative series, but I had hoped to love it more....more
Ashen Winter continues to follow Alex and Darla as they struggle to survive the eruption of Yellowstone's super volcano. We find the characters essentAshen Winter continues to follow Alex and Darla as they struggle to survive the eruption of Yellowstone's super volcano. We find the characters essentially where we left them in Ashfall, on Alex's uncle's farm, with Alex determined to head back to Iowa in search of his parents.
This is a great middle book. So often the 2nd book in the series feels like filler, but Mullin does a great job of keeping the survival aspect of the plot strong while introducing new characters and keeping the reader just as invested in the original ones. I'll be eager to read Sunrise when it's out on the shelves!...more
This is an action-packed Hunger Games read alike. The plotline is almost to the point of being too similar to the Hunger Games, but I couldn't put it This is an action-packed Hunger Games read alike. The plotline is almost to the point of being too similar to the Hunger Games, but I couldn't put it down. I'll be recommending it to lots of HG fans....more
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a 16-year-old Iowan who is home alone for the weekend when the supervolcano at Yellowstone erupts, leaving the world undAshfall is the story of Alex, a 16-year-old Iowan who is home alone for the weekend when the supervolcano at Yellowstone erupts, leaving the world under a sheet of ash.
Alex sets off on a journey across Iowa with the goal of finding his parents and sister at his uncle's Illinois farm. As the weather gets more and more extreme, Alex is struggling for survival. He finds that the world is full of desperate people willing to do most anything to save themselves. There are a few though, willing to help others, and Alex himself struggles to remain a member of that camp.
Like Life As We Knew It, this is one of those books that stays with you because the plotline is based on an environmental event that could (although probaby won't) actually happen. I found the characters here to be well drawn and the situations to be realistic. I was glad Mullin didn't shy away from forcing Alex and Darla to deal with troubling circumstances and to do things that they never thought they were capable of doing to survive. I'm eager to read the next installment!...more
I put this on my adult and YA shelves - it is technically an adult novel, but I know lots of young readers who would really enjoy it - especially thosI put this on my adult and YA shelves - it is technically an adult novel, but I know lots of young readers who would really enjoy it - especially those who liked Life as We Knew It.
This is a coming-of-age story in a time when the world is becoming unrecognizable. Julia is a sixth grader who is living a predictable suburban life until something unexplainable happens to the planet. Before long, the days are long, the night are long. A regular 24-hour day stretches to 72 hours. And Julia is just trying to grow up - she's dealing with changing friendships, a crush, and parental turmoil.
I liked this book. I've read a lot of complaints about the scientific inaccuracies in this book - I wasn't really bothered by it. I think at its heart this is a coming of age story and a lovely one at that. The ending was a little abrupt (I would have liked more of an explanation to the how) and a little outside the realm of possibility, but it was a small flaw in an otherwise lovely book....more
I really liked this story and I'm hoping Smith lets it stand on its own and doesn't turn it into a series. This is my favorite kind of apocalyptic booI really liked this story and I'm hoping Smith lets it stand on its own and doesn't turn it into a series. This is my favorite kind of apocalyptic book - the kind that could conceivably happen. I was a little distracted by the dialect to start, but stuck with it and was so glad. I'll be recommending this to Susan Beth Pfeffer fans.
BTW - There was a refreshing lack of romance in this book. ...more
I've been meaning to read this book for so long and I'm so glad I did! I can't wait to read the others in the series. Obviously this is going to be a I've been meaning to read this book for so long and I'm so glad I did! I can't wait to read the others in the series. Obviously this is going to be a great book for Hunger Games/post-apocolyptic fans.
In the book, the moon is struck by an asteroid, pushing it closer to the Earth. The story is told in journal format and I really liked how it started before the asteroid hit so that the difference between before and after is really quite stark. ...more
There was a bit more obvious religion in this book than the first (with talk of Heaven/afterlife) but not to the point of disA very well done sequel.
There was a bit more obvious religion in this book than the first (with talk of Heaven/afterlife) but not to the point of distracting to the story of being overly pushy.
The relationship between Tris and Four is more central to this book than the first -- I worry that this will turn off male readers a bit, but I liked it very much....more
It took me a little time to get into this book - at first I found the format of switching back and forth between "now" and "then" disorienting. That sIt took me a little time to get into this book - at first I found the format of switching back and forth between "now" and "then" disorienting. That said, about halfway through, I got totally hooked. It became really clear that we needed the "then" to understand how Lena's relationship with Raven, Tack, and the other Invalids developed. I really liked how both sections hit climaxes at the same time. It definitely kept the pages turning.
Now follows Lena as she is today, living in New York City, working undercover as a part of the resistance movement. Then tracks Lena after she is rescued in the wilds by a group of Invalids. They take her into their homestead where she begins to build new relationships, to heal, and to live a life so much different than what she and Alex had planned together.
The ending made me want to shout a big ol' UGH!!!! Of course, no doubt that will make for a super conclusion, which I will be looking forward to....more
I was so surprised by this book. I don't usually devour science fiction--I tolerate it. But I loved this book. I was totally drawn in by the characterI was so surprised by this book. I don't usually devour science fiction--I tolerate it. But I loved this book. I was totally drawn in by the characters and the relationships.
I did feel hit over the head a few times with messages about shallow behavior, environmentalism, materialism, etc., but not to the point that it ruined the story for me.
Also, I thought it was totally fun to try to figure out what the "Rusties" tools were.
I would definitely recommend this to reluctant sci-fi readers because I think the story of Tally's struggle is so engaging that it would pull in lots of unlikely fans....more