{Audiobook} Mini Reviews: Rebel, Guy in Real Life & Her Dark Curiosity

Title: Rebel
Author: Amy Tintera
Narrator(s): Khristine Hvam, Mike Chamberlain
Length: 7 hrs 59 mins
Series: Reboot, book #2
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

So, I didn't love Reboot when I read listened to it last year, and I'm sad to say that I may have actually liked Rebel even less. Which was kind of unexpected because so many friends were gushing that this sequel was better than the first book. I honestly think it's just a case of "it's me, not you," though, because I am rather tired of the post-apocalyptic rebellion-type stories. I thought the zombie-esque element might make this series stand out, especially the way it's handled, but I just found myself bored, tuning out the audio whenever I was multi-tasking.

The dual narration did little to enhance the experience for me. I love Khristine Hvam as a narrator, and she brought the ultra-intense yet stoic Wren to life, so to speak. But the narrator for Callum's perspective sounded like a news anchor to me, dull and monotone. Which is the opposite of Callum, who's the closest to human out of any of the Reboots we've met. The difference in the narrative voices would have been obvious without the different narrators, but it became less so because of them, if that makes sense. What I mean to say is, I would have preferred Khristine Hvam have narrated both points of view. She does the male voice well, and it probably would have made my listening experience, and therefore the story, better.

I think what bored me the most was the Micah aspect because it was obvious how that was going to go and it felt like filler to me. I think I would have enjoyed this series more if that section had been cut and the two books had been combined to make one really long one. As it stands, I'm glad this is scheduled to end as a duology because I don't think I'd pick up a third book, and I'm glad to have the closure. I normally really enjoy "zombie" stories, but this one didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped. I still think I might see it as a movie, if that comes to fruition, because I love a good zombie action flick, but I'm kinda over this storyline, otherwise.

GIF it to me straight:

Title: Guy in Real Life
Author: Steve Brezenoff
Narrator(s): MacLeod Andrews, Arielle DeLisle
Length: 9 hrs 33 mins
Series: n/a
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

From the acclaimed author of Brooklyn, Burning comes Guy in Real Life, an achingly real and profoundly moving love story about two Minnesota teens whose lives become intertwined through school, role-playing games, and a chance two-a.m. bike accident.

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

Guy in Real Life was cute. A lot cuter than I was expecting, anyway. I think that you'll probably like it more if you're any kind of gamer, less so if you're not, but it's relatively likable all the same. You've probably seen all of the comparisons to John Green and Rainbow Rowell, and though I detest not letting a work stand on its own merits, I actually kind of think these are apt: a) the dual narrative from both the main character's perspectives, b) Lesh reminds me of the surly Will Grayson, and c) Svetlana was a slightly less introverted Cath-like character. Also, the writing is clever and sardonic and definitely on par with those two authors, but Steve Brezenoff still adds his own flair. This story definitely makes me want to check out his other books, which I'd previously written off as "not my thing". Oops.

I liked the gaming aspect, even though I'm not a gamer myself. I am an enthusiastic gamer observer, though. My husband's not a LARPer or a MMOGer either, but it all seems fun to me. And I love that that was kind of the underlying current running through the two narratives: their enjoyment of different types of gaming and unusual characters and their abilities to see past their preconceived notions. Also, acceptance of these things. One thing that threw me, though, was how one's online life could become one's reality, and though that part was a little sketchy, kudos to the author because I did NOT see it coming.

My enjoyment of this novel was immediately secured one I saw that MacLeod Andrews was narrating for Lesh. He is one of my favorite narrators for the young adult male perspective, and he did me proud with this character. And now that I think about it, he provided the voice to the idiosyncratic, sarcastic will grayson, the counterpart to the other Will Grayson in John Green's story. Funny, that. I don't think I've ever listened to anything else narrated by Arielle DeLisle before, but her performance as Svetlana was spot-on. She wasn't too angsty, but she was distracted and bumbling and kind of perfect for the role.

Yep, I kind of loved this story. I know not everyone did or will, but like I said, I think that depends on how you feel about the gaming aspect, as well as how you take to Lesh. If you liked either Will Grayson, though, I think you'll be fine.

GIF it to me straight:

Title: Her Dark Curiosity
Author: Megan Shepherd
Narrator(s): Lucy Rayner
Length: 12 hrs 52 mins
Series: Madman's Daughter, book #2
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.

When I finished The Madman's Daughter last year, I thought we were done with the monsters from the island, done with that silly love triangle, and rid of the crazy experiments that brought all of it about. So, imagine my surprise when all three aspects make a return in this retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The science and the gore didn't bother me. That's actually what drew me to this series, besides the reimagining of some already thoroughly creepy stories. The reemergence of that awful love triangle, though, was a bit disconcerting. The turns it took were all a bit abrupt, but I can honestly overlook it because the romance is not where my interest in this story lies.

The first three quarters of this story were rather bland, with the exception of the serial killings and what they meant for Juliet and the others. But once the story was in full swing, I found the level of horror and the resulting aftermath to be quite enthralling. In real life, something like this would appall me, but I'm reading/listening to this series specifically for the horror aspect, and I was pretty happy with it once it emerged full-force.

Lucy Rayner did a beautiful job narrating from Juliet's perspective, and it's not her fault that the romance fell to the wayside, that the swoon-inducing moments weren't quite up to par and couldn't hold my interest like the more gory elements. This sequel was okay, but neither book in this series has yet to reach the level of awesome that the covers have hinted at. Here's hoping the third book, which seems to be a retelling of Frankenstein of some sort, will make up for that.

GIF it to me straight:

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Labels: amy tintera, audiobooks, contemporary, favorite narrators, gaming, guy in real life, harper-collins, megan shepherd, post-apocalyptic, reboot, retellings, reviews, steve brezenoff, the madman's daughter, zombies

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter, book #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

The Madman's Daughter was just as creepy as I was expecting, if not more so.  The creations, the madman behind them, the monster on the loose...all preyed up on my delicate sensibilities.  I haven't seen The Island of Dr. Moreau in ages, nor have I ever read the original tale by H. G. Wells, so the disturbing things lurking and happening on the island caught me off-guard at times.  But I am definitely not complaining.  I knew going into this novel that I should expect hair-raising beasts and unorthodox ideas.  Okay, unorthodox is putting it mildly...they were the ravings of a lunatic, a man gone crazy with power.

Speaking of, I loved seeing the degradation of the doctor's mental faculties.  He never came off as a sane man, not once...not even when Juliet first arrived at the island.  So I knew this was going to be a bumpy ride from the get-go.  But I had no idea how quickly it would all evolve into chaos.  Suspecting what the doctor was up to and finding out the truth only intensified the eerie vibe.

It was fairly easy to envision myself on the island with the characters, thanks in part to the lush imagery used to describe the flora and fauna residing there.  The descriptions of the doctor's creations and their way of life only made it more menacing.  But I was able to fully immerse myself in the story because of it.  It's not always easy to impart just how creepy and disturbing a situation is, but I think in this instance, the author has been completely successful.

There are some books I read mostly because of the romantic angle, and there are some I read strictly for the actual storyline.  The Madman's Daughter falls into that latter category.  It's a good thing, too, because I really wasn't feeling the romance in this book.  Don't get me wrong, there are some tender moments and there are some steamy ones, but the overall evolution of the love triangle boggled me.

The frequency with which Juliet found it necessary to mention her idolization of Montgomery when they were younger really bothered me.  Sure, it plays a part in the romance now, but it also serves to make her look young and naive, considering how little it matters to the actual story.  And since it does appear that the author wants Juliet to come across as a strong young woman, maybe a little bit wild even, it does her character a disservice to mention this idolization no less than three times during the course of the novel.  Especially since her feelings ricochet back and forth between Montgomery and Edward like a ping-pong ball.

First, there's kind, intelligent, good-natured Montgomery, whom Juliet has known all of her life.  It's clear that this boy is in love with her and that she has similar feelings for him.  I'm okay with that.  No insta-love.  No "we're soul-mates".  No pledging of the undying love.  Just warm and fuzzies, even if they are from different stations and Juliet's father has strictly forbidden them from any romantic notions.  Joke's on you, Dad!

And then there's the enigmatic Edward.  A stranger.  A castaway found lost at sea.  A boy with secrets he has yet to divulge.  And here he is, pledging his love to Juliet, telling her she's the reason he made the island his final destination, as well.  Blech...I don't think I can ship this relationship.  Except...he's got secrets.  I like a mystery...a challenge, if you will.  Maybe his feelings are legit?  Maybe I'm making undue assumptions and rushing judgment on this guy?

I don't know...the more I saw of Juliet with each boy, the less I wanted her to pick one and the more I wanted her to simply jump in that dinghy and escape the island and its monsters on her own.  But like I said, the romance -- the love triangle -- wasn't what drew me to the book, so I can honestly overlook it...for the most part.  It does play some importance in my enjoyment of this novel, but not as much as it might have if it were a different book altogether.

All in all, I'm pretty thrilled with how this book turned out.  Lots of mystery and intrigue.  Off-the-scales creepy.  Characters that are well-developed with individual motivations.  Had the romance been a little less central to the plot, I think I might have enjoyed this novel even more.  But I won't let it deter me from picking up the next installment, that's for sure, especially since I hear that one's a retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Rating:  

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Labels: dac 2013, gothic mystery, harper-collins, historical fiction, megan shepherd, murder mystery, retellings, sci-fi, the madman's daughter

Teaser Tuesday #41: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's teaser comes from the following book:

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter, book #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Source: ARC received from publisher/egalley via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

I'm cheating again this week.  :)  Here are my teasers:

"That's admirable, Juliet, but you'd only be in the way.  Science is best left to men.  Women have too delicate a constitution."

-- p. 156 of ARC

and

I pulled at my collar, needing air.  Edward stared at me from across the table, face so slack I might as well have slapped him.  Guilt seized me.  I'd told him I cared about Montgomery, so he shouldn't have been surprised.  But there'd been that night behind the waterfall.  I couldn't pretend that had meant nothing.

-- p. 269 of ARC

First, let's address the first teaser, shall we?  I think whoever said this to our heroine deserves a serious smackdown.  I understand that this was common opinion for the time period, but that doesn't make it any less insulting.

As for the second teaser, I fear I shall have my hands full, determining which boy to swoon over.  Though I hear the particular creepiness of this book vastly overshadows the love triangle.  Here's hoping!  =)

What are you teasing this week?  Be sure to share it in the comments or leave a link so I can stop by!

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Labels: dac 2013, gothic mystery, harper-collins, historical fiction, megan shepherd, psychological thriller, retellings, sci-fi, teaser tuesday, the madman's daughter

Waiting on Wednesday: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Title:  The Madman's Daughter

Author:  Megan Shepherd

Series:  1st book in The Madman's Daughter trilogy
Publisher:  Balzer + Bray

Publication Date:  January 29, 2013

London, 1894. Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Juliet is accompanied by the doctor’s handsome young assistant and an enigmatic castaway, who both attract Juliet for very different reasons. They travel to the island only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: he has created animals that have been vivisected to resemble, speak, and behave as humans. Worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape the island, even though her horror is mixed with her own scientific curiosity. As the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Why I'm waiting:  Never read The Island of Dr. Moreau but I saw the movie, and it was great.  But that really has no bearing on why I want to read The Madman's Daughter.  I love historical fiction.  I love that cover.  And that synopsis sounds so awesome.  It reminds me a little of Dearly, Departed, but what book nowadays doesn't remind me of another?

So, what are you waiting on this week?

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Labels: harper-collins, megan shepherd, sci-fi, the madman's daughter, waiting on wednesday (wow)