Penguin hosted a readalong for
The Infinite Sea back in March, but I like for the previous books to be as fresh on my mind as possible before a series finale, so I decided to re-listen to
The 5th Wave and
The Infinite Sea the other day, even though I just did that back in November. What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment.
I've also had the preview Penguin sent out with
some other goodies for a few weeks and have managed not to sneak a peek so far. But my willpower is quickly diminishing the closer we get to the release...and especially now that I've re-read both prior books in the series.
I mean, c'mon! Yancey gives us just enough at the end of each book so that we aren't completely wracked with despair but that we also know things are going to get a lot worse before they get better...
assuming that they ever do. And I'm more than a little curious to pick up where things left off in
The Infinite Sea.
If you're curious, too, you can check out the preview below or at
this link:
Less than two weeks till we get the answers we seek, but I'm starting to wonder if I want to know. I mean,
what is the deal with the freaking rats, right? Is it like was explained before...how we send rats packing -- i.e. annihilate their sorry butts -- when we want to make a home where they're currently living? If the aliens really don't want to share Earth with us, why didn't they just do that? Why toy with us, taking out more of us with each wave, only to leave the toughest to survive and endure? Are the aliens even
aliens?!? There
were ships...
Can we really believe anything that happened between Ringer and Vosch there at the end? Were
they really never here? At this point, I find it hard to trust anyone, but I
want to. Evan keeps finding his way back to Cassie. And Ringer, of all people, found love.
So many have died already, and for what? We still know next to nothing about these supposed alien beings who want our planet so badly they're willing to kill for it. I think Ringer is the closest to the truth: they aren't here. They never were. Why
would they download their conscious into us and
then try to annihilate us, when they could've peacefully coexisted with none of us the wiser?
Honestly, I have more questions than I have theories. Seriously, if aliens were to invade, I'd be one of the first ones dead, right out of the gate. No way would I be able to keep my wits about me like these kids have. But the fact that they've made it this far must mean
something, right? The aliens killed the adults. Used the really young children as bombs. And now we know that they've essentially been turning the teenagers into Silencers. So, what's next?
Evan's holding on to his own humanity, though he doesn't know that's what he's doing. Will Ringer be able to do the same? I think she may do as Vosch wants and track Evan down, but after everything she's seen and done, I don't think she can turn on her friends. And I know she's the
last person to think of Evan as a friend, but he's helped her companions more than anyone would have expected, for someone who's from the wrong side of this war.
And what will become of Razor? I'm afraid if he goes with her, he'll only aide her in what she's
supposed to do. He knows it's not right, but he's also scared of the truth.
Is it weird that this feels like it's gone from being Cassie's story of survival to Ringer's search for answers? At first, I didn't really
want to care about Ringer or her backstory or any of it beyond how it affected Cassie, but after several re-reads and so much time spent in her head, I can't help but be drawn to her character now.
I'm very aware that this is unlikely to end with a happily ever after, at least in the truest sense of the word. Things aren't suddenly going to go back to normal once it's all over, assuming we get the answers we need and the alien presence is eradicated. I know who I hope makes it to the end and who I hope doesn't.
I'm ready for this finale. I am. But I'm also scared of it.
Since I've already re-read the books in preparation for the final book's released, I think I'll watch the movie adaptation of the first book this weekend. Can't be too prepared, can you?
You can check out more about the final book below. And you can check out my reviews of
The 5th Wave and
The Infinite Star for more analysis of the story thus far. Also, if you need a refresher and don't have time to re-read, I
highly recommend the
audiobooks. The narrators are fantastic and they get my heart going every time. This series just does. Not. Quit.
Title: The Last Star
Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The 5th Wave, book #3
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
Preorder: Penguin
We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.
Master storyteller Rick Yancey invokes triumph, loss, and unrelenting action as the fate of the planet is decided in the conclusion to this epic series.
Have you already re-read the series in anticipation of
The Last Star in a couple of weeks? Discovered anything new? Formed any new theories? I'd love to hear them!
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
{TTT} Books Set in SPAAAAAAAACE
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the awesome ladies at The Broke and the Bookish. Apparently, they are overly fond of list-making and love to share their bookish lists with the rest of us book nerds. =) We're game.
This week's topic is our Top Ten Books With X Setting:
I love science fiction. And while some of my favorite sci-fi novels take place right here on Earth, most are set on another planet, on a spaceship, or in a parallel universe, as the ones pictured above are. Working on this post actually made me want to go back and re-read a bunch of these, too. =)
What setting did you choose?
Friday, May 13, 2016
Thoughts and Theories as THE LAST STAR Approaches
I've also had the preview Penguin sent out with some other goodies for a few weeks and have managed not to sneak a peek so far. But my willpower is quickly diminishing the closer we get to the release...and especially now that I've re-read both prior books in the series.
I mean, c'mon! Yancey gives us just enough at the end of each book so that we aren't completely wracked with despair but that we also know things are going to get a lot worse before they get better...assuming that they ever do. And I'm more than a little curious to pick up where things left off in The Infinite Sea.
If you're curious, too, you can check out the preview below or at this link:
Can we really believe anything that happened between Ringer and Vosch there at the end? Were they really never here? At this point, I find it hard to trust anyone, but I want to. Evan keeps finding his way back to Cassie. And Ringer, of all people, found love.
So many have died already, and for what? We still know next to nothing about these supposed alien beings who want our planet so badly they're willing to kill for it. I think Ringer is the closest to the truth: they aren't here. They never were. Why would they download their conscious into us and then try to annihilate us, when they could've peacefully coexisted with none of us the wiser?
Honestly, I have more questions than I have theories. Seriously, if aliens were to invade, I'd be one of the first ones dead, right out of the gate. No way would I be able to keep my wits about me like these kids have. But the fact that they've made it this far must mean something, right? The aliens killed the adults. Used the really young children as bombs. And now we know that they've essentially been turning the teenagers into Silencers. So, what's next?
And what will become of Razor? I'm afraid if he goes with her, he'll only aide her in what she's supposed to do. He knows it's not right, but he's also scared of the truth.
Is it weird that this feels like it's gone from being Cassie's story of survival to Ringer's search for answers? At first, I didn't really
want tocare about Ringer or her backstory or any of it beyond how it affected Cassie, but after several re-reads and so much time spent in her head, I can't help but be drawn to her character now.I'm very aware that this is unlikely to end with a happily ever after, at least in the truest sense of the word. Things aren't suddenly going to go back to normal once it's all over, assuming we get the answers we need and the alien presence is eradicated. I know who I hope makes it to the end and who I hope doesn't.
I'm ready for this finale. I am. But I'm also scared of it.
Since I've already re-read the books in preparation for the final book's released, I think I'll watch the movie adaptation of the first book this weekend. Can't be too prepared, can you?
You can check out more about the final book below. And you can check out my reviews of The 5th Wave and The Infinite Star for more analysis of the story thus far. Also, if you need a refresher and don't have time to re-read, I highly recommend the audiobooks. The narrators are fantastic and they get my heart going every time. This series just does. Not. Quit.
Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The 5th Wave, book #3
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
Preorder: Penguin
Have you already re-read the series in anticipation of The Last Star in a couple of weeks? Discovered anything new? Formed any new theories? I'd love to hear them!
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
{Promo} STARFLIGHT Launch Blitz & Giveaway
I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce the release of STARFLIGHT, the first in a brand new sci-fi series from Disney-Hyperion. I originally pitched this story to my editor as “Overboard” (one of my favorite romantic comedies) meets “Firefly” (an amazing show that was tragically cancelled after one season). STARFLIGHT follows the misadventures of Solara Brooks, a penniless felon who indentures herself to her high school nemesis, Doran Spaulding, in exchange for passage to a new world. But when Doran’s memory is temporarily erased, Solara convinces him their roles are reversed—that she’s the master and he’s the servant—and leads him onto a renegade spaceship, where intergalactic shenanigans ensue. STARFLIGHT is very different in tone from the Alienated trilogy, but the story is still filled with all the things I love: humor, heart, and adventure.
What do reviewers have to say?
“Get ready for blast-off! Action-packed and utterly addictive, nobody writes like Melissa Landers. A smart, satisfying romance set in a vividly detailed world, Starflight was just plain fun!” – New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman
“Teens will be bracing themselves during the swashbuckling action scenes. A great choice for fans of raw sci-fi action, reminiscent of the lawlessness presented in the television series Firefly.” – School Library Journal
“A lively tale of romance, space pirates, conspiracy, and made (as opposed to genetic) families.” – Booklist
If you like your sci-fi adventure served with a side of romance, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of STARFLIGHT today. It’s now available in stores and online.
Author: Melissa Landers
Series: Starflight, book #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Indiebound
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Best of luck, and happy reading!
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
{WOW} The Last Star by Rick Yancey
"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...
's Pick:
Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The 5th Wave, book #3
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
I am so excited for this final book!!! I love sci-fi and aliens, but I much prefer when the aliens are hellbent on destroying us lowly, pathetic humans. :) I also can't wait for the movie adaptation of the first book in this series. It actually looks pretty good, right? Even if aliens aren't your sort of thing, this series has so much to offer, mostly regarding human nature and the unwillingness to give up, no matter the odds.
I think I'm going to have to do a re-read. Or at least a re-listen. =)
(ETA: Oops. I already started my re-listen. Probably should've waited a little longer, but oh, well.)
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
Monday, December 22, 2014
{Blog Tour} This Shattered World - Exclusive Quote + Amazing Giveaway
I am absolutely delighted to be participating in another tour for this captivating series! This Shattered World is such an amazing follow-up to These Broken Stars, and while it features new characters, favorites from the first book do make an appearance. ;0) But I promise, if you loved Tarver and Lilac, you're likely to love Jubilee and Flynn just as much...if not more!
For my stop, I've got an exclusive quote from This Shattered World, and the lovely Wendy at The Midnight Garden picked an especially starry one, just for me. =)
Isn't it just so lovely?!? I'm dying from the pretty!!!!!
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound, book #2
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
I've already read this book, and trust me, it was everything I'd been hoping this companion/sequel would be. You can check out my Review in a GIFfy for my thoughts.
Besides the awesome giveaway below, there's also an equally amazing preorder campaign:
I've already pre-ordered my copy! I can't wait to have this poster gracing my walls along with the one for These Broken Stars! =)
Disney-Hyperion is graciously offering up FIVE hardcovers of This Shattered World to the lucky runners-up and is also offering the following to one supremely lucky individual:
Grand Prize:
-- autographed copies of the first two books
-- Starbound swag
-- a secret letter from Tarver to Lilac, which may be kept private by the recipient, or shared publicly on a blog, etc.
-- coffee with the authors at one of their upcoming US tour stops in January, OR a Skype chat!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can find the full tour schedule below, in case you missed any stops and so you can catch all of the other exclusive quotes:
Tuesday, December 9 The Book Smugglers Making an Audiobook
Wednesday, December 10 Ivy Book Bindings Secrets of Starbound: Science and Settings
Thursday, December 11 Cuddlebuggery How Amie & Meagan Met
Friday, December 12 Little Book Owl Video Interview
Monday, December 15 Mundie Moms Shooting the Cover
Tuesday, December 16 Xpresso Reads Starbound Inspirations
Wednesday, December 17 A Book Utopia Video: Your New Book Boyfriend
Thursday, December 18 Supernatural Snark Q & A
Friday, December 19 Love is Not a Triangle Gender in Science Fiction
Quote Stops:
If you haven't started this series yet, what are you waiting for? Strong heroines, fascinating worlds, swoony boys...what more could you ask for?!? :D
Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check out the rest of the tour for more awesome posts, quotes, and reviews!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
{Audiobook} Review: The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
Author: Rick Yancey
Narrator(s): Phoebe Strole, Ben Yannette
Series: The 5th Wave, book #2
Length: 8 hrs 13 mins
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Mild spoilers for the first book in the series, but no spoilers for this installment.
Considering how much I tend to love anything of the science fiction persuasion, I don't actually read all that much that fits in this category. I freely admit that it took quite a bit of coaxing to get me to even give The 5th Wave a chance last year. Once I did, though, I understood why so many were lauding it as one of the best books of the year. The sequel is no less amazing. In actuality, I might even consider The Infinite Sea to be even more brilliant and compelling than its predecessor.
We know the stakes. We know who we're fighting against. And we know who our allies are. Until we don't. Things are different in this second installment. It picks up where The 5th Wave left off, with the surviving kids holed up in a hotel, trying to figure out their next plan of action, waiting for Evan -- assuming he survived, and trying to come to terms with how these alien invaders infiltrated the human race and turned us against each other. And most of the book is narrated by Ringer.
Sure, Cassie still throws her two cents in every once in awhile, but this sequel really focuses on Ringer and her struggle. I wasn't really a fan of Ringer's in the first book, and that hadn't really changed at the beginning of this one. But I think that's the beauty of adding an additional narrator, along with expanding upon older characters (Poundcake!) and introducing a few new characters (Razor!). Where I wasn't able to connect with Ringer before, I was inexplicably drawn to her character in this book the more I experienced from her perspective. She isn't a nice person but she is a practical one, and witnessing her battle her own humanity -- versus doing what needed to be done -- did lead to seeing her character in a new light.
The new characters and perspectives had me so fully engaged in the story that I was repeatedly caught unawares by the direction of the story. I knew what was happening with Evan in the first book. I even suspected the deception employed at the base and what role Vosch played in it. This book, however, was anything but predictable. I barely had a moment to catch my breath before we were racing off after another unfortunate truth, something else so horrible it had heretofore been beyond the scope of possibility.
It probably helped that Phoebe Strole continues to be absolutely enthralling as the female narrator in this series. She portrayed Cassie as the hopeful survivor in the first book and does so here in this novel, too, but she also portrays the sharp-tongued Ringer and manages to make both characters sound unique while doing so. Ben Yanette was not the original narrator in The 5th Wave, but without listening to the two audiobooks side-by-side, I don't know that I would have actually noticed much difference. I think that listening to the audiobook definitely helps separate the characters' voices, especially with so many perspectives spread throughout the novel, and both narrators do a splendid job of giving each character their own voice. The audio helps make each voice more distinct than they might otherwise appear in the text, notably with the numerous allusions made by the characters to the infinite sea and the philosophizing that runs rampant whenever they do mention it.
This series is so different from all of the other YA sci-fi books I've tackled. It's brutal, ruthless in its exploration of human nature, and it strives to get to the nitty-gritty of what makes us human...and what it would take for us to lose our humanity. The author endeavors to explore not only the physiological affects of the alien infiltration on the survivors -- and the aliens -- but also the psychological toll it's taken on them all. Assimilation? Annihilation? What is the aliens' endgame? And will the survivors live to see it to fruition? I love that I have absolutely no idea, especially not with the curveball thrown at the end of this book. I only wish I had the next installment on hand so I could satisfy my curiosity.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
{Audiobook} Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting
Author: Kimberly Derting
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Series: The Taking, book #1
Length: 9 hrs 29 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: April 29, 2014
Source: borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Fair warning, I'm a total fangirl for Derting's THE BODY FINDER series. I've read and loved every single one of those books, and though I still want more -- even if she's not planning on writing any -- I'm more than happy to read her forays into other genres, including dystopian fantasy via THE PLEDGE series and now with sci-fi and aliens by way of The Taking. And while this novel isn't my favorite of hers, it still showed the potential to become another favorite series.
Here's the thing, though. This novel pretty much reads like a contemporary with a very weird twist. I know many have commented on this aspect, including friends and those I turn to for reading recommendations, but I just want to weigh in with my two cents. The romance in this book isn't as squicky and off-putting to me as some have made it out to be. Yes, Tyler was only twelve when Kyra disappeared at the age of 16. And five years have passed, and now Tyler is 17. But Kyra is still only 16 and only feels and looks 16, not the 21 she should be. Maybe it's not the age thing that bothers some but the fact that she moves on from one brother to the other in what is five years to them but only days for her. Also not terribly icky to me, but to each his own. The thing is, Austin thought Kyra was gone for good, so he moved on. As Kyra remembers her time with him, it's glaringly obvious that they were never really all that good together anyway. Tyler, on the other hand, seems much better suited for Kyra and is willing to prove it to her. I thought they were actually very sweet together.
But the romantic aspect wasn't what led me to want to read this novel. I've always been intrigued by the possibility of aliens, so any mention of them in a synopsis has me summarily curious. However, the focus isn't on the aliens in this story until the latter third of the book. Instead, the story explores the strange coincidences Kyra keeps noticing and the misgivings she has regarding the five years she was missing. And it concentrates on how Kyra is handling (or not) the many changes that occurred while she was gone. Everyone moved on without her, and it's difficult for her to adjust, especially when it seems that the government wants to know more about what happened to her, too. I would have liked the psychological effects of those missing five years to have been explored in more depth, aside from Kyra's obsession with time and her refusal to accept the physiological changes in herself, but like I said, there's potential here.
I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher, but I missed the release date, so as I am wont to do, I downloaded the audio from my library so that I could get to it sooner rather than later. I'm a huge fan of Tavia Gilbert's narration of the Cat and Bones books from Jeaniene Frost, but as such, I was also worried that I would hear Cat in Kyra the entire time I was listening. It's often very difficult to separate a favorite narrator from a character they've voiced for years. In the beginning of the story, I did find it hard to do so, but as I got more engrossed in the book, I found myself listening to Kyra...not Cat and not Tavia.
There were some surprising twists to this story and shocking revelations, and I'm keen to see where Derting takes the story from here, now that it's morphed from the somewhat contemporary story it started as into a full-blown piece of sci-fi. I'm very curious to find out why the aliens want to make humans so hardy, why and what they're testing out on us. And I'm dying to know what happened to Tyler and Kyra's dad and even that creepy government official there at the end.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
{Promo} Alienated by Melissa Landers: The Aliens Have Landed (Launch Day Post) + a Giveaway!
Hey, fiction lovers. I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce that my debut YA sci-fi romance, ALIENATED, is finally available from Disney-Hyperion! Cue the dancers and toss the confetti, because it’s been a long wait!
In a nutshell, ALIENATED is the story of valedictorian Cara Sweeney, who gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to host the nation’s first intergalactic exchange student, the gorgeous but emotionally-stilted Aelyx (pronounced A-licks) from planet L’eihr. The tone is light and humorous, but I explore some deeper themes as well.
What do reviewers have to say?
If you like hot, swoony science fiction as much as I do, I hope you’ll give ALIENATED a try. It’s now available in stores and online.
Author: Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated, book #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Indiebound
To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a Nook Simple Touch. I’ll even throw in a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble so you can fill your new e-reader with whatever you want!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now for the fine print: This giveaway is open to US residents only. (Sorry, international friends, but you need a US billing address to buy digital content on the Nook.) Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.
Best of luck, and happy reading!
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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