I Am Alive by Cameron Jace

   I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: I Am Alive
Author: Cameron Jace
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 267
Format: Electronic
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Decca Tenderstone feels captivated when she meets Leo, who is arrogant, silent, beautiful, and shoots almost every one he meets.

the usual boring girl meets badboy story... hmm... with a twist ...

They live in a dystopian future in Los Angeles where every sixteen-year-old is ranked on a scale from one to ten to determine their future. Outranks, who are considered a danger to society, are forced to attend the Monster Show, a brutal sacrificing ritual that is broadcasted worldwide on live TV, where rebellious teens are labelled Bad Kidz or Monsters and get to fight for their lives in deadly games.

To prove that you're still alive you have to scream I Am Alive every six hours. Lower your voice, and you're dead.

Decca doesn't need Leo's company. She has secrets of her own. While they both can't stand each other, she will find out why she doesn't fit into any rank.

Nothing will stand in her way as she has to make choices concerning love, life, staying alive, growing up, and finding out who she really is

I'm not sure what to say. This book...was something else.

I've been hearing a lot of comparison to The Hunger Games, and while in some aspect I can see that, at the same time I feel like this book was too different from THG.

In this society rank matters, especially when considering the type of government that runs it. Going into a battle ground with monsters is not a way I would enjoy spending my time.

The one thing that I would consider is the hot mess of grammar. It was really hard to get through this piece actually because all I could think about was sitting down and editing this book and I haven't had that urge in a long time. I can almost understand if there was no editor involved, but I was hoping for a little something better.

I thing the grammar distracted me a little too much to really get into the story and connect with characters, but I'm sure if given the chance I may have liked Decca. She wasn't completely out there and something new and exciting, but she wasn't normal either.

Like most dystopian novels I absolutely love the world building and I liked this one. I'm still unsure about the whole THG thing, but the dangerous aspect of sending kids to an arena as a sacrifice is something that I think makes the novel unique and unusual and something fun to read.

I say this is worth the shot. If anything, just to at least check it out!

Peristence of Visions by Liesel Hill

Title: Persistence of Vision
Author: Liesel K. Hill
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 29th, 2012
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Pages: 386
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

This book, was by far, an interesting read. I really wasn't sure where it was going to go or take me, and just by the summary I could tell I was in for a world of confusion, but luckily that didn't happen.

I kept up the pace of the novel, which sucked right into Maggie's world where magic, time travel, and danger reside on every corner.

See, Maggie isn't like most people. And her life isn't as normal as she may want it to be. She goes to a future, while dodging a danger in her own time and meeting people in this strange new land that could either help her or put her in danger.

Hill weaves together a story filled with so much promise. I enjoyed reading the book up until the last page (not to mention it was a great study break!). This novel was original and when I was originally afraid of being unable to keep up with everything, I was really glad that Hill was able to keep it together on page. Maggie's character interested me and kept me wanting to see more of her. Not to mention some of the other characters like Marcus and Karl added to the mixture of the story's intriguing plot line.

I love science fiction, especially dystopia. So reading this book really wasn't a trouble as it ran right up my alley. I am so glad that Hill let me review her novel!

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Title: Mystic City
Author: Theo Lawrence
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 416
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book. It should have crawled its way to the top of my To-Read pile long ago!

From page one until the end this book had my attention going and I couldn't stop reading. In one sitting I finished this beautiful tale that completely swept me away with Lawrence's beautiful writing style and very realistic characters! And the best part? The way he wove paranormal into the dystopian world and made something completely original!

The tale begins with Aria Rose, the young daughter of a powerful family in New York City's dystopian future. Global warming has taken place and the majority of the streets are flooded with water, and the seat for mayor of the city is up for grabs. But the political weave is complicated when a group of citizens, called mystics, are involved. These mystics hold power that Aria's father drains in order to keep the city energized.

Aria is suffering from memory loss and her family keeps convincing her that she is in love with her family's rival, Thomas Foster, but something in the story that they told her leaves Aria feeling doubtful. And then she meets Hunter, and her entire world is shifted around.

Now Aria begins to unravel the tangled weave that her family has created in order to uncover not just her lost memories, but as well as come to terms with all those that she loves and lives with.

This book completely took me by surprise. I couldn't believe some of the things that Lawrence threw into this novel. The way he developed the characters were both real and sometimes even scary, just because that is how people behave.

He struck deeply not only with the global warming that is going on right now, but as well as political battles that take place everyday and people don't even know! And I could very much relate to Aria. I felt for her and everything that went on around her. A daughter one minute to a political pawn the next.

This world came alive and whether or not it could actually happen is something that is unknown, but I don't doubt for a second that there was some truth in Lawrence's novel.

This book is one that should be put on someone's TBR list. I am so glad I read it and I can't wait to go out and get myself a copy because this is a book that belongs on everyone's bookshelves.

And be aware that it isn't just the political games that are being played that take center stage. The romance between the two protagonist was so cute and one could just feel how real their love is. And the best part is that it wasn't even insta-love! They actually got the chance to know each other and relate, despite differences!

Theo Lawrence is officially a favorite and I will have to keep my eyes on him!

Eden's Root by Rachel E. Fisher

Title: Eden's Root
Author: Rachel E. Fisher
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: December 17th, 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: 322
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

The year is 2033 and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional

When first asked to read this book, I said yes because I absolutely LOVE dystopian novels, or in this case it looks like post-apocalyptic. Anyways, this book sounded interesting.

At first, I felt like it was a slow going and I was almost dreading the rest of the novel because I was hoping that it wouldn't be as slow going as the beginning, luckily, things picked up.

This novel does not involve zombies or vampires, but the threat is even scarier because it is so close to the truth. The author taps on a subject that is too close to home that it could honestly make this future look so real it could almost happen. I liked that as the novel picked up so did the characterization. At first, I almost felt like Fi was too unrealistic and that she wasn't a real person. I don't know, there were just the moments that she seemed too artificial, but when the plot picked up she started to feel more three-dimensional.

The way the book moves isn't too quick or too slow. The reader's can tell right away that Fi was just an innocent that got caught in the cross-fires of something bigger than her. And the way she handles it I felt really made her stand out.

And of course the love interest was just cute.

What I like most about this book is that, like I said before, it sticks really close to what could actually happen. All someone needs to do these days and Google it up. And as much as people would like to say something like this would never happen, I think we all know that this very well could, and in some parts its already happening.

Fisher is a talented writer and I really enjoyed this book. It didn't take long to pick up and once it did, I could not put it down afterwards. I would recommend this book to all fans of sci-fi, and I can't wait to read the second book!

Dark, heart-wrenching, and beautiful, this is a great novel. 

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go
Author: Patrick Ness
Release Date: May 5th, 2008
Publisher: Walker Books
Pages: 496
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

I love sci-fi and I love dystopia and when I first picked this book up I thought it would be like any other dystopian book I have read. And how wrong was I?

First, I don't like books about aliens and so I stay away from those types of books, but there was only one exception to the rule, and now this book has become the second. Even though there was a little alien stuff going on and hints of more alien stuff in the future books I can overlook it because of what the actual story itself is saying.

The main premise of the story revolves around Todd, who is considered a boy in his town and will soon become a man at the age of 13, but after a series of events Todd is forced to leave his home and with Viola travel through an unknown world and suddenly the secrets of his town are revealed as Todd realizes what the future of New World could hold.

Obviously I thought that they were still here, on our world, but that it was just way in the future where some weird viruses made people's thoughts known, which is not the case.

In fact there were so many surprises that my head was spinning. It was an adventure, one event after another. What bothered me, and I think it was also one of the author's main point, was the main character's naivete. Granted he had grown up in an enclosed town and there many secrets that were left from him, but instead of thinking rationally he had this annoying tendency to do stupid things, which made me want to jump him. I kept smacking myself on the book, because there were so many situations that could have been avoided if he put aside his stupid pride and actually listened to others.

But with the way it ended, and I have to say that this was another jaw-dropper cliff-hanger endings, I hope to watch some character growth in Todd. As well as Viola. She wasn't without her faults either. It was like the city people meet the rural farmers, with the city person thinking that they were smart and better. Yes, Viola was very smart, but at times I think she was a little detached and didn't understand the way of life too well.

Todd was reluctant to accept the way things are supposed to be and Viola was reluctant to accept the way things were. And somehow these two fit together perfectly.

Despite how frustrated I was throughout this book I am actually looking forward to the next book. Ness really puts the reader into Todd's mind and the reader can connect with him and I like that. This trilogy has potential!