ARC BOOK REVIEW: "Golden Son" by Pierce Brown

Golden Son

by Pierce Brown

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

Golden Son is book two in the Red Rising Trilogy.  There is just so much going on in this series.  I am not sure if I will be able to do this book justice.  Therefore, I will focus my review on the themes that stand out to me.

Having just recently read Red Rising, Golden Son comes at a perfect time and this sequel is near perfect. It is dark and intriguing, full of machinations by characters you both love and hate.  The book is about how friendship and loyalty can win a war and overcome centuries-old prejudices.  It shows how inspiration overcomes coercion. Ultimately, this is a story about love, commitment, and the pursuit of a higher purpose. 

However, this is second in the trilogy – it is the Empire Strikes Back book – the dark, middle story.  The dark, in this case, is about what hubris does to human nature. What happens to Darrow breaks my heart. Mr. Brown takes us on a roller coaster ride with masterful storytelling and a gripping narrative. I would’ve been exhausted after finishing, but the ending had me up all night. Needless to say, I will be counting the days until the next book.

IN A NUTSHELL:

It seems almost trite to say this is like The Hunger Games or Divergent or The Game of Thrones.  However, like those stories, this one leaves an indelible mark in my memory.

SUSAN: BOOK REVIEW "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

Summary: 

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her

Review:
A few observations rather than a review - 

* I'd forgotten how LONG non M/M books are. Each book in this series is over 500 pages. I'm hesitant, sometimes, reading stuff over 200. ha! But, it goes by quickly. 

* It's uncanny how ALIKE it is to the Hunger Games storyline. But I guess youth, dystopian, and a finding-herself heroine are not original ideas. 

* I found myself surprisingly emotional. I don't know why children dying didn't affect me as much when reading HG. In Divergent, it really...broke my heart...kids having to make adult choices, leaving home, dying. 

* The romance element is stronger in Divergent and probably why I liked it more. In HG, Katniss doesn't really love either Peeta or Gale in my opinion. In Divergent, you feel the attraction and the budding romance between Tris and Tobias. 

* Tobias is swoon-worthy (if I didn't think it was creepy to be swooning over an 18 yo boy) 

I really, really enjoyed this book. I was captivated and drawn in and held my breath at points. I liked Tris so much...and I liked Tris' journey. The action and plot play themselves out almost too quickly (all back-ended...the build up to the last 25% took awhile and dragged just a bit). But, I was engrossed in what was going to happen, and left slightly dizzy by the end. 

In a nutshell:  If book 1 is any indication, I may end up liking this better than Hunger Games

SUNNY: ARC BOOK REVIEW "My Lady Quicksilver" by Bec McMaster

Tha
SUMMARY:
Determined to destroy the Echelon she despises, Rosalind Fairchild is on seemingly easy mission. Get in. Uncover the secrets of her brother's disappearance. And get out.

In order to infiltrate the Nighthawks and find their leader, Sir Jasper Lynch, Rosalind will pose as their secretary. But she doesn't count on Lynch being such a dangerously charismatic man, challenging her at every turn, forcing her to re-evaluate everything she knows about the enemy.

He could be her most dangerous nemesis—or the ally she never dreamed existed

REVIEW:
My Lady Quicksilver is book 3 in Bec McMaster's London Steampunk series.  I simply love this series!  First a rebel, then a shape shifter verwulfen, and now Ms. McMasters gives us a law man.  This story is so delicious it made me giddy with happiness.  What's not to like?  You have two "outsiders" who represent the extremes of the system - one, a female rebel looking to disrupt the strict caste system, and the other, a man of law and order but not one of the elite.  I love Rosalyn because she is spunky, brave and kick-ass (not surprising as former assassin).  Jasper is so dreamy, not only because he is a man of the law because also he is a man of conviction, compassion, intelligence, passion and principle. 

The story is a cat and mouse game expertly played out in the narrative. Outwitting and outplaying each other, I love how Rosalyn and Jasper develop a begrudging respect for one another that blossoms into full fledged love.  There is a constant level of temptation - "Dangerous. So dangerous. But that old thrill was there again, tempting her to madness."  As the story develops, the characters unravel. I like how Ms. McMasters brings depth to Rosalyn and Jasper.  On the surface, Rosalyn is the implacable leader of the resistance, but underneath there is a girl who desires to be "normal."  Jasper soon discovers he has more rebel in him then he is willing to admit.  

Normally, I am not a huge fan of steampunk.  However in this story, the steampunk setting is an essential part of the book and contributes to the dark and dangerous context - steam engines, mechanical objects, and a dystopian world.  It works!

IN A NUTSHELL:
The best in the series, this book is NOT TO BE MISSED! Can't wait to see what's next!


Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

SUSAN: BLOG TOUR, GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY "After Midnight" by Santino Hassell

It All Started With a Song...

When I first started kicking around ideas for my first solo endeavor, After Midnight, I knew I wanted it to be something fun but gritty, intense but accessible. I wanted to write something fresh, but I was still in the throes of being totally in love with the world I'd created with my co-writer (of In the Company of Shadows). The solution?

To write a spin-off that could stand entirely on its own and take place in the same setting, but not be part of the series.

However, I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go in. I was floating aimlessly in a sea of ideas until one summer morning during my commute to downtown Manhattan. I had on my enormous black and red Beats, sitting on the express bus and staring out the window when the song "I'm Mad" by The Dead Weather came on.

The song is moody with a blues rock style, and most of it is a variation of the words "I'm mad", punctuated by a slightly mocking bark of laughter.

While listening to this song, Gordon came to me. I saw him very clearly: grungy and a little punked out—someone that should be sitting in a bar in Williamsburg with a Guinness while he glares at the microbrewed hipsters—but instead was being chased down a dark alley by a hulking figure that was enjoying the chase. And just like that, Gordon came alive in my mind.

The evolution of Adam came over time, and bits and pieces of everything inspired me. An ex-boyfriend who was Type A and offensively blunt, an image of a pale man with dark hair and darker eyes, and of course a slew of songs and lyrics. "15 Steps" by Radiohead is one of my favorite "Adam" songs, although that and music by Jem and Goldfrapp populate my brain when I think of them together.

The first version of After Midnight had a soundtrack for each chapter written in the notes. While I ditched that in this re-written edition, it doesn't change that music played an enormous role in the writing process of this book. I used to keep a list of songs what inspired me while writing, but I've upgraded from pen-and-paper and started making soundtrack lists on Grooveshock for my projects. If you're interested, you should totally check it out.

Just like my corny Hot Topic tote bag says: Music = Life.

The soundtrack for After Midnight can be found here: http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/After+Midnight/88267690

        

BOOK BLURB:

Gordon Frost is a survivor. He survived a war that ravaged the nation, and he made it through the orphanages and crime-ridden slums that followed. With few prospects for the future, Gordon carved out a niche for himself in the expanding drug trade of Lexington, PA. It’s not pretty, but it's his, and it beats what he was doing before. But a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time results in a brush with death, going by the name of Adam. Afterward, the life that seemed good enough before, isn't quite the same. 

Adam Blake is an assassin on the brink of being terminated by the very organization that controls him. He completed his mission, but not without being seen. With his secrets in danger of being exposed by Gordon, Adam knows he should kill the smart-mouthed redhead, but finds himself intrigued by the troublesome civilian instead. 

When Gordon’s knack for finding trouble combines with the dangerous consequences of Adam’s indecision, their worlds intertwine in an explosive way.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords, and ARe

Enter to win 1 of 5 complete "After Midnight" prize packages:

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SUSAN: BOOK REVIEW "After Midnight" by Santino Hassell

SUMMARY:
Gordon Frost is a survivor. He survived a war that ravaged the nation, and he made it through the orphanages and crime-ridden slums that followed. With few prospects for the future, Gordon carved out a niche for himself in the expanding drug trade of Lexington, PA. It’s not pretty, but it's his, and it beats what he was doing before. But a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time results in a brush with death, going by the name of Adam. Afterward, the life that seemed good enough before, isn't quite the same. 

Adam Blake is an assassin on the brink of being terminated by the very organization that controls him. He completed his mission, but not without being seen. With his secrets in danger of being exposed by Gordon, Adam knows he should kill the smart-mouthed redhead, but finds himself intrigued by the troublesome civilian instead. 

When Gordon’s knack for finding trouble combines with the dangerous consequences of Adam’s indecision, their worlds intertwine in an explosive way.

REVIEW:
Gah! So good...Gordon is my f'ing spirit animal (minus the drugs and the crime and the...well, maybe not spirit animal...but I LOVE him!)

Ok, so I'll preface this by saying yes, I'm a huge fan of the "In the Company of Shadows" series and it is, indeed, one of my favorite reads. BUT, I tried really hard to read After Midnight as the standalone that it's meant to be. And I can assure anyone who questions it that yes, it is a standalone. There are places and names that are familiar to fans of ICoS, but the book even has a bit of a different feel. 

After Midnight is nothing that I'd typically find my "type" of book: it's not a traditional romance (the MC's have a bit of a contemptuous relationship) and I'm not sure if any of the characters are actual likable and it's set in a dystopian world...BUT IT WORKED FOR ME! *scratch my head*

Romance be damned - the 2 MC's have a crazy sexual tension and every interaction, whether hate-filled, confused, mocking...WAS HOT. And by the end, you'll shock even yourself, that they somehow became a couple you're ROOTING for! 

Likable characters be damned - Gordon is an antihero. He's insecure. He's a brat. He tries too hard. He's needy. And he would not admit to any of that. And by the end, you'll shock even yourself, that you're overwhelmed by the need to care for him, protect him, hang out with him, be his bestie (get out of the way Carla...there's a new BFF in town...ME!) And Adam...three words...I WANT MORE. 

Dystopian world be damned - Something about Santino Hassell's writing transforms you to that time and place and makes you feel like you're right in the middle of it. I felt this way in ICoS and I felt this way in this book as well. And by the end, you'll shock even yourself, that it didn't feel fictional...it felt like just another town for some reason. 

Now, I have to admit that the book started a bit slow for me, but picks up quickly once the 2 MC's finally meet. And to be truthful, the sap in me wishes there was MORE Gordon & Adam time and, you know, one of those perfectly wrapped up "and they lived happily ever after..."s. (There had BETTER be another book after this that extends the story...PLEASE!) 

IN A NUTSHELL:
I found the book captivating, satisfying, and I highly recommend it. 

SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW "Daybreak" by Ellen Connor

CHARACTERS:

Penelope
Truman

SUMMARY: 

We still have a world in chaos after the Change. There are people who are infused with magic and shapeshifting skinwalkers that can change into a variety of animals - lions, baboons, crows, and even a marmot. People, for the most part, still do not live in organized societies except for the group led by O’Malley and one by Arturi. Whereas O’Malley is the group representing the worst part of humanity - criminal dealings in kidnapping and sexual exploitation of women and children, hoarding of resources, Arturi’s group symbolizes the best - different kinds of people (including skinwalkers and those with magic) living in harmony, peacefully. But as Edmund Burke is attributed as saying, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” It is Pen’s calling to rally Arturi’s people to defeat O’Malley.

REVIEW:

I loved this book but for completely different reasons than the others in the series. The context is the same but the trilogy seems to move from dark to light. The tone of the first book is gritty, terrifying and desperate. This story takes place 12 years later. And there is more stability in the world. The demon dogs are no longer an ever-present threat. The greatest threat is from other people. Although the world is still dark, there a moment of light and hope.

This is the story about how people are transformed and survive The Change. The spotlight of the story is the relationship between Pen and Tru. It’s a love story. They know each other as kids, but they are wholly different adults.

Penny (Pen) was 9 years old at the end of the first book. Since then, she is using her magic to try and help heal people, give them a sense of hope and although she is uncomfortable, she is an icon they call the Orchid. Being that icon is a safe place to hide; where she can act the part of heroine, but not really have to engage with people. She can give her life without having any personal connection to any one person. Tru left Mason and Jenna to find his place in the world where he finds love, tragedy, and a cool little ability to shift into a Lion. The tragedy he has experienced has marred his soul and he is unwilling to take a chance again, so he wanders through life mostly as lion rarely transforming back. They both struggle with getting too close.

Pen and Tru’s relationship is not always straightforward. There are a few twists and turns that keeps this story interesting. Pen’s proclivity to hide behind her “hero” status is adds an interesting layer to the dilemma.

IN A NUTSHELL:

This is a story you want to read if you want to know “what happened to the others.” If you are looking for the conclusion of the trilogy and want the HEA, you will not be disappointed.

SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW "Nightfall" by Ellen Connor

The Characters:

Jenna Barclay

Mason
Tru
Penny
Chris
Angela

Summary:

Magic takes over the world and the world is transformed.  It is now just hitting the western half of the United States.  Jenna Barclay, whose father has been prophisizing this change, is kidnapped by ex-Marine, Mason.  He is fulfilling a promise to Jenna’s deceased dad to protect her.  Add to this mix, a teenage boy, a brilliant scientist, a mother and her withdrawn daughter. This is a story about survival at the most primal level as they are pursued by the changlings - humans who are turning into rabid animals.

Review:

When I think of this book, one word comes to mind “PRIMAL.”  In this book, the world gets pared down to the most fundamental levels - finesse is out, luxury is out, technology is out.  People and animals survive on instinct.  

The premise and setting of this story are dark.  Ellen Connor does amazing job building a world in which the characters survive by a thread.  There are threats all around them - starvation, death due to freezing cold temperatures, transformation by being bitten by one of the rabid animals and turning into a monster. There is serious tension throughout this book.  There are so many moments in which, if this were a movie, you’d be peeking between your fingers as you held your hands to your face.  

Jenna and Mason’s relationship epitomizes the dual definitions of primal. First, their relationship meets their primitive needs.  There is no wooing, no finessing, just hard-driven desire to be needed and loved. Secondly, they become each others primary - the first in importance, each others one and only.   Watching this develop, especially watching Mason unfurl leaves me so satisfied. It is the best part of watching an alpha develop his “sweet.”

As readers, we should not be surprise by the level of expertise.  Ellen Connor is authors Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty.  You can see both their influences in the story.  There is hard driven action, highly suspenseful moments and some of the hottest bedroom scenes (although it doesn’t really happen that much in a bedroom).  

In A Nutshell:

If you a fan of Ann Aguirre or Carrie Lofty, even if you are not, and if you want to read a highly satisfying, suspenseful book set in a dark, dystopian world, you must read this book.

SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW "Endgame" by Ann Aguirre

CHARACTERS:

Sirantha Jax

March

Vel

Loras

<Warning:  Spoilers Ahead>

SUMMARY:

Sirantha Jax is on the planet of  La ’heng fulfilling a promise to Loras helping him free his people from the oppressive rule of the Nicuan.  Since being conquered by the outside world, the La'hengrin are poisoned by sedation and are living with the  shinai-bond - a bond that suppresses any aggressive impulse and forces them into submission to whoever "owns" them.  It is a slave colony no matter how "paternalistic" the Nicuan claim to be.  Jax has the cure to release the bond.  After many attempts to get the government to "do the right thing" and distribute the cure, Jax and crew are left with the only option possible - instigate a revolution.  

REVIEW:

The Sirantha Jax series was the first series I read after Harry Potter and the Hunger Games. I cut my Ann Aguirre teeth on Enclave and was seeking another book in which to lose myself. I was thrilled to find stories that were as good as my then favorites, Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen. 

In past books, Sirantha Jax fights corruption, evil warlords, the terrifying Morguts, and the even the betrayal of one her own. I love Jax’s commitment to do what is right as she hurls herself headlong into the fray. Unfortunately, her willingness to sacrifice all to do the right thing is always at the cost of a loved one. But that’s what makes her life so heartbreaking. It is a sacrifice to those she loves as well. 

But, this is not that book. This is a book about redemption. The redemption of planet La ’heng, the redemption of her relationship with Loras, the redemption of her relationship with March. 

This isn’t the Jax story filled with wild escapes, chases, terrifying creatures and unbearable loss. Despite the fact that the backdrop of this story of is the fight for freedom from the oppressive rule of the Nicuan, it is a love story. There is more romance here than all five previous books combined. It is the reconciliation of Jax and March. And this one is deep. They literally get to the heart of the matter - why it is so difficult to love one another so deeply but keep hurting each other so profoundly? It is also the clarification of the love between Sirantha and Vel. 

Some might claim that Ann Aguirre ties up the end of this series too nicely. Maybe she does. This book does not evoke the roller coaster emotions that is associated with fear and loss as some of the others in the series. Half the time in this book, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  In the end, there is no drop dead shocker and really, thank goodness for that. Because when it comes down to it, with everything that Jax has gone through, doesn’t she deserve a happily ever after? I, for one, am not going to begrudge her that. If you are new to Sirantha Jax, I would not recommend starting with this book. It will not accurately represent the heart of the series. Instead this book is truly the concluding episode in the evolution of Sirantha Jax.

MEMORABLE QUOTE:

This is not a love story.

This is about my life, and as such, there is love, loss, war, death, and sacrifice.  It's about things that needed to be done and choices made.  I regret nothing. 

IN A NUTSHELL: 

This is the perfect ending to an amazing journey with Sirantha Jax.  I will miss you, but am so happy you have found your way "home." 

SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW - "Angelfall" by Susan Ee

CHARACTERS:
Penryn
Raffee

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

REVIEW:
Stories about the Apocalypse are not new and neither are stories about Angels, Archangels more specifically. So the beginning of the story is not surprising, but I guess what did get me was how slowly but surely Susan Ee got me involved with her characters, Penryn and Raffe. (On a side note, I have a friend who lives in the little town of Penryn and I think it's a hoot that the character is named after that small area off the I-80). They are brought together by desperate circumstance, two "enemies" that need each other to survive. I appreciate Penryn's courage, determination, maturity, loyalty and survival skills. There is plenty of action and suspense. There are parts of the story that reminded me a little of the movie, The Terminator. 

It has been a while since I've been this surprised by a book. Admittedly, I kept pushing this one down on the TBR list because I got it dirt cheap on Amazon. Yes, it's a silly bias since I've read some pretty great books that have been either free or very inexpensive. This one is a little treasure. Just, wow. Susan Ee creates a world that is terrifying where violence, inhumanity, political intrigue and a strong dose of science fiction terror abound. There were times that I had a white-knuckle grip on my Kindle and plenty of instances where I gasped during a scene. Yes, I actually gasped out loud. 

The hardest part about this book is although there is an appropriate ending, know that this is the beginning of a trilogy and so there are plenty of questions left unanswered. Can't wait for the sequel!

IN A NUTSHELL: 
If you like dystopian YA stories, this one will leave you wanting for more.  Highly, highly recommended.