Tag: book blogs

Scion of Conquered Earth (2016)

By: Michael J. Allen

A nameless teenager struggles to survive in an apocalyptic version of Earth where great, murderous machines and cannibalistic caravans of the Mad Max variety are out to get him at every turn. He ends up escaping on a run-down spaceship and takes off into the stars for an adventure across the star systems.

There were a lot of good parts about this novel. I liked the main character. I thought he was believable and well-crafted. And the chapters written in the P.O.V. of the AI were fascinating. I believe Allen did a great job showcasing the brainpower of a supercomputer, while still making it understandable for a human reader.

That being said, this book read like two completely different novels. One followed the Earth-bound nameless hero facing a plethora of unsavory acts to survive. The second followed a semi-seasoned pilot in his plight to save slaves and get money. It was quite jarring to transition between the two, especially as the chapter detailing him getting on the ship wasn’t clear in the first place. Things that should’ve been explained were glossed over, and difficult terminology was thrown around as though it was all commonplace.

This was a more difficult read, and a little hard to swallow, but overall an enjoyable book. Check it out if you either like Mad Max or Star Trek. It has elements of both.

The Boys Return (2001)

By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

When the Benson brothers come to visit for spring break, all havoc breaks lose as the three Malloy sisters, four Hatford brothers, and five Benson brothers converge.

This was my favorite book in the whole series, by far. I loved the way all the relationships played out, and I was enthralled by the crushes that blossomed. Reading in again, fifteen years later, I still loved it. Like I said, pass this series on to the children in your life. You won’t be disappointed.

The Gathering (2011)

By: Kelley Armstrong

Sixteen-year-old Maya lives in the small town built around the top-secret research facility on Vancouver Island. All she knows of her birth parents is the small paw-shaped birthmark on her hip. But then, strange things start to happen on the island. There have been a handful of mysterious deaths, and the animals in the sanctuary are becoming more brazen. Could this have to do with her shadowed past?

Honestly, I’m intrigued by novels that handle adoption. Most don’t treat the subject well, making children who’ve been adopted have inherent knowledge that they are “other” or giving them terrible relationships with their parents. The Gathering, however, handles adoption quite well.

Though the story follows a sixteen-year-old, it doesn’t fall into the same tropes as many other YA novels. Everything unfolds without much soap opera-like drama. There’s also a lot of history and Native American culture woven throughout. It’s a very entertaining read, and I can’t wait to snatch up the next book in the series.

Plus, I mean, there are werepanthers, guys. Super cool!

The Savage Blood (2011)

By: Tamara Rose Blodgett

Trying to unearth the truth of her lineage, our sphere-dwelling princess—or should I say queen?—travels the land. Along the way, she’s nearly sexually assaulted—for the sixth time—but is, of course, rescued by our muscular, masculine Savages.

Right. So. I gave this series some more time, considering I was pretty interested in the story. (yay mermaids!) That being said, there are a lot of sexual assault attempts that are thwarted at just the right time. And this is where the love triangle deepens, making the main character look incredibly indecisive and quite weak. She lets things happen to her, while everyone says what a good and gracious queen she is. In my opinion, if you say over and over again that a person has a certain quality, instead of showing it, I start to question if that’s really who they are.

Like I said for the first book in this series, check it out if you’re waffling over what to read. But, again, I caution, the genre labeling for this is wrong. It’s more steampunk/Pocahontas. With the veiled racism thrown in for good measure. Because, honestly, these people are called Savages, after all.