Since it's a new month, that means I should be setting a new goal for a specific type of book I want to read more of. Well, last month I didn't do as well as I'd hoped on my goal of getting caught up and reviewing all the e-galleys I've gotten from NetGalley, and I actually feel an obligation to do so (as opposed to the goals I set just for myself, this affects other people.) So I'll continue to work through those in March. I read two in February--The Glass Collector by Anna Perera and Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta--and you can find my reviews here and here.
What I Read This Week:
Across the Universe by Beth RevisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
After I got past the TERRIFYING beginning (seriously, I had to walk away for a day or two)I got really swept up in this story. Amy's voice, in particular, feels very true--and in a book with a plot this wild and twisty-turny, having a protagonist who can anchor it with some reality is important. That's not to say that the plot doesn't work--in fact, it's very well constructed--but I don't read a ton of science fiction, so it's nice to have a bit of a lifeline. I can't help but compare the plot, in some ways, to The Giver, but it never feels copied or unoriginal. It's like it takes some of the concepts and situations that were most interesting from that book and gives them a whole new context. (And really, so much in The Giver is just waiting to be revisited!) Revis has created a really fascinating world in Across the Universe, and by the end of this book you're left with the feeling that she's just scratched the surface (so isn't it awesome that Book 2 is out? Yes, yes it is.)
A Million Suns by Beth RevisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ah, the rare (these days) second book I read immediately after the first book! And it did not disappoint. The big reveals are just as satisfying and tightly paced as those in the first book, and the stakes just keep getting higher! I loved the "scavenger hunt" setup--and completely did not anticipate any of the big twists. My only complaint: having to wait for book three!
View all my reviews
Waiting in the Wings
I really enjoyed Beth Revis' books too, and have to be very careful not to become too similar with my own story (mine is Sci Fi Lite). Hope your vacation was good! :D
ReplyDeleteThat's so hard, isn't it? I think my danger series is Delirium/Pandemonium, because of the way Lauren Oliver uses the sort of dystopian template so simply and elegantly.
ReplyDeleteAck! I'm jealous! I've read Across the Universe and LOVED it, but I have yet to find me a copy of A Million Suns. Thanks for your fab reviews!
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