Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder

Inside Out – Maria V Snyder

Pages: 315
Publisher: Mira INK (Mira Books)
Release Date: 1st January 2011

Other Titles by this Author: Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study, Storm Glass, Sea Glass, Spy Glass

Keep your head down. Don’t get noticed. Or else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I just do my job and try to avoid the Population Control Police, who dream of recycling scrubs into fertiliser. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? It’s not like it’s dangerous...

Well, turns out it is. Because I know every corridor, pipe and shortcut I’ve become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I know if we find a gateway to Outside it’ll be suicide plain and simple. But guess who likes a challenge?

I should have just said no...

Inside Out is something new from Maria V. Snyder, and I can honestly say that it’s by far my favourite of hers that I’ve read so far.

With this novel Maria V. Snyder has created a stunning and complex world in Inside. It’s a true dystopian universe with me knowing as little about it as Trella does and more and more of it being shockingly revealed as the novel progresses. Until the completely unexpected discovery of the truth about Inside and Outside at the end I was continually trying to guess the truth. There are also the different dimensions of Inside’s society with the scrubs, Uppers, Pop Cops and Controllers all locked in a handed down hatred of each other that is occasionally unjustified.

As a heroine of a dystopian novel, Trella is pretty damn good. She’s spunky, spirited and dangerously curious. Her strength and slight naivety give her the ability to hope for the possibility of the Gateway and Outside and let her carry on after failures and disappointments. All of these things made her the perfect person to lead the revolution.

But my favourite part of Inside Out was watching the blossoming relationship between Trella and Riley. I loved catching all of the little moments that push their relationship forward and increase their trust of each other despite everything they’ve been taught. The risks that they were willing make for each other such a short amount of time was very, very sweet.

Inside Out is a fantastic novel that Maria’s fans are going to eat up and leave them hungering for Outside In.

Sophie

My Soul to Take - Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take – Rachel Vincent

Pages: 345
Publisher: Mira Ink (Mira Books)
Release Date: 6th January 2011

Other Titles in this Series: My Soul to Save (18/02), My Soul to Save (15/04), My Soul to Steal (N/A)

Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh...

She can sense when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest boy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the dark forces behind Kaylee’s power than she does.

And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason and only Kaylee knows who’ll be next she realises that finding a boyfriend is the least of her worries!

My Soul to Take is a fast-paced and addictive paranormal novel that I fell instantly in love with.

The first thing that struck me about My Soul to Take is its level of mystery. There so many questions brought up in the first 100 or so pages: why does she scream? Who’s killing the girls? What’s going on?! As I didn’t read many reviews of this before I read it, I had no idea what Kaylee was going to turn out to be. Imagine my surprise when it was revealed that she was a bean sidhe – or a banshee as they’re more commonly known. Now I don't know about you, but I’ve never come across them in fiction before and I didn't really know anything about them. It’s turns out they’re a kind of faery!

Kaylee’s struggles to deal with the screaming and to come to terms with her heritage were very realistic as her ‘episodes’ caused her major pain and stress and led her to think that she was crazy. It’s not often that heroines of supernatural YA react like I would. I instantly liked Kaylee because of this. And then you’ve got Nash who, naturally, was completely gorgeous and popular, but also, quite unusually, Kaylee’s equal. I did notice something about their relationship that made me laugh, though: all of the important conversations they had happened over food.

As much as I loved My Soul to Take, I did have a minor issue. Kaylee’s best friend, Emma, seemed to disappear for the middle of the novel when Nash and Kaylee’s relationship started to develop due to a rather convenient grounding. However, Rachel Vincent more than redeemed herself with action-packed ending that solved the mysteries in a rather shocking way.

I loved My Soul to Take and I can't wait to get my hands on book two in the series, My Soul to Save, when it's released next month.

Sophie

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf - Curtis Jobling

To promote the release of Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, Puffin developed an ingenious idea for a blog tour: beginning with author, Curtis Joblings, bloggers on the tour would create their very own creature and each would post a picture of it as they added it along with their review. Brilliant, isn't it? Here's how it looked as it left me:

And here's my review:

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf – Curtis Jobling

Pages: 418
Publisher: Puffin (Penguin)
Release Date: 6th January 2010

‘You are the last of the werewolves. Don’t fight it, son; embrace it. Conquer it.’

When the air is clear, sixteen-year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator.

When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him.

And when a vicious beast invades his home, his flesh tears, his fingers become claws and Drew transforms...

Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Duke Bergan’s men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.

Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him – and master the animal within?

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf is the first book in a thrilling new fantasy adventure series from Curtis Jobling.

This was a book that grew on me steadily. At first I felt that Rise of the Wolf was occasionally over-descriptive. It seemed to distract me from Drew and the action in the beginning but I soon got used to it and eventually barely noticed it. I also warmed to the characters as I would real people: as I got to know them. This was especially true of Gretchen who I hated for at least half of the novel until we began to see the real her.

I loved the mythology of Rise of the Wolf. The idea of the Werelords – who are all different types of therianthropes – is brilliant in its variety. There are species of shape-shifter that would never even occur to me. The feral and ritualistic Wyldermen were completely fascinating, though very dangerous, and I hope we see more of them as the series goes on.

The politics and the history of the Werelords of Lyssia is complex and well thought out. There were wars, battles, dictators, heroes, tragedies and everything else that comes along with a kingdom. It’s brilliantly intricate and helps you get a real taste of what it would be like to live in Lyssia.

I really enjoyed Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf and I’m looking forward to the next instalment in the series.

For my 2011 Debut Author Challenge

Sophie

You can see where the picture started at Wondrous Reads.
What was added next at Nayu's Reading Corner.
And how the picture develops again on January 10th at Once Upon a Bookcase.

2011 Reading Challenges!

I am signing up for three reading challenges this year as my success at the 2010 Debut Author Challenge has made me confident I can do more this year! Though I am going to overlap books for my challenges!

2011 Debut Author Challenge (COMPLETED)
The Challenge is to read 12 books from 12 debut authors. Here is my list so far:

1. Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf - Curtis Jobling
2. Entangled - Cat Clarke
3. Across the Universe - Beth Revis
4. Small Blue Thing - S.C. Ransom (did not finish)
5. Flawless - Lara Chapman
6. Here Lies Bridget - Paige Harbison
7. Blood Red Road - Moira Young
8. Blood Magic - Tessa Gratton
9. Dark Inside - Jeyn Roberts
10. Undead - Kirsty McKay
11. Fury - Elizabeth Miles
12. Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
13. The Goddess Test - Aimee Carter
14. Glow - Amy Kathleen Ryan
15. Ashes - Ilsa J Bick

British Books Challenge 2011 (COMPLETED)
I will be entering this in the Home Grown category and aim to read 12 books by British authors. Here's my list so far:

1. Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf - Curtis Jobling
2. Entangled - Cat Clarke
3. Small Blue Thing - S.C. Ransom (did not finish)
4. Kiss, Date, Love, Hate - Luisa Plaja (date moved to 2012)
5. If I Could Fly - Jill Hucklesby
6. The Queen's Lady - Eve Edwards
7. David - Mary Hoffman
8. The Rogue's Princess - Eve Edwards
9. Baby Be Mine - Paige Toon
10. Jessie Hearts NYC - Keris Stainton
11. There is No Dog - Meg Rosoff
12. Undead - Kirsty McKay
13. Naked- Kevin Brooks
14. Verity Fibbs - Cathy Brett
15. Northern Lights - Philip Pullman

YA Historical Fiction Challenge (COMPLETED)
I am going to join this at level one and endeavor to read 5 YA historical fiction novels. Here is my rather sparse list so far:

1. Bright Young Things - Anna Godbersen
2. The Queen's Lady - Eve Edwards
3. The Rogue's Princess - Eve Edwards
4. David - Mary Hoffman
5. A Tangle of Magicks - Stephanie Burgis
6. Velvet - Mary Hooper
7. Beautiful Days: A Bright Young Things Novel - Anna Godbersen
8. This Dark Endeavour - Kenneth Oppel
9. Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare


Dystopian Challenge 2011
I am joining this late (July! eek!) at the Contagion level which is to read 15 dystopian novels. Luckily I've already read and reviewed quite a few this year!


1. Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder
2. A Small Free Kiss in the Dark - Glenda Millard
3. Divergent - Veronica Roth4. Outside In - Maria V. Snyder
5. Bumped - Megan McCafferty
6. Blood Red Road - Moira Young
7. Rip Tide - Kat Falls
8. Dark Inside - Jeyn Roberts
9. Ashes - Ilsa J Bick


Wish me luck!

Sophie

Top 10 of 2010

I know I haven’t been around much for the last couple of months amd I haven’t read nearly as much as I wanted to, but of the books I did read, there were a few that really stood out.

And so here are my ten favourite books of 2010 in no particular order:

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

This was my most highly anticipated book of the year and I wasn’t at all disappointed. Suzanne Collins’ portrayal of Katniss final chapter was intense, shocking, heartbreaking and beautifully done. A perfect ending to an extraordinary trilogy

The Iron King - Julie Kagawa

The book began a love affair for me. This fey world is so vivid and full of life that you literally fall into it. And of course there’s Ash…

Dark Life - Kat Falls

Kat Falls has created the only dystopian world that I’d happily live in with her cinematic storytelling and engaging characters. This book didn’t get nearly as much love as it should have.

Forbidden - Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden will stay with me for a very long time. It caused me heart-wrenching pain, ridiculous levels of inner conflict and awe at the talent of Tabitha Suzuma. If you haven’t read this, you’re missing out.

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
My love for Cassandra Clare’s books is no secret so that I loved this should be no surprise. Her world-building skills are second to none and I love all of the characters she creates. Especially Will.

Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead

This was another of my most highly anticipated novels of 2010 and it to lived up to my expectations. I was incredibly sad to see this series come to an end as I’ve really fallen in love with the feisty Rose and godly Dimitri.

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

The cover was what initially attracted me to this book, but inside that was even better. I loved the myth and lore of Nightshade and I devoured it very, very quickly.

Shade - Jeri Smith-Ready

I loved the idea of a love triangle with a ghost and was intrigued as to how this would pan out. Brilliantly is the answer! The way that the supernatural and normal worlds merged and the pace of Aura’s grieving was refreshing.

 

Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder

I didn’t love Snyder’s Posion trilogy so I was hesitant to read this, but I loved it. It‘s a fantastically created world full of action and adventure. (My review of this will be posted later this month as part of a tour.)

A Most Improper Magick - Stephanie Burgis

Stephanie’s debut was the book that surprised me most this year. This Regency tale is full of charm, humour and warmth and I loved every page of it. This is one that you can lend to your little sister and your mum.

2010 was a brilliant book year and 2011 is already shaping up to be just as amazing. Bring it on!

 

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Sophie