'Til The World Ends by Julie Kagawa et al

Publication Date: 29/01/13
Publisher: Harlequin Luna
Pages: 368
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi
Target Audience: Young Adults

Synopsis:
Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:

Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden—as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What’s worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she’s beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems...

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:

After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside—in the Red Zone—is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they’ll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside... for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:

Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms—in the cosmos and beyond. And she’s not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She’ll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

My Review: I usually avoid collections because there's always at least one story in them that makes me want to tear my hair out or slam my face against a wall. Sadly, this collection was no different. But I'll start with the positives.

Dawn of Eden:

I was thrilled with Dawn of Eden and I found it a unique insight into the world of The Immortal Rules before Ali's adventure begun.  Kylie made a sympathetic  caring, yet tough protagonist and I was pulled into her story and her reasons for fighting the Red Lung Virus without much trouble.  
The story even took a romantic turn and featured a cameo from a pretty important character from The Immortal Rules. 
The ending was pretty well done, which is usually difficult with a Novella and overall, with this story, I was very impressed. Not only did it give additional background on the vamps and Red Lung Virus, but also an insight into how difficult life was during the breakout. 

Thistle and Thorne
I was really surprised with this novella. I have books by Ann Aguirre on my to-read list but have yet to read any of them; needless to say this will have to change very soon because she is an exceptional writer.
Mari and Thorne made a brilliant twosome and I really hope Miss Aguirre writes a full book based on these characters because I really want to know what happens after this novella ends, especially as it ends with the suggestion that there is more to come.
There is a little tinge of romance in this, but very little and the plot and action certainly takes centre stage.  The post-apocalyptic background is well thought out, and so different from most others I've read since I've never read anything about a chemical spill before.
Overall, this is a cleverly written novella but with quite a bit of violence and gore though not without the emotional undercurrent with the characters which make them feel more human.

Sun Storm
This is unfortunately the short story that let me down and by this point I was actually pretty hopeful that all three stories would be made of win. Don't get me wrong, the idea of solar flares and the end of the world is realistic enough, but what failed to capture me was the idea of developing powers when hit by the sparks from these flares. Having said that, It's no more unbelievable than zombies I guess so I gave it a chance.
When I got to a certain part half way through though, I thought the following: 'that could never happen in a million years' even my huge imagination has a limit and it reached it. Having said that, some people may take to it though to me it seemed a bit silly.
Character wise, though I loved Sarah, Ian just didn't gel with me and I didn't really feel his relationship with Sarah. Add what felt like a much too rushed ending and when I finally finished I was ready to admit that I didn't personally enjoy it.

All in all for the first two stories this is worth reading, but honestly, I did not get on with the third. Having said that, I'm sure some people will disagree with me. Give it a go when it's released!

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: 24/04/12

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 512

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia/Romance/Fiction

Synopsis: Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. 

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters. 

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. 

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. 

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My Review: I'd first like to thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this before the release date and I have to say I was blown away completely. 

If you think you know vampire fiction and you think you've read it all; you really haven't. This is most definitely no Twilight in any way, shape or form.

The Immortal Rules is harsh, brutal and at times terrifying and with enough peril to shock your heart. However, it is also tender and romantic at times (and with no insta-love in sight, thank goodness!).

So much happens in this book yet it doesn't feel over packed, nor is there any info dumping and I found that the world building and explanations of terms and the post-apocalyptic society were explained very well without being boring.  The world Julie has created here is terrifying, easy to picture and I'm sure most people will find nightmarish. 

Not only is it an exceptional vampire novel, there are zombie like creatures too! 

The main protagonist Allie is everything I love in a main character. She's strong and yet vulnerable to human weakness just like everyone else in the world. She messes up, she can be selfish at times and yet ultimately it's her selflessness that shines through and I have huge respect for flawed imperfect characters. 

Zeke was another favourite of mine and, though at one point I did want to hit him, most of the time I was pretty much in love with him :)

The romance isn't over the top and is very well done. If your looking for instant love with 'I can't live without you' within 50 pages then this isn't the book for you. However, if you love your gently paced relationships with realism then you will love the romance aspect of this book.

I could sing the praises of this book for ages but I'm going to have to shut up as I have a strict no spoilers policy for books that are pre-release.

Simply put, if you love Julie's other books, you will love this!  Aaargggghhh now I have to wait for book two :(

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fiction

I won this book quite a few months ago now from Jenny at Wondrous Reads so a big thank you to her for giving me this wonderful book which is one I think everyone should read at some point in their lives.
Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis for those wondering exactly what this book is all about:


Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a 'Fresh New Start'. Five years ago his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. 
His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time. To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his dad. 
And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago. When he sees a TV advert for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all.


This is one of those books that after you read it you will take something from it and remember it for as long as you live and for so many different reasons.  This is more than just a family coping with a heart-rending tragedy and loss but also a journey for a ten-year-old boy as he tries to make sense of things after his sister's death.
At first, I was a little unsure of reading from such a young child's point of view but as with all children whether fictional or real, I found him endearingly and sometimes brutally honest and, unlike adults, it's the truth that comes to the front rather than the comforting lies you would get from an adult in the same situation.


I had huge respect for a ten-year-old who, in the end, made his own decisions on who to be friends with, after struggling with his dad's very open racism following Rose's death, and I really felt for Jamie who spent a good amount of his time confused thanks to his father. I couldn't help but feel that throughout this book it was Jamie and Jasmine who were the glue in the family, never once deserting each other and getting along with things despite their dad.


On the character front, I didn't like Jamie's mum much at all, she just didn't seem to want to spend that much time with her kids and as for Jamie's father, I found it really infuriating that he kept bringing up Rose in front of Jasmine, no wonder she wanted to be so different and stand out. There were times I wanted to reach into this story and give both parents a good shake to wake them up.  However, I do feel that there may have been a point to this as it made the ending all that more meaningful.
Sunya was another favourite of mine and I loved her friendship with Jamie even if it did hit several rocky patches; there was a lot to be learned about racism, acceptance and friendship from those too, a lesson I think some adults could do with reading about as well as children.


Overall, this was a fantastic book with some rather funny and touching moments and I sobbed my heart out during the chapters following the talent show, I couldn't help it; it was so moving, sad and yet ultimately uplifting in a way I can't possibly describe to you. It's just something you simply have to read for yourself.

The Invasion by William Meikle

Target Audience: Adults
Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction/Aliens


I haven't read many alien novels in my time but there was something about this one that caught my attention. The title for one. It was short and snappy and summed it up nicely. The cover too expressed the sheer scale of the invasion by simply showing the earth.  Sometimes simplicity is all is needed to make an impact on a prospective reader and catch enough attention to get them to read it.

In summary, The Invasion starts with a strange green rain/snow that has the PH of strong acid, destroying wildlife and people alike. This however is only the beginning, and things soon progress even further and as the death rate rises steadily, the survivors are forced to band together.  Set at various points across the world, the invasion unravels at a steady pace, yet with frightening affect throughout.

Frankly, i am going to be honest and say that this book gave me nightmares, which hasn't happened in a long time with any book. There is no edging into the horror and next to no babble. The invasion starts within the first few pages of the book and it gripped me there and then and didn't let go. Yet despite being left open mouthed and horrified by some of the initial events i continued reading.

The problem with a lot of apocalyptic novels is that there's often a lack of personalisation and you find that the emphasis is based on the disaster and not on the people. This novel didn't suffer any such problem and i found myself attached to each and everyone of the characters, following there steps through the disaster as it unfolded.
By the second half the novel when things had settled and the invasion was at a more steady state, the plot shifted to the survivors and there attempts to save the world.
Now although there was less focus on the effects on the world, the action did not abate but shifted pace. Instead there was more focus on one of the main characters in particular as she finds out she has a particular gift. And the geeks and nerds become the heroes of the novel. Which i totally loved!

The ending itself was really good and there was enough resolution for it to be classed as a closed ending. However, that is not to say there weren't a few loose ends, and my impression was that we should not underestimate the power of the individual. It's difficult to explain without posting spoilers so i'll leave it at that and tell you to read this brilliant book. Truly, truly, amazing!

Flood by Stephen Baxter

Target Audience: Adults

Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction/Sci-fi
                               ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

If i'm being honest, this book scared the crap out of me, not just because of all the flooding but because of the cause. Although global warming is stated often as a cause for flooding, it isn't the main one in this disaster novel, it is something much more frightening.

Basically, it's based on the idea of underground oceans trapped under the mantle, and should these waters be released then...Oh dear, you better start heading for high ground, thats if there's any ground actually high enough...

The story follows four main characters who were held fugitive for years; Lily, Piers, Helen and Gary. It then goes on to describe how each of these people come to cope when the waters begin to rise, often in terrifying detail.

I found the general story both frightening and heartwarming at the same time. In some cases, people are pulled closer together due to the disaster and in other cases the horrific side of human nature comes to light in ways most of us just don't want to see.

Although a lot of people die (obviously) during the course of the novel it is the tragedies of the main characters that hit me the hardest, some of which were so unexpected i felt a bit shocked. One such example is that by the end of the book Lily has watched nearly all her family die, and she isn't the only one to suffer in such a way. Yet, the fact that she continues along all the same, highlights the human will to survive at all costs, even when things seem hopeless.

Some sections of the book are very slow and take time to develop, but the good parts of the book more than make up for it. One of the creepiest parts for me, is when a submarine sends a camera down to a flooded Britain and the landscape gets described as it looks under water. One word: Eerie.
Towards the end of the novel i was stunned by how many people had managed to survive a global disaster of such a scale, and it's in this where the message of hope is more evident, and in the strange ways that the new generation have adapted to cope with all the water. All i can say is i loved the end, in a bittersweet way, because i knew it was coming but it still managed to shock me when it did.

Give this a go, it really is an awesome book, with so much action, emotion, hope as well as disaster and even some very interesting science for those who like that kind of thing!