The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….

Oh goodness. That cover is looking into my soul.

Now of course, with that cover and that description, you'd expected to go sit in a corner in a fetal position crying because the Takers are coming to get you. You aren't really right.

I mean...... I liked it. But I didn't. What I liked was that Carly Anne West took what we thought of schizophrenia and slapped us in the face with something entirely different. Kudos to you *clap clap clappity clap*. And the book did have parts that made my grab my favorite blankie to protect me (but then again, Don't Look Under the Bed , the Disney movie, also did that to me (but then again again, I was like 6)).

What I didn't like was the romance. The romance involving the main character was sooooo unnecessary. I felt like it didn't belong in the book.

All in all, it was pretty cool. I'd still recommend that people read this. 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Okay let's start with the cover. This is maybe one of the most beautiful book covers like, ever. But it;s seriously misleading. The reason I held off on reading this so long is because the cover made me think it was a sappy sci-fi/romance novel, but it hardly is any romance (thank God). The story was more centered around politics and secrets and things like that.

Now. This book was ultra spectacularly AMAZEBALLS. Beth Revis did a great job with the characters. My favorite was definitely Harley. He felt so real to me. I could feel the sadness and longing that he felt for the outside world. Also I could feel the pain Amy felt at losing everything she loved. 

But OHEMGEE THOSE PLOT TWISTS. Beth Revis let you think you knew exactly what's going on just to turn around and smack with some bomb-tacular plot twist. Had me curled up in a ball crying.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes young adult sci-fi. (P.S. If you were hoping for a bunch of romance, don't read this. Not too much romance in it.) 

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

So I've recently gotten into the whole fairytale-spinoff thing. It's pretty cool.

Now you, like many (including myself), probably looked at that description and said "That book looks like it's meant as a bedtime story for 6 year old girls (or 45 year old men. Hey, I don't judge). You my friend, are very wrong.

OH MY SWEET JESUS THIS WAS GREAT. I heard about it from this youtube book vlogger (katytastic) and read it. I really thought it was gonna suck. I really did. It had a bunch of plot twists and cliffhangers. And the romance wasn't that classic cheesy YA novel romance where girl and boy fall in love and they fight off the bad guys before riding into the sunset. It was a tad bit more reasonable.

One of the things I didn't like about this was something I don't like about a lot of YA novels. I hate, and I mean HATE, when authors substitute curse words for something ridiculous ("oh stars" instead of "oh sh**") but have no problem with violence. It's utterly irritating.

But I will be reading the second book.... eventually and doing a review on it. Unfortunately the third one isn't coming out until 2014 and the fifth is expected in 2015. This will be a long and treacherous wait.

Well, ta ta biblioholics!!!!

Quick side note:

Taylor is on punishment (sad face) and won't be blogging for a while. I guess I'm flying solo for a while......

Zom-B by Darren Shan (Jenea)

Zom-B is a radical new series about a zombie apocalypse, told in the first person by one of its victims. The series combines classic Shan action with a fiendishly twisting plot and hard-hitting and thought-provoking moral questions dealing with racism, abuse of power and more. This is challenging material, which will captivate existing Shan fans and bring in many new ones. As Darren says, "It's a big, sprawling, vicious tale...a grisly piece of escapism, and a barbed look at the world in which we live. Each book in the series is short, fast-paced and bloody. A high body-count is guaranteed!"

The above is not the synopsis I read. Had I read this one I never would have picked up the book in the first place (thank goodness I checked it out of the library and did't waste MY money on it).

Looking at this book, I thought it was gonna be like, the bomb-diggity (so good I had to say bomb-diggity). I mean how could you not? The cover is amazing and it says "The Master of Horror" at the bottom. I was soooooooo wrong. 

Not only did most of the book not even include zombies, the main character was an extremely racist boy/girl (I say that because the gender was apparently a major plot twist in the book. I kind of thought it was obvious but hey, guess it was my own intuition). And when I say racist, I mean white power, Nazi-Germany, Aryian RACIST. I just could not understand how this guy has a strong fan base and this book is so popular when sucks so hard.

I BEG OF YOU. DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. SAVE YOURSELF THE MISERY.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins (Jenea)

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister’s impending death. Can he accept Alex’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.

When I tell you this book was amazing.....

A lot of times when people try to make books about life as a modern day teenager, they fail. Epically.But gosh darn it Ellen Hopkins you done did it.  

I'm not gonna spoil the book for you but it was actually RELATABLE. She didn't try to use weird slang that no teenager in America uses like "one crispy drumstick closer to making our dreams 'cuzome true in the jiggy jungle" *cough cough cheetah girls cough* but actually spoke normally. 

The characters experienced things that a lot of teens people go through. And I actually got something out of it.

Thumbs up to you Ellen Hopkins.

S.S.U.P.S.A #4 (Jenea)

Chapter 6:

The chapter opens up with Ruby waking up in Cate's car. She also notices Martin, another teenager that Cate broke out by carrying him in a medical waste trunk (ew). Cate explains to her that the Children's League, an organization dedicated to "helping" children trapped in this so-called rehabilitation camps lead a better life, is responsible for her and Martin's escape from Thurmond. She also gets also tells Ruby how the country is, which is horrible. Like it's worse than the Great Depression out there.

We also find out that Martin is an Orange and that he and Ruby are one of the last ones.

Chapter 7:

Now we learn that Martin is a super super mega supreme nasty creep. And that he's a horrible person. Cate pulls into a gas station where they meet her "friend" (hint hint wink wink) Rob. Rob was supposed to have rescued two kids from his camp also but apparently he was unable to. Ruby and Martin are given book bags with clothes and toiletries but as she is walking toward the bathroom, Ruby trips.

Rob catches her in an attempt to be chivalrous causing her to accidentally see his memories and see that he shot the two kids he was supposed to save. Naturally, this scares the pants off of Ruby and instead of going with Cate and Rob, she runs away.

In the midst of her getting away, she sees another kid eating out of the garbage.

Writer's note:
Taylor's take on 8&9 will be here soon. And so will another review by me.

- Love Jenea

Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous (Taylor)

Review.

 

So Lucy in the Sky is a first person account of teenage drug abuse. And your probably gonna be like " Oh great. Another one of those depressing books." 

But it really is good. I mean, yeah. It was pretty sad. But it was real. In this main character I saw the face of everyone I had ever seen who did drugs. It's not even like 'I used to be a good kid. UNTIL I TURNED TO DRUGS!! DUN DUN DUN!!!!' It was pretty much this girl writing about her life, and through writing about her life, she shared how she started drinking and smoking stuff and how it really made her feel.

It's not a book that only lists negatives, rather it is a book that shows that although drugs are positive in the moment, afterwards is pretty negative.

Writers Note:

This is just a review, there aren't really any spoilers. Jenea got this book from the library and I came over and read it. As far as I know, she hasn't yet. I know this review isn't very long, but the book itself wasn't too long either.

                                - Taylorrrrr 😬

S.S.U.P.S.A. #3 (Taylor)

CHAPTERS 4&5:

Chapter 4:

Well after that slightly depressing flashback, Ruby wakes up to find herself restrained in Thurmond's Infirmary, where she is greeted by Dr. Cate Begbie. Cate is volunteering with The Leda Corporation to research the children and send information to doctors in order to take better care of them.

Cate explains that the officers used The White Noise (which they refer to ironically as Calm Control.) to settle a fight that broke out in the mess hall. But this doesn't really fly with the main character. 

So after asking her a couple of questions, the doctor leaves Ruby with her clipboard, which of course she reads. And come to find out, Cate left a note explaining that they used a special type of calm control to point out other Oranges, Yellows, and Reds. They were considered dangerous and all the ones at Thurmond had been executed. With the note were two pills that the doctor told Ruby to take before she went to bed, and she finished the letter stating that she would be her friend.

Later, Ruby is returned to her cabin ad is contemplating wether or not to do what Cate has told her. But in the end, she does it.

Chapter 5: 

So now were like "So what do the pills do?" Patience, young grasshopper.

This chapter begins with Ruby waking up in to middle of the night having what sounds like a seizure (and she hit her face on somebody else's bed. I just find that hilarious for some reason.)  and the other girls in the bunk call for emergency services. Which lands her in the caring hands of Dr.Begbie and some other lady. 

Here's the cool part though.

So as the chapter goes on, you realize that Cate and this other lady just went hardcore-mission-impossible-inception-Charlie's-angels-spy-kids  on us and are in the process of helping Ruby escape from Thurmond. (Which, btw, no one has ever succeeded at as far as we know.) And they manage to slip her past the gates unnoticed dressed as a sick nurse.

WOOHOO!!!

Writers Note:

So I've been doing my reviews on my IPhone and as far as I know, I can't add gifs. So I'm sad. Jeneas take on chapters 6&7 is coming soon. 😋

S.S.U.P.S.A #2 (Jenea)

*REMINDER: THERE ARE A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF SPOILERS IN THIS*

Jenea's Take!!!

Chapter 2:

Chapter 2 opens up with Ruby on her way to Thurmond, the Auschwitz of "rehabilitation camps", with a bunch of other little kids sitting four to a seat. Yeah that's right. FOUR. And Ruby's hands are tied behind her back and you're all "What's the worst a nine year old do?" Don't worry. It's coming.

A PSF comes and tells them to exit the bus in an orderly fashion when an older kid yells "Go screw yourself" just to get the bejesus beat outta him. As they leave the bus that same older whispers in a girls ear and she randomly hits a Usain Bolt and starts running and you're just like "What the nuts is up with her?" Then that same kid whispers into a PSF's ear and she shoots herself in the mouth.

It just got real.

He's labeled an Orange and they spray an orange X on his back while the other kids are assigned they're color according to they're abilities. Oh yeah. The colors.

• Orange- Mind control and other blizz like that.
• Red- Fire
• Yellow- Electricity
• Blue- Telekinesis
• Green- Super genius

And all the Red, Oranges, and Yellows are chained up and abused more than the other colors.So Ruby's all "Oh naw. I'm not boutta go like that." and convinces the PSF testing that she's a green when she's actually an orange.

Chapter 3:

Five years later and life at Thurmond for Ruby has been some crap (surprise surprise) but is made bearable by U.M.S.B.F (Ultra Mega Super Best Friend) Sam. Sam is all brave and talks back to the PSF's while Ruby is all "I'd rather not get my tail whooped by them." One day when Ruby is about to be punished for messing up her bin when they were working in the factory, Sam steps up and says it's her bin. Does Ruby stick up for Sam when she says that? Of course not! She, along with everyone else, would prefer to not get some severe punishment. So who gets punished? Sam.

When Sam comes back to their cabin looking like she just went through hell and back, Ruby tries to console her. Only to accidentally use her abilities on her and wipe Sam's memory of ever knowing her. No more best friend. Ruby doesn't say a word until a year later when something horrible happens.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUN

Writer's note:
Hola. Taylor will be doing chapters 4&5 reeeaaaalll soon. So stay tuned!!!

-Love Jenea

S.S.U.P.S.A # 1 (Taylor)

*SUPER SUPREME ULTRA POOPY SPOILER ALERT*

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Yes. It's that serious. 

So for those who have read the aforementioned book and would like to read our opinions on pretty much every chapter, please continue to read and feel free to tell us how you felt as well. We're gonna be doing every two chapters.. These posts are going to be chock full of spoiler alerts (hence the title) but we only plan on doing this sort of thing for this series. So enjoy, fellow slip kids.

TAYLOR'S TAKE!!!

Prologue and Chapter 1:

Prologue: 

The book opens by introducing the white noise, which in my head, I picture being like the sound that only dogs can hear, but for kids. Ruby describes the sound in excruciating detail, almost to the point that I want to smack my head against the wall just to get rid if what I think white noise could sound like. But when I managed to get past the sound I imagined, I learn that it is used to subdue those who are in this jail of some sort. And while most people are only effected for a few minutes, Ruby (the main character. My bad. Forgot to mention.) can be rendered senseless for hours at a time just by hearing this sound. It's real.

      This sound is used as punishment, but Ruby doesn't understand why they are being punished. Since nobody has done anything wrong.

      This prologue also introduces the Psi Special Forces Officers. (or as I like to call them, the big fat meanies of the story.) They're only mentioned in one sentence, but we can tell that nobody likes them.

       So of course you expect more, but unfortunately, this is a prologue. And like all prologues, it's short. But you don't realize it at first but then you turn the page and see

Chapter 1:

And your like "Son of a..." Then you read the first sentence.

And you don't speak another word. Because as your reading, you think back and your like 'Y'all got children dying in the beginning? Oh this is real.' 

So in this chapter, we get introduced to IAAN, also known as Everhearts Disease. ( it's also known as Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration. Which is just doing way too much if you ask me.) At the time at which this chapter takes place, Ruby is only nine, and if a deadly disease starts killing off children in anyone's neighborhood nobody's really gonna be like "Hey let's tell the children!" So she doesn't learn any thing about the disease until almost half of her fourth grade class has died. Then she finds the list of symptoms her teacher has sent home hidden by her mother in the kitchen. 

Put simply, she gets pretty scared.

       Thank God for Grandmas, because just a few days later, Ruby gets reassured by her own that she'll be fine, and to tell her parents if she doesn't feel well.

To bad grandma couldn't stop it from becoming a national epidemic. Because of course, once the president addresses it and goes all "we're working in a solution that will better the people" we all know that there's way more to this than dying children. 

Writers Note! 😜

Heyyyyy guys! It's taylor. So this is my first blog on The Darkest Minds, stay tuned for Jeneas. We will be doing super spoilers on this entire book and we figure well be done around when the second book comes out so we can roll right into that one. Let us know if you like our writing!! Bye!!!!

Love, Taylor.