Book Review: The Last Princess, by Galaxy Craze

Craze, Galaxy. The Last Princess. 295 p. 2012. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9780316185486.

This books combines two things that are WHITE HOT right now:

a post-apocalyptic future

Photo by Rising Damp

...AND...

the British royal family

Photo by anonlinegreenworld

Seriously. Seriously. How awesome is that?! Talk about high concept.

So when I picked up The Last Princess, thinking I'd just browse a few pages, I found that I absolutely could not put it down. Luckily for me, it's a quick read! The first two-thirds of the book are seriously edge-of-your-seat exciting-- a crazy roller-coaster ride in a futuristic Great Britain that has been ravaged and isolated from the rest of the world by an environmental disaster. As the nation falters in the aftermath, a sinister plot against the royal family comes to fruition and young Princess Eliza finds herself on the run, infiltrating enemy territory with her sights set on one goal: revenge.

It's really suspenseful.

The action slows down a little bit in the last third of the book, but is still definitely engaging and enjoyable, with an appealing romance amidst suspense, and a satisfying conclusion that wraps up the story nicely, yet leaves the door open for a sequel.

The author includes some details that will please Anglophiles-- the royal family's children all have family names, such as Elizabeth, Mary, and James, for example. On the other hand, there are a few inconsistencies. One thing that snapped me out of the story is that the main character does a lot of "interstate" travel... in Great Britain. Granted, in my frenzied reading of the first few chapters, I might have missed some kind of futuristic explanation about why there are interstate highways in a place with no states. But... I'm not too sure about that.

Another thing that gave me pause was a mention of "Princess Kate." It was an aww-worthy moment, but assuming this is the distant future, wouldn't the Duchess of Cambridge have eventually become Queen, or Queen Consort? Admittedly, my knowledge of the way titles work in the British monarchy is a bit fuzzy, so I'd love to hear any experts weigh in.

Still, these minor nitpicks didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. I didn't go into it with significant expectations-- I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was hoping for a diverting, compelling read. And this one definitely delivered! I had a great time reading it, and will look forward to the sequel.

The Last Princess hits bookstore shelves today, and I recommend checking it out.

Book Review: Thumped, by Megan McCafferty

McCafferty, Megan. Thumped. 304 p. 2012. Balzer + Bray. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9780061962769.

Last year, Megan McCafferty introduced the satirical dystopian world of Bumped, in which teen pregnancy is revered and two long-lost twin sisters become victims of society's out-of-whack ideals. (Read my review of Bumped.)

The plot of Thumped picks up right where Bumped left off and charges full steam ahead without an obvious rehash of the previous volume. If you're hazy on the details of Bumped, the first few chapters of this sequel might be a little confusing, but McCafferty smoothly weaves in the details of the first book as the story progresses.

Like its predecessor, Thumped is satire, with moments of laugh-out-loud humor, but sometimes the plot and characters seem a little scattered. There's a lot going on, and some of the secondary storylines (like: what's going on between Zen and Ventura Vida?) felt underdeveloped and didn't add anything to the book's main plot. I found Bumped hilarious, smart, and unexpected, whereas Thumped doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table. At the same time, it's definitely a fun read, and it ends with a positive message. 

Bottom line: if you liked Bumped, you'll enjoy Thumped. I liked it!

Thumped will be available in bookstores everywhere on April 24. ARC for review kindly picked up for me at ALA Midwinter by my friend Lalitha of Masala Reader.

Book Review: Across the Universe Series, by Beth Revis

Revis, Beth. Across the Universe. 398 p. Razorbill. 2011. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9781595143976.

Revis, Beth. A Million Suns. 400 p. Razorbill. 2012. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9781595143983.

Across the Universe begins with an agonizing decision as seventeen-year-old Amy must choose whether to stay on Earth or be cryogenically frozen for 300 years alongside her parents, who are instrumental in a space mission to a new planet. She decides to go with her parents-- but is awoken 50 years too early. Somebody on the spaceship is unplugging the frozen people and leaving them for dead, and she has to solve the mystery before her parents fall victim to the murderer.

I'm honestly not much of a sci-fi reader, yet Across the Universe kept me turning the pages with its layered characters and riveting plot twists. The narrative is well paced, blending mystery and suspense with moments of human reflection, (justified!) angst, and even some romance as Amy forges a tentative relationship with the ship's future leader, Elder. The story is told through the dual narration of these two characters, and the constant shifting between their perspectives works to keep driving the plot forward.

I truly felt immersed in this book. Reading about characters cooped up on a spaceship made me crave the outdoors. I had to go out for a walk and get some fresh air, and had a new appreciation for the ability to breathe fresh air and see the sky! Revis creates and sustains a remarkably claustrophobic atmosphere with the spaceship setting, and the result is unforgettable.

A Million Suns does exactly what a sequel should do: it has more of what we experienced in the first volume, but ups the stakes, reveals more complications, and delves deeper into the characters and their relationships. It answers questions from Across the Universe while raising new ones, and leaves the reader eager for the final book in the trilogy. There were some truly awesome "OMG!" moments in this one. Just when you think it can't get any worse for these characters, Revis drops another bomb. I couldn't put it down!

I recommend these books to sci-fi fans and non-fans alike. This series has something to appeal to almost every reader. Don't miss it!

Across the Universe was published in last year, and A Million Suns comes out from Razorbill/Penguin tomorrow, January 10.

Book Review: Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi

Rossi, Veronica. Under the Never Sky. 400 p. HarperCollins. 2012. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9780062072030.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I was seriously hooked!

A unique blend of dystopian sci-fi, fantasy, and adventure, Under the Never Sky tells the story of Aria, a girl from a rigid pod-based society whose residents use virtual reality to escape the monotony of their closed-in life. When she's banished to the outside world after an incident, she is rescued by the rugged Outsider, Perry. Though the two can't stand each other, they have to learn to work together to achieve a common goal.

This book strikes me as a great title to introduce science fiction to a non-sci-fi reader. Despite the dystopian setting, most of the action takes place in the more primitive outside world. With battles against warring tribes, fierce wolves, and unpredictable bursts of deadly weather, the bulk of the narrative is a riveting survival story as Aria and Perry undertake their journey through one dangerous situation after another. 

Worldbuilding is somewhat vague, but I didn't mind the lack of specifics one bit. I didn't feel like I needed to know exactly what had happened to this world to make it such a harsh place-- I could glean enough from context. 

Rossi's concept of a dualistic society is inventive, with those living in the pods being completely dependent on their technology, and those left on the outside having developed supernatural powers to help them survive the elements. The contrasts between these two factions of society set up a perfectly compelling conflict between the two main characters as they learn to overcome their differences.

Indeed, the romance between Aria and Perry is well-crafted and quite swoon-worthy-- definitely one of the highlights of the narrative for me. These characters harbor true disdain for each other initially, and the gradual development of their relationship is believable, with genuine chemistry. I couldn't get enough of these two!

First in a trilogy, this fast-paced story is sure to please those who read across a variety of genres.

Under the Never Sky hits bookstore shelves today. ARC for review provided by HarperCollins via NetGalley.

Book Review: Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

Mafi, Tahereh. Shatter Me. 342 p. HarperCollins. 2011. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9780062085481.

In the wake of The Hunger Games, there are a lot of novels about dystopian societies popping up these days-- but with its inventive premise, heart-pounding romance, and strong writing, Shatter Me stands out from the crowd.

Juliette is incarcerated for a crime she didn’t mean to commit. She has the power to kill a person just by touching them... a power she doesn’t want. Society is in shambles, the environment has gone haywire, and a new regime called The Reestablishment is in power. And they seek to use Juliette as a weapon.

Mafi’s use of language is striking and unique, crafting vivid imagery and believable emotions. Run-on sentences and strike-through formatting in the text deftly establish Juliette’s fragile mental state at the beginning of the story, and the writing gracefully shifts to a more even-keeled style as the character gains stability and confidence, occasionally reverting to run-ons to highlight moments of intense emotion with great effect.

The plot moves at a brisk pace, and the first-person, present-tense narration adds a sense of urgency. The full truth of Juliette’s lethal mistake unfolds bit by bit, and the big reveal is horrifying-- definitely a “wow” moment. Mafi pulls no punches, that’s for sure.

Readers will root for Juliette, a sympathetic main character who really deserves something good for once in her life. Fans of the dystopian genre will eat this book up, and the romance element of the story may attract readers who think they don’t like science fiction. I can’t wait to recommend it to teens at my library.

Shatter Me hits bookstore shelves today. ARC for review was picked up at BEA by my library director and graciously shared. Also, we have an interview coming up with Tahereh Mafi for the Authors are ROCKSTARS! podcast, so stay tuned!

Book Review: Bumped, by Megan McCafferty

Bumped. McCafferty, Megan. 336 p. Balzer + Bray. 2011. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9780061962745.

Okay, this is one addictive read. Let me tell you, I've never been so psyched about my baby waking up in the middle of the night. Baby wants to nurse at 3am? SWEET! Time to read more Bumped!

The plot takes a while to really pick up steam, as McCafferty devotes the first third of the book to worldbuilding. Set a few decades from now, the world she's created is sort of dystopian lite. It isn't so different from our own, but a virus has rendered most people infertile after the age of 18, making the fertility of teen girls crucial for the human race's survival-- which, in turn, makes teen pregnancy the ultimate commodity and the ultimate fashion statement.

McCafferty's imagined future society is a smart, tongue-in-cheek commentary on contemporary pop culture taken to an extreme. With shows like MTV's "Sixteen and Pregnant" and our endless obsession with celebrity baby bumps in magazines, it's not so hard to believe society could someday be fueled by teen pregnancy. The introduction of futuristic slang is a bit heavy-handed, but once the setting and the lingo are firmly established, the story's pace takes off and doesn't stop.

I've seen some mixed opinions on the character development in this book, and maybe the characters do fall seemingly pre-defined roles. There's the everygirl overachiever, her religious fundamentalist sister, the handsome celebrity love interest, and the best friend who would make the perfect boyfriend... but you know, I really and truly like them all! Each character has an endearing quality that makes me want to keep reading and go along for the ride with them. The dual narration between the two main characters, a pair of long-lost twins suddenly reunited, is appealing, and McCafferty handles the two distinct voices effortlessly.

This book ends on quite a cliffhanger, and I'll definitely be eager to pick up the second book in the planned trilogy.

Look for Bumped on bookstore shelves next week, on April 26th. ARC for review provided by the publisher via NetGalley.