Brad About Books: Rush by Eve Silver

Read on April 16, 2013

RUSH
Expected Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper)
Format: e-ARC
Page Count: 352 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: The Game, #1

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Rush is a fast-paced, gripping novel that held me from page one and never let me go. 

I was thrown into Rush head-on with an excellent first chapter! I love it when a book can hook me with in with a great opener, and Rush did just that and more. I connected with Miki almost instantly - traveling along with her in this new, peculiar and complex world was fantastic, and Silver did a great job at bringing this world to life. 

The world-building is very complex and took me awhile to figure out. I mean, come on... teenagers are fighting aliens (or the Drau) for their lives. While it was awesome (and it totally was!), I had to wrap my brain around the entire concept of how the Game worked, what the rules were, etc., and I won't lie when I say that it turned me off from the story a little. But once everything was explained, I got back into the swing of things and started to love Rush again! Rush is such a fast-paced, pulse-pounding YA debut that left me shocked, stunned and amazed!

And my favorite part about this book was all the action scenes. This book is so incredibly hard to put down once the action gets going, and it honestly never quits! The last 30% of the book was non-stop action, and I couldn't help myself by tearing through this book! And that ending was so cruel - I need the sequel!

Overall, Rush is an energetic, heart-pounding and exciting read. I would gladly play this Game again!

M Y   RA T I N G

Brad About Books: Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Read from March 2 to 4, 2013

BORN OF ILLUSION
Expected Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Balzer & Bray (Harper)
Format: e-ARC
Page Count: 352 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Born of Illusion, #1

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Born of Illusion is an electric, unique novel of magic, love and family. One of the most original novels I've read in a long time!

This book is intense! There are many scenes in this book that had me on the edge of my seat, and Teri Brown did a great job at making such thrilling scenes! The idea of putting magicians into a historical fiction setting is simply awesome, and since Born of Illusion was executed so well in that way, it totally worked. I loved getting to see the "behind-the-scenes" of magic shows and it can transform people.

The characters... Anna's mom is AWFUL. I could not stand her in the slightest bit. Anna {our main protagonist} made me connect to her so easily, but gosh, her mom was horrible! I felt so bad for Anna, and I guess that's why I loved her character! Right from the first page, I gravitated towards Anna, and she never let me down!

Also, the book is so eerie. Born of Illusion is almost dark and twisted, but gosh, is it good! There are so many chilling and spine-tingling events that occur in Born of Illusion, and honestly, it had me scared to death what would happen next! The ending was definitely fast-paced, and in the end, I really, really enjoyed Born of Illusion!

Overall, Born of Illusion is a must-read for fans of haunting and chilling stories. Teri Brown has crafted a lush and vibrant world that scared me and enthralled me into the story. A wonderful, fresh novel!

M Y   R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Read on April 15, 2013

REBOOT
Expected Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Edelweiss ARC
Page Count: 352 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Reboot, #1

Five years ago, I died. 178 minutes later, I woke up.

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Reboot is a fast-paced, high-action novel that brings a fierce protagonist and a strong ensemble of characters to the table. Reboot is epic!

I had some trouble at the beginning of the book. I was having to learn what a Reboot was and understand the new landscape of the world. But after awhile, I got the hang of things and understood Reboot. And believe me when I say that Reboot is filled with loads of action. There's usually a heart-pounding, blood-racing scene per chapter; I loved that Amy Tintera did that! Love me some action in a book.

Wren... oh gosh, what is there to say about Wren? Move over, Tris! Wren has become one of the most strongest characters I've ever read about. I mean, come on. She was dead for 178 minutes (which is what the cover is referring to; the barcode with 1, 7 and 8 poking out)! Right from the beginning, I knew I would like Wren, and I did throughout the entire book! I never got annoyed with her - mainly because she was too strong to be whiny. Callum was always really cool. I will admit that he was a bit naïve in the beginning and too... clumsy. After a bit, he became strong. I even felt bad for him in one scene towards the end of the book!

The entire concept of Reboots and Rebooting is so cool and original! But it's also pretty terrifying. Imagine dying... then waking up however many minutes later with no emotions, no fear and no care for anything in the world but fighting. So freaky but so awesome! That's the part I love the most about Reboot - how original and unique it was!

Overall, Reboot is an energy-filled read that shocked me and made me fall in love with this world. Amy Tintera is an author to watch!

M Y   R A T I N G