Book of the Month - January 2011

The Book of the Month award for January 2011 goes to...

...Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith!

As you can tell from my review, I LOVED this book. It was definately creepier than Maze Runner and easily as suspenseful. I probably would tie it with its sequel, Solitary, for Book of the Month, but the award is not Series of the Month, so I will try to keep it at one book. Once again, I need to caution young readers against this book, saying that I would only reccommend it to High Schoolers, but the choice is up to you , not me.

I would also like to add that this month was a VERY hard choice. I may have to start adding a second and third place book if I keep reading this many good ones. When I read The Doomsday Box, I was sure it would be Book of the Month, until I read Everlost, which was good competition. These two narrowly edged those others out right at the end of the month, but I did want to mention them as well.

Please leave any comments on the book, or your personal book of the month as well!

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Solitary

Solitary
Escape From Furnace
Book 2

Alexander Gordon Smith

Synopsis:
Even when Alex, Gary, and Zee finally make it into the river beneath Furnace, they are not safe. After running from the mutant dogs of Furnace, they wind up beneath the prison in an even worse area. Gary is taken to the infirmary, but Alex and Zee are sent into Solitary, small holes in the ground where prisoners are sent for extreme punishment. They get food every two days, and the only water is the condensation on the walls. With no known way to communicate and little to eat and drink, the longest anyone has lasted is four days. Alex and Zee must last a month. However, soon they discover that they can communicate by banging on the pipe meant for a toilet. Zee and Alex keep their minds, and soon get a visitor. Alex is dragged out of his cell by a mutated prisoner named Simon. The experiments that the Wheezers did on Simon were going wrong, but before they could kill him he escaped. He has been hiding where he can, but once he heard Alex was in Solitary, Simon knew he found someone who could plan an escape. With the stakes even higher and new, more dangerous enemies coming into the picture, Alex and Zee have one more shot to escape.

My Thoughts:
As soon as I picked up this book in my library and read the inside flap, I was about to start throwing a fit! At the end of Lockdown, the reader TOTALLY thinks that the trio makes it out, but this one completely shattered my dreams. (Imagine how Alex had to feel...) I didn't think that the intensity of this book could outdo that of Lockdown, but with the added danger of the rats, it would be hard for it to be less intense. I am DEFINITELY hooked on the story, and I am dying to get my hands on Death Sentence! (That's ironic...) ***SPOILER ALERT*** Once again I was about to lose it big time when the escape plan failed. THEY SAW THE SUN!!! ***SPOILER OVER*** I'm really not sure what else to say about it, just that you should read it!

NOTE: I REALLY must caution this book against younger readers. This book is even more intense than Lockdown, and the things that you find out about the Wheezers is really horrible. I really would only say that kids in High School should read this. Even then, some kids may not want to. This book is really intense. (Once again, other than the scary aspect of the book, I don't recall any language or inappropriate material.)

Questions for Thought:
1. How would you try to keep your mind in Solitary?

2. If you had the scalpel like Alex, would you use it to end the misery?

3. If you were Simon and you had the supplies from the Infirmary, would you just leave Alex and Zee and climb the cathedral by yourself?

Please leave your comments and answers!

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Lockdown

Lockdown
Escape from Furnace
Book 1

Alexander Gordon Smith

Synopsis:
After the Summer of Slaughter, the government had to find a way to punish juvenile offenders. The solution came in the form of Furnace: a brutal prison that would lock murderous teens for life. For Alex, Furnace always seemed like a scary story to keep gangs quiet, but when he is framed of murdering his best friend by the very men who run Furnace, the prison becomes all too real. Alex is quickly thrust into the hard life of Furnace, surrounded by unimaginable horrors. The guards, Blacksuits, are always in their solid black uniforms, but have silver eyes and to strong and fast to be normal. Their dogs, mosterous creatures as tall as a man have no hair, but their muscles bulge, almost ripping out of thier skin. Still, the most horrible creatures only come out durring the blood watch to take prisoners down below the prison for experimentation. These creatures, known as Wheezers, have gas masks sewn into their faces and twitch uncontrollably. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Alex forces himself to stay positive. When he feels fresh air from a caved in tunnel while on chipping duty, Alex and his friends Donovan and Zee plot their impossible escape...

My Thoughts:
When I first started this book, for some reason I thought it would be a really bad, predictable book, but in reality it is far from that. As you can see from the cover, the book is VERY creepy, but very good at the same time. Somewhat similar to the Maze Runner in the intensity and horrifying situations, and it is right next to Maze Runner on my list of favorite books. I litterally could not put the book down once I started, and I got the sequel from my High School Library the following day. ***SPOILER ALERT*** I nearly lost it when the took Donovan at the end. He was TOTALLY my favorite character, and I was about ready to start screaming with Alex. BAD twist there...***SPOILER OVER*** I'm really not sure what else to say about it, just that you should read it!

NOTE: I must caution this book against younger readers. This book is very intense and contains many horrifying descriptions. Even if you don't think that the cover looks that scary, your mind can make it way worse, and the reactions of the kids to the situations is very realistic and you feel for them. (Other than the scary aspect of the book, I don't recall any language or inappropriate material.)

Questions for Thought:
1. In any circumstances, do you think that a prison like Furnace would be necessary?

2. How would your escape plans have differed from those of Alex, Donovan, and Zee?

3. Would you dare trying to jump in the river to escape Furnace?

Please leave your comments and answers!

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Everlost

Everlost
Skinjacker Trillogy
Book 1

Neal Shusterman

Synopsis:
Nick and Allie have died in a car accident. On their way through the tunnel through the light, they bump into each other, hurtling them out of the tunnel, into the limbo state of Everlost: The world between the living and the dead. They are determined to find their way home to check on their family, but things are not as they seem in this new world. Though it appears to be like the normal world, the children of Everlost, or Afterlights, can sink in the ground, ending up all in a mass in the center of the Earth, waiting for the end of the world. Only a few places, Dead Spots, are like solid ground. Some of these places are where people have died, and others are cherished places destined to be immortal. Nick and Allie journey to New York, where they meet a girl named Mary Hightower, a leader for Afterlights. Nick is content to stay here with Mary, but Allie thinks that Mary's beliefs are twisted and wrong. When Allie, Nick, and their friend Leif venture out to find answers, Nick and Leif are captured by the terrible monster known as the McGill, and it is up to Allie to find a way to beat the terrible beast and retrieve her friends.

My Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book, I thought it may be kind of dull, but since I loved Shusterman's Unwind, I kept going, hoping a change was going to happen. sure enough, it did, and this book was extremely suspenseful. The characters in Everlost are defined by their emotions and thoughts about themselves. Most obviously, the way you picture yourself is actually the way you look. If you thought you had three arms, you would grow a third. Also, people's emotions seem to take them over and turn them into something else or define them. Mary and McGill are perfect examples of this. Mary's actions may have been similar in the real world, but the reality of Everlost amplifies her emotions to protect others, at least from my viewpoint. The book does not really end in a cliffhanger, but I did immediately put a hold on the sequel, Everwild, from my local library because I wanted more. Overall, a great book!

Questions for Thought:
1. Do you think that children should stay in Everlost, like Mary says, or should they use their coin to "get where they were going"?

2. What would your "rut" be in Everlost? Would you let yourself fall into routine, would you be a finder, or just rebel like Allie?

3. Do you think that fortune cookies should be read, as McGill does, or do you side with Mary on this subject?

Please leave your comments and answers!

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The Compound

The Compound

S. A. Bodeen

Synopsis:
When his father, a multi-millionaire, heard that nuclear war was about to start, Eli's family took refuge in a giant bunker called the Compound, built to house his family for 15 years. All of Eli's family but his twin brother Eddy made it in the bunker, and 6 years later, Eli still can't stop blaming himself for the loss of his brother. One day, Eli gets enough courage to enter the room meant for Eddy. He finds little of interest, but he takes Eddy's laptop and starts messing around. On an impulse, Eli tries to open the internet. To his surprise, the laptop connects, and he starts talking to Eddy, who is supposed to be the victim of a nuclear war! Eli begins to question that his father is revealing the whole truth, and he desperately tries to think of a way out of the Compound...

My Thoughts:
This book is FILLED with many twists and turns, and many of them make you wonder how a human could think in such a twisted manner. One thing that was interesting to me in this book was the criticism of the main character. Unlike most books where the protagonist is glorified, this one really stressed the faults of Eli, showing his sister's low opinion of him as well as his own self-criticizing thoughts. I think that in this particular situation anyone would be irritable, but Eli seems a little more than this. Still, compared to his father, he is far from a bad person. The events of this story affect his character far more than the previous 6 years in the compound. The book takes a little while to get going, but once the intense plot really kicks in, it is really hard to put the book down.

Questions for Thought:
1. Would you be able to stand being in the Compound for 15 years, only to get out and find your world destroyed? Would it be better than dying with everyone else?

2. What would you do with 15 YEARS of free time but limited resources?

3. Would you trust only one person to know the code to the door?

Please leave your comments and answers!

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A Weekend Update....on a Thursday

Greetings, Blog World!

First of all, if you are confused as to why this is called a Weekend Update...on a Thursday, it is because I got a snow day today! I have about 5 inches outside my house, but the sun is now it and it is already melting. So that takes care of Thursday. Friday goes away because there is a teacher work day at my school, so a long weekend for me! Hopefully, a good chance to read! I recently started Everlost by Neal Shusterman. (His Unwind book was VERY creepy good.)

Second of all, you might wonder the point of the post, since it isn't a book review, as far as I can tell anyway. I think I might just post updates like this on a weekend every once in a while, just to casually say "Hey everyone!" instead of a more formal (Formal? Ha! That's a good one...) review.

My first announcement is that I will probably be adding a new ending to my posts, just saying follow Corey's Book Talk on twitter here, because I am updating twitter more, and hopefully my tweets will get even more frequent.

Second announcement: I am probably going to set up a facebook page for Corey's Book Talk so there can be more user interaction, as well as an easier way to spread the word of this blog. Keep your eyes out for a post with further information if I do decided to add one.

Finally, I want to ask for suggestions from you all! I am here to help (maybe even entertain) you all, and to do that better, I need feedback! Is there anything you want me to add in my review posts? Is there a new type of post you want me to make? Are there any sidebar widget things you think I should add? Even simple things like book suggestions, please feel free to give advice and feedback!

Well, since that last point started with "Finally", I think that the end of this post is very near. I should have another review out tomorrow (I guess that wasn't the last announcement after all...) and check twitter for any possible updates on a Facebook page.

See ya' later!

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The Doomsday Box

The Doomsday Box

Herbie Brennan

The CIA has a new need for the Shadow Project operatives (Opal, Michael, Danny, and new operative Fuchsia), concerning another top-secret project. A long time ago, the CIA meddled in teleportation and time travel, creating a rift in the fabric of space-time. It has been sealed for a long time, but the American government thinks it is time to open it up again. While digging a tunnel back down to the rift, an alarm went off in the room where the rift remains open, signaling that something came through. The CIA needs the Shadow Project operatives to check and see if everything is okay. Opal sees nothing, so the digging continues. When they finally break through, someone finds a box filled with old urine samples sitting on the floor. When the box is opened, everyone is exposed to a terrible virus, more deadly and contagious than the Black Death. Now, it is up to Danny, Fuchsia, Opal, and Michael, to travel back in time and prevent the box from coming through, but their task is far from easy...

I always say that a sequel can never be as good as the first book, but this book has proven me wrong. As much as I enjoyed the Shadow Project, this one tops it. The concept of time travel always interests me, as I stated in my review of the Tomorrow Code, and combining it with Cold War history and the KGB makes it even more interesting. The combined powers of the operatives and many twists and turns in the novel make it extremely suspenseful and exciting. The characters develop a lot more in this book, and I like that it occurs in the real world, even if it is in the past. I still love the way that it switches from character to character. This was a great book and I hope it isn't the last Shadow Project Adventure!

Why do you think that the Shadow Project operatives' mission was sabotaged? (I don't think there is a finite answer in the book, sorry if I just forgot it. It has been a few days since I read it and some details escape me.)

Do you think time travel is possible? Do you think the benefits outweigh the risks?

If someone told you to kill their father, not out of anger but as a sacrifice to save countless others, could you do it?

As usual, please comment!

The Shadow Project

The Shadow Project

Herbie Brennan

Danny is just trying to survive, not join some top-secret CIA/MI6 spy operation. Unfortunately for Danny, when he accidentally stumbles into their secret underground facility, he is sucked in to the Shadow Project. The Shadow Project uses special machines to separate your energy body from your body, almost like being a ghost or some sort of spirit. You can see other people, but they can't see you. You can visit anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye. To the CIA and MI6, this seems to be the perfect reconnaissance tool. The problem is, one of the agents has been captured in their spirit body, which was said to be impossible! Meanwhile, Danny discovers a plot to summon spiritual monsters from the parallel Astral world and attack the Shadow Project! It is up to Danny and his fellow teen agents, Opal and Michael, to stop this attack at all costs.

When I first read the inside cover summary of the book, I had no idea it would involve all of the spiritual side. I thought it would just be remote viewing. The concept of the remote viewing was intriguing enough, but the whole Astral Plain was another story. When you get over the fact that it is a little far-fetched (because in reality, the whole story is, being science fiction), it adds a unique perspective on the three agents, as well as Danny's grandmother. The way that the operatives can bend the rules of physics there is very interesting, and helps tell the reader to keep an open mind about things. Another thing I liked about the book is the way that the chapters change perspective from character to character. It is not only helpful to get each person's opinion on the situation, but their opinion of each other as well. I really enjoyed this book and immediately bought the sequel. It wasn't a cliffhanger where you NEED the sequel right away, I just really enjoyed the book and wanted more, which I think is a sign of a very good book.

Do you think that it is possible to have machines create an OOBE (out-of-body-experience)? What about just spontaneously having them, like Danny?

If you were Danny or Opal, would you believe Michael and his Uncle about the Astral Plain?

Aside from spying, how else do you think the technology behind creating OOBE's should be used?

Please leave your comments and answers!

Rise of the Huntress

Rise of the Huntress
Last Apprentice
Book 7

Joseph Delaney

When Tom, Alice, and Mr. Gregory return to Chipenden from fighting the Ordeen in Greece, they are shocked to find that enemy soldiers have ravaged their town, burning the Spook's house down along with its immense library. Mr. Gregory is devastated, but he knows that they must leave the county, otherwise they will become prisoners of war. They leave for the small island of Mona, but quickly Tom and Alice are captured accused of being a warlock and witch. They escape the fatal testing and make it back to Mr. Gregory. After listening to the locals, the trio finds out that Mr. Gregory's escaped prisoner, and Alice's evil witch mother, Bony Lizzy, has escaped and is on the island! I desperate battle soon begins between the two spooks and Alice, but Lizzie keeps growing stronger and stronger. Can they stop her before her power gets too strong?

This was another very exciting addition to the Last Apprentice series. Revisiting an old enemy that had grown stronger as Mr. Gregory was getting weaker made the plot very interesting, especially with the witch being Alice's mother. The deepening corruption that Alice is implanting in Tom, even with good intentions, is worrying, especially with a big battle with the Fiend coming up, most likely in the next book. The repeated failures of both Tom and Mr. Gregory make the story seem very desperate, commanding the reader to continue. I hope that Mr. Gregory still sees the value in Alice, even with all of the potential danger he rightfully sees in her.

Do you think that Alice will stay with Tom to fight the dark, or will she follow the path Lizzie wants her to choose, uniting the Pendle clans for evil intent?

Tom has a dream about horrors in Ireland. Do you think that the next book will see these premonitions coming true, will it focus on fighting the Fiend, or will it be something new entirely?

Is the use of dark magic always bad?

Please comment and reply!

The Five Fakirs of Faizabad

The Five Fakirs of Faizabad
Children of the Lamp
Book 6

P. B. Kerr

Uncle Nimrod is very puzzled when he meets a member of the English KGB (King's Gambling Board) who shares her concern that the homeostasis (balance of good and bad luck) has been tampered with. Nimrod is soon joined by his nephew and niece, John and Philippa Gaunt. They discover that someone has been trying to cause a large amount of bad luck in order to arise one of the ten Fakirs of Faizabad. These ancient men were entrusted with an answer to one of the great mysteries of life and were to rise from the earth if the world was filled with bad luck. It is up to John, Philippa, Uncle Nimrod, and Groanin to try and stop whoever is behind the excess of bad luck and protect the secret of the Fakir at all costs!

This is probably my favorite of the Children of the Lamp books so far. The plot is more complicated and many more characters are involved. Some of the thought involved with the different mysteries of the universe, as well as the concept of the ending scene, is very interesting (to me at least. But I also really liked Rabbi Joshua's rambling about numbers, being a total math nerd.) ***SPOILER ALERT*** I was SO relieved to see that Rakshasas is alive, even if he is a wolf. And the ending, with them not remembering anything was really sad. It was almost as bad as The Tomorrow Code! I hope that the Jinx will still find a way to Yellowstone. ***SPOILER OVER*** Anyway, great book and I hope that there is another!

Where would you go to find a person deserving of three wishes? How would you convince them that you really can make them happen?

If you were a creature like the Jinx, would you stay in one place, even though you were causing bad luck, in hope that someone would find you?

Do you think that eventually the ending Deja Vu will turn into a full memory?

Please leave your comments and answers!

This Isn't What it Looks Like

This Isn't What it Looks Like
Secret Series Book 4

Pseudonymous Bosch

First of all I would like to say, THIS is what it looks like (a book review for those of you who can't tell), This Isn't What it Looks Like is simply a very confusing book title. I had some people ask me what I was reading (Since it was on my Kindle, they cannot just look at the cover.), and this answer TOTALLY confused them, and then made me laugh. I love the titles of this series! The Name of This Book is Secret, If You're Reading This it's Too Late, and This Book is Not Good For You are the other books.

In order to fulfill her role as Secret Keeper, Cass has eaten some of Senior Hugo's chocolate and sent her mind to the past. She hopes to find the Jester, her ancestor and the founder of the Terces Society, and learn the secret from him. Unfortunately, she seems to be stuck in a coma to the rest of the world, and Max-Ernest is very concerned and feels extremely guilty, thinking it is all his fault. Max-Ernest gets the help of Benjamin Blake, who he helped save from the Midnight Sun a few years ago, and tries to wake her up, but it turns out Blake is not who he says he his! With Yo-Yoji on vacation and Cass stuck in the past, Max-Ernest all alone, left wondering what to do to help his friend.

I must say, I was at first slightly disappointed in this book. I actually started it right after The Scorch Trials and left it alone for a while, seeming to be bored. I think it may be more to do with the fact that it is a slower series in general compared to the Maze Runner series that I got bored than that the book itself is actually boring. Also, having the main characters separated is kind of sad. However, near the end, I was totally hooked and it is one of the most intriguing of the series with a killer cliffhanger. In truth, you find out quite a bit about Bosch himself, and since most of the characters are separated throughout the book, you learn much more about them as well. I still LOVE the author's writing style with its sarcastic comments and overall comical tone. The footnotes are always a fun addition, partly because it is just so different and they also usually contain humor. (My only word of advice about them is kind of about the book in general: Don't read it on an e-Book reader. The story is the same, and I read it on my Kindle and got through it, but the footnotes are linked in the "back of the book" instead of at the bottom of the page, and a few times I totally lost my place in the book because I hit the wrong button to get out of the footnote and back to the story.) The book is very light-hearted, unlike most of the books I have read recently, so it was kind of nice.

I believe that the next book will have something to do with the sense of touch. The first one focused on smell, the second hearing, the third taste, and this one sight, so it will be interesting to see how touch is incorporated. That is unless it is just a big coincidence, but I doubt it.

Who do you think is more scared in the beginning - Cass being invisible in the medieval ages, or Max-Ernest with a comatose friend?

Do you think that Benjamin is really back to normal at the end, or is he faking? (He seems to switch sides a lot.)

What do you think the Secret is?

Please comment and leave your answers!

The Dragon Games

The Dragon Games
The Books of Umber
Book 2

P. W. Catanese

Hap would much rather stay in Umber's large home, the Aerie, than go out on another of Lord Umber's wild adventures, but when Umber receives two strange messages, Hap, Oates, and Umber are whisked away on a new adventure. One message, from Umber's old Librarian, Caspar, is a desperate plea for help and a promise to give Umber crucial information about Hap. The other is most puzzling to Umber, an invitation to an event referred to as the Dragon games. Soon the three set out, first heading toward the Inferno, a deadly ring of volcanos, to help Caspar. With no way to help him, they narrowly escape destruction on their way to the Dragon Games. When they arrive in the foreign land, Umber is appalled by the harsh treatment of the dragons, and a complicated plan hatches to save the dragons, as well as the oppressed people of the land...

Unlike many of the books I have read recently, this book is much happier. Though it does mention the destruction of our world (the saving of which seems likely to be the eventual climax of the series), the world described is much like a fairy tale, with fantastic beasts and magic (though it has a fair share of problems, nonetheless). The feuding between the three princes seems very shocking, but as my history class has pointed out, is very realistic of that age of society. It is hard to believe that power is worth such betrayal. I continue to like Umber with such an imagination and desire for adventure. All of his intentions are good, and he is a very happy man. (He kind of reminds me of Uncle Nimrod from the Children of the Lamp series (speaking of which, I am reading the Five Fakirs of Faizabad right now. Review might come tomorrow if I can finish it.)) Even with a lot more of Hap's past revealed, he still remains such a mystery. I think the concept of having a character that can remember nothing of his past is very intriguing. Hopefully, we will continue to learn more about him in future novels. (I believe number three comes out in February, called The End of Time.)

What creature from this book seems the most frightening?

Which prince do you think would make the best king? Supposing that Umber had never come to their land, would that change your answer?

Is WN (Willy-Nilly?) good or bad? Maybe both?

As usual, please leave comments, reactions, and answers!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I'm a day late, but I was very tired yesterday from staying up until 3:30, so I didn't get around to it.

Aside from wishing everyone a great start to a new year, I have a couple of quick announcements. First of all, I may not be posting quite as much starting tomorrow due to school starting up again. I will try to keep my twitter feed as current as I can, but don't be surprised if a few days go by between tweets, let alone blog posts. With all of my homework this year, I don't have too much time to read. Second, also having to do with twitter, I am using my Twitter account to follow the authors of books that I have read, so if you look at my followers you can find links to authors to follow. I only have three at the moment, but I will be searching for more later. Finally, I will be starting up my Book of the Month post here in a few minutes, as well as a Book of the Year. This will be easier starting next month (well, this month, but I don't have any books read and reviewed yet) since I will have a full month to read. You can also expect Book vs. Movie posts to make a comeback, but I haven't seen any for a while, so it may be sometime in the next few months. (I have heard that the Maze Runner might be a movie!)

I think that is all for now, see you in a few minutes with Book of the Month!