Book of the Month - April 2011

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

...Everfound by Neal Shusterman!

Well, this one wasn't a hard choice for once. Had I not read Everfound, it would have been, but I must say, this book blew me away. After I was done reading, I really couldn't think about anything but the book for the rest of the night, and only a truly great book will do that. Really, I shouldn't be surprised, because Neal Shusterman has done that before with Unwind, but for different reasons.

Everfound was so complicated and had so many plot twists to keep the suspense up, there was no way it couldn't win the Book of the Month. The entire Skinjacker seires was good, and as each book was released, it kept getting better, something that just doesn't happen. I can't wait for it to actually be released so you all can read it, too!

I also must give a shout-out to Gone, because had I finished it two days later, it possibly could have earned its own Book of the Month award, but it just couldn't quite compete with Everfound. So while you wait for Everfound to be released, you can read Gone!

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

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Gone

Gone
Gone Series #1

Michael Grant

Synopsis:
Everyone over the age of 15 has disappeared from the town of Perdido Beach. One moment they were there, and the next, nothing remained but empty space. At first, everything seems like a big party. Kids run around the town, eating as much ice cream and candy as they want with nobody to stop them, but Sam knows this won't last. After an incident where Sam runs into a burning building to try and save a stranded girl, he becomes a hero figure, looked up to by all of the kids in the town. Soon, Sam and his friends Quinn and Astrid go and explore the area, looking around for any adults. They find a strange, glassy wall that surrounds the town that shocks you at the touch and is unbreakable. Also, animals are beginning to develop strange mutations, and a few kids are developing unnatural powers. When a group of kids from a private school march into town and take control, Sam and his friends know something isn't right. After harsh discipline is enforced, resulting in the death of an innocent girl, Sam knows that he has to fight back and be the hero everyone wants him to be...

My Thoughts:
I'm sorry that that synopsis doesn't really give the book the exciting advertisement that it deserves, because this is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It combines many elements of some of my recent favorite books: the special abilities of certain characters like in I Am Number Four, the society of only younger kids like the Skinjacker Trillogy or The Enemy, the strange barrier/alternate universe like Pathfinder, panicked hoarding of supplies like in Empty, as well as many other similarities. The similarities were definitely different enough from those other books that it didn't feel like a repeat of something I had already read, but it was fun to make some of those connections. The characters in the book were very realistic, having enough flaws for their strengths. Nobody is too good to be true. The rapid mutations of both people and animals keep changing the boundaries of the normal world, leading to a twisty plot line. Many questions posed in the book are not answered, hopefully to be answered in the later books of the series. The book was very suspenseful, and even though it was pretty long, I finished it in a day and a half, and then immediately purchased the sequel and began reading it. If that doesn't show you that it is a great book, I don't know what does.

Questions for Thought:
1. Hearing someone in the burning building, how would you approach the situation? Would you barge in like Sam, or would you get a hose and ladder like Edillio?

2. Would you try to help organize the kids in the FAYZ, or would you let someone else take the responsibility?

3. If you had the power, would you share it with anyone?

4. How would you set up rules in the town? What would you do for punishment?

5. Were you Sam, would you ever be able to really trust Quinn again?

6. Knowing that there is a choice, would you leave the FAYZ or stay?


Please leave your comments and answers!

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Against Nature

Against Nature

John Nelson

Synopsis:
A deadly plague has struck the planet, and nobody is sure what it is. Thousands are dying every day, and everyone that is infected will die. The United States rallies its top minds to try and combat the disease, but when research starts, the scientists are stumped. The pathogen seems to be neither bacteria, virus, or any other known organism! One radical scientist, Serena Salus, believes that the organism is an extra-terrestrial "mite" that was brought from a recent space mission, but the U.S. government refuses to publicize this theory, telling everyone that it is a genetically engineered disease from Pakistan that was spread by terrorists. Even as Dr. Salus makes progress, her team is being targeted as anarchists and their research is kept secret. When Dr. Salus discovers a plan that will only give the cure to the American elite, she has to make the extremely difficult choice of continuing with the research to save only the elite, or take her findings and run from a corrupt system...

My Thoughts:
Against Nature came to my attention recently by the author, John Nelson, posting on my blog. After reading the short description and an excerpt from the publisher's website, I was hooked. Against Nature is very different from most of the dystopian novels I have read, but its unique approach was refreshing. The main difference in this novel is that the characters are all adults, and usually genius scientists or military and governmental personnel. The way that the adults in the story are all scared by the disease makes the panic in the book even more real than when kids are scared in other such books, since adults usually are the strong, protective figures. Also, the suspense in this story came from the gradual corruption of politics and social relations between characters instead of action scenes. While some may call the lack of "action" boring, the book made me think a lot about human nature. Since Dr. Salus and Adam are both very intellectual characters, they frequently discuss their views on society. One such discussion in particular, when they discuss whether "good" and "evil" actions really exist, really got me thinking about human actions. Also, the internal debate in Dr. Salus about whether to give the U.S. the cure or not posed many ethical questions. This book did a great job at making the reader think. Another good aspect of the book is that it was very believable. Though I would hope our government would take different paths than the ones taken in the book, if such a disease ravaged our country tomorrow I could see similar events really happening, even though they seem extreme in the book. The shifting perspective from character to character was very effective in showing how the situation in America deteriorated, and what different people wanted to do based on their own interests. My only "complaint" about the changing point of view is that it was somewhat unclear when a shift in view took place, but I did get used to it as the book went on. Overall, this was a really great book that should be enjoyed by teens and adults alike.

NOTE: I must add that this book contained a large amount of swearing, so younger readers may want to select a different book. Personally, I tune the cursing out, but it may bother other readers.

Questions for Thought:
1. How would you plan to distribute a cure/vaccine to the disease, knowing that there may not be enough for everyone?

2. If you found out that you were infected, what would you do with your remaining days?

3. How would you try to survive in the anarchy that ensued from the pandemic?

4. Would you be able to walk out of the research facility with the cure, knowing that people were dying because you didn't think that you were giving the cure to the right person?

5. How do you think the world would recover from such a disease, if at all?


Please leave your comments and answers!

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Incarceron

Incarceron

Catherine Fisher

Synopsis:
Finn can remember only his life in Incarceron, but he is determined he came from the outside. Most of the other inmates have accepted their fate to live in the eternal prison, built to house their troublesome ancestors, but Finn has flashes of his past, visions of trees, lakes, and the stars in the sky. When Finn finds a key that allows him to communicate to a girl outside the prison, he takes his oathbrother Keiro, his mentor Gildas, and a rescued slave on an attempt to break out of the extensive prison, a task easier said then done, for Incarceron is not like ordinary prisons. Incarceron is alive, watching Finn and his friends every step of their journey and doing everything it can to prevent their escape.

My Thoughts:
This book was very hard to get into, but it was worth it once I did. The start is very confusing and vague, and explanations came much later, if at all. When reading a description of the book, you read of a prison escape, and the very abstract nature of Incarceron is confusing at first, but make for a very intriguing story, making Incarceron a character as much as a place. Also, the dual worlds (Incarceron and the Outside) can be hard to get used to at first, but the transition is comfortable after a few chapters. The outside world is just as complex as Incarceron with the Era and Protocol restrictions. The way that characters live dual lives, living in the past in front of others and in the future when alone, complicates the world immensely, making you wonder how and why such restrictions would be put in place. Since many of these questions remain unanswered, the reader can make their own version of the world based on the facts they do know. The plot twists in the real world, mainly the politics between the Queen and the Warden about the future of Claudia are very intriguing, making me wonder how much similar scheming went on in the past, or even goes on today. These schemes to put different people in power combined with the struggles of Finn, Keiro, Gildas, and Attia in Incarceron create a very suspenseful balance of politics and adventure that make this story a real page turner once you get going.

Questions for Thought:
1. Were you Keiro, would you believe Finn that he was born outside Incarceron?

2. How many of the stories about Sapphique do you think are true? Was he truely a widely known hero, or was his tale of escape blown way out of proportion?

3. Would it be possible to turn a prison into a utopia, like Incarceron was meant to be?

4. What are the benefits or drawbacks for changing life to a past era?

5. Could Finn, someone who has been in prison all of his memorable life, ever be a decent ruler?


Please leave your comments and answers!

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Everfound

Everfound
Skinjacker Trillogy
Book 3

Neal Shusterman

Thank You!
Before my summary and review, I must thank Neal Shusterman himself for the Advance Reviewer Copy of Everfound that he sent me. When I found out that I had won the free copy on Facebook, it was all I wanted to talk about for a week. I literally checked my front porch every day after I found out I had won the book to see if it had arrived, and when it finally did, I dropped everything and started reading, finishing the 500 page book in two days. This book was phenomenal, thank you very much for the chance to read it early! (Don't worry, for the rest of you, Everfound will be available in early May.)

Synopsis:
The stakes in Everlost are higher than ever. Mary Hightower has devised a cunning plan to bring millions of children into Everlost, "saving" them from the terrors of the living world, and her only opposition is divided and weak. Milos and the rest of Mary's children await the resurrection of their idol, and start reaping hundreds of new souls into Everlost. While they wait, alliances start weakening and tension grows between Milos, Jackin' Jill, and Furjacker Jix. Even when it looks like Mary's scheme is going to fall apart, she unexpectedly wakes up months before she is scheduled to. The emergence of the "Eastern Witch" quickly stirs things up, and as characters lose their worth in her eyes, a new band of resistance forms. Together, Allie, Nick, Mikey, Jill, Jix, and the terrifying scar wraith Clarence must stop Mary before she destroys the living world forever...

My Thoughts:
Neal Shusterman has created a masterpiece with this epic finale to the Skinjacker Trillogy. With a whole cast of new characters added to the mix, a whole new series of complications and alliances form, all with conflicting feelings and goals. The novel is a page-turner from the very beginning to the bittersweet end. Shuterman has managed to reverse the usual tendency of a series to start with the best book and gradually go downhill, ending the Skinjacker Trillogy with the best installment yet. Throughout the book, the nature of Everlost is questioned both through inanimate objects and living (and dead) characters. Objects such as the Wurltzer with its powers of foresight complicate the story line, making you wonder if it really is chance or if there is some greater power controlling it. Abilities of certain characters, most obviously Clarence the scar wraith, also make you wonder how and why certain powers in Everlost exist. The complex world of Everlost will never be able to be fully understood, but this fact only adds appeal to the story. In the same way, the complexity of the characters grows in this story, even with new characters. I felt like I knew each character by the end of the story, and it was sad to say goodbye. The emotions of all of the characters were so strong and realistic that I couldn't help but feel for them, cheering them on in their victories and having my heart drop when they failed. The way that emotion and willpower is so powerful in Everlost really makes the story intriguing, but when you think about it, willpower can have just as drastic results in our world if it is strong enough. The depth and complexity of this story really made it stand out, leading it near, if not to, the top of my favorites list.

Questions for Thought:
1. If you chose to be a furjacker, what kind of animal would you choose to inhabit?

2. Do you think that if someone doesn't believe in the power of scar wraiths that they will disappear?

3. What do you think the deadliest power in Everlost is? The most helpful?

4. Would you be able to kill the comatose bodies of Mary's skinjackers to prevent their evil deeds?

5. Do you think Nick will ever be ready to leave Everlost?

6. Were you a skinjacker, would you be brave enough to skinjack your own body and abandon Everlost forever?


Please leave your comments and answers!

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Product Review: Kindle and eBook Readers

I said I would make a post reviewing my thoughts about my Kindle a long time ago, and here it is.

For a long time, I was very opposed to eBook readers. In my opinion, books were meant to be ink on paper, not light from a screen. I unknowingly accused all readers of having bright, computer-like screens that would hurt my eyes after a few short minutes of reading, and I feared that the batteries would die in just a few hours, whereas a book never needs to be charged.

Last December, I was at Barnes and Noble when the new Nook Color was on display. A salesman began talking to my mom (a librarian) and I about the cool features. We checked out both the old Nook and the Nook color and were rather impressed. The original Nook had an E-Ink screen, which really makes the screen look like a printed book. (Friends who have seen my Kindle with its E-Ink screen think that it is off because it really doesn't look like an electronic screen.) A cool feature with the Nook is that it did have a color touchscreen at the bottom of the device for navigation. The Nook Color was all a touchscreen with color, so it looked very sharp, and it also had some other applications aside from books. Since I have an iPhone, many of these extra apps would be extraneous, and since the battery life was shorter, though still around 8 hours, I liked the original Nook better. By the time we were ready to leave, I was convinced that I wanted a Nook for Christmas. The only thing I didn't like was that the display reset that is necessary for an E-Ink screen bothered me. (This reset causes a black "flash" when you turn the page.)

When we got home, my mom and I started looking up other types of eBook readers, even though I was sure I wanted the Nook. There were many varieties of readers, but it quickly became clear that there were really only two that would be useful to me: the Barnes and Noble Nook and the Amazon Kindle. These two readers have significantly larger selections of books than most other readers, and in general, the books were cheaper. The only other option we considered was an iPad, but once again I had a good computer and an iPhone, so the other iPad uses would have little impact on me, and once again battery life and screen type were disadvantages for reading. Also, the iPad is many times as expensive. When looking online, the Amazon Kindle began to gain ground on the Nook. The Kindle Store has the largest selection of eBooks available at the current time, and it had a longer battery life. The Kindle lacked the small color touchscreen, but it had a small keyboard for easy searching in the Kindle Store.

In the end, it was a very close call, but I wound up getting the Kindle. One option I did not choose was to get the Kindle 3G, which is slightly more expensive initially, but there is no cost to access 3G networks to download books anywhere. As nice as this feature is, I thought I rarely would need to download a book away from home, which has continued to hold true.

As I have said many times since receiving my Kindle, I absolutely love it. It is very light and is smaller than most books that I read on it would be in print, so it saves space even by having one book on it, let alone 30+ like I do now. Though not all books are available in eBook format, many are and those that aren't are constantly being added. It is also very convenient to simply go on the Amazon website and choose a few books to download instead of having to drive to the store to get a book. Also, eBooks are frequently 50% off, and occasionally more! Many of the classics are free to download, and those that aren't usually cost a dollar or less. Another silly advantage is that you will never lose your place in a book again! The device remembers where you are. Even if you start reading on your eBook reader, then pick up on your computer, and then come back to the reader, as long as you are connected to the internet your spot will be automatically updated to the last page read.

I would STRONGLY recommend an eBook reader to anyone who even just occasionally reads. They are much more convenient than traditional books, and in the long run can be cheaper. For those who are looking to go "green", they obviously save a LOT of paper. I would recommend looking at both the Nook and the Kindle, because each have perks, but I would be hesitant to recommend other devices since the Kindle and Nook have drastically larger stores.

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Blog Update on a new Mac!

Hey Everyone! Long time, no...uh....read? Eh, you get the point...

I realized the other day that I had not done a Blog Update in AGES, so I thought I'd say hello! Not too much blog stuff to talk about today, so I guess I'll just have to randomly ramble for a few minutes about whatever pops into my head.

First, I guess I should explain the title of the post. As it was recently my B-Day, I got a new computer! It is my first Mac and I LOVE it! It runs super fast and has all sorts of neat features. It was sad saying goodbye to my trusty Dell, but the sadness didn't last for long. :)

In other news, I won an advance copy of Neal Shusterman's Everfound! I hope it will arrive sometime next week, but I really have no idea. And don't worry, you will only have to wait a few more weeks before you can get it. Also on the topic of Shusterman, I was intrigued by one of his recent facebook posts. Mr. Shusterman was going to be contributing to an anthology, and he learned that one author's story was rejected because it contained a male-male romance. In response, Mr. Shusterman is writing his story as a male-male romance, but in a very interesting way.

Okay, so here's the concept of the short story I plan to write. Due to all the gender-related troubles of the day, in the future, gender isn't assigned until the teenage years, when people can choose for themselves. Two teens deeply in love choose - one male, one female -- but due to a clerical error, they both end up as male, and it can't be undone. Now they're left to deal with it...

The story, to be titled "A Matter of Personal Pronoun", is very intriguing, and has caused heated debate on Shusterman's facebook page. I personally am not going to be sharing my opinion on this topic, as not to offend anyone, but I think that this story will include the issue of gay relationships in a very interesting and new way, no matter what your personal opinions are on the topic. If you would like to see the posts about this story, see Neal Shusterman's facebook page.

In other news, I have officially heard that the Hunger Games is going to be a movie! I am not really excited about this, because I am VERY nervous that they are going to mess up this great story. If done well, this movie could be AMAZING and VERY powerful, but based on most book-inspired movies, I am doubtful that this will happen. Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it but hope that they do the movie right. I will keep you updated as I find out more info.

Alright, here is the part where I need YOUR help! That's right, I'm talking to YOU! Right now, 90% of my book recommendations come from the Amazon recommendations based on previous purchases, but there are obviously limitations from a computer choosing my books. Since you are reading my blog, you probably like books at least similar to the things I like, otherwise it would be a slight waste of time. (Unless you just like my fantastic writing, which is understood.) My request is for you to recommend some books for me! I still have a few in my wish list on Amazon, as well as a few on my bookshelf that I want to read, but suggestions from you all would be greatly appreciated! Plus, I just like hearing from you ! There are many ways to talk to me: leaving comments on this (or any) post here on my blog, post on the Corey's Book Talk facebook page, or mention @CoreysBookTalk in a tweet! I try hard to check all of these places frequently, even if I do not post frequently. I love getting into extended book talks with people, and that is what this blog is for! Don't be afraid to leave comments on posts; it makes my day every time I see new comments to moderate!

Well, I think that is about all I have to say for now. (And I actually wound up talking about book-related stuff! Miracles happen!) As usual, keep checking up on twitter and facebook for updates, feel free to give any suggestions for books to read, new types of posts for the blog, or any other new blog features, and keep reading!

- Corey

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Ship Breaker

Ship Breaker

Paolo Bacigalupi

Synopsis:
Due to catastrophic global warming and poor management of natural resources, ocean levels have risen extremely high, putting all previous coastal cities and towns underwater, the worst storms seen in the history of Earth crash against the coast, and the world is out of its precious oil. Now, the division between the rich and poor is huge, and for Nailer, this means a life of hard work with little chance of escaping poverty. Nailer is a member of a Light Crew, a group of small kids that clambers around the duct work of old, beached ships, looking for copper wiring or other precious metals that can be sold to make new, environmentally friendly ships called Clippers. One day, the duct Nailer was crawling in breaks, dropping him into a pool of oil. When another of his crew comes looking, she is content to let him drown, hoping that she will be able to smuggle the oil out later, a risky process that can make you very rich. Luckily, Nailer finds a door under the oil and manages to escape this horrible death. That night, the worst storm Nailer has ever seen ravages the beach, causing him and his friend, Pima, to take shelter in a cave for three long days. When the storm is gone, the beach has been totally destroyed, and they are out of work for a few days. With nothing to do, the pair go and explore an island one day, and to their surprise they find a Clipper bashed up against the rocks! The two start taking everything they can carry with the hopes of becoming rich, but when they find a living girl inside that says she can offer them a reward for her safe return to her parents, Nailer and Pima have a difficult decision to make.
Read the first chapter here!

My Thoughts:
This story did a lot of what I wanted Empty to do with the catastrophe that would most likely ensue if the world ran out of oil. The way that the poor are treated and the limited options they have show that it really is a crisis that nobody prepared for. There seems to be no government, only rich companies that control the people by buying, or refusing to buy, their goods. Also, the whole psychological element with everyone, even the kids, being willing to kill each other to gain a few more dollars. Another interesting element was the genetic engineering of the Half-men. Even though many people would be willing to take jobs, they create people that are genetically altered to be faster, stronger, and more loyal to do work for the elite. From what I got from the book, there was a lot of weird biological practices going on, showing that not all technology has disappeared. The futuristic society portrayed in this book is very complicated, and quite frankly very scary, seeing that it is possible that we could end up this way. The overall society is what really impressed me with the book, but it also had a very strong storyline and the characters were very believable. One of my favorite characters was probably Tooth, just because his existence itself is interesting, as well as the fact that he, unlike the rest of his kind, has no master.

Questions for Thought:
1. Were you Nailer and had fallen into the oil, would you have tried to still smuggle some out once you found the door?

2. How do you think Tooth came to have no master?

3. Would you have killed Nita immediately and smuggled as much of the scavenge away as possible to sell later?

4. Do you think that Nailer will get his reward or a job on the Clipper? Or will he just be left on his beach now that Nita has been returned?


Please leave your comments and answers!

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