J.C. Buchanan

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Title: Awaken 

Author: Katie Kacvinsky

Published By: HMH Books for Young Readers (2011)

Synopsis: Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space. (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

Quite an interesting premise and I suppose unique in its own way, Awaken was a definitely intriguing storyline. However, I did have quite a few things I disliked.

I’ll begin with positives: I thought some of the themes had quite an uplifting feel to them at first, themes about love and taking care of those close to you. I liked Maddie and I loved the element of a society attached to technology and the strong messages it conveyed about such tech. I thought that aspect was done very skillfully.

However, putting the unique storyworld aside, everything else was incredibly stereotypical, which was very disappointing.

The romance was disheartening in the sense that the first two-thirds of the book I was very impressed by the cleanliness—but that all fell flat because the last third of the book is compromised of ninety-five percent romance. While there isn’t anything necessarily super inappropriate, it does get intense and was not on the very purest track in the long run. I’m not planning on reading future books simply because of the sure-to-be increase of romantic activity. I also got very tired of Justin very fast. I get how he’s supposed to be, but that character is just so overdone. And Maddie was incredibly stereotypical. Let’s apply my tried-and-true description. (I wrote this to describe another character in another YA dystopian series a while ago, and since then I have applied it to other YA series and found it just as accurate despite the  different authors and series. I call it the YA Main Character Stereotype.)

She’s strong and determined, but of course has her fears—that she hides—that set her back. She’s part of the lowly county. She doesn’t think much about higher counties; she just keeps her head down, lives her life, and tries not to get noticed. She thinks of herself as lowly and ugly. She’s stubborn and willfull, but thinks she knows right from wrong. She’s often chastised for misbehavior and is warned that someday it’ll get back to her. Often she sneaks off to be in private because the world becomes too much. She doesn’t have any plans of rebelling—that would be ridiculous, they would totally get her for it! She refuses to believe any legends or rumors She doesn’t let herself hope, because hope will get you nowhere. 

Obviously, Maddie excludes quite a few of these stereotypes, but she still does fit into many.

Negative Content/Notes:

The romantic plot line walked a very thin line of being clean. (Above)

Overall:

As a whole, the plotline was rather predictable, and was drawn out in other parts. I don’t have much else to say about it. Unique storyworld, stereotypical characters, edging-on-inapropriate romance, and predictable plot, this pretty much fits right in with every other YA dystopian. But nevertheless, I did finish it, so that says something.

Rating: 3.0 / 5.0

Recommended to: Not really recommended …

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Title: Beyond the Horizon

Author: Jesseca Wheaton

Published: 2016

Synopsis: Eliana longs to see the world beyond the mountains that tower above Salzburg, Austria, but knows that dream will never see such adventure- and neither will she.

Surrounded by a world of cruelty, she lives for the weekly visits of Aron, a boy she met on one of her rambles through the countryside.

But as the years pass and she begins to grow older, a new and unwelcome world is opened up to her.
On a fateful night at a party she vowed she’d never attend, she comes face to face with a shocking truth.

As the world around her teeters on the brink of war, Eliana struggles to figure out just where her loyalty lies; a decision that will drastically change the course of her life. Will she ever be free to see what lies beyond the horizon? (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

Beyond the Horizon was a sweet tale which I thoroughly enjoyed!

First of all, it had such an unique premise! Cinderella retellings? They’ve been done. But a WWII Cinderella CHRISTMAS retelling? Can it really get any better?!

Not only that, but the story came through on every aspect. Everything was developed down to the tiniest detail, retaining a strong Cinderella feel while still being unique and distinct. It was so, so, so cleverly done, and came through amazingly. I loved the ways it stayed so close to the original tale while still being completely its own!

The author’s talent is amazing, beautifully painting characters on gorgeous backdrops that provide a great storyline. It was decently paced, not too slow but not too fast either. I thought it was a perfect story for a novella, as it went into detail without becoming dragged out. I finished it in one sitting, it was so captivating and enjoyable. I love finding unique stories, and this one truly fit that shape.

Overall:

 I thought it was a fabulous read, a work accomplished through amazing writing skills, some awesome characters and a strong plot.

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

Recommended to: 

Would recommend to any looking for a good, but unique, fairy-tale story!

** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

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Title: Captives (Safe Lands, #1)

Author: Jill Williamson

Published By: Zondervan (2013)

Synopsis: In a dystopian future, eighteen-year-old Levi returns from Denver City with his latest scavenged treasures and finds his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many–including his fiancée, Jem–taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.

Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams.

Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands’ walls. Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands’ façade before it’s too late? (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

Clean, Christian, action-packed, suspensful, amazing characters, plot twists, dystopian but felt realistic…there was nothing to not like about this book. The characters were so real—in fact, after I finished it I found myself itching to see them again and then feeling great disappointment when I realized I had finished. (BUT there’s two more books!!!) I loved the unique and distinct personalities, and I loved that it wasn’t directly targeted to either boys or girls; usually dystopians like this have a strong pull one way but this book is truly for everyone.

Setting-wise, this was also amazing. In a world full of cliche dystopians, it’d very hard to create an original world, but Jill Willaimson did and did so in an astonishing way. It felt very distinct from the dystopian genre, and I really liked that aspect. I loved the clever parrallels drawn to today’s society, however at times I thought it was trying to be a little too similiar. The society was developed well and the struggles illustrated in depth.

I ALSO LOVED THE CHARACTERS. So many of them, and yet they all were unique—for the most part. Some characters, like Jennifer or Aunt Chipeta or Eliza—I’m still not sure who they are or their importance, for they get very very little time “onscreen” so to say and I felt they became names floating in the background. Not to say I didn’t get why they were there, but I do think it was the one area this book fell a little flat.

Excepting that, the characters were phenomanel…

Characters like Mason, brave, smart, and logical;

Characters like Levi, strong, confident, and protective;

Characters like Omar, umm

Characters like Shaylinn, kind, curious, unafraid;

Characters like Jemma, smart, loving, and wise…

The list could go on and on.

Negative Content/Notes:

Though I would say this book was clean, it was a very mature read. In the society which has captured our main characters, the girls fourteen and over are forced into a “harem” where they learn they will be forced to surrogate and carry pregnancies to support this world because they are Uninfected. One other scene with one straying character implies he has slept with his girlfriend.

Overall: All the storylines drew together to create a painting that made me grimace, worry, smile, and laugh. Williamson has immense amounts of talent for creating persuading settings and plots and I can. not. wait. to read the next book.

Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

Recommended: Ages 14 & up!