Ashfall by Mike Mullin

I am still here!  Just not reading as many teen books as before...and forgetting to put down the ones I do!  I'm also taking an opportunity to read some full series, instead of just the first book or two.

So...Ashfall. 

Alex is left alone for a weekend in his Cedar Falls home while his parents and younger sister head off to a family's home in Illinois.  Alex expects the weekend to be very low-key.  The world has other plans.  A volcano erupts at Yellowstone National Park and throws the entire world off-kilter.  The earthquake ruins Alex's home and the ashfall from the eruption causes total blackness.

Staying with the neighbors seems like the best option...until one of the men kills an intruder.  Scared and nervous, Alex takes off, determined to find his family on the other side of the Mississippi.  What he doesn't realize is how desperate people are or how determined to survive at the cost of everything.  Especially others' lives.

The scariest part about this story is the fact that it could happen.  While the book could have been a little shorter, it is definitely a page-turner.  Alex meets all sorts of obstacles along the way and while he's not afraid to take help, he becomes leery of it as the book moves on.  A good survivalist novel...there's a sequel on the way!

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Mason's mom is in a fatal car accident, so he's at the hospital when his school is blown up. Now everyone he's ever cared about is dead.

Aries is on the bus on the way back to school when the earthquake hits. Her best friend Sara doesn't survive and a stranger, Daniel, tells her to find a place to hide. He warns her things are going to get worse.

Clementine is at an emergency town meeting with her parents, worried about her brother Heath, when two men armed with guns enter the room. Clementine's mother makes her run...before everyone is shot.

Michael is on the road with his buddy Joe when they see a driver purposefully run a motorcyclist down. When the cops come, they kill the driver. Michael and Joe hitch a ride before they're next.

Something is really wrong with the world, and as these four teens try to survive in a world that has gone completely crazy, only one thing is for sure. They won't survive long.

A great dystopia! Hard to put down yet hard to keep going. The story focuses on five people (yes, I know I only mentioned 4) and switches from story to story. The things that happen to some of the characters during the story are disturbing. But the story is hard to put down.

Five 4ths of July by Pat Raccio Hughes

Jake's first 4th of July happens in 1777, one year after the start of the Revolutionary War. He's with his buddies, swimming, joking, and having a good morning before having to go home to do chores. The war has started, yes, but it has no real impact on his life.

1778, little has changed. Jake's father decides on the 4th to enlist Jake in the militia, and Jake is angry at being forced. Things are changing, but even though the war has been going on for two years at this point, it means very little to Jake personally.

1779, all of that changes. The British attack New Haven, and Jake, who lives in East Haven, and his best friend Tim are in the middle of all the action. The Rebels run out of ammunition and have to retreat to a new post to keep fighting. Jake and Tim get separated from the rest of the militia but decide to protect Jake's father's ferry. They are captured and forced onto a prison ship.

1780 and 1781 find the boys completely different. Each 4th of July brings about new issues and torments. And all they think about is surviving to the next day.

A powerful novel. Each chapter is only about the 4th of July, but the narrator catches you up on what's happened in the past year. There is action and adventure here, but also brutal truths about war and about the Revolutionary War in particular. Very moving, and the author's notes at the end about the real people her characters were based on is appreciated.

Storm Runners by Roland Smith

Chase and his father run around the country ahead of natural disasters, helping people get ready and being there when they need to rebuild after. Since being struck by lightning, Chase's dad has a sixth sense about where things just might happen.

This time they're headed to Palm Breeze, Florida--or rather, Chase is. Chase's dad is headed to St. Petersburg, where he's sure the latest hurricane, Emily, will make landfall. Chase hopes his dad is right--otherwise he'll be too far away to do much good. The first day of school and Chase knows his father is wrong. Emily is headed right for Palm Breeze, no matter what the weather forecasters say. No one believes him, however, and he gets on the bus, knowing it's one of the most dangerous places to be during a storm.

He doesn't feel good about being right though. The hurricane hits as they're headed home and the bus driver has been taking shortcuts to get around all the traffic. Chase hopes he can help the others survive.

Short but action-packed. The book ends as the eye of the hurricane passes over Palm Breeze, so there is a sequel (The Surge), which comes out soon. I couldn't put this book down.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Beatrice lives with her family in the Abnegation faction. They dress all in grey, wear their hair up, and are completely selfless. Beatrice and her brother are nearing their Choosing Ceremony, where they'll decide which faction to live the rest of their lives in. Before that happens, they have to go through an aptitude test, which indicates which faction they should be in. Beatrice's test shows she's Divergent. She's told to tell no one.

At the Choosing Ceremony, the first shock Beatrice gets is watching her brother Caleb choose the Erudite--the intelligence faction. The second shock is watching her own hand choose the Dauntless--the bravery faction. Once there, she changes her name to Tris and has to learn survival, fighting, and killing to become a full member.

Her days are spent training but she learns quickly how to survive in the brutal surroundings. Then she stumbles upon something that isn't quite right--deals being made between the Erudite and the Dauntless, aimed at the Abnegation. And finding that being Divergent means she can manipulate simulations, which means she may have a chance to save her family.

On the same bent as the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Enclave by Ann Aguirre, we've entered another dystopias, this time in Chicago. The story moves quickly, the characters are well-drawn, and Tris is a great narrator. Some things are obvious, but that's ok. I'm sure there will be more--so this sets up a great beginning. Well worth the read!

Lark by Tracey Porter

Lark was kidnapped, raped, then left tied to a tree to die. Nyetta, a young girl Lark use to baby-sit, sees Lark's ghost now. Lark only has so much time before the tree traps her soul. In order to be free, someone has to acknowledge her wounds and what happened to her--Lark has chosen Nyetta for this 'honor'.

Eve was Lark's best friend, and she is also haunted, but by her own guilt. They had a fight and couldn't work past it.

The three of them are lost and not sure where to turn. Lark's time is running out but Nyetta can't do what she wants. And Eve is tormented by her guilt and knows she needs to do something.

Short and sweet, but serious. The story is told in alternative voice and very well-done. Each character, while not fully formed, has a strong enough voice it keeps the pages turning. Emotional but not overkill.

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Everyone over the age of 16 has come down with an illness that rots their brains and bodies and makes them crave human flesh. Fresh human flesh, which is why all the grown-ups are chasing around children. Children are the only ones who have survived. At least until they turn 16.

Maxie is second-in-command to Arran and their group of kids live in a supermarket reinforced to keep the grown-ups out. They also fight another group of kids--Blue's crew--for food. They soon realize some of the grown-ups are still intelligent and join forces to find a new place to live. They head to Buckingham Palace with Jester, who was sent out to find groups like theirs.

Traveling through London isn't easy though. A big group like theirs draws a lot of attention, and not just from the grown-ups. Once they arrive at Buckingham Palace, things are not as they seem. David, the one in charge, has plans to be on top and to unite all the kids of London together. Maxie and Blue, however, have something to say about that.

Ok, not a book for the faint-at-heart. While the adults eating kids isn't exactly described to the bare bone, it does have some description to it. The adults are vicious and hungry. The children are great characters and their fear and survival are well-portrayed. Looking forward to reading The Dead, which is a companion/prequel, and the third one that brings everything together.

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Pierce is very unusual. She died when she was 15. When she died, she went to the Underworld, but didn't know it. So when she saw John, the man she met after her grandfather's funeral in the cemetery, she asked him to save her. And he did.

Two years later she's alive--she was brought back to life--and moving with her mom to Isla Huesos, where her mother grew up and where she met John for the first time. Where she runs into John again, after having escaped his palace in the underworld when she was 15. She feels drawn to him, despite the danger. John fears for her safety, since the Furies try to destroy anyone he cares about. Can Pierce save herself and John? Or is it hopeless?

A good love story and twist on the Persephone and Hades story. This is the first in a trilogy, and although Pierce is a little slow on the uptake, it's well-written and she is a strong character. Can't wait for the other books!!

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Ann has been dating Connor for the past year. For their relationship, she's given up track, her friends, even her mom. She's even moved in with him now.

But Connor isn't the perfect boyfriend Ann envisioned. While he promised her from the beginning he would never hurt or hit her--he breaks that promise. Ann knows it's her fault--she's not doing things right--and he's always sorry afterwards.

The night of their one year anniversary, though, things go too far. And she has to figure out if she can really stay with someone like him.

An emotional and harrowing book. Ann and Connor are both sympathetic, although Connor loses that as time moves on. This book starts at the end of the year and moves backward in time, while flashing forward again to the present. A hard book to read, but even harder to put down.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

John, or Four, is not from Earth. He is one of nine Legacies escaped from Lorien before it was decimated. In those nine sets the fate of the universe.

But the first three are dead and the Legacies must be killed in order. John and Henri, his guardian, head to Ohio to hide, again. It's worse this time, since John knows he's next.

He still tries for a normal life. Sarah, a girl who catches his eye from the beginning, is also interested in him, and Sam, a nerd fascinated by space and aliens, are his two only friends. John tries to avoid drawing attention, but it only works to a point. Meanwhile, his powers are developing; he is able to control light and fire, move things with his mind, and that's just the surface.

Then Sarah gets trapped in a burning building and all hell breaks loose. John's cover is blown and the Mogadorians are coming.

While the action keeps up, even with John's training and everything at school, nothing really happens until late in the book. The story has a lot of good elements, but the ending felt like the movie Thor: "I'll come back for you". A good book and it should be popular. Who doesn't like a superhero.

Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Ok, so once again, I find myself reading a book in a series, and I don't want to give away what happens in the other two books by talking a lot about this book.

What I will say about this book is this one was the best of the three. I didn't think it would be when I started, but I absolutely could not put it down. This pulls stories mostly out of the 2nd book, Dead-Tossed Waves, but there are a few references back to The Forests of Hands and Teeth.

Well worth the read, and wonderful!

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Alex doesn't have a bad life--for the most part. Her mother died when she was young, her father has shut himself off and her sisters don't feel the same way she does about the whole situation.

The only people she counts on are her two best friends--Bethany and Zack. Then she meets Cole, a new student she's been assigned to tutor. Cole seems to understand her from the get-go and he accepts everything. He's so nice and caring. Which is why she can't understand why Bethany and Zack don't like him. Why Cole can't get along with them either.

Then Cole's jealousy gets out of control and he hurts Alex. She's shocked and scared, but when he apologizes, she forgives him. Maybe it was a mistake. Then it happens again. And again. She knows she should leave him, but it's all her fault and everyone will blame her for pushing them away to keep him.

But sometimes things go too far and that decision is taken from you.

This book was utterly engrossing. I was sorry, annoyed, and angry at the characters at different times all the way through the book. Alex's anguish and how she feels about Cole and breaking up with him is very believable and gut-wrenching. Absolutely fantastic.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine can't believe she's been captured. Now she'll either be a bride or be forced to work in a brothel, forced to sell her body for food and have children before she dies.

Which will only be four years from now. Everyone born these days only lives until they're 20 for females, 25 for males. Rhine has avoided the Gatherers thus far, but no longer. She's taken, drugged, and married to Linden, along with two other girls. Despite Linden's obvious attachment and wealth, Rhine thinks only of escape and finding her twin brother. She knows he'll be looking for her, but won't be looking in the right area. She hopes to find him before he takes off. But escape takes planning. And cunning.

The first in a series, because the ending is a cliffhanger. An interesting plot, with girls having to give birth as early as possible to keep the human race going and almost everyone dying young. Tense, beautifully written, and with great characters. Highly recommended.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

The fifty contestants of the Miss Teen Dream pageant trained for months, even years, to strut their stuff in front of the cameras. Too bad their airplane crashes on an unknown and deserted island and some of those 50 girls don't make it.

The survivors are left wondering if they'll ever be rescued. They continue to train for the pageant, but in order to survive they also have to learn how to find food, fend off snakes, and cope with the lack of civilization.

Meanwhile, on the same island, The Corporation--responsible for all merchandise and entertainment available to everyone in America--plots to undermine the government by supplying weapons to America's worst enemy.

Yet another hilarious book by Libba Bray. Enough things go on here, most of all a parody of the way society is. Humor, adventure, and a dose of romance.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Every child is safe until their 13th birthday. Then parents have the option of 'unwinding'--cutting their child into pieces and giving them to others. Once they turn 18, that's no longer an option.

Connor's parents decide to unwind him when he's 15. Risa's a ward of the state that no longer has the funds to support unnecessary talent. Lev is a tithe--born for the purpose of unwinding. All three are thrown together when Connor decides to break for it and kidnaps Lev to avoid getting shot with tranquilizers.

Connor and Risa end up at a sanctuary for unwinds, until things go terribly wrong.

And Lev, well, he makes some uncomfortable decisions.

An unusual concept and telling. The book focuses on different characters--most often Connor, Risa, and Lev, but it is told in 3rd person. The society is always in the background, and those who are unwound still have a voice throughout. Science fiction thriller to be sure!

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Deuce has lived her whole life underground in the enclave. She's also been in training to be a Huntress, someone who protects, hunts, and fights for the enclave's survival. After her naming ceremony which identifies her as an adult, Deuce is partnered with Fade, a lone Hunter from Topside. Neither is happy about it at all.

Soon that doesn't matter. The two are punished for not following direct orders by bringing a deformed outsider into the enclave. The outsider brings news--Nassau is gone, overrun by the Freaks who threaten everyone's survival. Deuce and Fade are sent to find the truth--a mission no one expects them to survive. That's only the beginning of their adventure together.

A fantastic book. Loved the characters and setting along with the plot. A lot like The Hunger Games and The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Can't wait for the sequel.

The Wild by Christopher Golden

This is the first book in the Secret Journeys of Jack London series.

Jack's 17 and definitely an adventurer. He's on his way to the Yukon River in Alaska, and the gold rush that's going on there. This trip isn't for the faint at heart--on the way to the river Jack comes across dead horses and men, and others who have already turned back. Jack meets two men on his way--Jim and Merritt--and the three spend the winter together, surviving and waiting for their chance to look for gold.

Things are not as they seem. Jack sees a wolf tracking him in the forest several times, and that wolf seems to save his life at different points during his journey. Jack, Jim, and Merritt are all captured by slavers and "pressed" into service, looking for gold. Their camp is attacked by a Wendigo--a supernatural beast. Jack survives, but barely, and is rescued by a forest sprite who also tries to imprison him. Jack has to use all of his wits and some desperate attempts to save his life.

The first in a series, some of the action is a little over the top. The characters aren't developed as much as the scenery and the action. I haven't read any of Jack London's books, so I may not see how alike or different they compare. The last half of the book went quickly. Getting there took a bit of work.

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Benny lives in Mountainside, the only town he's ever really known. He was 18 months old when First Night happened--the night people started turning into zombies. His first memory is of his mother pushing him into his older brother Tom's arms and telling Tom to run while she faces their father--already a zombie. Benny has disliked his brother for being a coward and running away.

Now Benny's 15 and it's time for him to get a job or his rations will be cut. He tries a wide variety before deciding he might as well become Tom's apprentice. His first time in the Rot & Ruin (what they call the area outside the perimeter fence) is eye-opening. His brother calls himself a closure specialist, instead of bounty hunter like the others. His job is to find people who have been turned into zombies and to put them down. On their journey, Benny sees men he's always admired torturing zombies for fun. He knows he'll never be the same again.

But his lessons aren't over. Soon Benny's friend Nix is kidnapped and her mother murdered by the very bounty hunters Benny has always admired. And Benny and Tom know they must go out into the worst of the Rot & Ruin to find her. Before she's handed over to zombies for entertainment.

Utterly believable and well-executed. Benny can be annoying and frustrating at times--especially in the beginning, but that's on purpose. He does mature and grow as the book moves on, thankfully. Enough action, adventure, characterization, setting, danger, suspense, and a little romance to keep the pages moving. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda is a freshman beginning her first year of high school, and already a social pariah. At a party before school began, she called the police, getting the party busted. Her friends pretend she doesn't exist, everyone seems to know who she is, and she is completely outcast from everything.

Her only reprieve is art class and the janitor's closet she uses to hide. She's ok with no one talking to her--then they aren't asking her what happened. Something horrible happened to her the night of the party, something she would prefer to forget. But when IT starts dating her former best friend, Melinda feels she needs to speak up. When she finally shares what happens, her best friend doesn't believe her...but not everyone has such a great opinion of IT.

A powerful and moving story about how painful things can be to talk about--especially rape. Melinda's character is believable and sympathetic, and her situation is heartbreaking.

They also made a movie out of this book--it was fabulous. Very well done--check it out if you get a chance!

Zombies vs Unicorns, editted by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Zombies vs Unicorns is actually an anthology of 12 stories dealing with either zombies or unicorns. Holly Black is the head of 'Team Unicorn' while Justine Larbalestier is the head of 'Team Zombie'.

Each story is given commentary by the editors at the beginning about the pros and cons of zombies and unicorns. While the deciding factor is up to the reader, their comments and debate are hilarious.

Out of all the stories, I enjoyed "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" by Diana Peterfreund, "Bougainvillea" by Carrie Ryan, and "Prom Night" by Libba Bray. Not that the others weren't also great, I just enjoyed these three most of all.

The only thing missing was a story of zombies and unicorns fighting each other...