Mini Review: Stick Dog by Tom Watson

Be sure to check out the full March MG Madness schedule of events and enter the big giveaway (box of 10 middle-grade books).

Stick Dog

by Tom Watson

1/8/13

Harper Collins

Format: hardcover

Source: from pub

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Introducing everyone's new best friend: Stick Dog!He'll make you laugh . . . he'll make you cry . . . but above all, he'll make you hungry. Follow Stick Dog as he goes on an epic quest for the perfect burger.

Tom Watson's Stick Dog is a lot of things: funny, silly, clever, addicting, surprising. This little book, with its child-like illustrations and story, had me laughing out loud and feeling like a kid again!

Stick Dog is all about the adventures of a poorly drawn dog named (yep, you guessed it!), Stick Dog. Stick Dog and his four doggy companions set out on a dangerous but worthy mission: to steal hamburgers from a picnicking family in the park. This mission isn't an easy one and involves ridiculous plans, distractions, a little bit of garbage eating, and a whole lot of luck.

Stick Dog is a wildly entertaining book that younger readers will gobble up quickly. Tom Watson writes with a charming, child-like voice that is both sweet and cleverly witty. Told from the perspective of a child who is “writing” Stick Dog's story and drawing the illustrations, Stick Dog speaks to its intended audience perfectly. And the narrator actually speaks directly to the audience, pulling them in and making them feel like an important part of the story, which I enjoyed very much. Stick Dog's story isn't a complicated or intricate one, but it is completely fun and captivating.

The silly antics of Stick Dog and his four canine friends (Poo-Poo the Poodle, Stripes the Dalmatian, Karen the Dachshund, and Mutt the mutt) will have readers giggling loudly. And these five doggy characters are impossible to not love and root for. The rudimentary illustrations have a special charm all their own and really complete the story.

The whole “look” and formatting of this book is awesome. The pages within are lined and made to look like a child's notebook, and the text is sparse on each page, leaving room for the amusing illustrations. The whole look will definitely appeal to younger readers.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Stick Dog and his doggy buds have won me over, and Tom Watson has a new fan! Stick Dog is made for younger readers, and younger readers will have no problems catching on to how awesome this book is, but older readers (especially those parents acting as bedtime story readers) will also find themselves entertained.

MY RATING

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

ARC Review: You Only Die Twice (The Genius Files #3) by Dan Gutman

You Only Die Twice

(The Genius Files #3)

Dan Gutman

1/22/13

Harper Collins

Format: ARC

Source: from pub

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The most dangerous road trip in history continues for thirteen-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald. 
Just when they thought they were safe, the twins will be 
chased by an evil Elvis impersonator, 
trapped in a pool of flesh-eating soda pop, nearly 
pulverized in a giant shredder, and 
crushed in a turbo-charged carnival ride. 
worst of all, no one believes them! 
Will they make it out alive? Will they ever find out who’s really after them? All bets are off in this explosive third book in the Genius Files series! 

THREE WORD: Fun, Laughs, Learning

MY REVIEW: I'm officially a fangirl of The Genius File series by Dan Gutman! This wildly fun middle-grade series, which includes Mission Unstoppable, Never Say Genius, and now You Only Die Twice, is the perfect mix of adventure, humor, and educational information. And, I think book three is my favorite one yet.

In You Only Die Twice, thirteen year old twins, Coke and Pepsi McDonald, continue their journey across America with their parents in an RV. The family has made their way to Washington D.C. and Aunt Judy's wedding, and are now traveling back home to California. Along the way, the family stops at unusual and quirky tourist attractions and museums for their mom's website, Amazing but True. And of course, the twins are once again chased down by an evil arch-enemy and must rely on their individual talents and each other to thwart the bad guys and save their lives.

Dan Gutman is a master of pitch perfect middle-grade humor and fun, and this series is proof of that. With The Genius Files, Gutman has crafted a wild adventurous romp across America that is filled to the brim with off the charts laughs, thrills, and fun facts. These books are instantly captivating, impossible to put down, and will have readers of all ages devouring them quickly.

I adore Gutman's middle-grade voice and writing style. He clearly knows and understands his intended audience and this really shines through in this series. Like books one and two, You Only Die Twice is massively entertaining, charming in its quirkiness, smartly funny, and irresistibly engaging. In book three, our hero and heroine, Coke and Pepsi, find themselves up against an Evil Elvis and once again must use their smarts and ingenuity to solve ciphers and escape the bad guys. The action and adventure is fast-paced and never ending; there are no boring moments in this book! And Gutman does a fantastic job of recapping the events of earlier books throughout this book, without being repetitive.

I just love how engaging and interactive this book, and the others, are. Readers can use Google Maps to follow the McDonalds' journey, solve the ciphers and puzzles along side Pep and Coke, and research all the wacky and unusual places the twins visit. Every place the family visits is a very real place in America, and each book contains pictures and real info about these places. Younger readers will learn a great deal without even realizing it because the educational stuff is mixed in with all the fun stuff. In You Only Die Twice the McDonalds visit some pretty outrageous and cool places, such as the birth place of Pepsi-Cola, Luray Caverns, a very big frying pan, South of the Border, a Waffle House museum, Graceland, and a ton of others. The twins also walk through a giant brain, drink zany Coca-Cola flavors, get dunked in flesh-eating soda, get tossed in a giant shredder, and face down an evil Elvis impersonator.

Coke and Pepsi are the kind of middle-grade characters that I love: they're super relatable and likable. Like most younger readers, I too, appreciate characters that are capable, smart, and funny, but not too perfect, and Coke and Pepsi really fit this description. There's a great gaggle of villains in these books that are sinister enough to be compelling, but silly enough to be amusing.

Dan Gutman is a cliff-hanger genius and You Only Die Twice is no exception. This book ends with an explosive bang and a boom and gasp-worthy reveal that I didn't see coming.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: You Only Die Twice is an excellent addition to an already sensational middle-grade series. I always have so much fun reading these books and I'm so looking forward to book four. These books are perfect for middle-grade readers that crave adventure and laughs. And if you have a reluctant younger reader in your life I highly recommend this series to get them excited about books.

MY RATING

Dan Gutman: Site / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."
Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there. 

"Waiting On" Wednesday (56): The End Games

"Waiting On" Wednesday...is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm excitedly waiting on...

The End Games

T. Michael Martin

5/1/13

Harper Collins

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It happened on Halloween.                  The world ended.                               And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.                                 Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.                                                 In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.                                                                                But The Game is changing.                                                                                    The Bellows are evolving.                                                                       The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.And the brothers will never be the same.

This one sounds deliciously dark and thrilling. I'm also kind of in love with that awesome cover!

What are you waiting on this week?!

Review: The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale

TITLE: The Bully Book AUTHOR: Eric Kahn Gale PUB: Harper Collins PUB DATE: 12/26/12 FORMAT: pb ARC SOURCE: from pub for review

The rules governing middle school are often a mystery, but for Eric Haskins, they’re a mystery he needs to solve, and fast. He’s a normal, average kid, until sixth grade starts. For some inexplicable reason, the class bully and his pack make Eric the Grunt. Even his best friend since first grade turns on him. Eric can’t figure out why he’s the Grunt until he hears about the Bully Book, a cryptic guide that teaches you how to “make trouble without getting in trouble, rule the school and be the man” and how to select the Grunt-the kid who will become the lowest of the low.  Eric Haskins may be this year’s Grunt for now, but he’s determined not to stay at the bottom of the social ladder forever. Hilarious and compelling, The Bully Book is a must-read for every tween, tween parent, librarian and educator!

THREE WORDS: Palpably Powerful & Poignant

MY REVIEW: At a time when bullying is sadly at an all time high, many authors have touched upon this subject, but none have done so quite like Eric Kahn Gale and his The Bully Book. This short read surprised and moved me in ways I never expected.

Eric Haskins' life has been fairly average, but when he starts the sixth grade everything changes. His best friend starts hanging out with the “cool” guys and they in turn start to refer to Eric as Grunt. Soon, these boys have the whole class laughing at and making fun of Eric. One of the boys, Jason “Crazypants”, even steals Eric's crush and only friend, Melody, away from him. Eric learns of the existence of The Bully Book, a manual written long ago by a sixth grade boy that tells its possessor how to rise to popularity by choosing a Grunt and uniting the class in his/her torment. With the help of former Grunts, Eric sets out to find the original writer of the book and discover why he was chosen as the Grunt.

The Bully Book begins with a letter from the author stating how he was bullied in elementary school and how this book is very much an account of his own experiences. This letter to readers really sets the powerful tone for this book. Eric Kahn Gale has written a stunningly raw and honest look at all aspects of bullying, from the painful effects felt by the bullied to an insightful look into the unexpected mind of the bully, culminating in a truly poignant and important story.

This is a quick, but fully satisfying read that is refreshing in its genuineness, relentless in its captivating honesty and authenticity, and moving in surprising ways. The scene Gale sets is real and all too easily imagined, and his characters are layered and relatable. The chapters alternate between Eric's POV and sections of The Bully Book, creating a highly effective juxtaposition of emotions and thought-provoking scenes, sentences, and images. Eric's POV had me laughing one moment and teary eyed the next, while the Bully Book sections are strangely fascinating.

Gale does a superb job of getting into the complex mindset of both the bullied and the bully without turning either into cheesy cliches, which isn't an easy thing to do. While some of the storyline is a bit predictable, nothing is taken away from the power and poignancy of the story, and the mystery of The Bully Book's author and contents that Eric sets out to uncover is well-written and intriguing. I love that Gale not only touches upon the effects bullying has on children, but on how that bullying can affect and follow people well into adulthood. 

Eric's relatable, and at times achingly painful journey, really captures something that so many children face everyday of their lives. I would eagerly place this book in the hands of children everywhere, not just the bullied, but the bullies, teachers, and parents as well. 

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Bully Book kept me entertained from beginning to end and left me truly thoughtful, but I don't think its story and message will ever really leave me. This affective little book moved and surprised me in so many ways and I think it will captivate readers of all ages. 

MY RATING

Connect with the author: Site / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Goodie Basket (21): Book Haul & Recap

Goodie Basket...is a weekly feature hosted here at Word Spelunking that showcases all the goodies (books, bookish things, reviews, interviews/giveaways/guest posts, blog tours, etc) that popped up in the Goodie Basket that is Word Spelunking each week.

(this weekly feature is inspired by other weekly haul memes like Stacking the Shelves at Tynga's Reviews and In My Maillbox at The Story Siren) 

Hey Cupcakes! I hope y'all had great weeks!

This week's Goodie Basket is stuffed full thanks to the awesometastic peeps at Harper Collins...

FOR REVIEW

ARCs from Harper Collins for review

The Madman's Daughter Megan Sheperd

Asunder (Newsoul #2) Jodi Meadows

Prophecy Ellen Oh

Everbound (Everneath #2) Brodie Ashton

Pivot Point Kasie West

Arcadia Burns (Arkadien #2) Kai Meyer

The Bully Book Eric Kahn Gale

Finished Copies from Harper Collins for review

(mostly for their Halloween promo)

Ten Gretchen McNeil

Something Strange and Deadly Susan Dennard 

Don't Turn Around Michelle Gagnon

Feedback (Variant #2) Robinson Wells

The Turning Francine Prose

Dark Eden Patrick Carman

Eve of Destruction (Dark Eden #2) Patrick Carman

Fang Girl Helen Keeble

The Great Unexpected Susan Creech

The Peculiar Stefan Bachmann (sent for giveaway purposes)

Other Books For Review

(ARC) The Steam Mole Dave Freer

Pyr 

Judging a Book by Its Lover Lauren Leto

Harper Perennial

Won

Possess Gretchen McNeil

I won this loverly book from the awesome Mindy at Magical Urban Fantasy Reads who had Gretchen sign it to me!!! So cool!

EBOOKS FOR REVIEW

Eleanor & Park Rainbow Rowell

St. Martin's Press

via Netgalley

Hokey Pokey Jerry Spinelli

Random House

via Netgalley

Big, huge THANKS YOUs to Harper Collins (Harper Teen/Childrens/Perennial), Pyr, St. Martin's Griffin, Random House, and Mindy for the supreme bookish awesomeness this week!!!

Weekly Blog Recap

Blog Tours

• 2:32 AM Blog Tour: guest post and giveaway

Cover/Trailer Reveal

• Deity Trailer and Apollyon Cover Reveal

Giveaways (*still open)

• Signed hc copy of Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs *
• 2:32 AM Blog Tour Giveaway: $20 iTunes gift card*
• Huge Prize Pack (signed books, iTunes gc, swag, candy) from Robert Gray*
• 1000 Books For Charity Giveaway*

Reviews

• Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows (The Nightmare #2) by Robert Gray

Other Posts

• Sweet Reads (5): cakes inspired by Roald Dahl books
• Help Raise a 1,000 Books for Charity and Win BIG

WHAT DID YOU GET THIS WEEK?!

Try Out The Epic Reads Epic Firsts Facebook App!

The awesome people at Harper Collins and Epic Reads bring you the very fun Epic Firsts Facebook App!

Try out the app and share all your epic firsts: first kiss, first love, first journey and more fun firsts.

SHARE ALL YOUR EPIC FIRSTS NOW

Don't Turn Around: Unlock Chapters Before The Book Releases

YOU CAN HELP UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE CHAPTERS AND EXCERPTS BEFORE THE BOOK RELEASES

Click [here] and join the Alliance to help

 unlock chapter 3!!!

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Filled with action, suspense, and romance, this first book in a new trilogy offers readers nonstop thrills.

Releasing 8/28 from Harper Collins

ARC Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

TITLE: Tiger Lily                         AUTHOR: Jodi Lynn Anderson PUB: HarperCollins                     PUB DATE: 7/3/12 FORMAT: ARC, 304 pgs SOURCE: from pub for review

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.
Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up

WATCH THE TRAILER

THREE WORDS: Bittersweet, Eloquent, Breathtaking

MY REVIEW: Meeeep! This book has given me so many thinks and feels. I’m a tidal wave of thoughts and feelings, yet I’m reduced to nonsensical Meeping. Jodi Lynn Anderson’s Tiger Lily is SO good that it has rendered me speechless and reduced to simple Meeping…meepmeepmeep!

Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan and Wendy, the boy who didn’t want to grow up and the girl who almost made him change his mind. But what about Tiger Lily, the native girl with the crow feathers in her hair? This is her story. The story of how this brave girl, an outcast in her own community, fell in love with the mysterious and feared Peter. Tiger Lily doesn’t believe in happily ever afters or true love, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting these things with Peter, especially when her impending marriage to a horrible man looms near. But this love story isn’t a happy one and is interrupted by pirates, Englanders and Wendy Darling.

The story of Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, Wendy, Tiger Lily, Captain Hook, Tink and company is one many readers know well and there are many versions of this story, both written and on screen. And everyone is bound to have their favorite version (when I was little my favorite was the television musical starring Mary Martin!), but Jodi Lynn Anderson’s retelling (which could also be called a prequel) offers readers a completely new and refreshing take on this well-known story. And in this retelling, it is the character of Tiger Lily that takes center stage.

Tiger Lily is a beguiling tale full of adventure, romance, beauty and thought-provoking situations. Anderson has taken a well-known and much beloved story and, using her endless imagination and impressive use of words, has crafted a whole new chapter in the world of Neverland and has captivatingly depicted a character that has rarely had a chance to shine. And she has done this without marring the original essence of J.M. Barrie’s story. Tiger Lily’s story and character has been brought to life with the utmost thoughtfulness and exquisiteness that she deserves.

Told from Tinker Bell’s point of view, readers are given an honest and thrilling glimpse into the love story of Tiger Lily and Peter Pan from an outsider who truly loves both parties involved.  Perfectly and languidly (in the best possible way) paced, Tiger Lily flows effortlessly and offers both exciting scenes of peril and quiet moments of utterly breathtaking and heart-aching beauty. There is such a fantastical loveliness to Anderson’s writing. Even when the story is dark and breaks your heart, it does so with eloquence.

The Neverland Anderson depicts is lush and vivid, striking and startling, enchanting and forbidding. This world is filled with mythical creatures (fairies, mermaids, etc), but the true magic is found less in the fantastical and more in the characters explored. And Anderson’s characters are superb! I haven’t been this compelled and enthralled by a group of characters in a long time.

Tiger Lily isn’t often given a huge role in most Peter Pan adaptations and she is usually depicted as a spoiled Indian princess who is in love with Peter and jealous of Tink and the Wendy Bird. But Anderson has given Tiger Lily such well-crafted layers and dimension. She is a fascinating mix of fierceness and vulnerability, compassion and distance, courage and fear. This is a heroine that will enthrall, enrage and excite readers, possibly in the span of a single page!

And of course, Tiger Lily falls for the mischievous Peter Pan. Peter is a fun, impetuous, frustrating and witty character. Their innocent, yet intense journey of first love is simply stunning; so full of fire, magic, heartache and honesty. From the quiet moments they share under the stars to their adventures together against the pirates to their sweet, quick kisses, I was spellbound by this romance. And of course, we all know this love story cannot have a happy ending, not with one Wendy Darling around…I won’t go into details, but tears were shed and curses were uttered by me.

One of the most engaging characters in this book is the one who can’t even speak- Tink. Tinker Bell is often depicted as a jealous, mean little thing and she certainly can be, but in Tiger Lily she’s given such depth and complexities.

This book isn’t all about Tiger Lily and Peter’s romance though. Anderson offers some very thought-provoking exploration surrounding the white Englanders who come to Neverland and try to “civilize” the Natives.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: There’s so much more I could say about why I LOVE this book, but I won’t go on and on. Just know that Tiger Lily has wow’d, moved and enraptured me completely with its superbly crafted story, irresistible characters and bittersweet loveliness. An absolute MUST read! 

MY RATING

Find the author: Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Jodi Lynn Anderson is the New York Times bestselling author ofPeaches, The Secrets of Peaches, Love and Peaches, the popular May Bird trilogy, and Tiger Lily. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and an endless parade of stray pets.

ARC Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

TITLE: For Darkness Shows the Stars AUTHOR: Diana Peterfreund           PUB DATE: 6/12/12 PUB: Balzer+Bray                                  FORMAT: ARC, 403 pgs SOURCE: from pub for review

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

THREE FIVE WORDS: This Ain’t Yo’ Momma’s Austen

MY REVIEW: Diana Peterfreund’s For Darkness Shows the Stars was nothing like I expected it be, which is actually a good thing. My enjoyment of this story kind of slowly crept up on me and multiplied the more I read it, and it turned out to be quite the captivating read.

Generations after the Reduction (genetic experiment gone awry) all but destroyed humanity, three new classes of people have risen: the aristocratic Luddite, the simple-minded Reduced and the Post-Reductionsists, children of the Reduced who are born “normal”. Elliot North, a Luddite, must run her family’s farm since her mother passed and her greedy and irresponsible father and older sister have no knack for it. Elliot’s best friend and secret love, Kai (a Post), left the farm four years ago, but returns a new man. When Elliot is forced to rent part of their land to the rich Cloud Fleet, Kai returns as the renowned Captain Malakai Wentforth. This new Malakai has nothing but anger and resentment for Elliot and he harbors a dangerous secret. A secret that could change everything, but whether for the better or worse, Elliot doesn’t know.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but one needn’t read that in order to enjoy this YA dystopian. But those who have read the Austen book will recognize the similarities in the basic storyline (apart from the dystopian and sci-fi elements) and the familiar names. Peterfreund has made a bold move in retelling Austen’s famous story and adding her own mix of post-apocalyptic dystopian and sci-fi elements.

I’ll admit that, for a good portion of the first half of the book, I had my doubts about this book and just where the story was going. But something about the story gripped me tight enough to keep me reading. And I’m so glad I did because in the second half of the book Peterfreund’s breathtaking and striking story really plays out in unexpected and enthralling ways. This isn’t a fast-paced story and at times it does move too slowly, but for the most part it paces nicely. Peterfreund has crafted a very layered and complex story and has done so deftly, and her writing is quite lovely, capturing both an old world and modern essence.

The world-building is impressive, although in some places it is lacking. I wish there were more backstory or history about the Reduction threaded throughout the story, but the main focus really seems to be on Elliot’s immediate world and story. The southern farm setting is lush and vivid, although at times I found it difficult to blend the 19^th century plantation like elements with the more modern and even futuristic elements, even if this is a very original mix of elements.  And the mix of an Austen inspired romance, post-apocalyptic dystopia and plausible sci-elements is without a doubt refreshing and intriguing, but I did find this mix a bit jarring at first. But as the story picks up and finds its flow, this blend of elements begins to mesh really well.   

The world of Luddites, Reduced and Post-Reductionists is as fascinating as it is thought-provoking.  The technology-lite environment the Luddites have created and the extreme religious and political laws they’ve instated are understandable in the wake of the apocalypse their ancestors survived. Although I’ll admit that the Luddite’s self-righteous and intolerant outlook on science and technology is hard to relate to, even if I understand the purpose it plays in the story.

There’s an eclectic group of characters in this book. I have a very love/hate relationship with Elliot. I admire her compassion, determination and the way she loves, but her extreme selflessness is over the top and I didn’t like the way she let people walk all over her.  She does grow a great deal by the end of the story though and I really like the mental/emotional/spiritual place she’s at in the end. Kai as a young boy is endearing, but when he returns as Malakai he’s harsh, bitter and cruel. His anger, resentment and bitterness are understandable, but his cruelty and thoughtlessness make him hard to like. For the most part I did not find him swoon-worthy, but his character is redeemed by the end of the novel. Elliot’s father and sister are unbearable, but I think they’re supposed to be. I liked the various Posts and Reduced workers on the farm and the charming Innovations.

This is a stand-alone novel, although it could easily be turned into a series. I like how the book ends, with a resolved but open ended conclusion.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: A post-apocalyptic-scifi- Austen inspired romance is about as original as it comes and thankfully Diana Peterfreund has blended these genres beautifully and created an unforgettable story. This may not be a perfect novel, but it is a captivating and worthwhile read.

MY RATING

Find the author: Website / Goodreads / Twitter 

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Diana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she’s concerned, she’s just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives with her husband and their puppy in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock.