Review: Expense (The Spencer Nye Trilogy Book 2) ~4/5 Cupcakes~

TITLE: Expense SERIES: The Spencer Nye Trilogy #2 AUTHOR: Jason Letts PUB. DATE: 10/23/11 FORMAT: ebook SOURCE: a copy was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review

Expense

Spencer Nye thought she had done something to change the world for the better, but she quickly finds out that eliminating one problem often leads to others. The only difference now is that any solution requires the cooperation of everyone on the planet, and no amount of fame will help them all overcome their fear of another looming disaster. Even though Spencer knew that she needed to change the world, in Expense she’ll find out exactly what it cost.

**this review is a bit spoilery, especially in the Romance section**


THREE WORDS: Action-packed. Innovative. Shocking

MY REVIEW: I was very excited to get the chance to read and review Expense, the second volume in Jason Letts’ The Spencer Nye Trilogy, and it did not disappoint! With this book, Letts has continued to build a captivating dystopian story with inventive sci-fi elements, engaging characters, and a well-developed and layered world.

            BRIEF SUMMARY

This second book picks up a few months after Suspense and finds Spencer Nye trying to save the world. With the loss of the molecular synthesizers, the world must now figure out how to provide for itself, plus there’s the looming threat of an Orra invasion. Spencer, Patch, Cleary and the others are desperate to come up with a solution and end up organizing a gala at the once secluded Chateaux. But the group soon learns that the Orra are not the only threat they have to worry about. A new group calling themselves the Golden Horde, made of thieves and thugs, has risen. Spencer finds herself going great distances to seek answers as she becomes desperate to save the people she cares about.

            STORY

Expense is an action-packed, fast paced thrill ride. Once I began reading, I couldn’t put the book down, and when I finished I couldn’t believe just how quickly the time flew. This is one of those stories that pulls you in from page one and has you quickly turning pages, eager to find out what happens next. There’s a stellar mix of sci-fi, mystery, action, and romance.

The story moves fast and it has to. This quick pace reflects the urgency of the situation Spencer and the other characters have found themselves in, and it works well for the story being told. I didn’t find this fast pace to be overwhelming or distracting, and for the most part, the overall storyline flows nicely.

The world that has been created and laid out in this book, as well as the first, continues to impress me. The sci-fi elements are innovative and original; the dystopian world is startling and fascinating, and the emotional aspects are realistic and relatable. I really like the way that the world and story Letts has created feels both immense and quite intimate at the same time. Expense is very much about Spencer’s personal journey as she struggles with romantic feelings, her doubts and insecurities, and figuring out just who she wants to be, which is where the intimacy comes from. Yet, the global starvation problem, the looming threat of an Orra attack, and the new problems caused by the Golden Horde make the story feel big and significant. The mix of both intimacy and immensity creates a very dynamic, layered story.

It was interesting to see the aftermath of the events in the first book and to explore how much the world had changed because of Spencer’s actions. In this book, the once revered Idols have become less important and the world has become volatile and fragile. People no longer know what to believe in and this makes them uneasy, anxious, and hostile. There’s a great realism in the way the world in this book begins to fall apart and shift in reaction to the events in Suspense. A realism that I continue to find fascinating and intriguing.

There is one aspect of this story that I’m still not sure about. In Suspense, when Spencer is briefly transformed into a guy, she and her BFF Jetta (who is a cyborg) are intimate and Jetta becomes pregnant. Now, I’m about as open minded as they come, but I still find this situation a bit weird and a little off putting. I think my biggest issue with this situation is that I’m still not sure what its purpose is. It’s not clear whether or not this pregnancy or this baby will play a significant role in the overall storyline. If the sole purpose of this pregnancy is simply to show Spencer’s softer, compassionate side or to give her something to fight for then I think this could have been accomplished in other ways. There’s still one more book to go, so my opinion on this may change, but as of right now, I find this element a bit unnecessary.

Overall, Letts' writing is fresh and excellent. The ending of Expense leaves us with a breathtaking cliffhanger that has me desperately wanting more!

            CHARACTERS

Spencer continues to be a character that I genuinely like and want to root for. In this book, we really get to know her better and more intimately. She’s still feisty, brave, determined, and strong, but she’s also quite vulnerable and insecure in this book. I think she feels more like a realistic, relatable teenage girl in this book than she did in the first. There were times when I found myself completely frustrated by her though. Particularly, when we are introduced to her father. The glimpses we got of her former life and relationship with her father kind of make her seem like an ungrateful, spoiled brat. I must admit that I found it hard to separate who she used to be from the character she is in the present, making it a little difficult to connect with her in this book.

I find Patch’s character to be equally compelling and frustrating. I want to get to know more about Patch, especially after one of his secrets is revealed in this book. I found myself really liking Patch in the first book and most of this book until he went and acted like a stupid boy. Pfft! But I think it’s a good sign when a character gets under my skin so much; it means he’s well developed, intriguing, and worth reading about.

We get to know a few of the other characters a bit more (Cleary, Taka-chan, Cassandra), we get to meet a few new, interesting characters (Mr. Thorpe, Kiwi, Mr. Nye), and there are a few characters that I really hope to get to know more about in the last book (Aspen, Jetta, the Orra).

            **ROMANCE

There are a few romantic relationships that are explored or at least briefly touched upon in this book, and I can’t really discuss them without being a bit spoilery…

Spencer and Cleary…this romance kind of fizzles out before it can even ignite. Although I can’t say this surprised me. Spencer’s waning interest in Cleary was made clear in Suspense, but it was still sad to see Spencer break Cleary’s heart.

Spencer and Jetta…I’m still not sure where these two stand. They clearly love each other, but do they love each other as BFF’s or are they in love with each other? I have no idea and it’s not explained at all in this book.

Spencer and Patch…Grrr. This romance actually makes me growl in frustration! Spencer’s growing feelings for Patch are made clear (to readers) in the beginning of the book and Patch’s feelings for her seem so obvious. Even in the first book, it seemed like he was in love with her, and all throughout this book it seemed like something intense and powerful was building between these two until it all exploded in one passionate scene. But instead of a much needed cold shower, I was smacked in the face with a bucket of icy water. Without giving anything away, let’s just say I was not happy with the way this romance played out AT ALL. And I’ll admit that from a literary standpoint, the twist employed concerning this relationship did make for a shocking surprise. But from a fangirl’s standpoint and from a reader’s (who was silently rooting for this relationship since book one) standpoint, I feel a bit gipped and duped.

Now, even though I clearly have strong feelings concerning the romantic aspects of this book, I do want to note that the romance is not a dominating factor in this book or the series and therefore, my feelings on this subject have not ruined my overall enjoyment of this book and series.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Expense is an exciting, gripping read. This is an awesome second volume in what is turning out to be a phenomenal series. You should definitely take the time to read this book and series!

MY RATING

4/5 CUPCAKES

You can learn more about and connect with Jason Letts here:

Blog  Goodreads  Twitter  Facebook

You can purchase this book here:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  

REVIEW AND INTERVIEW: SUSPENSE BY JASON LETTS

Title: Suspense                Series: The Spencer Nye Trilogy (book 1) Author: Jason Letts       Pub. Date: Sept. 2011 Format: Kindle ebook    Source: from author for review

Suspense

Spencer Nye can’t control the rage bubbling under her skin over the world around her. The trouble is, by the year 2102, the world has solved most of its great problems. Without hunger, war, greed, or even money, people obsess over the glamour of the Culture Industry and its mega-celebrity Idols, who vie for followers over the social networks of Connect. But Spencer discovers there is plenty to fix within the Idols’ competition for more popularity. She becomes a diehard and promises to do anything to help her Idol, a dreamy movie star named Cleary Mintz, bring his vision of hope and purpose to the world. When she stumbles onto a threat against his life, she’ll have to fight harder than she ever thought possible or lose the man who means more to her than any other.

First, let me just say that I haven’t read a great deal of dystopian YA lit, but after reading Suspense I’m hooked on the genre. In Suspense, author Jason Letts has taken the idea of a dystopian future, and by adding his own brand of humor, action, twists and turns, he’s created one of the most original stories I’ve ever read. This book is truly a page turner…seriously, I read it in one sitting and every time I told myself “Just one more chapter”, I’d get to the end of that chapter and something exciting would happen and I’d have to keep reading to find out what happened next…and this kept happening until I finished the book and realized it was about 5am and I stayed up all night just to read it.

In the year 2102, the world’s problems- greed, violence, war, poverty, hunger- have seemed to vanish. Machines called molecular synthesizers are capable of creating absolutely anything and have eradicated the world’s need for money. People simply trade or give things away. Terminals allow people to be transported anywhere in the matter of minutes. And the whole world is connected with Connect, which takes Facebook and Twitter to a WHOLE new level. Without governments and politics, it is the Idols-there’s six of them- that divide the world’s population. People follow and support their Idol, and some choose to be diehards- ultimate fans willing to do anything to support and protect their chosen Idol. Spencer Nye is one of those diehards. Along with her BFF’s Jetta and Patch, Spencer is a Cleary Mintz (a handsome actor) diehard. When they uncover a deadly plot against Cleary, the trio must go to extreme measures to protect him, and in doing so they uncover secrets bigger than they ever imagined.

What really captivated me about this book is that even when things seemed outlandish or farfetched, there was a voice in the back of mind that said “OMG, this could actually really happen someday!”. There are elements in this book,-truths about our culture, our humanity, our plausible future- that are so startlingly, yet so very honest, and this book is as much about who we (the collective we) are now as it is about who we may become.

But don’t let this underlying heaviness-that I happen to appreciate and think makes the book that more refreshing and captivating- deter you from this book, because at its core it’s a fast paced, action packed, intriguing, and entertaining book. And it is very well written. The characters- the trio of Spencer; Jetta; Patch, the Idols, and the antagonists- are all well developed and dimensional. The characters are easy to connect with, Spencer especially, which is important because the story is told from her perspective. With Spencer, Letts has created a strong, capable heroine who has her flaws and insecurities. I found her quite relatable.

The action- there’s a lot of it- is fast and heart stopping and often left me breathless and on the edge of my seat. But the action was never too overwhelming and I never found myself lost among the punches, shots, whirrings, or shouts. And the storyline itself surprised me…it literally surprised me. I’m usually pretty good at predicting outcomes or where a story’s going, but Letts’ twists and turns led me to something I never expected…which I found pretty cool.

I must admit that the romantic aspects of this book kind of confused and overwhelmed me though. There isn’t a love triangle as much as there’s a love square or maybe even a love hexagon. At times the romantic aspects left me wondering so much that they pulled my attention away from the rest of the story. There were some romantic feelings that seemed to come out of nowhere and some that I’m still not sure I understand. However, this is only the first book in a series, so these questions and confusions may very well be explained and clarified in future books.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s edgy, smart, and gripping. I’m impressed by its originality, execution, and thought provoking aspects. I look forward to reading future books in the series and reading more of Jason Letts’ work.

My Rating

4 out of 5 Cupcakes

You can learn more about and connect with 

Website /  Goodreads  / Twitter  / Facebook

You can purchase this book here:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble  / Smashwords

                                         

Jason (that's him on the left) was kind enough to answer a few of my questions so that we all could get to know him and his book a little better.

1.  If you were to describe Suspense in a tweet, using only 140 characters, how would you describe it?

Suspense is the story of warring celebrities. The trilogy is like throwing fame, love, money, war, and tech in a jar and shaking it up.

2. Where did the inspiration or idea for Suspense come from?

So many popular dystopian stories focus on an oppressive regime that keeps its thumb on people and practically begs them to rebel, but I wanted to know what would happen in a society where people were able to do absolutely anything they wanted all the time. What would people focus on, and what would be important to them? Spencer essentially chooses everything about the world she lives in and the life she leads, and I like to think that helps bring out her character.

3. Who would your cultural Idol be? Who would you be willing to be a diehard for…and if you say Robert Pattinson, Justin Beiber, or Miley Cyrus I may have to boot you off my blog ;)

There are plenty of passing celebrities who have caught my admiration, from Alison Brie to Edward Norton, but who is doing something so important that I would be willing to die for them? Maybe Bono, fighting hunger and AIDS in Africa. Or even someone like Paul Newman (I always buy Newman's Own spaghetti sauce). The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation is doing amazing things for a variety of causes. So there are lots of people putting celebrity power to good use.

4. Imagine you’re inside one of the terminals in Suspense and you’ve just entered the code that will take you to the one place you’ve always wanted to go (real or fiction) or your most favorite place in the world and the doors open up…where are you?

I am a big traveler, having spent 2 years living in Japan and made trips to Thailand and Europe as well as around the U.S, so the prospect of doing more traveling is very appealing. I'm dying to go to Hawaii next. I used to have a big poster on my wall of Hawaii when I was a kid, and it's really somewhere I've always dreamed of going. Beaches, jungle, exotic plants and animals. I would love nothing more than walking through a door and transporting there.

5. If you could sit down with one author (alive or dead) and ask them anything, who would it be and what would you ask them?

This is a tough question because there are so many amazing authors and there's always the urge to ask big questions about the nature of human existence and all that, but I might ask something very specific. I would ask Suzanne Collins why they couldn't have had the truth come out at Katniss's trial.

6. Out of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite or one that you are most proud of? Do you have a favorite character that you’ve created.

I've worked very hard to develop as a writer, and so I do feel likeSuspense is my best work so far, but that doesn't mean I don't love my old characters. There was a small, fiesty girl named Aoi in the Powerless series who had a very interesting evolution. She really grew into something special. In Suspense, other than Spence, I really do feel for Jetta, who has a very complex relationship with her body. She's a very loyal friend though, even when things get weird.

7. Flipping through the books that I own, I often find notes or thoughts that I’ve written in the margins while reading. Are you a margin writer/note taker/thought put-er downer when you read?

I do take notes, though usually not in the book. Some lines are too good and must be written down, and then there are thoughts that just come pouring out after reading a book that left me wowed.

     8. What are you working on now? What kinds of books or  

     stories can we expect from you in the future? 

     At the moment I'm finishing up the second book of the Spencer Nye Trilogy, Expense. After   

   that? Who knows?  We'll have to see what comes to mind, whether it be more fantasy or   

   paranormal or contemporary. I'll have to keep my mind tuned to what readers are looking for 

   as best I can.

    I'd like to close by sending a big THANK YOU to Aeicha for all of her time and effort. I 

   sincerely appreciate it! 

   Hopefully you never run out of great books to read.

You are most welcome Jason and I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to you for taking the time to answer my questions and for allowing me to share your great book with the blogosphere!