Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Pages: 382
Intended Audience: Mature teens
Genre: Science-Fiction / Dystopian
Notes for Parents: Contains violence, brutality, coarse and vulgar language, and mature content not suitable for young or sensitive readers.

The Back Cover

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”
“I live for you,” I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”
His wife taken. His people enslaved. Driven by a longing for justice and the memory of lost love, Darrow will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies…even if he must become one of them to do so.
For the first time, Red will rise.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Darrow is a member of the lowest caste. He does back-breaking work in a mine with the belief that he and his fellow Reds are making the surface of Mars livable in the future. But he discovers this is a lie. With this knowledge, Darrow will stop at nothing to bring down the ruling classes, even if it means becoming one of them. This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

This is an intense story of power, oppression, and survival. In what equates to a brutally violent, year-long game of capture-the-flag, Darrow deceives the masses and trains to be a ruling Gold, when he is in fact just a lowly Red. The world-building is strong, thick with descriptors and unique terminology that immerses the reader completely into the heartless world of Mars. The characters are well-drawn, and the writing is sophisticated and emotive, creating a tone that’s dark and gritty, filled with plenty of tension and drama.
Best Part: The handy map at the beginning.

What isn’t good?

The plot is steady but slow, making it melodramatic at times and fairly predictable. The action comes in small bursts surrounded by long narratives with tension and drama. I found the vocabulary takes some getting used to because there are loads of terms to decipher and remember (i.e. godTree, frysuit, Helldiver, Tinpots, jamField, scanCrew, holoCan, ionBlade, clawDrill, pulseFit, etc.); There are logistical flaws in Darrow’s transformation, but I found them easy to overlook. Inconsistencies with Darrow’s personality, however, were harder to ignore. As a Red, he was content, humble, and hardworking, but as a Gold he was power hungry, arrogant, and dictatorial, with almost no transition period.
Worst part: Darrow would suddenly know something was a trap, or know so-and-so was the son of so-and-so, or know that someone realized the truth…how? There were several instances of Darrow knowing something without the reader being told what clued him in.

Recommendation þþþoo

This book has two things in abundance – ambition and blood. Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Divergent are justified, but the tone of this novel is more political and strategic, like a bloodier, more tyrannical Lord of the Flies. The writing is stellar, complementing a mature style with a harsh narrative voice. However, this book was not for me. This book is best suited for readers who appreciate the violence, the abuses (of power and people), and the crude dialogue used in the telling of this raw survival story.

Brown, Pierce. Red Rising. New York: Del Ray, 2013.

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Pages: 340
Intended Audience: Teens & Mature Tweens
Genre: Modern day science fiction
Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language.

The Back Cover

Listen—I was alive once, and then I wasn’t. Now I’m alive again. Simple as that.
The in-between part is still a little fuzzy, but I can tell you that at some point or another, my head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado.
Five years later it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and here I am. Despite all logic, I’m still sixteen and everything and everyone around me has changed. That includes my bedroom, my parents, my best friend, and my girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not my girlfriend anymore. That’s a bit fuzzy too.
I guess if the new me and the old me are ever going to find a way to exist together, then there are going to be a few more scars.
Oh well. You only live twice.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is only the author’s second novel.

What’s good?

For Travis, it’s like he was fighting cancer just yesterday. But for his family and friends, it’s been five painful years of grieving, and learning to live without him. The premise is inventive and appropriate in these times of medical miracles. The writing is excellent, with a strong first-person conversational style. There’s plenty of humor, witty dialogue, and stinging sarcasm. The characters are well-drawn, the plot moves along easily, and the story is emotional.
Best Part: Hatton.

What isn’t good?

The story is thin. While the pace is even, it moves slowly because there’s really no action to speak of. Travis’ obsessive behavior overpowers what could have been an exciting story about a boy who returns from the dead and has to cope with many changes. It could have been a story about identity, self-awareness, body-image, and even loss and acceptance. Instead, there were just general reflections on life, love, death, etc. Regarding the science behind his medical miracle, a lot of suspension of disbelief is required.
Worst part: The mention of David Letterman completely threw me off.

Recommendation þþþoo

I was underwhelmed. Travis was weak and dying before he woke up five years later in a strong and healthy body. That fact barely received a mention. Still, this book wasn’t bad, which makes me think it could have been brilliant if the author had explored a little more life and a little less love. I found the story interesting enough to recommend, but know it could have been so much better.

Whaley, John Corey. Noggin. New York: Atheneum, 2014.

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Pages: 286
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Romance / Social Issues
Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language and some mature scenes.

The Inside Cover

Audrey loves her family, even if they are a bit off-the-wall. When Audrey develops an anxiety disorder as a result of an unpleasant incident, her family is there to help. Audrey now wears dark glasses whenever she feels the need to protect herself, but she’s also making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah.
Then Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, and she is energized. She can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Best known for her Shopaholic series, this is author Sophie Kinsella’s first young adult novel.

 What’s good?

Dark, yet surprisingly light-hearted, this is an endearing story of a girl coping with an anxiety disorder. Despite the heavy issue of mental illness, the story is high-spirited and funny, and focusses on Audrey’s recovery rather than exploring the reasons behind her disorder. The pace is even and the plot is well-balanced with romance, offbeat family dynamics (which is occasionally over the top, but always entertaining), and a healthy dose of psychiatric care. Written in short chapters with intermittent scripts, the style makes it a fast and easy read.
Best Part: Felix!! “I will fight the chicken pops with my sword.” (pg. 53)

What isn’t good?

The cause and details of Audrey’s mental illness are kept vague which makes the story feel shallow (lacking depth). Her symptoms and reactions to certain situations seem inconsistent without a full understanding of her illness. All the characters are likeable and relatable, but Linus seems a bit too perfect sometimes, and Audrey’s mom’s neuroses are a bit over the top (but still funny!).
Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation þþþþo

If you don’t take the subject matter too seriously, this is a very entertaining story. The love story is sweet without being too sappy and never makes the claim that love cures all. Instead, the story suggests that patience and support from the people you love can help you through even the toughest situations. Definitely recommended.

Kinsella, Sophie. Finding Audrey. [Toronto]: Doubleday Canada, 2015.

Every Day by David Levithan

Pages: 324
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Romance, supernatural
Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language and mature scenes that may not be appropriate for sensitive readers.

The Back Cover

I wake up.
Immediately, I have to figure out who I am. It’s not just the body—opening my eyes and discovering whether the skin on my arm is light or dark, whether my hair is long or short, whether I’m fat or thin, boy or girl, scarred or smooth. The body is the easiest thing to adjust to, if you’re used to waking up in a new one each morning. It’s the life, the context of the body, that can be hard to grasp.
Every day I am someone else. I am myself—I know I am myself—but I am also someone else.
It has always been like this.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

A companion novel telling Rhiannon’s side of the story called Another Day was released in August 2015. The author says there is a planned sequel to every day.

What’s good?

The clever premise and first-person narrative make this an engaging story about a genderless entity (called “A”) that inhabits the body of a different person every day. The plot weaves carefully around A as he lives the lives of teens who are dealing with various issues—gay, obese, depressed & suicidal, transgendered, grieving, etc.. Meanwhile A can’t take his mind off a girl.
The writing is strong and the story is well-crafted, exploring some of the moral and ethical dilemmas of taking over someone else’s life. It’s easy to sympathize with A as he breaks out of his routine of simply getting through each day (each person) in an attempt to build a relationship with someone.
Best Part: The six additional chapters at the back that explored A’s life before Rhiannon.

What isn’t good?

It started slow, and some parts are definitely more interesting than others. While the tension keeps it interesting, there’s no real action. I suppose romance was supposed to be front and center, but I didn’t buy the love story. Rhiannon didn’t seem all that special, so it was difficult to believe that A would deviate from his 16-year routine and recklessly use his host bodies just to be with her.
Worst part: I had to employ a lot of “suspension of disbelief” to contend with the inconsistencies in the logic/science.

Recommendation þþþoo

I’m overwhelmed by the feeling that this was a missed opportunity to explore what it means to be a girl or a boy of a certain ethnicity, religion, or class. The main character didn’t seem genderless to me. We first meet him as a boy who falls in love with a girl who likes boys, so he was always male in my mind. This story could have been so much more than just a romance. Regardless, I liked the book and enjoyed the stories of the individuals A possessed. For that reason, I recommend it.

Levithan, David. Every Day. New York: Ember, 2012.