Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Summary: Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

A huge store isn’t the worst place to be stranded. There’s food and water, bedding and books. But what if it’s not safe to leave?

Six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids are trapped together in a chain superstore. Together they build a refuge for themselves inside, while outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapon spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

My Thoughts: Monument 14 is a book that surprised me. It’s one of those I took a chance on. I thought it sounded like a premise that had promise – and it exceeded my expectations. The description reminded me a bit of Trapped by Michael Northrop, but really the only similarity is the basic premise: a bunch of kids trapped in a large building – without any adults. Where Trapped was in a high school, with only teens present, Monument 14 is in a superstore, with a much wider rage of ages. While Trapped features a monstrous blizzard, Monument 14 features natural disasters and spilling of chemical weapons. Both books left me wanting more – in the case of Monument 14, a whole lot more. As in, my primary thought upon completion was: There had better be a sequel!

As such, I immediately set about some research. No mention of a series on Goodreads. Same with FictFact. Fortunately, I found the author’s website, where I learned that there definitely is another book coming (thank God!). From her site

Book One is called: “We Don’t Die”. Book Two is: “We Split Up”.

So, I gotta wonder. Why is the book I read called Monument 14? And why isn’t there any mention of “We Don’t Die” on it anywhere? Granted, there are still several months until it’s published and I had an ARC. So, I suppose, this very well could change. I think it should – to avoid confusion on the part of readers. (Although, I half expected the second book to be called Monument 5.) Confusion aside, I am quite pleased to know that another book is indeed coming. And, yes, knowing that does have an effect on my review. The ending is, well, nothing short of a cliffhanger, and if it was a stand-alone, I’d be pissed. But it’s not, so I love the book and eagerly look forward to the next one. (Please hurry!)

All of that rambling about whether it’s a series. Let’s talk about this book. It’s good. Very well-written, and the story is compelling. There’s a slight dystopian undertone, with suspense and apocalypse-like action. We get this from the first-person perspective of Dean, one of the boys kind of in the middle of the pack. He’s in high school, not all that popular, but seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I generally liked the view from his head – except for one peeping-Tom episode. Although, in Dean’s defense, it wasn’t intentional. He stumbled upon something.

Anyway …

The characters, from the youngest kids to the high school seniors, are an eclectic group with probably more differences than similarities. But they seem to understand from the get-go that they have to work together to survive. Well, for the most part. There is inevitable discord that comes from such situations – and it grows to all-out fighting in some instances. Understandably. We’re talking high stress!

Laybourne keeps the tension at just the right level, and still gives us hope. When things look their darkest, there is still hope. (That is another way Monument 14 is different from Trapped, which is much darker.) There are some surprising plot twists and turns that I never saw coming, too. As I stated above, the end left much to be desired – but that’s because it’s not over yet! I cannot wait to see what happens with these kids. Oh, and I’m wondering if we’ll still be stuck in Dean’s head at the store, or if we’ll have a way of knowing what’s going on from the group on the bus. Hopefully we get some of both.

Anyway, I would highly recommend Monument 14. And, again, I cannot wait for the next book.

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: Monument 14 is scheduled for release on June 5, 2012. You can pre-order your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for the Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012.

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Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield

Summary: Caitlyn, a telepath, lives in a world where all paranormal talents are illegal. She is on the run from government ParaTroopers. When Caitlyn falls for Alex, a Normal, and discovers dangerous renegade Paranormals, she must choose between staying in hiding to protect herself or taking a stand to save the world.

My Thoughts: I recently read, and enjoyed Cheryl Rainfield’s Scars. When I was offered Hunted for review, I thought it sounded interesting. I already knew I liked Cheryl’s writing, so I figured why not. I am so glad I did.

Hunted is amazing. I think it shows the author’s talent as a writer better than Scars did. Don’t get me wrong. Scars is very good and very well-written, but I think this is even more so. This had my attention from the get-go, and didn’t let go. (If it wasn’t for Christmas-related things, I would’ve read this in one day.) The action starts from the very first sentence, and it really doesn’t let up. The world is a scary place, and you get a good feel for how hard life can be for those with Talent.

Caitlyn is a wonderful main character. She’s strong, smart, and very likable. The one thing that maybe could be a flaw is that she’s too nice. Despite her better judgment, she’s too trusting. Too willing to let Normals in. But, she knows what’s right, and she sticks up for those without a voice.

Alex is an interesting love interest. He’s sweet, and almost too good to be true. But, it’s nice to have a decent guy for the heroine. Daniel, on the other hand, is scary. Kind of the polar opposite to Alex. (And, for the record, I did not see Daniel coming – read the book and you’ll understand what I’m saying!)

There were a couple of characters I felt needed more depth. Becca is one. She clearly has quite the story, and we don’t really see much of it at all. A teeny-tiny glimpse, but nothing that satisfies those who want to know why she’s such a bitch – especially to Caitlyn. Rachel is the other one. We get a little bit more information about her than we did about Becca, but I’d like to know more.

Overall, Hunted is a fantastic novel. The ending was satisfying, but left it open to possibly more from Caitlyn and/or her world. I sure hope we get more! I would highly recommend Hunted!

Source: Received e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Powell’s Books link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge and the 2nds Challenge (second book I read by Cheryl Rainfield).

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Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Summary: Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

My Thoughts: Dragonswood is an excellent fantasy story that is sure to captivate fantasy and YA fans alike. Tess is a strong protagonist, who has been through a lot but still has a good heart. There were brief moments during which I was slightly annoyed with her, but those were few and far between. There were some mostly happy surprising plot twists that kept me guessing, and some not-so-surprising that left me no less pleased. It’s a fun adventure that mixes fairies, dragons, and humans in a uniquely refreshing way.

As I mentioned above, Tess is a great main character. A nice, strong female lead. And when she’s thrown for a loop, she doesn’t lose her strength. She takes some time to gather her thoughts, assess her feelings, and move on. You gotta like a main character that can take some setbacks and see her world turned upside down and not fall apart. The most annoying habit of hers was her rushing to conclusions. There were times she was certain what Garth was doing/thinking, and that annoyed me. But, it’s not an absurd thing for her to do, given that she had a very violent upbringing. The good thing is she does learn to trust and that not all men are tyrants.

There were some plot twists that I could see coming well in advance, but the suspense and the subtle hints kept me excited about the events and pieces falling into place for Tess. I was excited when she goes to help Garth. I knew what was coming, and it was written in such a way that I didn’t feel let down. In fact, I found myself with a big, goofy grin. LOL

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey is a fantastic YA adventure that is sure to delight fans of fairies, dragons, and the fantasy genre. And it’s a stand-alone title, too. The conclusion is satisfying, and not every little detail is tied up in a little bow. There are some less-than-happy outcomes, but isn’t that just the way life tends to work anyway?

In short, I highly recommend Dragonswood and look forward to its release so I can obtain my own finished copy.

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: Dragonswood is scheduled for release on January 5, 2012. You can pre-order your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge and iChallenges 2011.

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