The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

There's been a LOT of buzz about this one (the phrase "the next Hunger Games" has been tossed around, and for good reason), so by rights I should have posted this weeks ago. Ah well.  

This was an intense read, and since so much of the tension relies on knowing as little as the characters, I'll try not to give anything away. Cassie is a fierce and believable heroine- I've seen some critiques of her character, but honestly I think given how quickly and brutally she was forced to grow up, I think it makes sense. The alien invasion aspects are pretty damn scary, as is much of the human response to it. I didn't love the romance, but what are you going to do? For the most part, this is a gripping thriller that may help ease the pangs of waiting for Catching Fire and the new season of The Walking Dead.

Read More

Shades of Earth

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Plot summary omitted for fear of series spoilers!!

Speaking of stunning series conclusions...

I raved about the first book, Across the Universe, here and included it in my list of favorite books I read in 2012. I haven't formally reviewed the second book, A Million Suns, but I loved that one as well. I can't talk about either without giving things away, which is making me crazy because there are so many plot points I want to mention, and several works I'd love to draw parallels to.


Which is not to say that Revis doesn't have a unique and fresh voice, because she certainly does. In all of the books I was impressed by her ability to construct such rich settings and complex characters, not to mention the carefully crafted tensions, moral quandaries and, best of all, mysteries! She is a master of suspense, with a perfect balance in revealing just enough information to keep her readers satisfied, while adding more layers and twists. 

There's just so much to love in this series. The ship was fascinating, and there's more of it to see in each book. The mission, sending cryogenically preserved people across space on a generation ship is not new, but it's just so interesting and there is so much to work with in this premise. Best of all, there is a FANTASTIC protagonist. I love Amy so much, especially after this third book. She definitely outshines her male counterparts, although for the most part they are likable and complex as well. She shows plenty of growth throughout the series but all along she is a strong, resourceful and compassionate person who rises to several impossible occasions. Other YA authors should read this and take notes.

I can't recommend these page-turners enough. Go forth and read!

Read More

Graphic Novels for Kids (?)

One of my very favorite parts of my job as a children's librarian is working on developing the graphic novel collection. What makes this especially fun is that there are so many fantastic authors/artists making incredible books that I think kids can access and relate, but are also thought-provoking and enjoyable for older readers. Here are some of my favorites:

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

Zita’s life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of  an eye.

When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don’t even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita’s quest.

Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads


There is not a single thing not to love here. The characters, art, and dialogue are all fantastic and smooth and fun, as well as being smart, full of humor and surprisingly deep. Read this book and just try not to fall in love with Zita.

Robot dreams by Sara Varon


This moving, charming graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows us in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are. After a Labor Day jaunt to the beach leaves the robot rusted, immobilized in the sand, the dog must return alone to the life they shared. But the memory of their friendship lingers, and as the seasons pass, the dog tries to fill the emotional void left by the loss of his closest friend, making and losing a series of friends, from a melting snowman to epicurean anteaters.  But for the robot, lying rusting on the beach, the only relief from loneliness is in dreams. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

If this book doesn't make you bawl, you might be more robotic than the protagonist. Just sayin'. I am amazed by how honest and sad and cathartic and optimistic this book is in terms of relationships.

For something lighter but also about the nature of friendships, check out Bake Sale by the same author.

Copper by Kazu Kibuishi 


Copper is curious, Fred is fearful. And together boy and dog are off on a series of adventures through marvelous worlds, powered by Copper's limitless enthusiasm and imagination.

Each Copper and Fred story in this graphic novel collection is a complete vignette, filled with richly detailed settings and told with a wry sense of humor. These two enormously likable characters build ships and planes to travel to surprising destinations and have a knack for getting into all sorts of odd situations. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads


These characters are so sweet, fun, realistic and funny together that I'd put them right up there with the immortal Calvin and Hobbes. Here's a quick example.

I love everything Kibuishi has done so far. His work is smart, honest, full of wonder, and has that fantastic, rare knack of not talking down to young readers. Like Zita the Spacegirl, the art here has a really great quality, that, not being an art person, I am woefully unequipped to describe. It's.... smooth? Nice? Round? Good colors? Pictures be pretty? I'll stop now.

 I'd also recommend his Flight anthology (for YA/Adult readers), and the younger version, Flight Explorer.

Read More

Across the Universe

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

I wasn't very interested in this book for a long time (I don't read much sci-fi, and was getting a little tired of teen romance), but given the great cover and so many positive reviews, I figured I would give it a shot.

I'm glad I did because these books grabbed hold and wouldn't let go. I was very nearly as hooked on this book (and even more so its sequel, A Million Suns) as I was on the Hunger Games. The opening scene is chilling (har, unintentional pun!), the setting is claustrophobically believable, and you will be on the edge of your seat waiting for the next clues in solving the mysteries of the murders, and the ship itself. Even if you don't normally go for stories set in space, give this one a chance if you're looking for some excitement.

 Here is a peek at the sequel (available now at your local library). The third and final book will be published in 2013 and I cannot wait!

Read More