Blake Reviews The Forsaken

Author: Lisa M. Stasse
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: 10 July 2012
Format: ARC
Series: The Forsaken #1
Source: BEA
Pages: 375

As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.

The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway.

I love the synopsis when I fist discovered this book, and it didn't disappoint. I was captivated by the story from page one. Watching your parents get taken away at an early age? Brutal. Pretending they were traitors and horrible people? That's even worse. However, Alenna just accepts things how they are. She assumes she cannot change anything, so why try? She hovers in the background and is a dutiful, obedient citizen. That's why she's so confused when she is sent to The Wheel.

What the new "government" does to the people... it's terrible. It's like the population is one giant herd of cattle being controlled by a giant prod. You never get to meet The Powers That Be, but I'm thinking that will all come a little later. I don't particularly care who they are, only that the "Do unto others..." rule should apply. I feel very strongly that they should have done to them what they do to innocent people.

There are so many twists and turns in this book, so I was constantly kept on my toes. I never really knew who to trust or what to believe. There are so may different things going on, and so many of them are happening at the same time... I don't know how Alenna manages to handle it all. She's one tough cookie, that's for sure.

The people she encounters are so diverse, and so unlike the people she knew back home. I loved all of them. I want to know more about their individual back stories. Where they grew up, when they got sent to The Wheel, and what their lives were like before and after. A little light is shed on a few of them, but I definitely wanted more than I was given.

Again, the twists! Insaneness happens all the time. This is definitely a must read for everyone who comes across it. I couldn't put it down.

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Review: Burn for Burn

Author(s): Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Series: Burn for Burn #1
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Summary:  Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Why I Loved It:  At the risk of being cliche, revenge has never been so sweet.  I read this book pretty early into last semester.  Thursdays were library days, so I think I took it with me on a Thursday and wrapped it up by sixth period.  And I have at least one thing to say.  WHY WOULD YOU END THE BOOK LIKE THAT???

Ok.  Much better.  Now the ending just makes me desperately want to read Fire With Fire.  It's one of the major nerd girl problems: finishing a book in a day and having to wait a year for the sequel.  I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.  I can't say I had read a book like this lately.

Three girls- Mary, Lillia, and Kat -are determined that they are going to get even.  Each girl comes from a pretty different background, but their desire for payback brings them together on a mission.  Personally, I loved Kat.  Like REALLY liked Kat.  Her feisty attitude kept me reading.

I was a little worried at the beginning of the book because these books can veer off into predictable pretty quickly, but I found that Ms. Han and Ms. Vivian did a great job with keeping the book fresh and different.  The book keeps you on your toes as you read.  You can't help but anticipate the next act of revenge.  Another strength I found was the well-written minor characters.  They really pulled together the book.

I found it pretty interesting how the mild paranormal influence that peeks out here and there throughout the book just pretty much explodes on you in the end.  I will say this:  the authors made sure I had to read the next book.

My only mild concern was that the main characters could have used a little bit more development.  I wanted to understand them better.  Every so often, a character would do something, and I would wonder why in the world they would do that.  It just seemed so off the wall.  Either way, that may just be me.

In the end, the book was well-written and lured me into the pages.  I will definitely pick up the next book in the series when it is released.

Who Should Read It:  It's a great contemporary read.  If you were that kid in school that was always wanting someone to get their comeuppance, you might really enjoy this book.  I have a feeling that paranormal might be an even bigger influence in the next book.  That pulls in you paranormal peeps.