Book Review: Partials

Partials (Partials Sequence #1) by Dan Wells 

For fans of The Hunger Games, Battlestar Galactica, and Blade Runner comes the first book in the Partials Sequence, a fast-paced, action-packed, and riveting sci-fi teen series, by acclaimed author Dan Wells.

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.

Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 468 pages

Published February 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray 

Review

How does a species survive?
When everything is in the world is meant to eliminates for what you are . . . Kira Walker doesn't have much to call her world perfect, she watches and studies babies that dies hours after its birth from the RM virus . . . a virus that is responsible to wiping the human species to near extinct.

The war between the humans and the Partials is halted but why when the Partials have the advantage, but what if there's a reason?

Kira wants to starts saving her species and stop unnamed newborns becoming a statistics over and over again ,. . . her plan? Find a Partial and Study it hoping to find the answer.

Partials present an futuristic science-fiction scenario where human species is near extinct and Partials are the enemy or so history says.

I'm giving this a Four Cat's Tail Ups, because while I like the futuristic component as well the two species that are struggling to survive there were parts that made the story drone out of my interest rather than keep me interested. 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

So this is my second time reading Partials, I read Partials back in 2012 and while I had enjoy it back then I wasn't as an active reviewer back then so after getting Fragments and Ruins. I had set my goal of reading series books for the year of 2014.

The time is set in 2076, human population is nearly extinct . . . the RM virus was engineered by the Partials to kill . Young Kira Walker is just your ordinary strong-willed medic, she as well everyone else wishes there was a way to fight the RM virus and save the future of the human species.

My first impression of this world is that it would be quiet scary to have that happen, a virus that kills humans and we became a dying species. I like that Kira was someone who decided that she couldn't let this virus continue to kill newborns since they are the one that dies from the virus. What drove Kira to do something is when one of her friends becomes pregnant, she wasn't going to let her friend's baby become another statistic. 

The plan her plan . . . Find a Partial and Study it. Simple right? nope you got the Voices to worry about, as well the rest of the city that is in ruins. Kira's mission place herself in danger but also reaching her primary goal in finding a Partial. 

Meet Samm the Partials, quiet as well the enemy . . . Kira has 5 days to study him learning about his Anatomy and Physiology and what she found out was an amazing new discovery and a possibility that RM can be cure.  
But Samm also reveals something to Kira, that much to my amazement was not surprising, but there has to be pros and cons about the two very different species. 

What I know is that the partials has a plan, some sort of plan but where and what will be the big question.

There would be no peace among the humans while there's a partial in their area, but that won't stop Kira from getting what she wants. During the time she studied Samm I saw that she was growing towards him, like there was some sort of connection between them but neither her or Samm could figure it out until Kira is in Samm's situation. 

Does the Partials carry the key to saving newborn babies, is Kira Walker a part of that revolution that the people need?

The Cat's Meow: Shine Series

 

This is my second series read of 2014! Sadly I'm getting so drawn into the new releasing books and I've gotten a couple ARCs.

Jeri's Shade series have been sitting in my TBR pile since early 2012, I can't recall how I came across hearing about her books or if someone recommended the books to me. I know I wasn't on twitter(at least I think) But I had gotten a chance to meet her . . . Way back in May 2013, I can't believe a whole year has gone by!

Jeri became my second official Author that I have met, I've met Andrea Cremer multiple times but it was nice to finally get to meet someone new.

SO onto about her Shade series, Shade was focused around where people that were born after the "SHIFT" could see and talk to ghost, and then there were others that was born before the "SHIFT" and were called Pre-Shift, not always able to communicate with the ghosts or see them.

Aura was one of those that could see and talk to ghosts, most time she chose to ignore it until they start screaming at her in the face and while she is trying to live as much of a normal life as she can, but Aura wanted so badly to not speak or see ghosts until . . . her boyfriend dies. Then it seems that she didn't lose him entirely but it was getting harder to face what was real and what wasn't real.

Aura's boyfriend Logan was the most cliche boyfriend I have ever read, the musician boyfriend . .. The pressure of becoming famous. Then it became hard for Aura to let go of Logan and facing the reality of real life and Zachary.

Did I mention that this is taken in Baltimore? No . . . Maybe? Well here are some photos I have from my trip to Baltimore.

Some of my Favorite scenes and passages,

SHADE

I love the day Zach and Aura spent together at the pier, it took me right back to my trip I had in Summer 2013 and I even did a tour of historical ships, the only one I miss was the lighthouse but we started getting some bad weather. I even love the part where they run and hide from the DWP and they share their first kiss only to get caught by Zach's dad.

SHIFT

Running from the DWP in the woods all by themselves, those scenes were sweet but also adventurous the very first time they ever spent alone for one night.

I love and hate the prom passage, first it was the most sweetest thing and then it became the most worst thing. First Aura couldn't decide if she could go to prom with Zachary when she still had envision going with Logan until he die. Of course Zach is heart broken, feeling that he's competing against a dead guy. Then aura wants to go to prom with Zach but is rejected and Zachary prom date was the girl Aura always had been bullied by and Zach's date had other plans and thought it would be nice to try and rubbed it in her face via phone dialing.

SHINE

Everything of their alone time in a castle bed & breakfast, and touring Ireland was my highlight of the book. I love when characters are sent to other places in the world and that makes it more intriguing to make me travel to those places like Ireland.

I love when Aura finally learns about her father since he was a missing piece of her and a missing piece to her mother. It gave Aura a peace of mind knowing who he is and what he was, realizing that he was the key to what made the SHIFT happens.

Overall thought on the series?

I like it because it was different, it didn't fall under the norm of what YA been bringing and I hope that more author might be interested in writing more YA ghost/paranormal/Spirits aspect. I think there could be more expansion of where ghosts and spirits can become YA or even NA. Can you imagine reading Aura and Zach in an NA genre? Would the theme and pace be different or would it ruin the whole innocence of the characters? 

Book Review: Shine

Shine (Shine #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.

As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.

Paperback, 399 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Simon Pulse 

Book Review

Aura has everything to look forward to when it comes to life, her ex-boyfriend/shade/ghost Logan has finally moved on and she can start enjoying life. After months of anticipation Aura finally gets to see Logan once again, but something is wrong . . . something was not right.

Flight 346 the plane Zachary was supposedly boarded has crash, no survivors . . . but when Aura finds out that Zachary was not on the plane she starts to worry. If he wasn't on the plane then where was he?

The DMP are up to something and it all has to do with Eowyn's research and Aura's mother.

Only Zachary and Aura can figure out the clues about the SHIFT, why are they the key to SHIFT?

Shine will take you on a hunt to find the answers, but how far will the truth about the SHIFT will go?

This book ended with the right farewell, and I was satisfied as a reader of how it ended along with how the final journey took place. I give this 4.5 Cat's Tails UP.


MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

I'm going to give it my best on my thoughts since I read this book awhile ago, I really did enjoy Shine the way Jeri wrote the final journey of Aura and Zachary.

Their relationship is put to the test when it all started with the beginning of the first couple of pages, where just for a moment that there was a near "THE END OF ZACH" but I thought about it and realizes and told myself that he couldn't die right away, it just not possible.

I love when writers writes their characters to travel to amazing places, as many of you realizes that Zach was the sexy with Scottish accent and he also is the best boyfriend Aura could ever have by gifting her plane ticket to Ireland for her and his birthday.

Aura and Zach grew very close to one another while on their birthday hideaway, but they also have a goal of figuring out Aura's mom journal and learning about the extent of how the Shade/Shift started. Aura also learns a little more about who her mom was and whose her dad is.

This book really push Aura and Zach to their breaking point but they were stronger because they love each other and love is something you can't beat or break. 

Book Review: Insurgent

Insurgent (Divergent #2) By Veronica Roth 

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Hardcover, 525 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books 

Book Review

The system was failing, Erudite wants to take control of all the factions and eliminate every single Divergent, they also want to study the Divergent . . . Why can they be more than one thing?

How can they know when they're under a stimulation? Tris an Dauntless transfer is now on the run along with others including Tobias/Four, they don't have a plan . . . the only thing they know was that they are going to soon be at WAR

Tris and Four must take a few days of rest at Amity but in order to stay in Amity, they must follow their rules for the time being . . . when Erudite and Dauntless begins charging into Amity they make a run to the train once again but the train is no long Dauntless . . . . it belong to the factionless who's leader has a major plan that might be worth-while doing.

Insurgent contains so much actions, decisions, questionings of who you are and Tris having her own battle with herself and towards others that loves her. Is Tris trying to be the martyr or is she selfishly thinking?

I give this 4.5 Cat's Tail up, I love the actions that occurred in book two and the change in dynamics however I wish Tris was more how she was in book one rather than lose all the confidence she had which made her so strong.

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

Book two was definitely better than the first book and I can only hope that the movie will do even more of an awesome job. Tris and Four along with Tris brother Caleb, Four's father Marcus and Peter hops on the train to escape the erudite and the dauntless that are not under Jeannie's control. Now the small group made their way to Amity where the train ends, Amity are aware that something has occurred . . . that erudite and dauntless were a part of something big.

Tris becomes a indecisive person, a lt of it was from all the shock she went through with losing both of her parents and killing a friend. She never wants to pick up another gun again, she learns that her father was Erudite born and was friend with Jeannie but even that won't change Tris views on Jeannie.

Bigger secrets comes out especially surrounding Four, while Four is her rock at the moment he also can't support Tris's actions. He thinks they are reckless and that she isn't thinking like a dauntless and not thinking about what your next step of action is just might kill Tris.

While Jeannie isn't giving up on exterminate the Divergents, she is also trying new simulations to understand the Divergents.  Tris offered herself to be a test subject much less to Four's objection knowing the end Jeannie would want Tris dead than alive.

There were some twists that I like but I'm also over the whole changing teams all the time concept, it gives me whiplashes. I've read so many books with strong female characteristic and Tris kind of lacks from time to time in book two. She kind of lost all sense of who she is and who she's become since entering dauntless, and to me that lacking a sense of confidence.  

I'm going to hold off reading Allegaint, because for one the movie isn't due out until 2015/2016 that's two years from now and while I've heard negative and disappointing responses on how Veronica ended the book. But that isn't going to stop me from reading it myself when the time comes. 

Book Review: Shift

 Shift (Shade #2) By Jeri Smith-Ready

In the second book of the Shade trilogy from Jeri Smith-Ready, Aura is torn between the two boys who hold her heart and determined to unravel the secrets of the Shift.

Aura's life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one at her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past; the mystery of the Shift. She not the only one seeking answers, though, and danger grows as she discovers new truths. Who can Aura trust with her secrets? And to whom will she give her heart?

Paperback, 400 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Simon Pulse (first published April 28th 2011)

Review

The sequel to the Shade series was filled with unexpected possibilities, after Logan went all Shade he's gone for months until one night he finally return but not in the way Aura would thought. Things starts to unravel when Aura and Zach's project continues to grow, but there are secrets that even Aura doesn't know that may impact her life.

The more digging Aura does, the more DMP becomes even more so curious about who she is and what's she is. Ewoyn contains the hidden secrets and soon she has to trust Aura and Zach to protect the secrets that could mean everything to Aura.

Aura still struggles with giving her all for Zach when Logan still lurks but just how far is Aura willing to go to either be with Zach or can she finally let go of Logan?

I give squel to Shade an 5 Cat's Tails Up, I love every moments that were between Zack and Aura but as well the secrets that lies in Aura's mom journal are soon to be reveal. 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

Wow I knew that shade wasn't going to be the end of Logan but what I didn't expect was him to be fully solid on the night he shows up after so many months, Aura took those precious moments. But then Logan turns back into a ghost, no explanation to why he was able to become solid and how is it possible that a ghost that went Shade can turn back into a ghost.

Zach and Aura are hitting it off, but Zach is still somewhat jealous that Aura is still holding on to Logan and when Zach asks Aura to prom somehow that whole idea got screwed up either because Zach was mad that Aura couldn't move on from Logan or because Logan couldn't move on.

Their project was still going on learning but then suddenly Ewoyn has to take off once she gave Aura's parts of her mom's journals . . . the missing pages. To Aura that is the key to finding out who her father was and who her mom was as well since she died when she was very young.

DMP takes Aura and Zach into custody for unknown reasons but luckily Zach and Aura breaks free and  run into the unknown woods. Now I like scenes where character runs into the woods, I'm not sure why but it always intrigue me when they're on the run from something and the woods take reality away.

Now Aura and Zach go to prom, oh how I remember my proms days however when Zach goes to Prom with Becca she has her own wicked games the oops-I-hit-the-dial button by mistake. Aura is torn to feeling hurt and embarrassed. It was awkward for a while but Zach made it to a point to Aura that he wants her and only her.

The ending was my second favorite thing, Zach purchase plane tickets + room at a castle = for a couple days in Ireland. Zach couldn't be anymore perfect :-)

Book Review: The Goddess Inheritance

The Goddess Inheritance (The Goddess Test #3) By Aimee Carter

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.
 

Paperback, 303 pages

Published February 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen 

Review

Kate spent the last nine month in captivity and now the moment has come . . . the birth of her and Henry's child. It was Calliope finally fulfilling what she warn Kate she will do, but Kate didn't think that taking an defenseless child would matter to her.

Eager to protect her child, Kate unthinkably agrees to a deal with Cronus but figuring out how to save humanity and the gods. But whenever Kate willingly takes Cronus's offer, he will still destroy the world.
The council must try to put Cronus back to where he belong,before the world is destroy but they lack of a plan, and already too many people have died.

Will Kate and Henry be able to save the world? Or will it all end in turmoil?

This was a turn around from Henry being distance to wanting to be with Kate. The maternal instinct kicks in and not only Kate worry about her son, she's is willing to do whatever it takes to get him back. I give them 4 Cat's Tails Up, it was a good read and pace very well.


MEOW . . . MEOW. . . MEOW

So over all I like Goddess Inheritance, I like the fact that it pretty much take off after how Goddess Interrupted ended. 

So Kate has a baby, and it was apparent that was Calliope's plan all along. But it got me thinking, if she is the goddess of Marraige, Woman and Fertility.  Why didn't she do it sooner? I know she failed to kill Kate in the beginning but she did ploy Henry and Kate to sleep together. 

The whole thought behind having a weapon that can kill any god was very small. Calliope rarely used it although she wanted to the first chance she got. Then it wasn't until the very end where the weapon is finally used in it's proper manner. I just thought that the whole weapon idea was lacking emphasis. 

Kate learn how to go to places astrally I would call it, most of those was to her son's nursery, she can't touch him but she can see him and in some sense her son can see her or sense her presence. I like this part because Kate's son was taken away from her right at birth by Calliope but Kate won't give up on seeing her son and hold her son for the first time. another part of this was having Henry there but turns out that Cronus been disgusing himself as Henry. 

Henry still yet have to meet his son, because one he wasn't aware Kate was pregnant in the first place and when he did find out, she had already given birth and having their son be ripped away from his parent by Calliope. Henry and Kate now not only think about the world well being but they worry for their son, whether they were prepare to be parents they were ready to face the world ending to get their son.

Zeus or Walter, have been foolish throughout this whole thing, he would rather watch a few Billions people die while trying to figure out a plan and he used his own daughter AVA to be a betrayer to Kate, but Ava must defend herself while getting all the scrutiny and in the end, she dies saving Kate, she die proving the love for Kate and Henry's son. 

Kate was finally to hold her son, she and Henry along with the rest of the Council was able to send Cronus where he belong and Calliope was dead. The threat was gone and Kate and Henry could finally start their lives as parents and gods of the underworld.