Review: Immoral Code

Immoral Code
by Lillian Clark

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 19, 2019

IMMORAL CODE by Lillian Clark is an honestly written Robin Hood-like story about coming of age, fighting for what’s right, and the rollercoasters of friendship. IMMORAL CODE focuses on a plan to rob the privileged and callous billionaire known as Robert Foster, whose eccentric wealth is also the reason his daughter, Bellamy, does not qualify for MIT financial aid. Since Foster’s only presence in Bellamy’s life is childcare payments, Bellamy’s dreams of MIT and space travel are practically over; at least, until her tech-wiz friend Nari comes up with the heist to end all heists. Bellamy and her group of friends pack up for a Spring Break trip consisting of donuts, horror movies, and taking seven thousand dollars right out from under Foster’s nose; you know, normal teenage stuff.

I have to admit, the writing in this book primarily focuses on each character’s inner monologues, right down to every specific thought and detail; in the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I liked the writing style, but it soon grew on me, as it made the characters feel much more fleshed out and was really funny. Clark did a great job at creating each of these characters' unique personalities and relationships to each other, especially staying true to the complicated yet endearing terms of friendship. IMMORAL CODE was a delightful read, and I recommend it to those who enjoy hilarious shenanigans and adventure!

Review: The Disasters

The Disasters
by M. K. England

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 18, 2018

THE DISASTERS by M.K. England is most definitely described perfectly by its summary; “The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy.”Jam packed with enough action and awkwardness to put a high school to shame, THE DISASTERS is a fast-paced science fiction adventure that follows the story of four Ellis Space Station Academy “rejects,” Nax, Zee, Rion and Case. Many years in the future, Earth has colonized countless planets within and without its solar system, and getting into Ellis Academy is a one-way ticket to reaching them all. However, when the Academy is suddenly taken over by mysterious terrorists and wiped of all life, Nax and his fellow misfits are lucky enough to escape. But are they lucky enough to outrun the countless dangers coming their way?

With its hilariously engaging characters and well-written plot, THE DISASTERS is definitely worth the read; England does a fantastic job keeping the anticipation going, and I especially like how the characters are written and how they interact with each other. Each character is different in their own way, ranging from polished diplomat, to hotshot pilot, to witty genius. Rion, Nax, Case, and Zee get along in ways that just feel so human; their healthy and supportive friendship deserves appreciation.

All in all, if you are looking for an exciting winter read to enjoy by a hot fireplace, M.K. England’s THE DISASTERS would go perfectly with fuzzy socks and some hot cocoa!

Review: Dry

Dry
by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018

DRY, by father and son Neal and Jarrod Shusterman, portrays an apocalyptic society where in one day water becomes a scarcity and people will do anything to stay alive. When the Tap-Out leaves Alyssa’s family and all of California without a water source, her parents set out to receive water from organized stations along the west coast. When they don’t return, she and her brother end up banding together with her geeky next door neighbor to try and find her parents and survive. As events escalate and it becomes harder and harder to stay alive, people begin to lose sense of societal morality as their need for water becomes more and more desperate. While bleak and frustrating at times, the Shustermans paint a vivid picture of hope in a sea of disparity. 

I really enjoyed this novel although not in the way I had expected. Alyssa’s story is at times excruciating-- it’s rife with false hope, deceit, and of course torture in the form of dehydration. In times of crisis, the worst is brought out in much of society. However, Alyssa and her crew, while at times dysfunctional, stick together through thick and thin despite the extreme situations they must endure. While the characters are well fleshed-out and complex, DRY imagines a vivid nightmare, which more than the characters, takes on a life of its own. Considering the reality that much of California remains in a drought, this conflict hits close to home. In between chapters, different perspectives from victims of the Tap-Out described how the Tap-Out had reached and destroyed many lives. Each person dealt with their own desperation in different and often heartbreaking ways. The effect of these interludes was a sense of realism that in other books you don’t feel as much. Instead of Alyssa and her gang facing an isolated problem, the reader sees how, while they persevere, much of California loses hope. I found this story touching, terrifying, thrilling and ultimately hopeful. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys excitement and adrenaline-filled books.

Review: Valiant

The Valiant
by Lesley Livingston

Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 14, 2017

THE VALIANT by Lesley Livingston is a creative retelling of the Spartacus story from a female's perspective. It is about a girl named Fallon who is the daughter of a king. She gets captured and sold into slavery. Where she finds herself at an all female gladiator training school. The book is well-written, with a multitude of creative names(though sometimes difficult to pronounce). I really enjoyed the plot and I had recently watched the movie Spartacus. Halfway through the book is when I found out it was a retelling of Spartacus and it was a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend this book!

Review: Avalanche

Avalanche
by Melinda Braun

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 29, 2016


AVALANCHE by Melinda Braun was an intriguing and exciting book about a boy named Matt and his best friend who go on a skiing trip in the Rocky Mountains. All seems fairly normal until an avalanche hits them, and they are stranded. The book covers Matt's journey and fight against the elements for survival. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its unique and realistic suspense. The tragedies that occur and the triumphs that happen leave the reader without a chance to predict what will happen next. I would recommend this book to slightly older people because of the darker plot, and the use of some poor language. However, the book kept me excited the whole time, and its realism kept me on edge throughout.

Review: Boy Robot

Boy Robot
by Simon Curtis

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 15, 2016


Although the main characters are robots with special powers, BOY ROBOT is really a book about finding one’s identity. It’s a book packed with drama and action but, more importantly, it forces the reader to think about powerful ideas such as self identity, trust, and what it truly means to be human. One will not forget the relatability of the main character, Isaak, nor the conflicts that he faces as the book progresses; plus, did I mention that the action and sci-fi sequences were, for lack of a better word, AWESOME.

The author’s writing style was enjoyable, with the viewpoint of the book changing between its interesting cast of characters every couple of chapters. This left me hungry for more, and completely surprised that this is Simon Curtis’ first novel. I would highly recommend BOY ROBOT to any lovers of sci-fi, or to anyone who just wants a great book to read.

Review: Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape

Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape
by Ron McGee

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 25, 2016

RYAN QUINN AND THE REBEL'S ESCAPE, by Ron McGee, is an action-packed thriller with tons of plot twists. The main character is a boy named Ryan Quinn who finds out his parents are part of an organization called the Emergency Rescue Committee. The ERC is an organization dating back to World War II; their charge, to save righteous people in danger. When, on a mission, his dad vanishes and his mother gets taken, Ryan has to figure out what's going on and save his parents from imminent death. I highly recommend reading this book if you are into constant action and a fast paced page turner. This is Ron Mcgee's novel writing debut and I think he started with a bang. I finished this book in one day; I couldn't bring myself to put it down!!

  

Review: Crossing the Line (The Raven Files #1)

Crossing The Line 
(The Raven Files #1)
by Meghan Rogers 

Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: April 12th, 2016 

CROSSING THE LINE is a fast-paced spy novel about Jocelyn Steely, the girl who makes it her mission to take down the North Korean spy agency that kidnapped her as a little girl. There are twists with every turn of the page and I liked the author's writing style because the plot was well established she really dragged me into Jocelyn’s world. If there is a second book, and I think there will be, I will definitely be reading it! 

Review: Zeros

Zeros by Scott Westerfeld 

Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse 


ZEROS is a book packed with action and suspense. Six California teens, each introduced throughout the story, have crazy powers, each one as impressive as the next. These six teens, as a group, are called the Zeroes. Together, they do great things. This thrilling drama is an overall great book, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action packed thrillers.