Subject Seven - James A. Moore (Review)

Years ago, scientists began developing the ultimate military weapon: deadly sleeper assassins housed within the bodies of teenagers. Now, Subject Seven, the dangerous alter-ego living inside a 16-year-old boy, has escaped the lab and is on a mission. His objective? To seek out others like him and build an army capable of destroying their creators.

Hunter, Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kylie: five teenagers leading typical lives, until the day they each receive a call from a mysterious stranger-and learn that their destinies are intertwined. Subject Seven holds the key that connects them all. And a vicious, bloody battle for their lives is just beginning. Synopsis taken from Goodreads.

Title: Subject Seven
Author: James A. Moore
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: January 20, 2011
Format: ARC
Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Penguin Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 
Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters.
My rating: 3 stars

Hunter, also known as Subject Seven, is a modified military weapon, engineered in a laboratory. He escapes from the covert military experimental laboratory. Now on an escape mission, he finds others similar to him, and bands together with them. We see Subject Seven’s character, the alter ego to his actual teenage identity, Hunter, battle for dominance. Both identities will need to piece together the mystery surrounding the secret military operation. They will also need to learn how to live cohesively together, as they both struggle for control of their body.

Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kyrie are others who are similar to Hunter. They all have gaps in their memories that they are having to deal with. It is refreshing to see things from their perspective, and not just from Subject Seven’s point of view. It can be a little confusing as the story does jump around a bit. However, there is quite a bit of gratuitous violence, and I would recommend this book to older teens due to the amount of violence included in the story.

All in all, a good concept, leaving the reader wanting to find out what happens next. Some may find the violence a little too graphic, and should forge ahead with caution if they decide to read it.

Broken - Susan Jane Bigelow - Blog Tour Review

In a post-war future world where First Contact has been made, humans are colonizing the stars, and the nations of Earth have been united under a central government, Extrahumans are required by law to belong to the Union. When a young man with visions of the future sets out on a mission to define the course of human history, he encounters a devastated former hero, a fascist dictatorship bent on world domination, and the realities of living in a society where affiliation is everything.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Broken

Author: Susan Jane Bigelow

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction,

Publisher: Candlemark & Gleam

Publication Date: January 25, 2011

Format: E-book

Source: Received from Susan Jane Bigelow courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Susan Jane Bigelow, and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the tour here.

My rating: 4/5 

Michael has lived life on the edge, especially knowing that he can see the future through those around him. He can only see variables, and the threads of the future are ever-changing. He is on a mission though to alter the future for the better, he hopes. Michael's world is very much a dystopian one. Superhuman beings have to pledge allegiance to the Union. Government regimes rise up against each other as they battle for supremacy. Riots are erupting everywhere as the chaos deepens further, leaving everyone and everything devestated. When everything seems so overwhelmingly hopeless, it is up to Michael to bring about the seeds of peace and hope to the world. 
Michael is an industrious and brave fourteen year old tasked with a mission that is so much greater than him. He won't benefit from his actions, or see the effects of them for years to come, but his actions are needed if the world he lives in is going to change. I don't envy him his position as defeat surrounds him on all sides. Whether or not he completes his mission is the deciding factor. He is such a brave character, especially considering his prescient nature. Seeing the future of those around you, and yourself, must be hard especially when all looks bleak. However he finds the courage to keep motivated, and that is inspiring. Though he sets out on his mission alone, he also meets up with other characters who form the rag-tag team that will help him potentially complete his obstacle-laden journey. 
I especially enjoyed the fact that Broken is a superhero novel. I haven't read many superhero novels as I prefer watching them unfold on the screen, but Broken is a commendable and industrious addition to the genre.
All in all, a remarkable tale of strength and courage through even the toughest circumstances. The additional world-building adds to the overall feeling of tension within the regimes. The government upheavals also add to the precarious nature of the book where even a chance wrong word could get you killed. I think science fiction and dystopian fans will enjoy this addition to the genre. 

Interview with Leonard D. Hilley II, Author of Predators of Darkness

 Today, Leonard D. Hilley II stops by to talk about his book Predators of Darkness. Thank you for being here, Leonard! I'm currently reading Predators of Darkness and absolutely loving it! Those of you who are fans of dystopian reads should enjoy it too! 

If you were in Daniel's position, would you have done what he did, or would you have done anything differently?

With the odds Daniel faces in the first and second book, I don’t know that I’d be as bold as he is. I’d like to think that I would be, but I certainly hope such situations in real life never exist.

Did your research of genetics or genetic anomalies for Predators of Darkness: Aftermath turn up any interesting or little-known facts?

Actually the idea behind Predators of Darkness: Aftermath prompted me to finish my B.S. biology degree instead of pursuing an English major. The intrigue surrounding the genetic creation of clones and dangerous predatory animals required I know a lot more about the subject than I did. But I’ve always loved English and biology, so it wasn’t a difficult decision to make and certainly not one I regret.

If you had to put a playlist together for Predators of Darkness (the series), what songs would be on it?

The opening song for the series would have to be, “Welcome to the Jungle,” by Guns N Roses, but that song’s been a bit overdone with movies. I’m hoping for something like Javier Navarrete (Composer for Pan’s Labyrinth) or maybe James Horner (composer for Braveheart) whenever a movie is made. Both soundtracks are exceptional. This series requires a dark musical theme.

Does Daniel have a theme song? 

Maybe Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

If you could meet a character from any book ever written, which character and book would it be, and why?

I like Corwin’s character in Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber. But that’s due to family politics and having a father who married multiple times and siblings from the different marriages. I easily relate to the “missing father” aspect and making life decisions on my own.

Do you have any rituals that you follow when writing?

Lots of coffee and dark music. I tend to reread what I worked on the day before, revise it, and pick up where I left off.

What are you working on now?

Ann Linden and I are putting the finishing touches on the screenplay, which is perhaps one of the hardest writing endeavors I’ve encountered. It’s a lot different than writing a novel, and since the novel has already been written, it’s the process of leaning down the material into a script. Basically, we’re taking 325 pages of a novel and reducing it to 125 pages of script. One page of script typically equals one minute of film time.

Are there any projects in the works that you can tell us about?

I’m currently working on the fourth book in this series, Death’s Valley, and I’m revising a dark fantasy YA novel that I hope to see finished by the end of summer. I’m also working on a picture book for elementary students as well. Wherever the muse directs . . . .

I loved the score for Pan's Labyrinth, so I'm definitely intrigued by the musical theme that would represent Predators of Darkness. I'm happy to see there is a fourth book in the works as well! When will we see Predators of Darkness on the big screen? 

Thank you so much for being here today, Leonard!

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble 

Virals - Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan, the fourteen-year-old niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog that's been kidnapped for medical testing on nearby Loggerhead Island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever. 

As Tory and her friends discover their heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot--if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. Fortunately, they're more than friends: they're now a pack. They are VIRALS. 

Title: Virals

Author: Kathy Reichs

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense

Publisher: Razorbill 

Publication Date: November 2, 2010

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Vimala from Penguin Canada for sending me this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

My rating: 4/5

Tory Brennan and her friends all live on an island off of the coast of Charleston, North Carolina. With their parents working on nearby Loggerhead Island, they often are left to their own devices. When they make a discovery on the island, they unwittingly unleash a virus that will change their lives forever. If that isn't enough, they also stumble upon the remnants of a cold case which quickly heats up, spiraling things drastically out of control. Will the four friends be able to figure out what is going on before they end up dead?

As an avid fan of Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels, I was intrigued to see how Virals would turn out. I appreciated the fact that Tory is Temperance's niece and couldn't wait to find out more. I was skeptical though about how she would use the experimental strain of parvovirus in the story. I shouldn't have worried. 

I really liked the sci-fi feel to the book, but more so than that, I really enjoyed the mystery. The story does not solely revolve around the characters newfound powers, as they don't know what exactly is happening until later on in the book. They do, however, end up right in the middle of things when they inadvertently stumble upon the remains of a cold case. The killer is still very much in the area, and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep things unsolved. 

I found it a refreshing read, and loved the fact that it was a true mystery, with only a few hints towards a romantic subplot. I loved the characters, especially Tory, Ben, Hi, and Shelton, and I love how they banded together. I do wish we could have seen Tory interact more with Kit though, and hope that they'll spend more time together in the next installment. 

I will mention that I felt like this book read more so for a younger audience, tweens rather than YA readers, however I think both age groups would enjoy the book. The science was accessible and the language also made this book easy to understand; the reader isn't bogged down with unexplained scientific theories. The plot and pacing made this an exhilarating read as well. 

All in all, an enterprising and entertaining young adult debut from Reichs. I loved the action-packed scenes, as well as those involving the exploration of the teens' new powers. The scientific reasoning behind the way they obtained their powers makes this a plausible theory without sending it into the realm of the supernatural. The mystery included also adds another facet to the book, as does the use of several canine faces within the title of the book. I'll definitely be picking up the next installment in the series as I can't wait to see what Reichs has planned next for Tory and company.