Review: The Death Cure

The Death Cure by James Dashner

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Really?? It's really going to end like this??? I feel cheated. I have loved this trilogy and have waited excitedly for book three. The first, with the Gladers, was amazing. The second, with the Scorch was crazy exciting. And then there is this...no enemy except WICKED?

More lies but enough truths. And I can't even begin to describe how irritated I am that I read three books and never learned anything. I want to know how the trials began and how average kids became involved. I want to know how on earth reactions to WICKED-made monsters would even remotely lead to a cure. I want to know what the point of a Griever was. Or the maze. Or two groups. Or cities for the afflicted.

**spoilers after this point**

And what did I learn? Nothing except Rat Man's real name, which is completely meaningless. Oh, and that WICKED was involved in the disease. Not exactly a surprise.

All of those Gladers get their memories back and we get nothing. No details, no emotions, no memories, no information on how they were selected. We're left with a hero that spent more time arguing and debating and a sidekick with serious temper problems.

Honestly, I think Dashner wrote two great books and hadn't figured out the answers to the questions he created. Maybe writer's block and a deadline created this story?



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Review: Hell House

Hell House by Richard Matheson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The ultimate haunted house story. That's it. Can't say any more than that.



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Review: Soulless

Soulless by Gail Carriger

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I read this book because it was described as steampunk. I like the fashions and accessories and figure a book would be interesting.

I actually liked the book, even more than I had anticipated. The entire social system with the Hive and the Pack mixing with the Queen of England was fascinating. The changed Victorian era with supernaturals and preternaturals was interesting. I do wonder what the octopii were about, though...

For me, the biggest drawback was the romance novel intertwined in what was otherwise a good supernatural story. It was enough of a romance that I didn't reveal what I was reading. A bit of book elitism, I guess.

However, I will read the next book in the series and I'll add more steampunk books to my list.



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Review: Genesis

Genesis by Bernard Beckett

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I read other reviews before posting mine and I'm surprised by the love and amazement heaped on this book. Anax is participating in a 4 hour interview and the book feels like it's written in real-time as a description of occurrences. In fact, it's so close to real-time that I think it took me about 4 hours to finish.

I don't see any connection to 1984. At all. The only thing they share, in my opinion, is that neither book was entertaining or thought-provoking. I'm also curious about the reviewers' opinions about this not being YA because I am completely unable to see this as any level beyond teen.

GoodReads recommendations failed on this one - definitely not a great book for me.



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Review: The Other Side of the Island

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



None of it worked for me. The wilds, the orderlies, the schools, the enclosures, the watchers. I was never pulled into the story and feel that I was reading an outline of a book because it lacked details and logic. I don't even see this as dystopia because there really isn't much to link it to current day except for a few lines about arctic animals. Just like 2 stars says, it was okay.



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Review: A Cold Day for Murder

A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I liked Kate and her home and routines and guard dog. Her friends and family were quirkier than usual but I accept that it's largely driven by their location, which separates them from most of the world. In most ways, this was an okay books - the location and lifestyles and odd details (flying out for alcohol, flying in for funerals, old trestle bridges, oil pipelines and their equipment) added to the interest. I read this on my iPod and it was perfect for reading while out and about because it was easy to keep track of the story. As an added perk, the end was a surprise.



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Review: Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



My daughter was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago and depends on insulin to live. With that diagnosis, I lost all ability to read any 'end of world' stories as the possibility was simply too overwhelming to consider. This book came up on the GoodReads Recommendations and I debated for awhile and then decided to read it, hoping that as a teen book it would be less intense and perhaps help me get over my fear of the genre.

It was less intense, definitely. The cruel gangs that rape, kill and loot were barely included. Schools continued to exist. People were able to get cash and find food in the beginning. Hospitals stayed open. Less fearsome, however, it was not.

Choosing a teen heroine was an interesting choice. At an age when I would expect a teen to grow up and help deal with the situation, she was selfish and prone to make bad decisions. There were moments, though, when her fears and confusion were clearly age-related and explained her behavior. I gradually realized that this is probably a very realistic response of a teen to such a serious situation. I give the author a lot of credit for finding that balance and doing such a good job of weaving a story around it.

I've already requested the second book in the story and I'm interested in seeing what happens in book 3 when this family comes back to the story again.

Oh, and I've rededicated myself to emergency food storage. I imagine that's a common response to any mom that reads this story and feels for the mother fighting for her children's lives!



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