"Bruiser" by Neal Shusterman, 2009

"Bruiser" by Neal Shusterman, 2009

This is a wrenching but ultimately redemptive look at how pain defines us and how love, whether familial, romantic or friendly, demands sacrifice and brings gifts of its own. Shusterman spins a fantastic tale that sheds light on everyday life.

This eloquent and thoughtful story will most certainly leave its mark. Even as the narrative wrestles with philosophical and moral issues, it delves deep into the viewpoints of Tennyson, Bronte, Bruiser, and his younger brother, each segment told in a different, distinctive style, making for a memorable story.

Author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear workings of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love. 

About the book.

Tennyson is not surprised, really, when his family begins to fall apart, or when his twin sister, Brontë, starts dating the misunderstood bully, Brewster (or The Bruiser, as the entire high school calls him). Tennyson is determined to get to the bottom of The Bruiser's reputation, even if it means gearing up for a fight. Brontë, on the other hand, thinks there's something special underneath that tough exterior. And she's right…but neither she nor Tennyson is prepared for the truth of what lies below the surface. Told through Tennyson, Brontë, and Bruiser's points of view, this dark, twisting novel explores friendship, family, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars) - Wow. I loved it!

Fate of Worlds (Ringworld #5), by Larry Niven and Edward Lerner 2012

Fate of Worlds (Ringworld #5), by Larry Niven and Edward Lerner 2012

With the newest Known Space novel, Fate of Worlds, we learn yet more about the highly technological race, the Puppeteers, and their doings behind the scenes of human history. What’s more, we get to read more about many of the recurring main characters of the series, like the adventurer Louis Wu; the exiled Puppeteer Hindmost; Ol’t’ro, the brilliant Gw’oth ensemble mind (and Fleet of Worlds’ unsuspected puppet master for a century), and lots more. The cast of characters is large, the scale and breadth of this book and the entire series is epic, and the depiction of Ringworld and New Terra are proof that Niven and Lerner are masters at the craft of world-building.

The two-headed equine-appearing Puppeteers are supposedly cowards, who would rather run than face the determined onslaught of battleships that they’ve faced in the past; yet, they are able to mount an extremely formidable defense if they are attacked on their own turf. They also have managed for generations to manipulate and control entire worlds, no mean feat for anyone to accomplish.


In Fate of Worlds, the fabled race of Puppeteers may have come to the end of their days.

Three rival war fleets are after as much of the secrets and technology of Ringworld as they can plunder. The three fleets, failing to obtain what they desire from Ringworld, would have no compunction about trying to use their vast armada to defeat the Puppeteers and gain their technology and secrets.

Niven and Lerner succeed in making us relate to their characters because, no matter how alien they may be in appearance, they are motivated by desires we can all understand and relate to, like power, greed, the thirst for knowledge, and that of defending or protecting their own worlds and self-interests from anyone who dares to attack them.

Fate of Worlds wraps up most of the loose ends and ties together the many diverse subplots Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner have developed over the course of the Fleet of Worlds series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, but the rich storylines, background information, and intricately wrought plots of the preceding novels in the series, demands that they be read first. If you’re a fan of the Ringworld series, and have read the other novels in the Fleet of Worlds series, then Fate of Worlds is a book that you might enjoy.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars) - It was okay.

"Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)" by Marissa Meyer, 2012

"Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)" by Marissa Meyer, 2012

If you love Anime, predictable stories that have a lot of plot holes, futuristic China, dystopian futures, and dark fairy tales that don't really work out, this is the book for you.

Otherwise, a disappointing read for me. I will not be reading any further installments in this series and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

I'll give Meyer credit in terms of creativity and writing, but the truth was, I just plain didn't like the story. Cinderella being a cyborg was the biggest problem, as well as this ridiculously huge, unexplained aversion normal people had towards them. It also appears Meyer did absolutely NO research when it came to modern Chinese culture. She may as well have gone to Chinatown in some American city and read a bunch of comics for her research and not asked any questions from the locals about how things worked. Her earth of the future makes little sense, nor does the lax treatment of the Leutmosis plague that's been a problem for earth for 12 years prior to the story. You'd think the scientists would have figured out the cause far earlier than that. It sounds especially like a cheesy Asian anime with all the little "android" robots running about in everyday society. (She apparently can't tell the difference between androids and robots at all).

I'm also not buying these Lunars. There's no way, not even through centuries of genetic manipulation, that human lunar colonists would have developed such mental abilities that allowed them to project illusions, or manipulate other people's thoughts and behavior. It doesn't fly with me. In fact, I'm surprised they didn't have issues with earth's higher gravity when visiting. Human beings living in such low gravity would have become taller, thinner, and way less strong compared to humans living on earth. Maybe if Meyer had written them as beautiful, pale, humanoid aliens that had colonized the moon a short time ago, maybe the story would have been more believable. Otherwise, it sounds stupid.

The book was also far crueler and darker than it should have been, with the nice stepsister dying of the plague, Cinder's beloved android friend getting trashed by her ogress of a stepmother, and arriving at the ball by crashing an ancient orange car and looking like a drowned rat from the rain that was falling during the event. The prince also seemed very immature for a guy who was supposed to have been groomed to take up the torch in the future after his father, and the fact that he was still acting like a rebellious teenager shows that either the author knows nothing about royalty, or she chose the cheap route of the overdone coming-of-age cliche too many teen authors use these days.

My rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars) - I did not like it.

"The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3)", by Blake Crouch, 2014

"The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3)", by Blake Crouch, 2014

Although the weakest of the three books so far in the set, The Last Town still is both

exhilarating and frustrating. It is virtually impossible for readers to not become absorbed in the chaos that ensues as the "abbies" enter Wayward Pines. The graphic descriptions of death and the emotional ties to characters I have come to love keep me invested until the very end. 

The introduction of a new characters creates a sub-conflict that is nearly as powerful, and possibly even more gripping than the battle that ensues in Wayward Pines. As I witness the evolution of characters as they are faced with almost certain death, I will found myself wanting more. This is where Crouch falls short. Rather than further harnessing that evolution of character, nearly two-thirds of The Last Town focuses on fighting. Though the graphic portrayal of death is often thrilling, it eventually loses stamina. Eventually the potential for boredom while reading about yet another house that is invaded by the "abbies" becomes real. There's very little to imagine since the outcome is obvious. That being said, the other aspects of the novel far outweigh the hundred or so pages of fighting. 

When I reached the end of a novel and was so frustrated to find that there really is nothing on the next page; when I searched the Internet in hope that although this is a trilogy and although it is hailed as "the final installment" there indeed are plans for a 4th book; when I read the last page over and over again hoping to find something that was missed — the author knows he's accomplished his task. Well done Blake Crouch. Fortunately for those readers searching for more, FOX has brought Wayward Pines to television in a miniseries, which is currently airing/streaming.

★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)

"Wayward (Wayward Pines #2)", by Blake Crouch, 2013

"Wayward (Wayward Pines #2)", by Blake Crouch, 2013

A thoroughly satisfying read that combines a lot of genres and tropes, Wayward will have you turning

pages to see how it all ends. The climax though takes things to a whole different level and leaves you desperately craving for the next volume. Wayward is another crackerjack thriller from the mind of one of the best thrillers writers out there.

Wayward is the sequel to Pines and a book that was highly anticipated and yet out-scored my anticipation. Firstly before even I begin my review, I would like to announce that to even discuss the blurb will be spoilery for the first book Pines. So those folks who haven't read the first book and don't want their read ruined in the least. STOP and go read Pines...

Now for those of you who have read and loved Pines, welcome and I must say you will love the second outing by Blake Crouch as he explores the strange town of Wayward Pines and its inhabitants. This book further illuminates the town of Wayward Pines through Ethan Burke but with a crucial difference, he’s an insider now unlike the previous volume wherein he was the enemy. Ethan after the events of the previous books has now been elevated to the position of Sheriff and is tasked with the town’s safety. Sheriff Ethan has seen what truly lies outside of the town's boundaries and it is forcing him to co-operate with the town's creator and protector so as to speak. After facing the end of the barrel in the last book, he finds himself quite perturbed to be on the other side and forcing people to do what he ultimately disobeyed. He has gotten his family back but is still irked by all that is hidden from the majority of the town’s population. The story though begins when a murder occurs and it falls upon Ethan to investigate the death.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars) Just Wow!