YA Book Review- Sky On Fire (Monument 14 #2) by Emmy Laybourne

The last time we saw the Monument 14, they were trapped inside superstore Greenway after a chemical weapons plant exploded and devastated their town. Half of these kids, aged 6 to 17, decide to revive the school bus that landed them in the store and find help and safety at the Denver International Airport. The other half decide to stay, because the chemicals in the air affect their blood type in a way that makes them raving, violent monsters. This story is broken up between the perspectives of two brothers: Alex, 13, determined to find their parents and save the day, and Dean, 16, who stays behind to protect the girl he loves and some of the younger children. The children who take the bus discover exactly how horrific the outside world has become. They do encounter other people along the way, but most of them are enemies that deplete their supplies and leave them to die. In the Greenway things are not very safe, either- the building is attached by outsiders who are desperate to survive. Who will make it?

This fast-paced thriller is the sequel to Monument 14, and the story does not slow down at all from the first book. Gruesome at times and heart-wrenching at others, this book is a great novel for anyone who likes to read a book straight through while sitting at the edge of their seat!

YA Book Review- Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

When you live on a floating island in the clouds, it would seem only natural to wonder what would happen if you jumped off the edge…but on the island of Internment it is considered anarchy to entertain thoughts of jumping to the ground, and the people that try it (and survive) are never the same. Morgan’s brother jumped once, back when he was a successful government scientist- now he is blind and spends his days locked away and using a recorder to write stories. Maybe it’s because of her brother that Morgan has a curious mind, despite her serene existence in the sky, but she knows better than to talk freely about her wandering thoughts. That is, until a couple of horrific murders cause security to increase and put everyone under a microscope. Before she knows it, Morgan is sneaking food to the alleged murderer that she’s convinced is innocent, lying to her betrothed, and wondering more and more about what life is like on the ground. What will she do when she realizes how closely she’s being watched?

This book is the first in a very promising trilogy and takes a really interesting approach to outcast-ed futuristic societies. You may remember Lauren DeStefano from her Chemical Garden Trilogy (Wither, Fever, Sever) so definitely pick this up if you liked those books! It’s also got a touch of a spiritual element to it, and is great for readers who like their heroines to think outside the box.

YA Book Review- Requiem by Lauren Oliver

**Please note: This review contains spoilers of Delirium and Pandemonium, the first two books in this trilogy. Read ahead with caution!**

Lena and Julian have escaped the kidnapping and torture of the Scavengers, who they now know are working for Deliria Free America. Julian’s father, the founder of the DFA, is dead. And much to Lena’s agony, the boy she loved and thought she lost is broken but alive, and traveling with her friends. There is no time to dwell on heartbreak, though: the resistance is taking over the country and war against the controlling anti-love government is imminent. Meanwhile, in Portland, Lena’s best friend Hana is now cured and about to be married to the Mayor. She is perfectly content- or is she?

This series is a total thrill ride, with this final installment being no different. The format alternates chapters between Hana and Lena’s Point Of View, which really helps to see the plot development from all sides of their society. Anyone interested in the title should definitely read the first two books of the series- this is a great series for lovers of sci-fi, romance, dystopia, and thrillers!

YA Book Review- The Paradise Snare by A. C. Crispin (Han Solo Trilogy Book 1)

This is the first book in a trilogy written to chronicle the life of everyone’s favorite Star Wars outlaw, Han Solo. Despite the fact that this trilogy is not by any means new, it is a great read for all of you Star Wars fans who want some background on the characters in the films.

Han Solo is a young man living on a smuggler’s ship when the story opens. Despite the fact that he was found an orphan and raised to be a thief, he has aspirations to be a great pilot and longs to attend the Imperial Academy. From the second the story opens, you get the kind of great action sequences that fans have come to expect from Star Wars. Join Han as he escapes one treacherous situation after another and manages to charm his way through most of them. This story covers the years that Han is about 19 and 20 years old, and leads up to his entrance in to the Imperial Academy. You will get a ton of backstory here, including his alliance to the Wookiees, his knowledge of many languages, and some of the reasons that he is so independent and hard-hearted.

Hand this book to fans of the original Star Wars films, and any sci-fi lover.