Stung

Mar 06, 2013 Marg K. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-star-rating, recently-reviewed

Pop quiz, peeps. Don't worry. It's only made up of 3 questions, and I think you might enjoy it. Also, there's a good reason behind it. Trust me. You'll see. Here we go.

Question #1. You're being held captive by a rogue soldier who intends to turn you over to a lab where you'll be treated like a human guinea pig and potentially even killed in the process. In his moment of sympathy, your captor decides to let you rest unshackled. He then falls asleep. You take this opportunity to:

(A)Stealthily stea...more

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Apr 11, 2013 JennyJen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: blah, books-i-want-to-drop-kick, barely-finished, ayfkm, cheesefest, dafuq-did-i-just-read, disappointing, douchebag-alert, expected-so-much-more, eye-strain-from-copious-rolling, facepalm, generic, gimme-a-break, hero-doesnt-do-it-for-me, i-m-over-it, insta-love-blecch, lackluster, mc-sucks-ass, meh, no-soup-for-you, read-2013, reviewed, stoopit, sucks, somebody-slap-that-protagonist-pls, too-bad-so-sad, tstl-heroine, unimpressed, wanna-kick-hero-in-the-balls, womp-womp, young-adult

**This is gonna be spoilery. It cannot be helped. I will, however, tag any major spoilers.

This went from okay/decent to bad to fuckin awful. AWFUL. I can't believe how bad it was by the end.

At 97% - “Three minutes,” the doctor says over his shoulder, sounding just like a … doctor.

Guffaw photo wtf_zps9dfd62e2.gif

Yo, are you even trying anymore?!

Stung is a book with no pretenses. You’re thrust into a world you know nothing about with no explanations. I won’t lie, I was totally confused in the beginning. I knew the MC was in the...more

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Mar 12, 2012 B.j. Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely, positively awesome. I'm not going to say much about it because I don't want to ruin anything. It's a one-night read!

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Apr 16, 2013 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian-favorites, for-blog-review

I'm a big fan of dystopians, so when Stung came across my radar I was intrigued. Though this "sleeping beauty of the apocalypse" story didn't sound all that unique, I found myself completely engrossed in the sickening and disturbing world Bethany Wiggins created. With a solid hero/heroine duo, a clever apocalyptic plot (I always wondered when bees would play a starring role in the end of the world), and a storyline that is never bogged down with fact-telling lulls, Stung easily held my interest...more I'm a big fan of dystopians, so when Stung came across my radar I was intrigued. Though this "sleeping beauty of the apocalypse" story didn't sound all that unique, I found myself completely engrossed in the sickening and disturbing world Bethany Wiggins created. With a solid hero/heroine duo, a clever apocalyptic plot (I always wondered when bees would play a starring role in the end of the world), and a storyline that is never bogged down with fact-telling lulls, Stung easily held my interest and made my heart flutter from the unexpected romance blooming amidst all of the destruction and violence.

But I can't remember why I have a tattoo on my hand, or why I have to hide it. I can't remember when my body stopped looking thirteen and started looking like...a woman's .

When Fiona woke up in an annihilated version of her bedroom, with no memory of anything past the year she was 13, she was so completely lost. Her confusion turned to disgust and terror when she ventured out and realized what was going on around her, right down to the worm-eating feces-dwellers (fecs) and the feral human "pets." Wiggins' descriptive writing sucked me right into the stomach-turning world Fiona is experiencing for the first time, and her desperation as she struggled to keep herself and her mysterious ten-legged spider tattoo hidden. When Fiona found herself caught by armed men who seemed terrified of what the ink on her hand represented, it had me completely intrigued. This slip of a thing had militia men scared to go anywhere near her, and I loved how emasculating this was given how cruel the men were. The fecs were dealt with like cattle and treated like the scum of the earth because of what they could become, and it makes you wonder what it would take for humans to sink to this level of barbarianism.

Fiona gradually began to remember what led to the current state of the country, and learned that her tattoo meant she'd survived something no one else had. This makes her a target for both sides, the normal humans beyond the wall, and the lawless and violent men on the wrong side. There was pretty much non-stop suspense for the second half of this story thanks to all of the threats to Fiona's life, and she was pretty bad-ass when push came to shove!

So now let's get to the nitty-gritty, the part of the story we all look forward to; the love interest. Bowen is no knight in shining armor when he and Fiona first meet, and in fact he's just as cruel as the rest of the militia. But he and Fiona weren't strangers after all, and when he discovered her identity it definitely made their situation much more exciting. Gradually the cold treatment he gave Fiona thawed out as they were forced to spend so much time together, and he was strong for her whenever she needed him. I know there are readers who will take issue with the quick turn-around in Fiona and Bowen's feelings for each other, but I'm always a little less critical of this with dystopian stories. When the world is crumbling around you, I like to think it's natural to cling to the hope love brings. Because of that, it didn't bother me that after they faced several days of violence, fear, and pain together, these two abandoned teens ended up falling for each other through their ordeal.

Stung is wrapped up fairly quickly in the end of what I assume to be a standalone piece. I would have preferred a longer story that didn't seem to rush to the finish line quite so much, but I also liked that we don't have to wait across three books to see how things will turn out for a change. This will probably be one of those love-it or hate-it books, but if you're looking for something different I think Stung is a great choice!

This and other of my reviews can be found at: http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...

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Apr 06, 2013 Rose rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, romance, survival, dystoromance, fantasy, great-premise-lacking-execution, netgalley, arc-or-galley

Initial reaction: I definitely have a number of constructive things to say about "Stung", but in the string of YA dystopian novels I've read, this proved disappointing on many levels. The thematics, the cliches, the structuring and characterizations. And that hurts considering the premise is quite interesting.

Full review:

In the measure of YA dystopic fiction that I've personally read, there have been many titles I've completely and thoroughly enjoyed. Nancy Farmer's "The House of the Scorpion",...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Bethany Wiggins rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: awesome-cover

KIRKUS REVIEW *STARRED REVIEW

Fiona Tarsis wakes up to a world of nightmares in this fast-paced, fever-bright post-apocalyptic adventure.

Her brother’s a monster, her Denver suburb’s a wasteland, and she doesn’t even recognize herself or the 10-legged tattoo on her hand. Fiona has no memory of the last four years or how the world changed, but she quickly learns how dangerous life is outside the wall. After seeking assistance from Arrin—a Fec, or sewer-dweller, of indeterminate gender and murky mot...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Go Flash Go! rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.

The opening of Stung is very similar to the recent Pretty Girl-13; a young girl suddenly finds herself at her home, seeking her parents, with a memory loss of several years. Both girls believe themselves to be thirteen and are surprised to see their "new" bodies. But whereas Angie from Pretty Girl-13 falls into the shocked and loving arms of her parents, Fiona falls out of a bathroom window as she struggles to escape a crazed, animalistic...more This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.

The opening of Stung is very similar to the recent Pretty Girl-13; a young girl suddenly finds herself at her home, seeking her parents, with a memory loss of several years. Both girls believe themselves to be thirteen and are surprised to see their "new" bodies. But whereas Angie from Pretty Girl-13 falls into the shocked and loving arms of her parents, Fiona falls out of a bathroom window as she struggles to escape a crazed, animalistic man who attempts to capture her. When she stares into the man's wild eyes, she realizes it's her twin brother, Jonah.

One of the first thing she notices is a strange tattoo on her hand; how did THAT get there? Oddly, she'd seen it on Jonah's hand, too. It's not immediately clear what the mark indicates, but we know it's not good when Fiona discovers it's known as "The Mark of the Beast." She wanders through a deserted Denver neighborhood, seeing only snarling, snapping dogs until...a group of men pointing assault rifles at her. A child appears and escorts Fiona underground through a manhole cover to safety. The child, a snarky girl named Arrin, demands payment for her trouble in the form of precious food or honey, and Fiona realizes again that this is not the world she remembers.

An exciting opening to this book quickly starts to fall apart, despite an interesting story that had a lot of potential. Arrin advises Fiona to look like a boy in order to stay safe. This involves chopping off her hair and binding her breasts. And...it works. I had a hard time with this. I'm going to guess that at least 90% of teenage girls and women will still look female, even with short hair. Maybe Fiona falls into that (generous) 10% who don't? The imperative for Fiona to pass as a male was a major focal point of the book that quickly became tiresome. I understand the point that Wiggins was making; it's similar to what we hear about the danger a population of long-term jailed men could pose to a woman, but it was referenced so many times that I lost interest.

I felt very strongly for Fiona's romantic interest, Dreyden. Unfortunately, those feelings were all negative. Is it ok that he was abusive towards Fiona when he believed she was a young boy but suddenly turned nice when he realized the truth? Not in my book. He is two completely different characters - a disgusting, violent bully one moment and then suddenly gallant and protective the next. This is what I refer to as an author switcheroo, and I didn't buy it. Dreyden tells Fiona at one point to shut up, and there's not a bit of reaction or response from Fiona. I don't care how many zombie-ish people or evil men were after me, but if someone told me to shut up, my reaction would be something a bit more than silence. Was it supposed to be sign he's a powerful, take-charge guy? Incidentally, later on, another character also tells Fiona to shut up, but by that point, I was ready for her to shut up, too. The blindingly quick progression of this romance is hard to believe, and when the first "I love you" comes, you might scratch your head as I did, wondering how Fiona and Dreyden suddenly got to that point.

The biggest flaw of the book, and the hardest one to overlook, is Fiona. She is not a heroine who inspires much sympathy or compassion. The phrase that comes to mind is wet noodle; she's very bland, not memorable, and nearly devoid of personality. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to describe any of Fiona's personality traits. Picture Bella Swan, and then strip away almost every ounce of her already thread-bare charisma. Now you've got a good picture of Fiona.

Random note: There was SO MUCH blood in this book. Don't get me wrong - I don't mind a little (or a lot) of blood, but Fiona and Dreyden spent so much time bleeding from various injuries, both big and small, that I wondered how they had the energy to walk around, let alone engage in all of the vigorous fighting.

Eye Roll-Inducing Twist # 1: A character states a revelation about Fiona 3/4 of the way through, everyone (including Fiona herself) was shocked. I was thinking, "Wait...didn't we already know this?"

Eye Roll-Inducing Twist # 2: A twist involving a secondary character that had no purpose I could discern other than as an attempt to add shock value. No, I was not expecting it, but I also didn't care because it had no impact on the plot.

Melodramatic quote alert: "I'll come for you as soon as I can. I promise. Just...don't give up hope. And fight to stay alive if you have to. Fight!"(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Angela Fristoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-books

I loved that this book jumped right into the action. The rest of the story was actually really fast paced. Fiona is on the run and doesn't know who to trust in a world she has no memory of. The action is what made this a fast read and I read it pretty much straight through in one sitting (maybe stopping briefly for food).

I loved the concept of the tattoo marking her as 'infected' and early on we learn that her mark signals people that she is among the deadliest of all the marked. I can't expand...more

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May 19, 2013 Melannie :) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, favorites, read-2013, to-re-read, to-buy-soon

Absolutely amazing and unforgettable. This book brought back my love for the dystopian genre. I haven't enjoyed a story so much since the hunger games, and believe me it's been a LONG time.

Everything about this book is nonstop action, and nail biting suspense. From the first page we are catapulted to a setting above our wildest dreams yet completely believable. The state of Colorado is a deserted land, where all your nightmares will come true, from awful men with no fear of God that will do anyt...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Miranda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, favorites

I was immediately captivated by the cover. I have always had a soft spot for Honey Bees, so it really interested me. I was completely shocked when i received news that I'd won a free copy through First Reads.

I really liked that the threat of extinction of honey bees was the center of this book. In my opinion the story line was pretty believable and it makes sense. I could not put this book down! I enjoyed the fact that Wiggins jammed it with violence, but at the same time it wasn't something ov...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

An apocalyptic version of sleeping beauty set in the future where half the population has turned into monsters and honey has become the new currency!

Fiona remembers being 13 years old, but when she wakes up and sees herself in the mirror she thinks its her older "adult" sister. Somehow, over night she has become a woman. She doesn't remember wearing the clothes she is wearing, or when she got hips and a chest, and she really has no idea how her house has turned into a dilapidated mess, but when...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Jean-Paul Adriaansen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-dystopian

What a story. It makes you forget The Hunger Games. Action from the first till the last page. A Super Young Adult book.
A young girl wakes up in a dilapidated house, her hand marked with an insect-like tattoo. The world has changed for the bad and she is on the wrong side of the wall ...

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Apr 06, 2013 Alicia Batista rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ANYONE!!

Shelves: a-must-read, action, adventure, amazing, can-t-wait-for-the-sequel, dystopia, fav-s, post-apocalypse, romance, virus, you-ll-be-sorry-if-you-miss-this-bo, young-adult, infected, beast, fec-s

WARNING: This Review Might Have Some Spoilers:

Check it out on my Blog @

http://addictreaders.blogspot.com/201...

Stung has to be ONE of the best Dystopian novels I have EVER read! I was hypnotized from the first sentence to the last!I am in love with this book!

As I was reading and I knew it was coming to an end, I caught myself reading slower and slower, trying to draw out the book as long as I could! I just wanted to keep reading and reading this story and didn't want to stop!

Bethany has a wa...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was unsure on whether to give this book a 4 or 5 on Goodreads, but I ended up rounding up, as this book had so many unique and kind of realistic (science-wise) ideas, and, when I put it down, I wondered what would happen next. Now, while I think it definitely ended in a way that worked, and it could definitely be a stand alone novel, I think they threw in a little bit at the very end that means it might go on. So we'll see.
The premise of this story you might be able to kind of guess from the t...more

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Apr 12, 2013 L.S. Murphy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stung grabbed my attention from the first sentence and didn’t let go. To say I loved it would be an understatement.

Fiona wakes up in her own bedroom without knowing how she got there or even when she fell asleep. To add to her confusion, her room isn’t how she remembers it. It’s dirty, disheveled, and faded. Normally a waking character is a cliché writers avoid like the plague, but it works so well here as the reader is immediately pulled into the mystery of Fiona’s world.

Unlike most dystopian...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Meganm922 marked it as to-read

Shelves: netgalley, favorites

I loved Stung! I thought the story was incredibly creative, fast paced, action packed, and breath taking. I love post apocalyptic worlds, but a lot of times they have the same or similar overall reasons for the end of the world. Stung, however, was a completely new concept for me and I enjoyed the new and thought provoking end of the world scenario. The premise in Stung was clever and creative and very well executed!

The book began with Fiona waking up in her bedroom. Except when she woke up, ev...more I loved Stung! I thought the story was incredibly creative, fast paced, action packed, and breath taking. I love post apocalyptic worlds, but a lot of times they have the same or similar overall reasons for the end of the world. Stung, however, was a completely new concept for me and I enjoyed the new and thought provoking end of the world scenario. The premise in Stung was clever and creative and very well executed!

The book began with Fiona waking up in her bedroom. Except when she woke up, everything around her was obviously abandoned. She went to sleep in her bed next to her brand new poster at the age of 13 and woke up next to a crumbling, aged poster in a adult body she didn’t recognize. On her hand was a strange tattoo. Immediately, I was hooked! The writing was incredibly descriptive and I was sucked into the story quickly. I loved how I didn’t know the details of how the world ended since Fiona was piecing together the story as she went.

The world in Stung took my breath away. It was harsh and cruel, especially for Fiona. The few women she ran across looked like men and begged her to cut her hair in case anyone discovered she was female. She had to pretend to be a boy or deal with some sickening consequences. Fiona was attacked almost immediately by a strange beast-like creature with human qualities and ended up hiding underground and meeting people who chose a life in the foul smelling sewers without real food in order to stay alive. And then she was treated like a monster by a group of soldiers and restrained. Nowhere was safe for her. I can’t give much more of the plot way because I loved figuring out the world as Fiona did and being introduced to different aspects of it. It was so horrifying, but fascinating at the same time.

Parts of the story reminded me of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. The writing is completely different, but Stung was equally descriptive and intense. When Fiona ended up in the care of a soldier named Bowen, she recognized him slightly and it reminded me of when Juliette met Adam inside of her cell and recognized his eyes. There was just something about the situation that felt so terrible and intense and emotionally draining that reminded me of the intensity of Shatter Me. I found myself gasping and saying “Wow” to myself when I was reading!

Stung was absolutely incredible. I devoured the book and I highlighted so many descriptions and scenes in my Kindle because I was blown away by the writing and how it made me feel. I loved the premise and the unique situation in Stung because it was so unpredictable and clever. I highly recommend this book to people who love a good YA post apocalyptic story with adventure, romance, and some dystopian elements. And if you are getting tired of the same old end of the world scenarios, Stung is refreshing and unique in that aspect.

As much as I loved Stung and everything about it, I tend to enjoy gritty, violent, and dark themes and I realize not everyone else does. There are some things that some people may not like. The world in Stung is bleak and while it isn’t as violent or graphic as some other post apocalyptic stories, there are some pretty horrifying themes and situations. For example, Fiona poses as a boy to protect herself because women are scarce. Which meant that if a man discovered Fiona wasn’t a boy, she would most likely be attacked and violated. While there aren’t any really graphic scenes involving this, the possibility of Fiona being attacked by a man is no secret and a source of fear for her. People may find themes of that nature uncomfortable while reading and I always like to warn other readers about mature themes and violence.

Stung is definitely a must read and I really enjoyed it. I can't gush about it enough and I wish I could share more about the plot, but I liked the surprises and unraveling of it while reading, so I won't spoil it.

From the blog of Love, Literature, Art, and Reason
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2013/03...(less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

Wow. Oh, wow. With so many post-apocalyptic books floating around, Stung looked on the surface to be just another book in the crowd. An interesting concept to be sure, but would it deliver? The answer: hell, yes!

There is so much about Stung that I loved. So much so that I am have the worst time putting my thoughts into words.

Let's start with the premise. In the future, the bee population has disappeared. No bees equals no food. No food equals chaos. To advert chaos, the world's best minds came u...more Wow. Oh, wow. With so many post-apocalyptic books floating around, Stung looked on the surface to be just another book in the crowd. An interesting concept to be sure, but would it deliver? The answer: hell, yes!

There is so much about Stung that I loved. So much so that I am have the worst time putting my thoughts into words.

Let's start with the premise. In the future, the bee population has disappeared. No bees equals no food. No food equals chaos. To advert chaos, the world's best minds came up with a solution, genetically engineered bees. Only one problem, the virus.

In our current society, bees populations declining makes the news every now and again. For the most part, I sit there and may be interested for a minute or two, then move on to something else. I know the importance of bees, so to have a dystopian read tackle the subject was really interesting. Do I think we could get as extreme as it does in Stung? Who knows, but whatever the future holds, Stung presents us with one very realistic possibility.

Fiona was a really unique character, very Sleeping Beauty like. After awaking from a coma, Fiona is lost and alone. Thinking that she is thirteen, Fiona is scared to find all that she can initially remember changed. No parents or brother. The house is a wreak. Dust and debris everywhere. To make matters worse, there are tattooed creatures on the loose. These creatures add a lot of tension to Stung. A tension that I didn't think would be there. I loved that Stung kept me on the edge of my seat discovering more about these creatures and how everything was connected.

Final Verdict:

From the very beginning, I was captivated with Stung. Is the book pure perfection? No. I did have some issues with a plot twist or two, but overall, Stung blew me away with its creativity. I loved the almost fairy tale like quality of Stung, and being able to follow Fiona in her journey of self-discovery. All in all, Stung does what few reads can... instantly grab me.

Will there be more?

Throughout Stung, I thought it was a standalone. But with the twist ending, now I am not so sure. I have seen talks about a sequel / companion novel, so it looks like Stung may not be a standalone after all. Personally, that makes me really excited. I would love to jump back into this world and discover more.(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Pixie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, arc, netgalley

The action in Stung started immediately from the first page and I found myself glued to the story until the end. This was a compulsive and exciting read, with action and an interesting concept.

The world of Stung creates a scenario in which bees have gone extinct, causing scientists to genetically create new bees. Something goes wrong though during this process, and when the newly modified bees sting humans, a deathly virus is spread. To add further problems with the “Bee Flu”, the scientists tr...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Krista (NawandaFiles) marked it as review-by-becca

Shelves: 2013, bloomsbury, want-a-finished-copy, wishlist, netgalley-or-edelweiss, arc

Reviewed by Becca at Nawanda Files

5 Stars

After I finished Stung, I stepped back and thought about how unapologetic the story was. From the moment the book starts, Wiggins takes the innocent Fiona -- a girl who's lost years of memories -- through trials that make you squirm, gag and cringe. She wades through the sewers knee-deep in feces within the first twenty pages, and that's just the start of her journey to discover what's changed in the world since she's been asleep.

Stung worked from start t...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Princess Debz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, request, for-review, for-review-netgalley, young-adult, fairy-tales, retelling, read-in-2013

Stung was dark, gritty, and disturbing on so many levels. It's the kind of book that sends chills up your spine and sets you on the edge of your seat, and in the mean time your heart is pounding and you can't turn pages fast enough. Not many book can do that to me, so that just goes to show how great this book was.

The premise stands out in the giant pool of YA dystopia. Can you name another book about ‘the honeybee issue’? Let alone on as dark and thrilling as this one. I didn’t think so. It def...more Stung was dark, gritty, and disturbing on so many levels. It's the kind of book that sends chills up your spine and sets you on the edge of your seat, and in the mean time your heart is pounding and you can't turn pages fast enough. Not many book can do that to me, so that just goes to show how great this book was.

The premise stands out in the giant pool of YA dystopia. Can you name another book about ‘the honeybee issue’? Let alone on as dark and thrilling as this one. I didn’t think so. It definitely does share several aspects with other dystopias, but on the whole, it’s completely original.

Fiona was a surprising character. She’s been in a coma for several years, and so waking up in the body of a sixteen year old is a little disorienting. But she’s quick on her feet, and soon begins learning how to survive. I think there’s a good balance between displaying her innocence and naivety, and also showing how quickly she’s learning and maturing in the dangerous world she’s living in. Now, so many times there are characters that fall into this kind of situation who will whine like crazy! But Fiona isn’t a whiny. She puts her time and energy into what’s important: staying alive.

I didn’t really like the romance much, though. It felt kinda insta-lovey, though apparently Fiona and Bowen had known each other before as children, but the romance still came on too quickly. And if you keep in mind that Fiona still has the mind of 13 year old, and Bowen is 17/18 (can’t remember), you start to worry a bit. And there was one scene in particular that made me really hate Bowen, though only briefly.

(view spoiler)

Now…I’ve heard rumors that this was a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but I can't find anything “official” confirming it. If I hadn’t heard that from someone (can’t remember who) I wouldn’t have guessed, because the book doesn't follow Sleeping Beauty at all except for a girl waking up from a coma (and something small at the very end). But whether it’s true or not, this book can stand on it’s own two feet.

A powerful, gritty, and ultimately thrilling story that’s a scary prediction of what our world could become, Stung is a must-read!(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Miss Amby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stung is one of the best novels I've ever read. It is definitely in my top 5 favorite Dystopians of all time. Wiggins does not disappoint in this thrilling novel. The characters are believable AND likable, the world-building is phenomenal, and the plot is nonstop action and suspense. And of course, there is a super hot, swoon-worthy guy. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. Be prepared to lose some sleep with this one.

Fiona is an incredibly strong...more Stung is one of the best novels I've ever read. It is definitely in my top 5 favorite Dystopians of all time. Wiggins does not disappoint in this thrilling novel. The characters are believable AND likable, the world-building is phenomenal, and the plot is nonstop action and suspense. And of course, there is a super hot, swoon-worthy guy. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. Be prepared to lose some sleep with this one.

Fiona is an incredibly strong and likable character. I could relate to her instantly, and I respected her ability to survive and keep her wits about her. She woke up in a world that had completely changed overnight, in her view. Everything was different, including herself. But instead of crying about it and feeling sorry for herself, she takes care of herself and she survives against all odds. I'm now convinced that Wiggins is a master at creating strong yet likable females.

Bowen is swoon-worthy, and I want to have his puppies. I don't even want puppies, and he's a fictional character, but wow. He's just wow. Ahem... anyway... He, too, is strong, yet somehow vulnerable. He doesn't shut people out, but he's not a jerk either. He's willing to be kind when he can be, but he's not afraid to kick some ass either. He isn't some clingy emo creep, like a lot of YA male leads are. He's just amazinggggg. I think he's my new favorite YA guy (sorry Daemon).

The world-building is amazing. Wiggins does a terrific job of showing how awful this post-apocalyptic society is. A lot of Dystopians have characters who just whine about how awful things are, but the authors never actually show how bad it is, so it's hard to understand and/or believe it's as bad as the characters think. Wiggins, however, shows us little details along the way. She expertly weaves these details in with the action, so you gain a full picture of the society in which the main character is living. Because of that, I felt like I was in this creepy version of Denver instead of just hearing about it second-hand.

The plot is intense and action-packed. The romance is sweet and a little steamy. The pacing is perfect. I could not put this book down. It's over 300 pages long, and I finished it in around 4 hours. There are so many mysteries, fight scenes, etc., that I wasn't bored for a second. Every time I thought things had calmed down, something else happened, and I was on the edge of my seat again. There are tons of betrayals throughout this book, too, and many characters surprised me.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves good writing... especially if you're looking for a unique and action-packed Dystopian with excellent world-building, a strong and likable heroine, and a swoon-worthy love interest. This is one book that you do not want to miss.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Katrina Lantz rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Afterglow:

I just finished a NetGalley e-ARC of this book, and I'm giddy with excitement over this series. Having read and loved Bethany Wiggins' debut, SHIFTING (Afterglow review), I jumped at the opportunity for an early look at STUNG, the first book in a new series.

My initial thoughts were that this had some of the same elements I loved from THE MAZE RUNNER (Afterglow review):
-unreliable protagonist with a compromised memory
-hints about some horrible disease
-a giant wall between safety an...more The Afterglow:

I just finished a NetGalley e-ARC of this book, and I'm giddy with excitement over this series. Having read and loved Bethany Wiggins' debut, SHIFTING (Afterglow review), I jumped at the opportunity for an early look at STUNG, the first book in a new series.

My initial thoughts were that this had some of the same elements I loved from THE MAZE RUNNER (Afterglow review):
-unreliable protagonist with a compromised memory
-hints about some horrible disease
-a giant wall between safety and horror
-special terms specific to this universe
-twisty plot that plays with the concepts of good/bad, obedience/rebellion
-a balance of hope and despair

This is just to point out similarities within the YA dystopia/thriller genre, and not to imply any kind of copy-catting. STUNG is unique in many ways. One of my favorite ways is the Sleeping Beauty retelling aspect. I also love that Fiona, our first-person protagonist, is not hardened against the world. In fact, the last she can remember, she was only thirteen. She woke up four years older but with all the emotions and memories of a thirteen-year-old. That's an ambitious undertaking for any author, but Bethany Wiggins does a great job showing how a thirteen-year-old would act when thrust into a situation--and a body--that demands she behave like an older person. I read a scathing review of this book (I must stop reading those) that questioned a lot of Fiona's reactions. That reviewer seemed to think she was reading about Lara Croft. Fiona is not Lara Croft. She's Fiona Tarsis, a seventeen-year-old girl who can't remember the past four years of her life. A prodigious pianist who is used to comforts and protection. Characterization is one of the areas Bethany Wiggins excels at! Recall my SHIFTING review, wherein I raved about the character Maggie Mae, as one of the most complete, realistic characters I'd ever read. Particularly in a high-concept novel, it's a feat to include this depth of characterization, if only because the author is usually so busy fleshing out a whole new world and keeping the pace lively.

Fast-paced is how I would describe STUNG. It really did catch me up in the beginning and not let go until the ride was over. I loved the romance. I felt I was watching two people with a shadowy history as childhood acquaintances come to see each other in a new light, and they fall in love at a human pace. Although I love a rip-roaring action pace as much as the next YA dystopia reader, I like my romance to be more thoughtfully paced, a la Katniss and Peeta.

As a loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty, it has a fantastic twist in the end that puts Fiona in the Prince role, so to speak. And there is lots of kissing. :)

Who will love STUNG? Fans of SHIFTING, THE MAZE RUNNER, THE HUNGER GAMES, DIVERGENT, and anybody who craves action in their fiction. There's no shortage of it here!

p.s. Don't you just love this cover?

Operation Awesome will be joining the STUNG blog tour on March 27-28.(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Rae M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: released-2013, dystopia, net-galley, the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, science-fiction, arcs, female-authors, covers-i-love, ebook, futures-and-tomorrows, genetic-tampering, high-body-count, murder-and-mayhem, bacteria-and-diseases, chaos-and-anarchy, monsters, romance, survival, young-adult, 04-stars, review-or-comment, boring-or-bad-ending, read-in-2013

I really enjoyed the fact that we get to learn about what happened to the world along with the main character. Fiona doesn't remember anything about what happened to the world, and we don't know anything about it either. This way, instead of having the main character have paragraphs of exposition we get to learn about it in a natural way--watching Fiona's experiences and the short, simple explanations given by other characters.

I also like the tie-in to current events. With the population of bee...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Jennifer Pittman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-read

I couldn't imagine waking up and everything and one you knew was gone. This is what happened to Fiona. Not only is her family gone, but even the outside world is different.

If it hadn't have been for working and planning my son's curriculum I would have not put this book down from the time I started it until I finished it! It is a really great book! Rest of the review can be found at http://barefootdokusha.net/2013/04/06...

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Apr 20, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-bridget

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was an action packed dystopian novel with a great plot, sweet romance, fun characters, all set in an intriguing world.

Opening Sentence: I don’t remember going to sleep.

The Review:

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep; her last memory was when she was 13 years old. She was happily living with her family. Her dad was retired from the air force, her older sister was in college, and her twin brother was one of her best friends. As she wake...more

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Apr 13, 2013 P.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Fiona wakes up in her bed, she thinks she is 13. The last thing she remembers is her 13th birthday party; but the body she sees in the mirror is 17. As she is trying to figure out this conundrum, she is attacked by a wild beast who looks suspiciously like a crazed version of her twin brother Jonah. More shocks await her she goes on the run from wild beasts, raiders, militias, and the de facto president of the state of Colorado. The tattoo on her hand proclaims her to be a Level Ten and the...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Leeanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, arcs, for-review

Bees scare the honey out of me. As there’s one featured on the cover of STUNG, I almost passed this book up the first time I saw it. But I love me some dystopian and post-apocalyptic books, and so after I read the blurb for STUNG, I knew I had to take a chance.

I’m happy I did. STUNG captured my attention from the beginning. Fiona wakes up, in her house, but something is wrong. The house is filthy, destroyed, and empty. Fiona last remembers being thirteen, but she’s no longer thirteen -- years ha...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalyptic-or-post-apocalyptic, kindle, young-adult, romance

In a Sentence: Though Stung took place in an engrossing, unique, and creative post-apocalyptic world, the characters populating its pages seemed mediocre at best.

My Thoughts

When I was offered a chance to review Stung for this blog tour, I had to accept. As many of my frequent visitors know, I've been on a seldom-broken hiatus for the majority of this semester due to grad school, teaching, and some ongoing medical issues. In spite of this, I couldn't pass up the chance to look at a promising pos...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fiona wakes up in her own bed, but everything is different than she remembers. She seems to have lost several years and her entire family. Exploring outside, she finds an abandoned world, the leftovers of which are filled with violent humans.

Shaken, Fiona tries to find help, but falls into the hands of the military. They consider her a threat because of a mysterious tattoo on her arm that marks her as infected. As our story progresses, we learn of a world where bee's are dead, the flu has killed...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site, received-for-review

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

Stung had all of the action that I would expect in a dystopian, but it was lacking in the character department. Even though I liked Fiona and Bowen, I felt like they were missing something. I think that I'll chalk Fiona up for memory loss-- it's kind of hard to have a good personality if you don't, well, know what you've been doing for the last four years. But Bowen doesn't have a very good excuse-- and it just seemed like they fell in love too q...more

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title link	preview: Stung
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