Kacey Vanderkarr's Blog, page 9
August 15, 2013
INTERVIEW WITH JILL KAELIN
Today I am interviewing the lovely Jill Kaelin, author of the upcoming YA paranormal novel, Hunted: Cycle Thirteen, available in digital edition from Inkspell Publishing, August 17, 2013.
The blurb:
8;That’s how old I was when I found out I was special. I was given my rose quartz gem and taught about my past.
13;That’s how many times I’ve lived in this world. This is my thirteenth life cycle as a human.
1;That’s how many seconds it took me to fall in love with Mike. It’s also the amount of time I had to say goodbye to him just before he was killed by Reggie, the hunter that’s been after me for months.
Will Reggie succeed in killing me too, and possibly eradicating the planet of the unicorn race forever?
Yep, you read correctly! UNICORNS! Are you as excited as I am for this book??
Tell us about your writing habits. Are you a carefree pantser or a methodical outliner? What’s your writing space like?
My writing habits are a bit unusual. I work a lot of hours a day so the only time I have to write is in the early mornings. I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. and use that quiet time in the morning to play with my characters. I’m a “carefree pantser” for sure. It’s interesting how the characters come to life for me and lead me into places I never thought of. That’s my favorite part of writing. My space for writing is pretty casual, laptop on the couch with my feet up and complete silence.
Who or what inspires you?
I’m constantly inspired by my daughter. She has no fear. I want to be her when I grow up.
What are you reading right now?
I am currently reading two books right now. I’m desperately trying to finish City of Bones before the movie comes out. (Doesn’t look hopeful, though.) I’m also almost finished with the Star Child by Stephanie Keyes. She’s another awesome author from Inkspell.
The young adult market is HUGE right now. Why is YA so special to you?
The young adult market is special to me because it’s really what got me back into writing. Here’s a funny story…I live in Florida and there was a year where a series of hurricanes struck our area so naturally, as a teacher, we were off from school due to weather. I was bored so I picked up my daughter’s Twilight book. I couldn’t put it down. We only had the first two books in the series at the time and when I finished New Moon, I was desperate for Eclipse. Being the beginning of the school year, my teacher friends can relate, I was super broke. That’s when I resorted to digging around the house for loose change to purchase the next book and find out what happened. I remember distinctly walking into Wal-mart to purchase the book and wondering how everyone could walk around so normal when Edward and Bella had just gotten back together! We should have been rejoicing! Admittedly, I was a little lost in the world of Twilight.
Hunted: Cycle Thirteen sounds so interesting. What is your favorite part of your book?
So many parts of Hunted were fun to write. I think my most favorite part would have to be where Skye shares her secret with her friend Jules. I think everyone should have a friend like Jules to confide in.
How has becoming published changed your writing and your life?
Becoming published hasn’t changed my life, but it has definitely changed my writing. Just going through the editing process alone taught me so much about writing. I think writing is like life, with more experience comes a greater wealth of knowledge.
What author would you like to have coffee with, and why?
I don’t drink coffee, but I would suck it down in a heartbeat to sit with J.K. Rowling for ten minutes! She is so talented as a writer, but inspiring as a human being, too.
Compare Hunted to other books out there. What kind of readers should snatch it up?
Hunted is unique. I have yet to find a story about unicorns that relates to mine. I hope readers find it that way as well. As for the romance portion of Hunted, I think it relates to a story like Unearthly by Cynthia Hand or Divergent by Veronica Roth. It’s the kind of love that is just meant to be and you find yourself rooting for the characters to find one another and fall in love. The kind of reader that should snatch it up is a reader that likes a little action, an interesting and surprising plot, and enough romance to keep it heated.
What is your greatest fear when it comes to writing?
I honestly have no fear when it comes to writing. My fear surfaces when it comes to other people reading my writing! Writing is so personal and very subjective. What one person may love another may despise and find boring. But when an author pours their heart into a story as I have in Hunted, it’s frightening to think others may not like it.
Here’s your spot to plug Hunted. Give us something juicy!
Here’s a blurb that didn’t make it to the back of the book: Enjoy!
As a descendant of the unicorn race, Skye Kelley has specific powers related to the gemstone she received when she was eight years old—rose quartz. This gift soon becomes a magnet for the opposite sex, which she manages to repel until one specific boy changes her idea of attraction.
Mike Evans, a prep from another town, notices Skye one night while she’s working at the Hot Topic. Their lives soon mingle together and Skye finds herself feeling things for him she didn’t think possible.
Together, they battle an ancient enemy that threatens to kill them both. Regnir Vingus, III has dedicated his life to hunting unicorns. His sights are set on the Kelleys and Skye is his first target.
Will their crusade against evil be enough to defend the unicorn race? Or will the wickedness of Regnir succeed in eradicating the planet of unis forever?
I want to thank Kacey Vanderkarr for these AWESOME questions and for taking the time to interview me! I hope everyone loves Hunted as much as I do. Thank you!!!
Jill Kaelin is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in elementary education, and Nova Southeastern University with a graduate degree in teaching. She currently lives and teaches elementary school in Florida with her talented daughter Justyce, playful dog Coco, and three cats. She enjoys quiet mornings in front of her computer plunging into the lives of her characters. Her favorite things to do include inspiring young writers, reading paranormal romance novels, and watching her daughter dance on stage.
Can’t wait for Hunted? Get a glimpse into the world Kaelin has created in the free short story, Cycle 13: Approaching Skye.
Preorder your digital copy of Hunted here.
You can contact Jill at all the following places:
Congratulations, Jill. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Hunted!
August 12, 2013
REVIEW – HEARTBEAT BY ELIZABETH SCOTT
Available January 28, 2014 from Harlequin Teen
Life. Death. And…Love?
Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.
But Emma can’t tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.
Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn’t have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.
Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?
****
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
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Heartbeat is an emotional look inside a family as they deal with loss and tragedy. When Emma’s pregnant mother suffers a stroke, Emma’s stepfather, Dan, decides to keep her alive to save the unborn baby, even though Emma’s mother is brain dead. Emma hates Dan for his decision, not only because he never consulted Emma, but because she thinks he only cares for his unborn son, and not her mother. Emma doesn’t know how to survive without her mother. She’s lost everything- her mom, her stepfather, her grades, and the one thing that remains – her unborn baby brother, is the catalyst for all the hurt and confusion.
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The characters:
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Emma is a smart teenager. Before her mother’s stroke, Emma was on the fast track to a prestigious college. She was a serious, hardworking student who thought planning her perfect future was the most important thing she could do. After her mother dies, Emma’s grades fall, she stops doing her homework, stops caring, because nothing that was important is that way anymore. I like how this story takes a hard journey through loss and grief. Several times, I found myself connecting with Emma’s internal dialogue. Her anguish and confusion, the what if’s, the author really hit the grief spot on.
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Dan is the doting father figure. Even while Emma hates him, and is constantly spitting hate in his direction, you can see how much he loves her and their family. He’s torn between saving his son and using his wife’s body as an incubator. He knows that his wife would want him to save their son, but his struggle with Emma’s hatred is spectacular. He’s an incredibly strong character, even though he’s not perfect. I loved that the reader gets glimpses into the past, of how happy he was to have Emma and her mother. It lets the reader know that he’s not some heartless bastard trying to farm his son into existence at any cost.
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Caleb is Emma’s love interest. He’s a broken boy, which is how Emma connects with him. He considers himself responsible for his little sister, Millie’s, death. Emma and Caleb bond over their guilt and pain, and their love story is sometimes quiet and beautiful and other times bright and explosive. Caleb is the perfect reflection for Emma and I love the two of them together. It shows how you truly cannot know someone from the outside. Caleb appears to be the typical bad boy loser, into drugs and stealing cars, but he’s really just a sad, scared, young man, who has taken on far more guilt than he should have to bear alone.
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Things I liked:
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*Heartbeat doesn’t sugarcoat pain or loss and allows Emma to make bad choices. It also allows for forgiveness.
*It has a clear understanding of grief and the anger and hatred that come along with it.
*There is visible character growth for Emma, Dan, and Caleb.
*There is a clear line between Emma’s “old” life and her “new” life, and proof that neither is perfect.
*Caleb- especially how he doesn’t “exist” to Emma until she finally “sees” him.
*First person present tense. I usually don’t like this POV, but the immediacy worked perfectly for Heartbeat, packing an emotional punch.
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Things I didn’t like:
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*Caleb’s parents. I can see where a family would get to the point of hating their child if they believed him responsible for the death of their other child, however, I thought the entire scene between him, Emma, and his parents was over the top. I know that the author wanted to show how “evil” they are, but pure evil is hard to swallow, and she left little redeeming qualities for Caleb’s parents. I would’ve believed it more if they’d just ignored him instead of trying to convince Emma that Caleb is a terrible person.
*Millie’s back story. I kept waiting for the “diets” Millie was on to pan out into a plot point. I wanted to see that perfection reflected in Caleb’s mother. It felt like an afterthought, another “staged” point just to make his parents look worse. Their callousness never felt authentic.
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This story is unique, like nothing I have ever read before. Heartbeat takes the reader on a turbulent ride. I found myself laughing and crying at equal intervals. Heartbeat answers the following questions:
How do you say goodbye to someone who is still breathing? Someone who will produce a life but has none left for herself? What makes a life? What makes a family? What is the right decision if you cannot choose for yourself? Who will love me when I have so much hate?
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This story will move teens and adults alike. Great for fans of emotional books along the lines of The Fault in our Stars by John Green and Imperfect Spiral by Debbie Levy.
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Rating: Four Stars
July 31, 2013
URBAN FEY PRESS IS NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
Please visit our SUBMISSION page for more details.
Short story submissions should be between 2,000-4,500 words.
Flash fiction or poetry up to 500 words. (Must be exceptional to be considered.)
We are also accepting art work submissions.
Contact: GreenAnthology@gmail.com
IT’S OPEN DOOR DAY AT SUCKER LITERARY
You have 24 hours to submit your YA short stories to Sucker Literary. Click HERE for the submission guidelines.
GOOD LUCK!!
July 30, 2013
SUCKER BLOG TOUR – DAY 31 – FEATURING MIMA TIPPER
It
‘s the last day of the Sucker Literary Blog Tour and I have to say we’ve had a great run and shared some amazing author’s work. Did you miss the tour? Get all the dates and tour stops HERE.
IMPORTANT!! THIS IS TOMORROW!!! Sucker will reopen the doors for Volume 3 submissions. One day ONLY, August 1, 2013. Find the guidelines HERE.
Today we have a fantastic guest post from the lovely Mima Tipper.
“Boys and Reading and Bookstore Love”
By Mima Tipper
Truth be known, I’m more of a reader than a writer. Yup. I love writing because I love reading, and there’s nothing I like better than being pages deep in a fantastic novel. So imagine my readerly grief when my efforts to raise book-loving kids were pretty much a fail, especially in the case of my oldest son. Yeah, yeah, boys and reading, reading and boys: been there, done that, heard that, hate, hate, hate that. Exactly like many of his fellows, my oldest son loved being read to when he was little, liked books well enough through elementary school, but as soon as he hit middle school all that reading stuff went south. He had “better things to do.” Books were for “idiots.” Arrows through my reading-and-writing heart, people, big, sharp arrows!
Then came the summer after his freshman year of college. Two things: 1) my lovely, smart son was beginning to look at his future with a clearer, brighter eye; which led to 2) him being honest enough to confide that he wished he’d listened to me more about reading during his middle and high school days. That’s right. After one year at an uber-demanding liberal arts college, he saw how being a deeper, more fluent reader would’ve been a huge help with his crazy-hard courses.
Victory? No. Want to slap him silly with “I told you sos?” No (okay, maybe a little). In true mother-form, I told him it was never too late and I invited him to read a book with me. Yeah. We’d have a little mommy/son “summer book group.”
Carping the diem (and not wanting him to change his mind) I rushed him to our local independent bookstore, Phoenix Books. From the title of this piece, you might think I did that because I’m a bookstore purist: I am, mostly, but I do buy tons of stuff on-line (including the occasional book). This was not a time for internet shopping, though. Nope. I wanted books in our hands pronto, and going to an actual store was the only way that could happen. So yeah, I hustled him into the store, and bee-lined to novels by my fave authors. With barely a glance, my son rejected all of my choices: “Too much like school-reading,” he said, “Too chick-ish, too long, sounds boring…” and on and on.
Hmmm.
We began moving through the shelves, letting our fingers trail over book spines, angling our heads to read titles, and generally letting the texture, smell, and feel of being surrounded by books wash over us. Here and there I’d pull a book off the shelf, and we’d read the first page together, heads close. An admitted book-slut, more often than not I’d be sucked in, wanting immediately to shack up with Chapter One. Not so for my son. Picky, picky, he’d take the book from my hand, and put it back on the shelf. I chose not to advocate or argue for my choices, because I was on a mission: the book we chose had to be that perfect book, the one that would rope my son like a rogue calf, and tie him at last and forever to the reading-for-life fold. (Did I mention that I’m delusional? I do write fiction after all!)
Little by little, I began to notice something beyond my book-shopping fever: how being in the physical bookstore, especially a smaller, more eclectic independent, was working magic on my son. Displays of different books were closer together: the fiction section only a couple of feet from local interest books, novelty books, picture books, cook books. He browsed away and, as I continued searching the racks, sometimes chatting with a bookseller, I’d come across him curled up in a chair, reading humor, or standing by a table poking through a book of photographs. Magic upon magic, pearls began dripping from his tongue: “Check this out, Mom.” “Have you seen this one?” “My friends were reading this, take a look.” “Oh,” I’d murmur, not wanting to burst the bubble and, one by one, I collected each pearl.
Me? I loved bookstores from the get-go, but that day I experienced the space through my son’s eyes: how being in the physical store relaxed him, let him wander and dream. This wonderful experience with my son was illustrating for me in a new way that internet-shopping ( or even whatever kind of shopping comes next) will never replace the magic of certain kinds of physical-shopping, like being in a bookstore. Surrounded by hardcovers and softcovers, sizes, shapes, colors and textures, my son and I could push the envelope of what kind of book we “wanted” or were “searching for,” and instead actually “discover.”
Eventually we agreed on a book: J. Lethem’s first novel, Guns with Occasional Music, a short, wacky, Raymond-Chandler-meets-William-Gibson sci-fi-noir-crime thriller. We both liked the book a lot, and later that summer had a lovely bit of fun talking about it. Now, I can’t claim that our book and bookstore experience converted my son to crazy-avid-readerness, but he does spend more time reading for pleasure these days, and when we get the chance, it is mad-fun going to a bookstore together.
A small P. S: I guess my hope is that stories like this one will add fuel to the fire for all of us (internet book sources/retailers, as well) to work together actively to support the survival of bookstores. After all, if kids don’t grow up spending time in actual physical book places (that means you too, libraries) will they even bother searching out books on the internet, or anywhere else?
About the Author: Mima Tipper received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is thrilled not only that her short story “Waiting for Alice” will appear in Sucker Literary Magazine’s first issue, but also that another of her YA stories, “A Cut-Out Face”, was in the fall, 2011 issue of Hunger Mountain’s online Journal of the Arts. When she’s not whipping up trouble for her fictional characters, Mima tries to take full advantage of living with her family in her beautiful home state of Vermont. Find her on Twitter @meemtip. She is represented by Hen&ink Literary Studio.
Pick up a copy of Sucker Literary Volume 2 Today! Amazon
When Alex’s bandmates invite a girl to sing lead, a battle of the sexes becomes a battle over something unexpected. . . A girl tells her friend about hooking up with longtime crush Fred, but his kisses are not what makes that night in his car memorable. . . A therapy session with Doug might just make Jason go insane again. . . Wallflower Aubrey hooks up with Gordon after the cast party, which would be fine if he weren’t the most forbidden fruit of them all…Savannah certainly doesn’t sound like a convict’s name, so maybe hanging out with her isn’t all that dangerous. Miki is committed to getting over Dex, yet she can’t get him off her answering machine—or her doorstep. In between puffs of cigarettes and attempts to smear lipstick on her face, Allie’s grandmother dishes out advice that maybe Allie should take. . . And finally, what’s a girl to do with Satan as both her boss and father? Nine short stories pose the questions we obsess over whether we’re growing up or all grown up: Who should I love? Am I doing the right thing? Is there ever an end to heartbreak? In its second volume, SUCKER continues to showcase the very best emerging talent in young adult literature and give (some of) the answers to Life’s Big Questions along the way.
IMPORTANT!! THIS IS TOMORROW!!! Sucker will reopen the doors for Volume 3 submissions. One day ONLY, August 1, 2013. Find the guidelines HERE.
July 28, 2013
REVIEW – PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL BY KARA TAYLOR
In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.
Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn’t care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.
When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.
**
I received an advance copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation, monetary or otherwise, for my review.
5 STARS
Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
This book was so much fun! The dialogue was hilarious and the situations had me laughing all the way through. Don’t let the cover or the title fool you—I went into this book thinking it was going to be snarky, shallow, and annoying. It was none of those things. (I might go as far as to wish they’d used a different title AND cover, one that was more interesting and more applicable to the story.)
Anne Dowling has a serious case of bad luck that ends her at Wheatley as the “new girl.” What ensues is a mix of mystery, murder, friendship, relationships, and self-discovery. While Anne is constantly touted as a “troublemaker”, I think she’s just a typical teenager trying to stay ahead of the game. She does her fair share of sneaking around, breaking and entering, and snooping, but her character never seemed catty or contrived.
When Anne’s roommate Isabella is found dead in the woods, the book really takes off. The reader follows Anne as she tries to solve the mystery of who killed Isabella—no matter the consequences.
Things I liked: Anne’s authentic voice. The storyline and how it keeps you guessing until the end. How all the characters are involved in something unsavory—it keeps things interesting!
Things I didn’t like: The stereotypical relationships and how Anne chooses the “rich” kid in the end. The extra characters who aren’t well developed.
Prep School Confidential will keep you on your toes and you’ll fly through the pages trying to figure it out. Anne is a likeable main character and the plot is substantial enough to satisfy even a critical reader.
July 20, 2013
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY, ANTITHESIS!
My name is Gavyn.
Liam doesn’t care that I only have one arm. He actually likes my red hair and freckles. I might forgive him for kidnapping me.
My name is Gavyn.
I lost my Liam. I’ve lost them all. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t show up again.
My name is Gavyn.
I had a life with Liam, but he couldn’t give me what I need. Then I killed his father. I don’t expect he’ll forgive me for that.
My name is Gavyn.
The day has finally arrived! Please join me in welcoming my debut novel, Antithesis.
Thank you to everyone who made this novel possible, especially Inkspell Publishing who has been fantastic along the way.
Antithesis will go on tour starting August 5th-August 23rd. (Tour organized by Fiction Addiction Book Tours.) There will be reviews, giveaways, author interviews, and lots and lots of fun. I hope you’ll join me!
Did you get a copy? Please send me a picture of you with your book. I’ll be featuring my favorites right here on my blog. Email: kacey.vanderkarr@gmail.com
Coming soon, I’ll have photos from my release party, which is one week from today. If you live in Michigan and wish to attend, please visit our event page HERE.
I’m giving away 2 signed copies, a Keep Calm and Read Antithesis T-shirt, and a digital copy. See below to enter:
Thank you for joining me on this special day!
All the best,
Kacey
July 13, 2013
REVIEW – IMPERFECT SPIRAL BY DEBBIE LEVY
I received an e-copy of Imperfect Spiral from Net Galley. All opinions are my own. I did not receive compensation, monetary or otherwise, for my review.
Danielle Snyder’s summer job as a babysitter takes a tragic turn when Humphrey, the five-year-old boy she’s watching, runs in front of oncoming traffic to chase down his football. Immediately Danielle is caught up in the machinery of tragedy: police investigations, neighborhood squabbling, and, when the driver of the car that struck Humphrey turns out to be an undocumented alien, outsiders use the accident to further a politically charged immigration debate. Wanting only to mourn Humphrey, the sweet kid she had a surprisingly strong friendship with, Danielle tries to avoid the world around her. Through a new relationship with Justin, a boy she meets at the park, she begins to work through her grief, but as details of the accident emerge, much is not as it seems. It’s time for Danielle to face reality, but when the truth brings so much pain, can she find a way to do right by Humphrey’s memory and forgive herself for his death?
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5 STARS
Available July 16, 2013
Imperfect Spiral is the kind of book I love to read. To say it was artfully arranged would be an understatement.
The story revolves around Humphrey Danker and his babysitter, Danielle. What started out as a fun evening in the park ends in tragedy when Humphrey is struck and killed by a vehicle while walking home. What happens next is a perfect example of what would occur in the real world. The community gets involved, and suddenly everyone else “owns” Humphrey’s death. They want sidewalks and lights on Quarry Road, they want all illegal immigrants deported—turning the tragedy into a circus.
The story arc of this book felt like a puzzle to me, and I mean that in the best way. We have Justin, the boy who Danielle meets in the park—he turns out to be the son of the people who hit Humphrey. We have Mr. Danker, who at first is cold and distant to Danielle, who changes after his son’s death and offers to help Justin (an illegal immigrant) stay in the country.
Each of the revelations was surprising to me. The story was so carefully created—it wasn’t that the author used distraction to keep the reader from figuring it out, I was just caught up in everything, so every pivotal moment felt right and fell into the perfect spot.
Danielle was an easy character to relate to. She was compassionate and kind, she loved Humphrey, but she was still a teenager. She suffered a lot of uncertainty throughout the story, but that felt true. She wasn’t whiney or overly dramatic, but we experienced her personal turmoil as she interacted with her counselor, her parents, and her friends.
Every character had a history and well-rounded place. The ending was satisfying, leaving enough to the imagination, but also closing all the character’s stories in a way that was believable and hopeful.
I read somewhere that this book was for fans of Jodi Picoult. I love Jodi Picoult books, and I loved this book, but I’m not sure that the two are all that similar. Jodi has a specific way of writing that jumps you around from character to character. Imperfect Spiral is told from Danielle’s point of view. Jodi’s books often focus on legal proceedings, Imperfect Spiral, though it does have some “town hall” type meetings, is more about the relationships and personal growth. I think readers of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this book, but I also think they should understand that it is not written in a similar fashion (and that’s fine—it doesn’t need to be!).
If you like stories that leave you feeling hopeful and satisfied—you’ll love Imperfect Spiral.
July 12, 2013
REVIEW – VIRAL NATION BY SHAUNTA GRIMES
Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes
After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.
Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.
When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.
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4 Stars
I enjoyed this book. I like Clover—and she can be a hard character to relate to. Being Autistic, she tends to say what she thinks, miss social cues, and behave inappropriately in public, but she has a good heart. When West’s life is threatened, she goes on the defensive to save him. She’s terrified of the world, cannot handle extreme social situations or stimulation, but is brave enough stand up for West.
The Freaks are a band of misfits, and I appreciate that in a novel. It’s not just your typical group of teenagers. They have all survived horrific things from abuse and abandonment, to the virus, to seeing the people they love die.
The story line is interesting, combining a virus, time travel, and a crooked government. At times, I found myself having to go back and reread because the action moved fast and was downplayed, so I’d miss what was happening. There’s a lot of information to follow, little clues that don’t go anywhere, things that seem important that aren’t.
Obviously, this is a series, so everything was not explained in the first book—and I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending. I feel like none of the questions I had at the beginning were answered and the story arc left me feeling a little disappointed.
The real gem of the story was the relationships between the characters.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series and figuring out what the heck is going on!
I received a galley e-copy of Viral Nation from Net Galley. All opinions are my own and I did not receive monetary or other incentive for my review.
July 2, 2013
I HAVE BOOKS!
Today was a day like any other, UNTIL *dun dun dun* MY BOOKS CAME!
I was quite calm, of course. I’d just walked in from work, still in my scrubs, so I had to change before I took pictures of THE MOMENT.
Then, the unthinkable happens. Completely unexpected, in walks my best friend Lana and our good friend Sara who’s visiting from Kansas.
Here’s me: OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD MYBOOKSCAME MYBOOKSCAME ANDYOU’REHEREFORTHEMOMENT ANDI’MSOEXCITED! OHMYGOD!
Lana: I have no idea what you just said.
Me: MY BOOKS CAME!
Lana: OH MY GOD!
And it went a little bit like this. 
And then, naturally, Sara, Lana, Holly, an I had to take the book out to celebrate.
And read at the bar…
And I had to SIGN MY VERY FIRST COPY for my BFF while she made this face and some unsuspecting people ate burgers in the background…
Wow. What an awesome day.
All the best,
Kacey
