The To-Read Pile
I have a little problem when it comes to my reading. I'm sure I'm not alone in it. I turn the last page on a book I thoroughly enjoyed and eagerly start my search for the next one. Except...I have a hard time finding just the right book for my mood at the time. I pick one up, set it down, pick up another. I scan the stacks at various places around the house, knowing that multiple books are calling my name, but unsure how to decide just which one is calling my name the loudest. Before I know it, I've spent an hour just wandering the house and haven't read a thing.
I'm in one of those places right now. Below are a few of the books that I'm considering as my next read, but haven't really dove into any of them yet. The first paragraphs are descriptions from Worldcat, and my own commentary follows in the second paragraphs.
Enders by Lissa Price
With the Prime Destinations body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders--but he can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Having the chip removed could save Callie's life -- but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father.
I dug Starters, and I hope that this sequel will prove to be just as fun as the first. I have to admit, I feel this one's call a bit stronger than the others. (I loathe this cover, though. About the same amount I loathed the cover for the first. Sigh.)
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
In an alternate United States where Day and Night populations are forced to lead separate--but not equal--lives, a desperate Night girl falls for a seemingly privileged Day boy and places them both in danger as she gets caught up in the beginnings of a resistance movement.
I really liked Fama's previous novel, Monstrous Beauty, a nicely written historical fantasy, and this (unrelated) book sounds intriguing. The concept sounds a little far-fetched (there's no explanation given initially for the division between night and day), but I have faith the story will make me believe in it. (And as we've already discovered, it's not hard for me to suspend my disbelief.)
Control by Lydia Kang
In 2150, when genetic manipulation has been outlawed, seventeen-year-old Zelia must rescue her kidnapped sister with the help of a band of outcasts with mutated genes. The review copy states that Kang, a practicing physician, has "gained a reputation for helping other writers with medical accuracy in their own novels." I'm interested to see how technical this book is and how much of it is based on actual science rather than, ahem, "science."
The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
Racing against time, Jonah and Emma, who possess unique magical gifts, work to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, a peaceful commune that the Wizard Guild claims is a hotbed of underguild terrorists.
I've been meaning to read Chima's fantasy novels for ages, but I've never managed to find the first in any of her series in at the library when I've remembered to look. This is the first in a duology related to the Heir Chronicles, but it's supposed to function separately, so I figure it's a good place to start.
Cress by Marissa Meyer
No Worldcat summary yet, but I can tell you this is the third book in Meyer's series of futuristic fairy tale re-tellings. It's based on Rapunzel and features a girl trapped on a satellite who's become very good at hacking - and gets caught up in Cinder and Scarlet's adventures, naturally.
Some slightly tepid reviews from a few acquaintances have me holding off on this one for a while. I know I'll get around to it sooner rather than later, though.
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Em must travel back in time to prevent a catastrophic time machine from ever being invented, while Marina battles to prevent the murder of the boy she loves.
I love time travel, but it can be difficult to do well. When plotted right, time travel can be some of the smartest storytelling around. Reviews from people I trust indicate that Terrill does it very well here.
Related StoriesGet Genrefied: HumorHardcover to Paperback: Six YA Book Makeovers to ConsiderThe 100 by Kass Morgan
I'm in one of those places right now. Below are a few of the books that I'm considering as my next read, but haven't really dove into any of them yet. The first paragraphs are descriptions from Worldcat, and my own commentary follows in the second paragraphs.
Enders by Lissa Price
With the Prime Destinations body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders--but he can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Having the chip removed could save Callie's life -- but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father.
I dug Starters, and I hope that this sequel will prove to be just as fun as the first. I have to admit, I feel this one's call a bit stronger than the others. (I loathe this cover, though. About the same amount I loathed the cover for the first. Sigh.)
Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
In an alternate United States where Day and Night populations are forced to lead separate--but not equal--lives, a desperate Night girl falls for a seemingly privileged Day boy and places them both in danger as she gets caught up in the beginnings of a resistance movement.
I really liked Fama's previous novel, Monstrous Beauty, a nicely written historical fantasy, and this (unrelated) book sounds intriguing. The concept sounds a little far-fetched (there's no explanation given initially for the division between night and day), but I have faith the story will make me believe in it. (And as we've already discovered, it's not hard for me to suspend my disbelief.)
Control by Lydia Kang
In 2150, when genetic manipulation has been outlawed, seventeen-year-old Zelia must rescue her kidnapped sister with the help of a band of outcasts with mutated genes. The review copy states that Kang, a practicing physician, has "gained a reputation for helping other writers with medical accuracy in their own novels." I'm interested to see how technical this book is and how much of it is based on actual science rather than, ahem, "science."
The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
Racing against time, Jonah and Emma, who possess unique magical gifts, work to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, a peaceful commune that the Wizard Guild claims is a hotbed of underguild terrorists.
I've been meaning to read Chima's fantasy novels for ages, but I've never managed to find the first in any of her series in at the library when I've remembered to look. This is the first in a duology related to the Heir Chronicles, but it's supposed to function separately, so I figure it's a good place to start.
Cress by Marissa Meyer
No Worldcat summary yet, but I can tell you this is the third book in Meyer's series of futuristic fairy tale re-tellings. It's based on Rapunzel and features a girl trapped on a satellite who's become very good at hacking - and gets caught up in Cinder and Scarlet's adventures, naturally.
Some slightly tepid reviews from a few acquaintances have me holding off on this one for a while. I know I'll get around to it sooner rather than later, though.
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Em must travel back in time to prevent a catastrophic time machine from ever being invented, while Marina battles to prevent the murder of the boy she loves.
I love time travel, but it can be difficult to do well. When plotted right, time travel can be some of the smartest storytelling around. Reviews from people I trust indicate that Terrill does it very well here.
Related StoriesGet Genrefied: HumorHardcover to Paperback: Six YA Book Makeovers to ConsiderThe 100 by Kass Morgan
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