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The Well's End #1
The Well's End
A deadly virus and an impossible discovery unite in one enthralling can’t-miss read...
Sixteen-year-old Mia Kish has always been afraid of the dark. After all, she’s baby Mia, the one who fell down a well. That was years ago, though the darkness still haunts her. But when her classmates and teachers at ritzy Westbrook Academy start dying of old age from a bizarre and frightening virus that ages its victims years in a matter of hours, Mia becomes haunted by a lot more than the dark. Their deaths are gruesome and Mia worries she and her friends may be next. In order to survive, Mia and her small crew must break quarantine and outrun armed soldiers in hazmat suits who shoot first and ask questions later.
And there’s only one place to go—the Cave, aka Fenton Electronics. Mia knows it’s somehow connected and hopes her dad, Director of Fenton Electronics, who has always been strangely secretive about his work, has the answers she needs, and more importantly a cure to save everyone before the whole town succumbs to the mysterious virus. Unfortunately, it’s not answers Mia discovers, but something far more treacherous and impossible than even the virus itself.
A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart.
Sixteen-year-old Mia Kish has always been afraid of the dark. After all, she’s baby Mia, the one who fell down a well. That was years ago, though the darkness still haunts her. But when her classmates and teachers at ritzy Westbrook Academy start dying of old age from a bizarre and frightening virus that ages its victims years in a matter of hours, Mia becomes haunted by a lot more than the dark. Their deaths are gruesome and Mia worries she and her friends may be next. In order to survive, Mia and her small crew must break quarantine and outrun armed soldiers in hazmat suits who shoot first and ask questions later.
And there’s only one place to go—the Cave, aka Fenton Electronics. Mia knows it’s somehow connected and hopes her dad, Director of Fenton Electronics, who has always been strangely secretive about his work, has the answers she needs, and more importantly a cure to save everyone before the whole town succumbs to the mysterious virus. Unfortunately, it’s not answers Mia discovers, but something far more treacherous and impossible than even the virus itself.
A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2014
27 people are currently reading
2819 people want to read
About the author
Seth Fishman
9 books156 followersSeth Fishman is a native of Midland, Texas (think Friday Night Lights), and a graduate of Princeton University and the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. He spends his days as a literary agent at The Gernert Company and his nights (and mornings) writing. He lives in LA with his wife and son.
His first picture book (with Isabel Greenberg Illustrating), A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS, won the Mathical Prize, was a Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book, and was named a best book of 2017 by Amazon, Space.com and the Planetary Society. His follow up picture book, POWER UP, is out March 19th. He's the author of two YA thrillers, THE WELL'S END and THE DARK WATER.
His first picture book (with Isabel Greenberg Illustrating), A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS, won the Mathical Prize, was a Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book, and was named a best book of 2017 by Amazon, Space.com and the Planetary Society. His follow up picture book, POWER UP, is out March 19th. He's the author of two YA thrillers, THE WELL'S END and THE DARK WATER.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
June 12, 2013
5 stars from the author himself. Why? Because it's the first bit of writing I've done since the 9th grade where I can pick it up randomly, flip to an open page, and not cringe at what I did. Of course, I'm biased, I hope you can forgive! And that you like too!
February 14, 2014
There is one major cookie point for this book: It is surprisingly engrossing and I couldn’t put it down. The plot moves fast and is full of action. Boring this book is not! The plot was well thought out full of interesting twists. One thing that I disliked majorly about it is the cliffhanger ending. Just because author & publisher want to make more money with a story doesn’t mean they should leave readers hanging with an unfinished story!
Then there were two major points that didn’t work out for me:
First - characterization:
Those teenagers, hmpf, they were just kind of boring. Their interactions were just plain meh. Also the boarding school setting for super rich and super talented teens felt kind of overdone. Mia’s voice is in the beginning fun enough to read, but as the story progresses I felt like she wasn’t pushing enough for answers and was too accepting of the things other people told her. I just could not form a connection to any of the characters in the book.
Second - the romance:
The romance between Mia and Brayden was rather awkward and *spark-less* and kind of fake. I skipped a lot of their interaction.
Then there were two major points that didn’t work out for me:
First - characterization:
Those teenagers, hmpf, they were just kind of boring. Their interactions were just plain meh. Also the boarding school setting for super rich and super talented teens felt kind of overdone. Mia’s voice is in the beginning fun enough to read, but as the story progresses I felt like she wasn’t pushing enough for answers and was too accepting of the things other people told her. I just could not form a connection to any of the characters in the book.
Second - the romance:
The romance between Mia and Brayden was rather awkward and *spark-less* and kind of fake. I skipped a lot of their interaction.
April 27, 2014
There are so many things I don't like about this book that I'm not even sure where to start.
First, the minor: I found out about this book because of several illustrations that Kate Beaton made for it. Most of the articles about these illustrations fail to mention that they do not appear in the end product.
Second, the characters. Only a couple of them are more or less fleshed out, and the main character isn't among them. The rest is pretty much cardboard stock. Jo is the best friend, Rob is the geek, Brayden is the suspicious love interest, Sutton is the creepy villain, all other adults are mostly unhelpful. Jimmy and Odessa get some development only because of the virus that ages them, and their reaction to it.
Mia, the protagonist, is an egregious case of uninteresting flaw and genre-unsavvy.
Yes, she fell down a well when she was little; then she overcame her fear of it by becoming a national-level swimmer. This is mentioned over and over but is never really relevant to the story, never becomes an obstacle, and is never tied (if not really really loosely) to the main plot.
Then, she falls in love with a new guy at her school just the day before the lethal virus spreads. The guy is extremely suspicious, is seen talking with the main villain, and keeps on apologizing for things he hasn't done yet. So when he asks "Do you trust me?", of course Mia replies "YES", because she's never seen a movie or read a book in her life. Girl, I get it, you're in mad insta-love, but seriously? It's called "sudden but inevitable betrayal" for a reason.
Third, the plot: 80% of this book is about getting to this Cave, where in two densely filled chapters we're told about all the interesting stuff, which could have easily been a couple books into themselves. Yes, this is Mia's personal trip where she overcomes her fear of water and claustrophobia (which she repeatedly tells us she already overcame, so what?), but when the flashback is more interest than the main story, something's wrong.
Which leads us neatly into the last gripe, which is that this books ends on a cliffhanger. And not even a "this chapter closes and another one opens" kind, or even a "how are our heroes going to escape certain death?". No, the bad guys find the magical well, the main characters jump into it, Mia remembers something she had forgotten, they get to the other side -all of this in one page- and the book ends. Cut down with a guillotine right when it was getting interesting.
If there's a sequel coming out, I'm definitely not buying that. If this was supposed to stand alone on its own... Well, no.
First, the minor: I found out about this book because of several illustrations that Kate Beaton made for it. Most of the articles about these illustrations fail to mention that they do not appear in the end product.
Second, the characters. Only a couple of them are more or less fleshed out, and the main character isn't among them. The rest is pretty much cardboard stock. Jo is the best friend, Rob is the geek, Brayden is the suspicious love interest, Sutton is the creepy villain, all other adults are mostly unhelpful. Jimmy and Odessa get some development only because of the virus that ages them, and their reaction to it.
Mia, the protagonist, is an egregious case of uninteresting flaw and genre-unsavvy.
Yes, she fell down a well when she was little; then she overcame her fear of it by becoming a national-level swimmer. This is mentioned over and over but is never really relevant to the story, never becomes an obstacle, and is never tied (if not really really loosely) to the main plot.
Then, she falls in love with a new guy at her school just the day before the lethal virus spreads. The guy is extremely suspicious, is seen talking with the main villain, and keeps on apologizing for things he hasn't done yet. So when he asks "Do you trust me?", of course Mia replies "YES", because she's never seen a movie or read a book in her life. Girl, I get it, you're in mad insta-love, but seriously? It's called "sudden but inevitable betrayal" for a reason.
Third, the plot: 80% of this book is about getting to this Cave, where in two densely filled chapters we're told about all the interesting stuff, which could have easily been a couple books into themselves. Yes, this is Mia's personal trip where she overcomes her fear of water and claustrophobia (which she repeatedly tells us she already overcame, so what?), but when the flashback is more interest than the main story, something's wrong.
Which leads us neatly into the last gripe, which is that this books ends on a cliffhanger. And not even a "this chapter closes and another one opens" kind, or even a "how are our heroes going to escape certain death?". No, the bad guys find the magical well, the main characters jump into it, Mia remembers something she had forgotten, they get to the other side -all of this in one page- and the book ends. Cut down with a guillotine right when it was getting interesting.
If there's a sequel coming out, I'm definitely not buying that. If this was supposed to stand alone on its own... Well, no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2013
This is on your must read 2014 shelf. right now. unless you're an idiot. and i know you're not.
original as hell, great third act. do not be deceived by the middle of this book. this is not your usual "quarantine/mystery" teen novel. no, no, no.
I read this as an ARC, and it's coming out February 2014. It stands as the top five YA novels I've read in two years. The ending is big when things come into focus. This author works for a literary agency, and it shows in this debut work that he's monitored very carefully what has been done, what has not, and how to build a complex Y.A. narrative that delivers. His voice, tone, flow, and twisting plot left me enthralled with a magic I haven't felt in years. I actually, really, couldn't put it down after the midpoint once they get to the cave. And that's only the second book to do that to me this year. I've read 85 this year.
I didn't really know what to expect from this story, and I went in basically blind. It was a great way to go into this novel. I was trying to figure it out, and boy, was I happy to be wrong. What a strong, strong book. Especially the last third.
MH
original as hell, great third act. do not be deceived by the middle of this book. this is not your usual "quarantine/mystery" teen novel. no, no, no.
I read this as an ARC, and it's coming out February 2014. It stands as the top five YA novels I've read in two years. The ending is big when things come into focus. This author works for a literary agency, and it shows in this debut work that he's monitored very carefully what has been done, what has not, and how to build a complex Y.A. narrative that delivers. His voice, tone, flow, and twisting plot left me enthralled with a magic I haven't felt in years. I actually, really, couldn't put it down after the midpoint once they get to the cave. And that's only the second book to do that to me this year. I've read 85 this year.
I didn't really know what to expect from this story, and I went in basically blind. It was a great way to go into this novel. I was trying to figure it out, and boy, was I happy to be wrong. What a strong, strong book. Especially the last third.
MH
March 22, 2014
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
I had trouble categorizing The Well's End, which should already tell you that this is quite a unique piece of YA fiction. Part science fiction and fantasy but also a bit of mystery and thriller, the book is a fast-paced adventure that sets itself apart with an imaginative scenario and memorable characters.
The book follows Mia, whose fall down a well when she was four years old made her a local celebrity. Twelve years later she is still known to everyone in town and at the exclusive Westbrook Academy where she goes to school as "Baby Mia". The experience left her with a fear of water and tight dark spaces, which only led to my increased admiration for her as I watched her fight through many frightening situations in the course of this story.
Mia had even joined the swim team and become its star. On the eve of a big meet though, a sudden emergency causes Westbrook to go into lock-down, the cause of it being a deadly virus that speeds up the aging process in its victims so that those infected die within hours. It feels a bit wrong of me to say this but, NICE! A story about a killer virus and quarantine in a YA novel that isn't related to zombies for once!
Once the news breaks about the virus, that's when the plot really takes off. Seth Fishman nails the atmosphere of Westbrook and makes the social aspects of the school very believable (when I was a teen I spent a couple years overseas stuck in a high end international school and a lot of the different cliques and students' attitudes there were actually a lot like what I saw in this book). Some of the best scenes were at the beginning of the novel where the students first learn that they are not allowed to leave the campus, resulting in the utter chaos you would expect from the reactions of privileged kids used to getting their own way. It was frightening, it was intense, and it was brilliant.
The book only had a couple weaknesses, one being the uneven pacing of the story. It slows a little after Mia and friends escape the school grounds and start heading towards the Fenton Electronics Company located in "the Cave", a front for where her father works. There's a burst of excitement again when the teens hit up the aqueduct and run into all sorts of trouble there, but it calms down again once they find the Cave and realize it's not what they thought it was at all. The explanation for the virus situation felt a little drawn out and there was also a sudden shift in perspective here that might jar some readers. There were also a few interactions between the characters that felt awkward, especially the one between Mia and the new kid Brayden. Their relationship felt too fast and too sudden, though as the story progressed, I started to understand why it might have been that way.
The big reveal about the Cave was a real game changer though, ratcheting the excitement up a few notches. As the pieces of this puzzle fell into place, all the strange things that had baffled me finally made a lot more sense. Here we tread further into fantasy territory, and with the secret nature of the Cave still mostly unknown, the stage is set for all kinds of possibilities.
In the end, this debut by Seth Fishman did not disappoint. I found out he is the literary agent of a couple of my favorite authors, so he definitely knows a good story. His first book was indeed a promising start to a new series though be aware that the ending is very abrupt, leaving things open for an inevitable sequel. There's no question I'll pick it up though; I'm invested in the story and these characters and I'm eager for answers.
I had trouble categorizing The Well's End, which should already tell you that this is quite a unique piece of YA fiction. Part science fiction and fantasy but also a bit of mystery and thriller, the book is a fast-paced adventure that sets itself apart with an imaginative scenario and memorable characters.
The book follows Mia, whose fall down a well when she was four years old made her a local celebrity. Twelve years later she is still known to everyone in town and at the exclusive Westbrook Academy where she goes to school as "Baby Mia". The experience left her with a fear of water and tight dark spaces, which only led to my increased admiration for her as I watched her fight through many frightening situations in the course of this story.
Mia had even joined the swim team and become its star. On the eve of a big meet though, a sudden emergency causes Westbrook to go into lock-down, the cause of it being a deadly virus that speeds up the aging process in its victims so that those infected die within hours. It feels a bit wrong of me to say this but, NICE! A story about a killer virus and quarantine in a YA novel that isn't related to zombies for once!
Once the news breaks about the virus, that's when the plot really takes off. Seth Fishman nails the atmosphere of Westbrook and makes the social aspects of the school very believable (when I was a teen I spent a couple years overseas stuck in a high end international school and a lot of the different cliques and students' attitudes there were actually a lot like what I saw in this book). Some of the best scenes were at the beginning of the novel where the students first learn that they are not allowed to leave the campus, resulting in the utter chaos you would expect from the reactions of privileged kids used to getting their own way. It was frightening, it was intense, and it was brilliant.
The book only had a couple weaknesses, one being the uneven pacing of the story. It slows a little after Mia and friends escape the school grounds and start heading towards the Fenton Electronics Company located in "the Cave", a front for where her father works. There's a burst of excitement again when the teens hit up the aqueduct and run into all sorts of trouble there, but it calms down again once they find the Cave and realize it's not what they thought it was at all. The explanation for the virus situation felt a little drawn out and there was also a sudden shift in perspective here that might jar some readers. There were also a few interactions between the characters that felt awkward, especially the one between Mia and the new kid Brayden. Their relationship felt too fast and too sudden, though as the story progressed, I started to understand why it might have been that way.
The big reveal about the Cave was a real game changer though, ratcheting the excitement up a few notches. As the pieces of this puzzle fell into place, all the strange things that had baffled me finally made a lot more sense. Here we tread further into fantasy territory, and with the secret nature of the Cave still mostly unknown, the stage is set for all kinds of possibilities.
In the end, this debut by Seth Fishman did not disappoint. I found out he is the literary agent of a couple of my favorite authors, so he definitely knows a good story. His first book was indeed a promising start to a new series though be aware that the ending is very abrupt, leaving things open for an inevitable sequel. There's no question I'll pick it up though; I'm invested in the story and these characters and I'm eager for answers.
January 16, 2014
View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.org/2014/01...
The Well's End is the type of story that readers will undoubtedly read long after dark, riveted and unable to put the book down until it's been finished in a single sitting. I knew from the start that this would be a book for me, blending the most powerful aspects of horror, mystery and cinematic-style adventure into a novel that is both gripping and alluring in its darkness. Author, Seth Fishman, doesn't shy away from the drama, but rather embraces and draws you in with a novel that is so full of action, drama and adventure that it is fairly impossible to simply stop in the middle of the novel to put the book down.
The setup of The Well's End, while exciting, didn't sound entirely original to me, immediately bringing to mind thoughts of Contagion or other such mystery stories, but I was surprised to see that while, yes, the story embraces that concept, it also goes far beyond it. The quarantine and mystery elements of the story are the bones and framework of the novel, but the characters and the deeper, more sinister mystery in the background are the meat and muscle of the novel, pumping a vibrant and electric life into the book from start to finish. This isn't the type of novel that you can read for pure escapism. Rather, The Well's End pulls you into a mystery so very multifaceted that its nearly impossible to extract yourself and find the source of it all until the third act illuminates it all and leaves us reeling.
Mia was an excellent main character for a reader like me. To create an avid swimmer, the author definitely did his due diligence in researching swimming terms, practice methods, equipment and drills. As a child, Mia fell down a well and was trapped for days, leading to a deep-rooted and inherent fear of darkness and cold. Swimming, however, embraces both of these things, and Mr. Fishman's use of two polar opposites cements a sort of vulnerable power in our main character, making her both appealing and relatable. The supporting cast of characters including Jo, Odessa, Jimmy, Rob and Brayden were quite solid, as well, each playing their part to their fullest potential. That said, it must be noted that I did feel the romantic setup in the novel was a touch too convenient, and I think if the characters had been given more of a chance to evolve together, it would have been more believable. The only character I felt lacked a bit of true depth in the first half of the novel was our antagonist, Blake Sutton. We know that he's bad, and we understand there is more to him than meets the eye, but we're kept in the dark for much of the novel until the big reveal.
The true beauty of The Well's End, however, is most definitely the whirlwind plot, which simply doesn't stop. While I felt that, at times, the characters weren't entirely rooted in reality, the plot takes center stage. For example, when I though the mystery was brought to light and we were going to understand the root cause of the virus and The Cave, Mr. Fishman throws readers a curveball. Thrusting us headlong into a town that's riddled with mystery and darkness, we're helpless but to watch and hope as the events unfold with painstaking care. It's exciting to see an author take such care in setting up surprising elements to a story that might have otherwise fallen quite flat. Furthermore, the author has an incredibly easy tone that makes it fun and engaging to follow, and he embraces the modernity of language, which brings our teenage cast alive.
In the end, I read The Well's End in one sitting, riveted from start to finish. When I thought the mystery had unfurled by the second act, I was surprised to see more action, adventure and mystery in the third. It's the type of novel that asks you to simply put aside your reservations and plunge in headfirst with abandon...do it. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I definitely recommend to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy science fiction, thrillers and mysteries.
I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
http://www.iswimforoceans.org/2014/01...
The Well's End is the type of story that readers will undoubtedly read long after dark, riveted and unable to put the book down until it's been finished in a single sitting. I knew from the start that this would be a book for me, blending the most powerful aspects of horror, mystery and cinematic-style adventure into a novel that is both gripping and alluring in its darkness. Author, Seth Fishman, doesn't shy away from the drama, but rather embraces and draws you in with a novel that is so full of action, drama and adventure that it is fairly impossible to simply stop in the middle of the novel to put the book down.
The setup of The Well's End, while exciting, didn't sound entirely original to me, immediately bringing to mind thoughts of Contagion or other such mystery stories, but I was surprised to see that while, yes, the story embraces that concept, it also goes far beyond it. The quarantine and mystery elements of the story are the bones and framework of the novel, but the characters and the deeper, more sinister mystery in the background are the meat and muscle of the novel, pumping a vibrant and electric life into the book from start to finish. This isn't the type of novel that you can read for pure escapism. Rather, The Well's End pulls you into a mystery so very multifaceted that its nearly impossible to extract yourself and find the source of it all until the third act illuminates it all and leaves us reeling.
Mia was an excellent main character for a reader like me. To create an avid swimmer, the author definitely did his due diligence in researching swimming terms, practice methods, equipment and drills. As a child, Mia fell down a well and was trapped for days, leading to a deep-rooted and inherent fear of darkness and cold. Swimming, however, embraces both of these things, and Mr. Fishman's use of two polar opposites cements a sort of vulnerable power in our main character, making her both appealing and relatable. The supporting cast of characters including Jo, Odessa, Jimmy, Rob and Brayden were quite solid, as well, each playing their part to their fullest potential. That said, it must be noted that I did feel the romantic setup in the novel was a touch too convenient, and I think if the characters had been given more of a chance to evolve together, it would have been more believable. The only character I felt lacked a bit of true depth in the first half of the novel was our antagonist, Blake Sutton. We know that he's bad, and we understand there is more to him than meets the eye, but we're kept in the dark for much of the novel until the big reveal.
The true beauty of The Well's End, however, is most definitely the whirlwind plot, which simply doesn't stop. While I felt that, at times, the characters weren't entirely rooted in reality, the plot takes center stage. For example, when I though the mystery was brought to light and we were going to understand the root cause of the virus and The Cave, Mr. Fishman throws readers a curveball. Thrusting us headlong into a town that's riddled with mystery and darkness, we're helpless but to watch and hope as the events unfold with painstaking care. It's exciting to see an author take such care in setting up surprising elements to a story that might have otherwise fallen quite flat. Furthermore, the author has an incredibly easy tone that makes it fun and engaging to follow, and he embraces the modernity of language, which brings our teenage cast alive.
In the end, I read The Well's End in one sitting, riveted from start to finish. When I thought the mystery had unfurled by the second act, I was surprised to see more action, adventure and mystery in the third. It's the type of novel that asks you to simply put aside your reservations and plunge in headfirst with abandon...do it. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I definitely recommend to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy science fiction, thrillers and mysteries.
I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
Read
April 28, 2019Dislcaimer: Teen/YA readers will probably like this book/series a LOT more than I did, so ignore my rantings. Most GR reviewers give it 3 or more stars.
ADULT READER VERDICT: 1.85 star juvenile/YA fantasy, but not without some merit. Also has a lot of strange and unnecessary product placement (no one cares what online store you bought your eyeglasses at!) and some blatantly improper dosages of OTC medications (with no explanation of why).
My advice is: Skip this one if you're old enough to vote, or if you despise cliffhanger endings and/or idiot adult/parent characters.
AWARD FOR: Probably the most unnecessarily drawn-out
ADULT READER VERDICT: 1.85 star juvenile/YA fantasy, but not without some merit. Also has a lot of strange and unnecessary product placement (no one cares what online store you bought your eyeglasses at!) and some blatantly improper dosages of OTC medications (with no explanation of why).
My advice is: Skip this one if you're old enough to vote, or if you despise cliffhanger endings and/or idiot adult/parent characters.
AWARD FOR: Probably the most unnecessarily drawn-out
February 15, 2014
It really sends a special thrill to me when I book I have basically heard nothing about becomes one of those boss type books that while I am reading it, I cannot stop thinking about it and the pages turn almost automatically and I find myself wishing that my Kindle had retina scan abilities so that the pages would turn as fast as my eyes move. Friends, I kind of sort of really loved The Well’s End by Seth Fishman, a 2014 debut that definitely should be on your TBR mountain, especially if you enjoy books that are intense, thrilling, and jam-packed with plague, really if you are me, you need to read this book. I have not seen a lot of reviews for this, I think right now on goodreads there are approximately 17 reviews, as of 2/15/14, but trust The Well’s End is one that I am recommending you get on right this very second.
Read the rest of my review hereNote: Review will be posted on February 27, 2014
Read the rest of my review hereNote: Review will be posted on February 27, 2014
January 25, 2014
This review was originally posted over at Millie D's Words.
*An advanced copy was provided for this review*
I think I had somehow caught wind of this novel months ago--August, maybe--and then I had this urge to just want to read it. It is only after I felt the feeling of desire did I discover that this baby wouldn't be coming out onto shelves for another seven months or so. Can you imagine my disappointment? I believe you can. So, it was quite the coincidence when I looked at my holy New York Comic Con schedule and saw that Seth Fishman, author of said coveted book, would be signing advanced copies while I was free on time. I can assure you I made sure I was there at that signing.
Starting off the review, I will say that I thought Mia was pretty cool. Her single relationship status didn't come across as pathetic (which is good because it should not ever be conveyed as something pathetic) and she was a true leader. Mind you, she wasn't always confident, and who would be considering that her entire school is on this militant quarantine and people around her are being infected left and right with this unknown and deadly virus. But I loved that she always followed her gut instinct, no matter what others thought of her. I really loved how she kicked all female teenage archetypes in the ass, because--shocker--she does have fears, she can't solve everything, and she is actually a teenager and not a mutant warrior. She also has fantastic character growth, so yay her.
Ooooh, boy, does this plot just suck you in. I don't think I've read much of this kind of stuff, neither does it usually hold my attention because sometimes they all sound the same, but this one knocked me for a doozy. Call me stupid, but for the most part, I am terrible at predicting accurately future events or outcomes of a story. So, no matter how hard I reflected and tried to figure out the mystery of this beauty, I couldn't. And I needed to keep reading. Because I needed to know. Now. I tried to hold in my surprise and play it off as 'Nah, I had a slight inkling that this would happen.' But I couldn't really convince myself this time. And the novel itself is at such a quick and action-packed pace that you can just fly through the pages.
Also, what really made me enjoy this novel was the fact that anyone can be a hero. That's fact, right? But when do you ever see that really happen equally in a story? All praise and attention is usually on the one hero/ine and that's it, maybe with a few great sidekick moments. But in The Well's End, every one of Mia's friends and peers showed both great strengths and weaknesses. Everyone had some type of attribute that would help them throughout their mystery solving and due praise and attention was given to them; not all of it was put on Mia. And this is just great because it creates dynamic characters, besides the main ones!
Alright, so positive ranty rant time is over. Would I suggest you to read this novel? Yes. It's fresh and unpredictable. I felt like I was in the Antarctic, snow-covered, mystery-riddled town along with Mia and Gang. Fishman is great at creating dynamics and symbology, so kudos to him. Also, with an ending like that, I'll be making sure I keep an eye out on this new author.
*An advanced copy was provided for this review*
I think I had somehow caught wind of this novel months ago--August, maybe--and then I had this urge to just want to read it. It is only after I felt the feeling of desire did I discover that this baby wouldn't be coming out onto shelves for another seven months or so. Can you imagine my disappointment? I believe you can. So, it was quite the coincidence when I looked at my holy New York Comic Con schedule and saw that Seth Fishman, author of said coveted book, would be signing advanced copies while I was free on time. I can assure you I made sure I was there at that signing.
Starting off the review, I will say that I thought Mia was pretty cool. Her single relationship status didn't come across as pathetic (which is good because it should not ever be conveyed as something pathetic) and she was a true leader. Mind you, she wasn't always confident, and who would be considering that her entire school is on this militant quarantine and people around her are being infected left and right with this unknown and deadly virus. But I loved that she always followed her gut instinct, no matter what others thought of her. I really loved how she kicked all female teenage archetypes in the ass, because--shocker--she does have fears, she can't solve everything, and she is actually a teenager and not a mutant warrior. She also has fantastic character growth, so yay her.
Ooooh, boy, does this plot just suck you in. I don't think I've read much of this kind of stuff, neither does it usually hold my attention because sometimes they all sound the same, but this one knocked me for a doozy. Call me stupid, but for the most part, I am terrible at predicting accurately future events or outcomes of a story. So, no matter how hard I reflected and tried to figure out the mystery of this beauty, I couldn't. And I needed to keep reading. Because I needed to know. Now. I tried to hold in my surprise and play it off as 'Nah, I had a slight inkling that this would happen.' But I couldn't really convince myself this time. And the novel itself is at such a quick and action-packed pace that you can just fly through the pages.
Also, what really made me enjoy this novel was the fact that anyone can be a hero. That's fact, right? But when do you ever see that really happen equally in a story? All praise and attention is usually on the one hero/ine and that's it, maybe with a few great sidekick moments. But in The Well's End, every one of Mia's friends and peers showed both great strengths and weaknesses. Everyone had some type of attribute that would help them throughout their mystery solving and due praise and attention was given to them; not all of it was put on Mia. And this is just great because it creates dynamic characters, besides the main ones!
Alright, so positive ranty rant time is over. Would I suggest you to read this novel? Yes. It's fresh and unpredictable. I felt like I was in the Antarctic, snow-covered, mystery-riddled town along with Mia and Gang. Fishman is great at creating dynamics and symbology, so kudos to him. Also, with an ending like that, I'll be making sure I keep an eye out on this new author.
June 8, 2014
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue
I heard about The Wells End through April @ Good Books & Good Wine. Everything about her review told me I would love it and I was right to trust that feeling. This book was pretty freaking awesome. A while ago, Jen told me about a site, Audiobook Jukebox, where you can request Audio books to review. Scrolling through I so The Wells End and remembering Aprils review, I quick requested it. A little risky since I’m new to the Audio scene, but it was a good call. First I’ll mention that the Narrator is perfect. I love her voice, she fit Mia perfectly, and I was sucked in immediately.
Ahhhh the story, let’s talk about the story guys!! It’s so much more than it seems to be! The thing that initially grabbed my attention in the description was the virus. I love that kind of stuff. Crazy spreading virus’s, count me in. A virus breaks out at Mia’s ritzy school. Not just any virus, but this virus is aging the teachers super quickly and killing them.
The whole school has been quarantined, so Mia and her friends are stuck unless they break out. They all have reason to believe there is something more to this virus, and Mia’s father may have the answers, but first they have to get to the cave alive.
The Wells End is full of action. It’s really the first audio book I’ve listened to of this nature, and it was great. I was making up excuses to do mundane things, just so I had more time to listen. I even listened a little last week while I was sick as a dog. Laid out on the couch with my phone by my head. It was serious stuff.
The only lacking thing is the romance, which April @ GB&GW mentions in her review. I have to agree with her on that, so I knew going in to The Wells End, that the swoons would be weak. It’s all good though, because there is a deadly virus running rampant, and they are being chased by soldiers in hazmat suits. I’d be concerned and annoyed if there was tons of kissy face stuff going on, ya know?
I don’t want to get into too much detail for fear of ruining it for everyone, but holy shit balls, there really is more to that virus, and the cave!?! Don’t even get me started on that. I’m still fascinated. The ending leads into the next book perfectly. While it’s a bit of a cliff hanger, it’s a perfect cliff hanger. Not one that pissed me off, but just has me dying for more. My head might explode with the mere thought of how wonderful it will be to finally get that book in my hands.
I heard about The Wells End through April @ Good Books & Good Wine. Everything about her review told me I would love it and I was right to trust that feeling. This book was pretty freaking awesome. A while ago, Jen told me about a site, Audiobook Jukebox, where you can request Audio books to review. Scrolling through I so The Wells End and remembering Aprils review, I quick requested it. A little risky since I’m new to the Audio scene, but it was a good call. First I’ll mention that the Narrator is perfect. I love her voice, she fit Mia perfectly, and I was sucked in immediately.
Ahhhh the story, let’s talk about the story guys!! It’s so much more than it seems to be! The thing that initially grabbed my attention in the description was the virus. I love that kind of stuff. Crazy spreading virus’s, count me in. A virus breaks out at Mia’s ritzy school. Not just any virus, but this virus is aging the teachers super quickly and killing them.
The whole school has been quarantined, so Mia and her friends are stuck unless they break out. They all have reason to believe there is something more to this virus, and Mia’s father may have the answers, but first they have to get to the cave alive.
The Wells End is full of action. It’s really the first audio book I’ve listened to of this nature, and it was great. I was making up excuses to do mundane things, just so I had more time to listen. I even listened a little last week while I was sick as a dog. Laid out on the couch with my phone by my head. It was serious stuff.
The only lacking thing is the romance, which April @ GB&GW mentions in her review. I have to agree with her on that, so I knew going in to The Wells End, that the swoons would be weak. It’s all good though, because there is a deadly virus running rampant, and they are being chased by soldiers in hazmat suits. I’d be concerned and annoyed if there was tons of kissy face stuff going on, ya know?
I don’t want to get into too much detail for fear of ruining it for everyone, but holy shit balls, there really is more to that virus, and the cave!?! Don’t even get me started on that. I’m still fascinated. The ending leads into the next book perfectly. While it’s a bit of a cliff hanger, it’s a perfect cliff hanger. Not one that pissed me off, but just has me dying for more. My head might explode with the mere thought of how wonderful it will be to finally get that book in my hands.
February 22, 2016
A great, fun, suspenseful read that does leave you guessing. The best kind of book is the one in which you're thinking different scenarios throughout..........and keep your heads up, eyes open and grab a copy of book two in series "Dark Water" which I will be reading asap. More character and plot thoughts to come. This reminded me of a similar book I read a few years ago except, as I noted in an update, this was so much better in pace, action, unique story line and dilologue.
Thank you Goodreads, Penguin Books, Putnam Books and of Course the Author Seth Fishman for providing a copy of this book to me through the Goodreads First Reads Program.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Previous notes:
It seems to have been an awesome day for a few readers. This book
by
arrived today and I couldn't be more grateful and excited. I'm incredibly thrilled all has been worked thanks to Penguin Teen and a tweet from the Author as well. Thank you so very much for this as well as the addition of book two. The ARC sequel to "The Wells End" which is The Dark Water . Sincerely, You're all totally awesome and I look forward to reading both of them!!
This holiday season, sadly went without celebration for the first time in my life so I really should have factored in the delay due to the holidays for others. But, I can call this a belated celebration and gift now. Truly, deeply grateful <3 I just love when things work out on a positive note <3
Thank you Goodreads, Penguin Teen and of course Seth Fishman for the opportunity to have entered and win this book. :)
Thank you Goodreads, Penguin Books, Putnam Books and of Course the Author Seth Fishman for providing a copy of this book to me through the Goodreads First Reads Program.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Previous notes:
It seems to have been an awesome day for a few readers. This book
by
arrived today and I couldn't be more grateful and excited. I'm incredibly thrilled all has been worked thanks to Penguin Teen and a tweet from the Author as well. Thank you so very much for this as well as the addition of book two. The ARC sequel to "The Wells End" which is The Dark Water . Sincerely, You're all totally awesome and I look forward to reading both of them!! This holiday season, sadly went without celebration for the first time in my life so I really should have factored in the delay due to the holidays for others. But, I can call this a belated celebration and gift now. Truly, deeply grateful <3 I just love when things work out on a positive note <3
Thank you Goodreads, Penguin Teen and of course Seth Fishman for the opportunity to have entered and win this book. :)
February 18, 2014
When a mysterious virus sweeps through Mia's elite boarding school, rapidly aging and killing its victims, the result is a lockdown and quarantine. Tensions run high as soldiers in hazemat suits patrol the school. Mia suspects that her father is somehow involved, and she engineers a dramatic escape with four friends and Brayden, a new student, in an attempt to gain entrance to an enormous cave where Mia's father does secret work. A romance develops between Mia and the enigmatic Brayden. Action and suspense make this novel a page-turner, and a dramatic cliffhanger sets the stage for a sequel.
An incident in Mia's childhood gives rise to the title. It was inspired by the drama surrounding Baby Jessica who was rescued from a well in the author's hometown of Midland, Texas. When Mia was four years old she fell into a well and became famous from the media attention. Mia is forced to confront her fear of darkness and closed spaces that resulted from the trauma. Mia is a resourceful character who discovers her strength in adversity.
This is an impressive debut that does a great job setting the tone for the series, but still leaves plenty of questions to be answered.
An incident in Mia's childhood gives rise to the title. It was inspired by the drama surrounding Baby Jessica who was rescued from a well in the author's hometown of Midland, Texas. When Mia was four years old she fell into a well and became famous from the media attention. Mia is forced to confront her fear of darkness and closed spaces that resulted from the trauma. Mia is a resourceful character who discovers her strength in adversity.
This is an impressive debut that does a great job setting the tone for the series, but still leaves plenty of questions to be answered.
July 8, 2014
3.5 stars... Solid plotting, intriguing ending... Slow middle... Unlikable characters and forced romance... Lots of potential but it did not quite gel... Despite that I am intrigued about what the ending will lead to...
September 5, 2020
Notes:
For a story that should have gotten blood thrumming, this was a fairly tame book. The writing did not fit the YA genre. The plot, character portrayals and writing was more like a Middle School grade level.
For a story that should have gotten blood thrumming, this was a fairly tame book. The writing did not fit the YA genre. The plot, character portrayals and writing was more like a Middle School grade level.
February 27, 2014
Original review posted on Lexi Swoons
I LOVED this book!! I mean really, truly, loved it! Now, I have to admit that I did not believe it would be nearly as good as it was and I was actually not really in the mood to start this book when I needed to, but I am SOOO glad that I did!!
The beauty of this story is that it actually lives up to its synopsis.
..in every way! "A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart." The Well's End truly lived up to that tag line.
We start with Mia Kish, aka "Baby Mia" the girl who fell down the well. Mia is such a great character in this book. When we first meet her, she's this timid and scared girl. She's spent her entire life being afraid of the dark, small spaces, and other things but somewhere along the lines she becomes this strong and brave character that will do anything, including rsk her life, to save innocent people. What I love is that she isn't motivated by her feelings of love to her friends, she's does what she does to save everyone, including people that she doesn't like, because it's the right thing to do, because her nature is to help people, even though she never saw that in herself. That, to me, is the sign of a great character. Throughout everything that she (and her friends) had to endure, she was constantly thinking of ways to save them, even if it meant giving her own life in the process, in the beginning of the book we see Mia as the "needy" girl who always needs to be "saved" or spoken for. So seeing Mia turn into this brave, kick-ass heroine was beautiful to watch.
I have to admit that I also loved her best friends, Jo and Rob, because they were always there for each other. Especially in Mia's time of growing, they "allowed' her to take charge and manage everything even though she had no "experience" in doing that. In fact, she was pretty much the exact opposite of that. So seeing them fall back and trust her take charge was a great leap of faith on their parts. Also, I love that we see such a huge chance in Odessa and Jimmy. They both appear to be kind of jerkish in the beginning but when everything is said and done they are actually pretty decent people...and Brayden...there isn't much I can say about Brayden other than, he disappoints is so many ways, but he also kind of redeems himself. So I'm torn on how to feel about him...but all in all, he is totally swooooony!!!!!!!
The ending leaves me wondering so many things, I mean where are they? What's going to happen? Where is Mia's father? And so many more questions like that. Kind of makes me thing that there may just be a follow up *crosses fingers* :)
So overall, I looooooved this story and where it took us, Not a sci-fi, but not a dystopian...not sure where exactly to classify this book other than totally adored by me! Definitely a MUST READ!!!
I LOVED this book!! I mean really, truly, loved it! Now, I have to admit that I did not believe it would be nearly as good as it was and I was actually not really in the mood to start this book when I needed to, but I am SOOO glad that I did!!
The beauty of this story is that it actually lives up to its synopsis.
..in every way! "A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart." The Well's End truly lived up to that tag line.
We start with Mia Kish, aka "Baby Mia" the girl who fell down the well. Mia is such a great character in this book. When we first meet her, she's this timid and scared girl. She's spent her entire life being afraid of the dark, small spaces, and other things but somewhere along the lines she becomes this strong and brave character that will do anything, including rsk her life, to save innocent people. What I love is that she isn't motivated by her feelings of love to her friends, she's does what she does to save everyone, including people that she doesn't like, because it's the right thing to do, because her nature is to help people, even though she never saw that in herself. That, to me, is the sign of a great character. Throughout everything that she (and her friends) had to endure, she was constantly thinking of ways to save them, even if it meant giving her own life in the process, in the beginning of the book we see Mia as the "needy" girl who always needs to be "saved" or spoken for. So seeing Mia turn into this brave, kick-ass heroine was beautiful to watch.
I have to admit that I also loved her best friends, Jo and Rob, because they were always there for each other. Especially in Mia's time of growing, they "allowed' her to take charge and manage everything even though she had no "experience" in doing that. In fact, she was pretty much the exact opposite of that. So seeing them fall back and trust her take charge was a great leap of faith on their parts. Also, I love that we see such a huge chance in Odessa and Jimmy. They both appear to be kind of jerkish in the beginning but when everything is said and done they are actually pretty decent people...and Brayden...there isn't much I can say about Brayden other than, he disappoints is so many ways, but he also kind of redeems himself. So I'm torn on how to feel about him...but all in all, he is totally swooooony!!!!!!!
The ending leaves me wondering so many things, I mean where are they? What's going to happen? Where is Mia's father? And so many more questions like that. Kind of makes me thing that there may just be a follow up *crosses fingers* :)
So overall, I looooooved this story and where it took us, Not a sci-fi, but not a dystopian...not sure where exactly to classify this book other than totally adored by me! Definitely a MUST READ!!!
July 9, 2024
2024
2019
This book was okay. That's about as shining as a review as I can write. I didn't hate the characters. Mostly. Although, I did think Mia was a little dense. Especially when it came to Brayden. Who was a strange addition to the story, anyway. He was obviously planted there, by the author, for some reason, but it didn't ever feel fully fleshed out. Plus, the "romance" between him and Mia was stilted and awkward. It just felt very contrived.
Also, I had some major issues with Mia's father. So, at the beginning of the story, he's all, "get to the cave where I work on majorly secretive experimental stuff." But, he tells her she has to leave immediately and then nothing will happen to her friends (pretty sure that's utter bulls***). Then, he just assumes that she is following directions and he's content to just sit in his safe little cave and wait for her to show up. Excellent A+ parenting, that.
All in all, I don't know if I want to read the sequel to this book.
2019
This book was okay. That's about as shining as a review as I can write. I didn't hate the characters. Mostly. Although, I did think Mia was a little dense. Especially when it came to Brayden. Who was a strange addition to the story, anyway. He was obviously planted there, by the author, for some reason, but it didn't ever feel fully fleshed out. Plus, the "romance" between him and Mia was stilted and awkward. It just felt very contrived.
Also, I had some major issues with Mia's father. So, at the beginning of the story, he's all, "get to the cave where I work on majorly secretive experimental stuff." But, he tells her she has to leave immediately and then nothing will happen to her friends (pretty sure that's utter bulls***). Then, he just assumes that she is following directions and he's content to just sit in his safe little cave and wait for her to show up. Excellent A+ parenting, that.
All in all, I don't know if I want to read the sequel to this book.
April 10, 2015
WOW!
I'll start by saying that I read the Advance Uncorrected Galleys, so not the official version of the book (but pretty close, one would think).
I was not expecting to love this book. I read the description and thought, "Another teen drama/adventure? Well... Why not?" and I am SO glad I decided to enter to win this novel. It reads smoothly and at a pace that works brilliantly with the page turning content (and not too quickly for the story to move out of control) and I ended up liking the characters a lot more than I thought I would.
Being ruined by stereotypical teen girl characters, I LOVED Mia's admittance of her flaws, her fears, and when she's made the wrong decision. She shows strength when it counts and relies on her friends because (shocker, teen novelists) that's a perfectly appropriate response. She's sixteen (going on seventeen), and while she is smart she's only as smart as someone that young can really be. She learns from her mistakes and recognizes that she doesn't know the solution to most problems. Her character development is fantastic, and she isn't ruined by the events that occur (in fact, no one is) though the impact will never leave the characters for sure.
I cannot praise this novel more, even with it's handful of spelling errors (uncorrected galleys), and I'm looking forward to what Seth Fishman will release in the future.
I'll start by saying that I read the Advance Uncorrected Galleys, so not the official version of the book (but pretty close, one would think).
I was not expecting to love this book. I read the description and thought, "Another teen drama/adventure? Well... Why not?" and I am SO glad I decided to enter to win this novel. It reads smoothly and at a pace that works brilliantly with the page turning content (and not too quickly for the story to move out of control) and I ended up liking the characters a lot more than I thought I would.
Being ruined by stereotypical teen girl characters, I LOVED Mia's admittance of her flaws, her fears, and when she's made the wrong decision. She shows strength when it counts and relies on her friends because (shocker, teen novelists) that's a perfectly appropriate response. She's sixteen (going on seventeen), and while she is smart she's only as smart as someone that young can really be. She learns from her mistakes and recognizes that she doesn't know the solution to most problems. Her character development is fantastic, and she isn't ruined by the events that occur (in fact, no one is) though the impact will never leave the characters for sure.
I cannot praise this novel more, even with it's handful of spelling errors (uncorrected galleys), and I'm looking forward to what Seth Fishman will release in the future.
December 11, 2013
This book grabs your attention from beginning to end. It reads so smoothly. The descriptions of the characters and their surroundings are so vivid that you have no trouble visualizing everything that is happening. The author has the ability to tell this suspenseful story with it's many twists and turns in a very entertaining way. It is hard to put the book down. I am looking forward to reading the sequel. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
August 4, 2016
You know what is super dumb? I will tell you: Yep, super dumb.
This was also inexplicably violent. Some douchebro in class is taunting Mia and she smashes his face with a textbook. What is that even?? I scratch my head.
This was also inexplicably violent. Some douchebro in class is taunting Mia and she smashes his face with a textbook. What is that even?? I scratch my head.
March 20, 2015
5 Stars. An enthralling roller coaster ride of action and gut churning adventure. This is the first part of a brilliant tale for New Adult/Older YA.
December 4, 2018
I would have enjoyed this book more if I were a teenager, which is the target audience for the book. As an adult reader, I found myself rolling my eyes at the teen romance amidst the crisis. This is the first part of a series, so the book ends on a cliffhanger.
May 22, 2014
This is the most recent book I've read, and honestly, it was great! Seth Fishman's book was so great and unique because it took an everyday, modern life and added so much mystery and intrigue to it. The plot, honestly, was fantastic, because it was so creative, and unlike anything I'd read before. The characters were also very realistic, as in they weren't portrayed being perfect. They were portrayed with a lot of flaws, but they're like any other human.
Here's a brief summary of this book that I promise isn't a spoiler since you learn this really early in the book: The book follows a girl named Mia who's in high school. She goes to a boarding school where the majority of the kids come from wealthy backgrounds. She doesn't come from a family of rich parents, her father being a scientist who is always busy, and her mother wasn't mentioned much since she had passed away. Mia only has a couple friends that she feels close to. One day she's in school, and an alarm goes off. She then suddenly gets a call from her dad who tells her to meet him in his lab a couple miles from the school for her safety. HE WON'T TELL HER WHY THOUGH. Her school is then attacked, and although she's caught, she and a couple of her friends manage to run away with her to go to her dad's lab. The very cool plot twist is that there's a virus going around that ages and kills you in a matter of hours. Basically the book is centered around them trekking to her dad's lab to seek refuge from the virus and the school's attackers.
This book, as I said before, was great because it was really original. I had honestly not read a book like this one, one that had so much packed in action-wise, yet was very relateable. All the main characters were around my age, and add to that the fact that they were portrayed more realistically allowed me to actually be sympathetic towards them and their struggles. Even though they were fighting for their lives, they also common teenage struggles. For Mia, it was trying to fit in, or just solidifying friendships. Even their character's decisions were understandable even if they were dumb decisions because the characters felt like actual, regular people acting in dangerous situations under pressure.
The details were also really great, to the point that at times I felt like I was with them, trekking through the snow to get to Mia's father's lab. I would mentally cheer them on to keep fighting to survive. The Well's End was even more fun to read because this book was just the right amount of suspenseful and intriguing, and even at times, funny. I really couldn't let go of the book, and I ended up reading it in roughly two days. The author does a really good job of balancing the different elements of the book. Also, I definitely like it because it's the type of book that has so much more drama, interesting plot twists, and suspense as you continue to read.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that the the author chose to add the entire explanation behind EVERYTHING that was happening in the book four chapters before it was over. Personally, I think that's an awful way to end the book, at least this one in particular, because for more than halfway through the book, the characters are running to the lab and safety, and WE DON'T KNOW THE ENTIRE REASON WHY. Lastly, the book ended with a cliff hanger. I, as a reader, don't particularly like that because it makes me anxious, but that's just me.
I really recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an original, intriguing, and suspenseful read. And also someone who is patient enough to wait almost to the very end of the book to learn the meaning behind everything that you'd just read. Honestly, it was a great book and anyone should give it a try, because it just might end up being one of your favorites!
Here's a brief summary of this book that I promise isn't a spoiler since you learn this really early in the book: The book follows a girl named Mia who's in high school. She goes to a boarding school where the majority of the kids come from wealthy backgrounds. She doesn't come from a family of rich parents, her father being a scientist who is always busy, and her mother wasn't mentioned much since she had passed away. Mia only has a couple friends that she feels close to. One day she's in school, and an alarm goes off. She then suddenly gets a call from her dad who tells her to meet him in his lab a couple miles from the school for her safety. HE WON'T TELL HER WHY THOUGH. Her school is then attacked, and although she's caught, she and a couple of her friends manage to run away with her to go to her dad's lab. The very cool plot twist is that there's a virus going around that ages and kills you in a matter of hours. Basically the book is centered around them trekking to her dad's lab to seek refuge from the virus and the school's attackers.
This book, as I said before, was great because it was really original. I had honestly not read a book like this one, one that had so much packed in action-wise, yet was very relateable. All the main characters were around my age, and add to that the fact that they were portrayed more realistically allowed me to actually be sympathetic towards them and their struggles. Even though they were fighting for their lives, they also common teenage struggles. For Mia, it was trying to fit in, or just solidifying friendships. Even their character's decisions were understandable even if they were dumb decisions because the characters felt like actual, regular people acting in dangerous situations under pressure.
The details were also really great, to the point that at times I felt like I was with them, trekking through the snow to get to Mia's father's lab. I would mentally cheer them on to keep fighting to survive. The Well's End was even more fun to read because this book was just the right amount of suspenseful and intriguing, and even at times, funny. I really couldn't let go of the book, and I ended up reading it in roughly two days. The author does a really good job of balancing the different elements of the book. Also, I definitely like it because it's the type of book that has so much more drama, interesting plot twists, and suspense as you continue to read.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that the the author chose to add the entire explanation behind EVERYTHING that was happening in the book four chapters before it was over. Personally, I think that's an awful way to end the book, at least this one in particular, because for more than halfway through the book, the characters are running to the lab and safety, and WE DON'T KNOW THE ENTIRE REASON WHY. Lastly, the book ended with a cliff hanger. I, as a reader, don't particularly like that because it makes me anxious, but that's just me.
I really recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an original, intriguing, and suspenseful read. And also someone who is patient enough to wait almost to the very end of the book to learn the meaning behind everything that you'd just read. Honestly, it was a great book and anyone should give it a try, because it just might end up being one of your favorites!
February 25, 2014
My Review originally posted @ Bittersweet Enchantment
The Well's End was a totally unexpected fun and thrilling read. I went into the story knowing only want I read from the book's synopsis expecting much another average sci-fi novel but what I found was so much more! This half "End of The World", half "suspenseful" science fiction novel hooked me from page one. I found myself speeding through the pages again and again to find out what would happening next.
Mia Kish is your average teenage girl...well with the exception that she kind is or was famous. Mia was the little baby many years ago who fell down the well. (side note: referencing Baby Jessica) Now grown up she is soon to be faced with a new problem, one that will change her life forever. Mia's Father is the Director of Fenton Electronics. Mia really doesn't know what her Father does but has had no need to question it until now.
While Mia and her friends, Jo and Rob are in school something strange and confusing happens. The school alarm goes off presumed to be a ordinary drill but ends up being so much more. After a desperate and ominous warning comes from her Father soon after the schools alarm sounds, Mia comes to find out an virus outbreak has occurred in her school which rapidly ages adults and teens alike until the only thing left is death. Mia and her friends are terrified to find out this shocking revelation. Teachers, and their fellow peers are dying all about them. With nothing else to do Mia remember her Father's warning and know she needs to somehow leave and find the CAVE aka Fenton Electronics. Mia and her friends, including a mysterious new guy named Brayden she only just meet need to find a way out. The problem is the school is heavily guarded by many "men in hazmat suits" who know a lot more than they are letting anyone onto.
Mia knows something just is not right here and is not being told the whole truth about "what" really is going on. All the answers lie within the one man who Mia always thought she knew and trusted. Her Dad. And the one place she knows nothing about. The race in now ON!
I tried really hard to not spoil anything (I hope I didn't) but at the same time give you the basic plot of the story.
I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoy The Well's End. From start to finished I was totalled captivated by the story-line. There was so much suspense and action. I never knew what would be coming next or how a scene would be played out. There was never a dull moment, a real page turner for sure!
I enjoyed Mia's character immensely. She was strong willed, knew how to take charge, and never gave up even though she was faced with many hardships and dangerous situations along the way. A few of which really tied into the "Baby Mia" fell down the well subplot.
If there was one thing that was not ideal for me in the book it was the lack of feeling something I would see in Mia and her friends. I mean if my Dad or friend died right there before my eyes I would be beyond devastated. I wouldn't care about anything else. Yes, I do feel the reactions to the deaths were adequate but for me they lacked something. As I said I loved Mia and her friends but at the same thing I long to see more emotion.
The ending was fantastic; a really cliffhanger. I for one can't wait to see what happens next!
The Well's End is a perfect read for anyone who love's a good thriller and some epic science fiction all wrap into one. Author Seth Fishman is one to watch, and his new book is one not to pass up!
The Well's End was a totally unexpected fun and thrilling read. I went into the story knowing only want I read from the book's synopsis expecting much another average sci-fi novel but what I found was so much more! This half "End of The World", half "suspenseful" science fiction novel hooked me from page one. I found myself speeding through the pages again and again to find out what would happening next.
Mia Kish is your average teenage girl...well with the exception that she kind is or was famous. Mia was the little baby many years ago who fell down the well. (side note: referencing Baby Jessica) Now grown up she is soon to be faced with a new problem, one that will change her life forever. Mia's Father is the Director of Fenton Electronics. Mia really doesn't know what her Father does but has had no need to question it until now.
While Mia and her friends, Jo and Rob are in school something strange and confusing happens. The school alarm goes off presumed to be a ordinary drill but ends up being so much more. After a desperate and ominous warning comes from her Father soon after the schools alarm sounds, Mia comes to find out an virus outbreak has occurred in her school which rapidly ages adults and teens alike until the only thing left is death. Mia and her friends are terrified to find out this shocking revelation. Teachers, and their fellow peers are dying all about them. With nothing else to do Mia remember her Father's warning and know she needs to somehow leave and find the CAVE aka Fenton Electronics. Mia and her friends, including a mysterious new guy named Brayden she only just meet need to find a way out. The problem is the school is heavily guarded by many "men in hazmat suits" who know a lot more than they are letting anyone onto.
Mia knows something just is not right here and is not being told the whole truth about "what" really is going on. All the answers lie within the one man who Mia always thought she knew and trusted. Her Dad. And the one place she knows nothing about. The race in now ON!
I tried really hard to not spoil anything (I hope I didn't) but at the same time give you the basic plot of the story.
I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoy The Well's End. From start to finished I was totalled captivated by the story-line. There was so much suspense and action. I never knew what would be coming next or how a scene would be played out. There was never a dull moment, a real page turner for sure!
I enjoyed Mia's character immensely. She was strong willed, knew how to take charge, and never gave up even though she was faced with many hardships and dangerous situations along the way. A few of which really tied into the "Baby Mia" fell down the well subplot.
If there was one thing that was not ideal for me in the book it was the lack of feeling something I would see in Mia and her friends. I mean if my Dad or friend died right there before my eyes I would be beyond devastated. I wouldn't care about anything else. Yes, I do feel the reactions to the deaths were adequate but for me they lacked something. As I said I loved Mia and her friends but at the same thing I long to see more emotion.
The ending was fantastic; a really cliffhanger. I for one can't wait to see what happens next!
The Well's End is a perfect read for anyone who love's a good thriller and some epic science fiction all wrap into one. Author Seth Fishman is one to watch, and his new book is one not to pass up!
March 22, 2014
I received this ARC from Penguin Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Out of the five I received from Penguin, I think this one was probably my favorite with a few caveats, because I'm me.
The Well's End by Seth Fishman introduces us to "Baby" Mia who fell down a well when she was four. She survived and now she's in high school and this is still what she is known for. Her father is always in "the Cave" and never tells her what is going on there. When a mysterious reporter comes to town and starts threatening them into letting him into the Cave, her father clams up, and when Mia goes back to school, something awful happens. Her father only tells her to get out as soon as she can, head to the Cave, and everything will be all right. Unfortunately, things don't really work out that way.
This adventure was fast paced from start to finish. I blazed through the whole thing in a few hours. I thought Mia was a great character and I liked how her history connected to the deeper plot points. I also liked the side characters although I wasn't too thrilled with her love interest for various reasons. Fishman definitely knows how to keep the tension at a high so that you have to keep turning the pages. For the most part, I like the reveals and the journey that Mia and her friends have to go through to get to the Cave. I think this is a very worthy debut novel and definitely worth reading.
That said, I have some issues with some of the plot points. There are some minor spoilers in this section. First, I really really hate the whole "evil scientists" plot point and how "scientists" apparently think so objectively that they can't really truly comprehend how to be human-- or at least, they always seem to act like Nazis in YA books. This is just a trope I can never get behind. I also don't like how animal research is portrayed. Sure teens are probably not really into it, but diminishing its value is really a disservice to science as a whole. Unfortunately, it's a necessary thing. It's important to do it as painless as possible, of course, and this is something that every center should do. Lastly, I don't believe the descriptions of what they are doing (except for a minor point) is science at all. That's one thing I'd like to see done better in YA books in general is the science.
OK enough ranting about the science. Back to the plot. It seems to be driven on her dad not revealing anything until the very end of the book, which an explanation is given, but it still just feels like the plot is driving the characters not the opposite way around. I just felt like the big reveal was kind of a letdown. Again, it goes back to everyone being "super smart." They just didn't seem very smart to me-- just people driven by power and greed and prestige.
All that said, I think this was a promising first book by Fishman, and I'll definitely pick up the second. He writes well and keeps the reader engrossed so that we stick around until the very end.
The Well's End by Seth Fishman introduces us to "Baby" Mia who fell down a well when she was four. She survived and now she's in high school and this is still what she is known for. Her father is always in "the Cave" and never tells her what is going on there. When a mysterious reporter comes to town and starts threatening them into letting him into the Cave, her father clams up, and when Mia goes back to school, something awful happens. Her father only tells her to get out as soon as she can, head to the Cave, and everything will be all right. Unfortunately, things don't really work out that way.
This adventure was fast paced from start to finish. I blazed through the whole thing in a few hours. I thought Mia was a great character and I liked how her history connected to the deeper plot points. I also liked the side characters although I wasn't too thrilled with her love interest for various reasons. Fishman definitely knows how to keep the tension at a high so that you have to keep turning the pages. For the most part, I like the reveals and the journey that Mia and her friends have to go through to get to the Cave. I think this is a very worthy debut novel and definitely worth reading.
That said, I have some issues with some of the plot points. There are some minor spoilers in this section. First, I really really hate the whole "evil scientists" plot point and how "scientists" apparently think so objectively that they can't really truly comprehend how to be human-- or at least, they always seem to act like Nazis in YA books. This is just a trope I can never get behind. I also don't like how animal research is portrayed. Sure teens are probably not really into it, but diminishing its value is really a disservice to science as a whole. Unfortunately, it's a necessary thing. It's important to do it as painless as possible, of course, and this is something that every center should do. Lastly, I don't believe the descriptions of what they are doing (except for a minor point) is science at all. That's one thing I'd like to see done better in YA books in general is the science.
OK enough ranting about the science. Back to the plot. It seems to be driven on her dad not revealing anything until the very end of the book, which an explanation is given, but it still just feels like the plot is driving the characters not the opposite way around. I just felt like the big reveal was kind of a letdown. Again, it goes back to everyone being "super smart." They just didn't seem very smart to me-- just people driven by power and greed and prestige.
All that said, I think this was a promising first book by Fishman, and I'll definitely pick up the second. He writes well and keeps the reader engrossed so that we stick around until the very end.
March 4, 2014
So I found out about this book through seeing Kate Beaton's illustrations of it:
http://io9.com/exclusive-look-at-kate...
If Kate Beaton is making some illustrations for this book and has her attentions - then I definitely wanted to check it out.
ACK! I had no idea this book is (I hope to god) part of a series or sequel because the ending just ENDED. Totally had me wrapped into the plot the entire story, and I thought they characters were pretty cool for YA. I really liked that this heroine is not really Katniss or what's-her-face from Divergent or anything - she's a lot more personally relatable for me, and the action was great. This is good writing. I suppose the most unrelatable part would be the bourgeoisie lifestyles and the fact this story is basically about a crop of the most privileged, richest, and smartest teenagers in America - though the added dynamic of the Townies was nice - forgivable by the end, but a little "There is nothing these people can't have/do" factor going on.
In the end - this book had me afraid to go asleep and I really liked that thriller aspect of it. There were some pretty creepy moments, and lucky me, I was reading them right before bed in a house all alone with all the lights off. I said I was going to go bed at my normal bedtime, but I couldn't go to bed until I got past the creepy parts, so I scarified a full night's rest because of me being a chicken, lol. Anyway, great plot, really great mystery factor that comes in - and I was really impressed with it. I can't wait to see what happens next, and ugh, I bet I have awhile to wait!
On a super super super incredibly nit-picky note. There's this one scene that really irked me where a girl in the story hits this boy after he's (basically) been sexually harassing her, and then she's the one that gets in trouble - I sort of wanted her to realize that what was happening was really a pile of sexist bullshit, but she seemed like she felt like she "deserved" the punishment at the time and the person who reprimanded her did too. I was waiting for some sort of awesome anger of "he deserved it for sexual harassing me" going on but I didn't feel it and was disappointed, haha, then the feelings were never resisted and the book moved on. That is the most minor tiny detail moment where I was like, "BUT HE--" and my feminist-self wanted to pull her aside and assure her that her actions were okay cos' c'mon the guy had it coming. But anyway! - overall, best YA book I've read so far this year.
http://io9.com/exclusive-look-at-kate...
If Kate Beaton is making some illustrations for this book and has her attentions - then I definitely wanted to check it out.
ACK! I had no idea this book is (I hope to god) part of a series or sequel because the ending just ENDED. Totally had me wrapped into the plot the entire story, and I thought they characters were pretty cool for YA. I really liked that this heroine is not really Katniss or what's-her-face from Divergent or anything - she's a lot more personally relatable for me, and the action was great. This is good writing. I suppose the most unrelatable part would be the bourgeoisie lifestyles and the fact this story is basically about a crop of the most privileged, richest, and smartest teenagers in America - though the added dynamic of the Townies was nice - forgivable by the end, but a little "There is nothing these people can't have/do" factor going on.
In the end - this book had me afraid to go asleep and I really liked that thriller aspect of it. There were some pretty creepy moments, and lucky me, I was reading them right before bed in a house all alone with all the lights off. I said I was going to go bed at my normal bedtime, but I couldn't go to bed until I got past the creepy parts, so I scarified a full night's rest because of me being a chicken, lol. Anyway, great plot, really great mystery factor that comes in - and I was really impressed with it. I can't wait to see what happens next, and ugh, I bet I have awhile to wait!
On a super super super incredibly nit-picky note. There's this one scene that really irked me where a girl in the story hits this boy after he's (basically) been sexually harassing her, and then she's the one that gets in trouble - I sort of wanted her to realize that what was happening was really a pile of sexist bullshit, but she seemed like she felt like she "deserved" the punishment at the time and the person who reprimanded her did too. I was waiting for some sort of awesome anger of "he deserved it for sexual harassing me" going on but I didn't feel it and was disappointed, haha, then the feelings were never resisted and the book moved on. That is the most minor tiny detail moment where I was like, "BUT HE--" and my feminist-self wanted to pull her aside and assure her that her actions were okay cos' c'mon the guy had it coming. But anyway! - overall, best YA book I've read so far this year.
August 6, 2016
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/02/...
16 year old Mia Kish’s dad is Director of Fenton Electronics, and she goes to Westbrook Acadamy, an exclusive boarding school in Fenton, Colorado. She’s also a very fast swimmer, but the thing she’s most known for is her fall down a well when she was four years old, earning her the nickname Baby Mia. One night, alarms sound in the halls of Westbrook, and Mia and her friends discover they’re on lockdown, but not before she gets a phone call from her dad telling her to get out if she can and come to the Cave, where Fenton Electronics is based. Mia stays, though, and comes to regret it very quickly. Soon, the faculty begins aging rapidly and dying, and whatever is affecting them is starting to affect the students. The terror is only heightened by the men in hazmat suits surrounding the school. Mia knows she must get to the Cave, and she and her friends, including the new kid Hayden, gear up to sneak out.
When they leave Westbrook, they discover the virus has indeed spread, and the horror of it is more than they could have imagined. They follow a trail of death that leads right to the Cave, and her father’s work, and the discovery of what he’s really been working on is a revelation. The Well’s End is told in Mia’s voice and the author does a nice job of juggling normal teen angst with an almost unimaginable scenario without falling prey to typical stereotypes. Mia is a strong girl, but she’s not immune to peer-pressure or insecurity, and she questions herself plenty. That actually changes a bit throughout the story, as events change her and her friends, since they have no choice but to fight to survive. There’s some light romance in the form of the mysterious Brayden, but it’s certainly not the focus of the story, and there are a few clever twists thrown in to keep you on your feet. What I really enjoyed is the genuinely fascinating premise that’s at the core of the book’s secret and if you’re looking for a book for teens that has a few female characters that not only love science, but are certifiable geniuses, this is your book. Fishman’s teens are not cookie cutter, and neither is his story. In fact, Mia is about to turn 17, and it’s turning out to be a heck of a birthday. And the ending? Well, let’s just say that it’s a humdinger, and it will definitely leave you anxious for the next book. The Well’s End is a fun, clever ride, and I’m really looking forward to what comes next!
16 year old Mia Kish’s dad is Director of Fenton Electronics, and she goes to Westbrook Acadamy, an exclusive boarding school in Fenton, Colorado. She’s also a very fast swimmer, but the thing she’s most known for is her fall down a well when she was four years old, earning her the nickname Baby Mia. One night, alarms sound in the halls of Westbrook, and Mia and her friends discover they’re on lockdown, but not before she gets a phone call from her dad telling her to get out if she can and come to the Cave, where Fenton Electronics is based. Mia stays, though, and comes to regret it very quickly. Soon, the faculty begins aging rapidly and dying, and whatever is affecting them is starting to affect the students. The terror is only heightened by the men in hazmat suits surrounding the school. Mia knows she must get to the Cave, and she and her friends, including the new kid Hayden, gear up to sneak out.
When they leave Westbrook, they discover the virus has indeed spread, and the horror of it is more than they could have imagined. They follow a trail of death that leads right to the Cave, and her father’s work, and the discovery of what he’s really been working on is a revelation. The Well’s End is told in Mia’s voice and the author does a nice job of juggling normal teen angst with an almost unimaginable scenario without falling prey to typical stereotypes. Mia is a strong girl, but she’s not immune to peer-pressure or insecurity, and she questions herself plenty. That actually changes a bit throughout the story, as events change her and her friends, since they have no choice but to fight to survive. There’s some light romance in the form of the mysterious Brayden, but it’s certainly not the focus of the story, and there are a few clever twists thrown in to keep you on your feet. What I really enjoyed is the genuinely fascinating premise that’s at the core of the book’s secret and if you’re looking for a book for teens that has a few female characters that not only love science, but are certifiable geniuses, this is your book. Fishman’s teens are not cookie cutter, and neither is his story. In fact, Mia is about to turn 17, and it’s turning out to be a heck of a birthday. And the ending? Well, let’s just say that it’s a humdinger, and it will definitely leave you anxious for the next book. The Well’s End is a fun, clever ride, and I’m really looking forward to what comes next!
August 3, 2016
I'm just going to put it out there: the things I didn't like about this book overshadowed the things I liked, so this book only gets two stars from me.
Things I liked:
1. Overall Plot: The overall plot is interesting. I mean, we've all seen those sci-fi novels with mysterious diseases and dangerous quarantines, but this one has a twist that I can't remember seeing anywhere else. The disease ages people at various rates, depending on their actual age. There is something hidden inside Mia's dad's facility, the Cave, that I didn't see coming.
2. Backstory: There are two chapters that are sort of like info dumps more than halfway through the book, but I think these chapters are the most interesting yet. In fact, I think I would have rather read a novel based on Mia's father and his colleagues as high school students discovering what they did, instead of Mia.
Things I didn't like:
1. Character Development: I don't really think there is any. I didn't feel connected to any characters at all. Mia and her friends go through a spectrum of emotions, including panic, fear, love, and hope. But as the reader, you don't feel it. And by the end of the story, the characters have all remained pretty flat and unchanging. Only two characters in their friend group, Odessa and Jimmy, change even a little (and that might be to blame on the virus.)
2. Pace: I felt like the entire first half was slow. I don't know how, really. I mean, Mia and the others are escaping from a quarantine and trying to uncover what's going on, yet I felt bored throughout the majority of the book. Things finally get interesting in the last 100 pages or so, and that's mostly in the info-heavy "backstory" chapters that turn into third person, talking about Mia's father and his colleagues.
3. Insta-love: I feel like all I say is that everything is insta-love, but this is indeed the case. In less than a week, Mia meets Brayden. Within a few days, she trusts him wholeheartedly, and makes out with him more than once. Their relationship felt forced and awkward .
So there you have it. The book was okay, and once I got passed the halfway mark I liked it better. Overall, it wasn't just my cup of tea, though I do think it would be engaging to other readers, particularly those who really enjoy the mysteries of strange diseases.
Things I liked:
1. Overall Plot: The overall plot is interesting. I mean, we've all seen those sci-fi novels with mysterious diseases and dangerous quarantines, but this one has a twist that I can't remember seeing anywhere else. The disease ages people at various rates, depending on their actual age. There is something hidden inside Mia's dad's facility, the Cave, that I didn't see coming.
2. Backstory: There are two chapters that are sort of like info dumps more than halfway through the book, but I think these chapters are the most interesting yet. In fact, I think I would have rather read a novel based on Mia's father and his colleagues as high school students discovering what they did, instead of Mia.
Things I didn't like:
1. Character Development: I don't really think there is any. I didn't feel connected to any characters at all. Mia and her friends go through a spectrum of emotions, including panic, fear, love, and hope. But as the reader, you don't feel it. And by the end of the story, the characters have all remained pretty flat and unchanging. Only two characters in their friend group, Odessa and Jimmy, change even a little (and that might be to blame on the virus.)
2. Pace: I felt like the entire first half was slow. I don't know how, really. I mean, Mia and the others are escaping from a quarantine and trying to uncover what's going on, yet I felt bored throughout the majority of the book. Things finally get interesting in the last 100 pages or so, and that's mostly in the info-heavy "backstory" chapters that turn into third person, talking about Mia's father and his colleagues.
3. Insta-love: I feel like all I say is that everything is insta-love, but this is indeed the case. In less than a week, Mia meets Brayden. Within a few days, she trusts him wholeheartedly, and makes out with him more than once. Their relationship felt forced and awkward .
So there you have it. The book was okay, and once I got passed the halfway mark I liked it better. Overall, it wasn't just my cup of tea, though I do think it would be engaging to other readers, particularly those who really enjoy the mysteries of strange diseases.
January 3, 2016
I received this book for free from Goodreads first reads to review.
Ellen's internal monologue, Sunday March 2:
It's pouring ice outside. I'm not going anywhere today. I'm hungry. (Eats cheeseburger). Better. Ohh I've got a new book I can start today. The Well's End. I've been looking forward to this one.
12 hours and 4 inches of snow later.
Well. Holy shit. Expectations completely surpassed. I really need to go to bed if I want to be functional at work tomorrow. (Lays down in bed and stares at copy of The Wells End on the nightstand through the dark.) Oh god, I'm never going to get to sleep. That ending...just that ending.
I proceeded to lay awake for close to an hour thinking about Fishman's book. The characters, the plot, the completely captivating writing. I'm sure there are things wrong with this book. But I'm caught in such a happy post-read high that I can't see them. All possible flaws are camouflaged by everything this book did right, such as Mia Kish's fun, determined heroine. As far as the plot, I don't want to give anything away. Not a single molecule. Reading this unspoiled was a treat as good as those insanely inexpensive chocolate bars that I can't afford so I just end up buying Hershey's. You know what, Hershey's is delicious, this book is as good as Hershey's. It's so exciting! Mysterious, twisty, and at times just flat out weird. Just how I like it! The book is well paced and exciting, and the characters were never sacrificed for the sake of the plot, for which I'm thankful. Apparently well developed characters and a good plot is the key to getting me to fangirl like I'm 14 again.
Basically, if you like adventure and mystery YA, read this. If you like books at all, go ahead and give it a shot.
Oh and there's going to be a sequel? I couldn't be more excited. I've already got a place saved on my bookshelf. Now all there is to do is wait. It's okay, I can be patient.
Well, not really. But seeing as how I can't magic it into my hands today, I'll wait.
Ellen's internal monologue, Sunday March 2:
It's pouring ice outside. I'm not going anywhere today. I'm hungry. (Eats cheeseburger). Better. Ohh I've got a new book I can start today. The Well's End. I've been looking forward to this one.
12 hours and 4 inches of snow later.
Well. Holy shit. Expectations completely surpassed. I really need to go to bed if I want to be functional at work tomorrow. (Lays down in bed and stares at copy of The Wells End on the nightstand through the dark.) Oh god, I'm never going to get to sleep. That ending...just that ending.
I proceeded to lay awake for close to an hour thinking about Fishman's book. The characters, the plot, the completely captivating writing. I'm sure there are things wrong with this book. But I'm caught in such a happy post-read high that I can't see them. All possible flaws are camouflaged by everything this book did right, such as Mia Kish's fun, determined heroine. As far as the plot, I don't want to give anything away. Not a single molecule. Reading this unspoiled was a treat as good as those insanely inexpensive chocolate bars that I can't afford so I just end up buying Hershey's. You know what, Hershey's is delicious, this book is as good as Hershey's. It's so exciting! Mysterious, twisty, and at times just flat out weird. Just how I like it! The book is well paced and exciting, and the characters were never sacrificed for the sake of the plot, for which I'm thankful. Apparently well developed characters and a good plot is the key to getting me to fangirl like I'm 14 again.
Basically, if you like adventure and mystery YA, read this. If you like books at all, go ahead and give it a shot.
Oh and there's going to be a sequel? I couldn't be more excited. I've already got a place saved on my bookshelf. Now all there is to do is wait. It's okay, I can be patient.
Well, not really. But seeing as how I can't magic it into my hands today, I'll wait.
March 5, 2015
The Wells End definitely gripped me! The questions brew as you read, and its a run for your life and don't look back kind of story. I enjoyed it from start to end. Its also, one of those books that's split in half, so it ends abruptly right when it starts getting really imaginatively Out-There: The kind I like! I was hoping it was going to be more like that throughout the story, or at least around half way...but I guess I'll have to wait until the conclusion half is for sale:"The Dark Water"
Other thoughts:
The back description basically describes the plot, so I wont go into that, but I thought the story in this half was really about the main character, her mysterious Dad, and falling into a well as a child, and how they would tie into each-other.
The main character wasn't really smart, but gutsy; and I liked that about her. It put me on edge: What is she going to do next? Then she does something really stupid, like falling into infatuation with a kid she hardly knew and continuing to trust him after he betrayed her and all her true friends...You almost forget she's a teenager for a second and then all that happens and it kind of makes sense. There's a lot of drama there that throws you for a loop, but she learns, hopefully.
The only things that kind of bugged me a little:
1)
It was a bit too wordy. It could have been about 100 pages less and been perfect. There was way too much mental banter for me that dragged it on a bit slow. Sometimes I kind of like to guess what she, and her friends are thinking rather than being told all the time. It also made the dialogue seem too chunky and unnatural; like they're waiting for her to analyze every facial expression and response before saying something back.
2) I was waiting for the mysterious "Escape Below/haunting/Down the rabbit hole adventure" but only got a sliver at the very end. It disappointed me a little. This kind of book should have the sequel out at the same time, because by time it does come out, the details will be fuzzy.
Content: Some curse words, no sex scenes.
Other thoughts:
The back description basically describes the plot, so I wont go into that, but I thought the story in this half was really about the main character, her mysterious Dad, and falling into a well as a child, and how they would tie into each-other.
The main character wasn't really smart, but gutsy; and I liked that about her. It put me on edge: What is she going to do next? Then she does something really stupid, like falling into infatuation with a kid she hardly knew and continuing to trust him after he betrayed her and all her true friends...You almost forget she's a teenager for a second and then all that happens and it kind of makes sense. There's a lot of drama there that throws you for a loop, but she learns, hopefully.
The only things that kind of bugged me a little:
1)
It was a bit too wordy. It could have been about 100 pages less and been perfect. There was way too much mental banter for me that dragged it on a bit slow. Sometimes I kind of like to guess what she, and her friends are thinking rather than being told all the time. It also made the dialogue seem too chunky and unnatural; like they're waiting for her to analyze every facial expression and response before saying something back.
2) I was waiting for the mysterious "Escape Below/haunting/Down the rabbit hole adventure" but only got a sliver at the very end. It disappointed me a little. This kind of book should have the sequel out at the same time, because by time it does come out, the details will be fuzzy.
Content: Some curse words, no sex scenes.
October 1, 2014
Usually I take the praise of the author and the story on the cover of the jacket of the book with a grain of salt. So when I saw praise of The Well's End such as Margaret Stohls:
"Fishman kills it in every possible way."
I rolled my eyes and decided that I would be the judge of that.
It turns out she was right, Fishman does kill it, sucking you in on the very first page, leaving everything a mystery, secrets slowly revealing themselves. I was on edge, my body rigid with anticipation, for majority of the book. As the reader reads it becomes very clear that every detail in the story serves a purpose, not a word is wasted.
As for the story concept, I found it to be very interesting, this virus is terrifying. I also loved the concept of the map and the cave. That scene reminded me of James Cameron's Avatar. All the books I read and enjoy have a cinematic quality to them, The Welll's End is definitely pushing it's way to the top of that list.
Mia as a narrator alone is enough. She's strong, smart, independent, and most importantly human. This is because she's trusting at the wrong times and mistrusting at the right moments as well. I also liked the way that Mia slowly gets over her fear of the dark and small space over the course of the story.
I also appreciated the characters of Jo, Rob, and especially Jimmy and Odessa.
I could say what bothered me most, if anything at all did, was the romance between Brayden and Mia, only becasue they've known each other for such a short time, I'm talking less than a week, but let's face it, this is YA and I'm a romance junkie, I have to get my fix somehow. However I could also say the ending seemed a bit abrupt, but then again it didn't in a way, I guess I expected just a little more, but that's just me nit-picking, especially becasue I know it leaves room for a sequel.
Overall The Well's End is definitely worth checking out.
"Fishman kills it in every possible way."
I rolled my eyes and decided that I would be the judge of that.
It turns out she was right, Fishman does kill it, sucking you in on the very first page, leaving everything a mystery, secrets slowly revealing themselves. I was on edge, my body rigid with anticipation, for majority of the book. As the reader reads it becomes very clear that every detail in the story serves a purpose, not a word is wasted.
As for the story concept, I found it to be very interesting, this virus is terrifying. I also loved the concept of the map and the cave. That scene reminded me of James Cameron's Avatar. All the books I read and enjoy have a cinematic quality to them, The Welll's End is definitely pushing it's way to the top of that list.
Mia as a narrator alone is enough. She's strong, smart, independent, and most importantly human. This is because she's trusting at the wrong times and mistrusting at the right moments as well. I also liked the way that Mia slowly gets over her fear of the dark and small space over the course of the story.
I also appreciated the characters of Jo, Rob, and especially Jimmy and Odessa.
I could say what bothered me most, if anything at all did, was the romance between Brayden and Mia, only becasue they've known each other for such a short time, I'm talking less than a week, but let's face it, this is YA and I'm a romance junkie, I have to get my fix somehow. However I could also say the ending seemed a bit abrupt, but then again it didn't in a way, I guess I expected just a little more, but that's just me nit-picking, especially becasue I know it leaves room for a sequel.
Overall The Well's End is definitely worth checking out.
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