The Essence

The Essence by Kimberly Derting
3.5/5 stars
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2013
343 pages
YA Dystopia
Sequel to The Pledge

*Spoilers for The Pledge because they're necessary but no spoilers for The Essence*

Source: Library

When I read the first book in the series, The Pledge, I found it to be a fast moving plot-driven story that kept me breathless turning pages. So even though the characters weren't very substantial to me, I still wanted to check out this second book. I'm definitely bummed it has taken so long to arrive but I'm glad I checked it out.

After overthrowing Queen Sabara, Charlaina has assumed her rightful place as Queen of Ludania and has been implementing big changes, trying to unite everyone as one people, in one class, under one language. But not all are pleased about this change. Adding to Charlie's troubles are the fact that Sabara's essence is still contained within her and is pulling her in many different directions as well as a traitor, betraying all that Charlie has worked for.

I thought the plot was a little less engaging this time as frequently is the case. Fighting for freedom and liberty is usually more fun to read about than building a stable kingdom based on those principles. The weirdest part to me is how Charlie's closest friends are now her advisers despite only being around sixteen (or that was my impression of their age). Are there no adults who fought and would be appropriate? Also as I mentioned, there is a traitor who I kind of picked out (yay me!)

The most interesting part to me was seeing Charlie trying to interact with other queens to prepare her kingdom to resume its place with allies trading. She's a lady who prefers trousers but is forced into a dress to learn etiquette. Second most intriguing was Charlie's battle against the essence of Sabara. Her voice is represented in italics and she is absolutely devious, still intent on gaining a body, whether Charlie's or maybe someone else's. We also learn more about her back story and just about how long she's been around. These elements helped push me through some of the duller parts.

Overall: A sequel worth checking out if you liked the first.

Other Opinions:
Books Live Forever
In Between
Mundie Moms
Rainy Day Ramblings

Rebel Heart

Rebel Heart by Moira Young
3.5/5 stars
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2012
424 pages
YA Dystopia
Book 2 in the Dust Lands Trilogy

Source: Library

First book Blood Red Road was a surprise hit for me last year so I am pleased to be reviewing its sequel today. I had a bit of trouble getting back into the world but was soon flying through it until...a certain part, which will be discussed at the very bottom in a spoiler section because it cause me great dissatisfaction and is intensely spoiler-y.

The sequel picks up shortly after the end of Blood Red Road with Saba, Lugh, Emmi (the reunited family), and their other companions traveling west looking for a better future. Then Saba receives devastating news about Jack that nevertheless sends her plunging straight back into danger with the rest of her companions following her.

Lugh was a tremendous douche in this book, treating Saba and a potential love interest particularly poorly. I wish we had more insight into his head because this guy barely seems worth all the effort Saba went through to save him. Emmi meanwhile continues to be a sweetheart-she has several great scenes and I loved her. Besides the details mentioned in the spoiler, my least favorite part of the book was the lack of Jack who's only there in the very beginning and end, not nearly enough for my liking.

Saba is in a bad head space for much of the book. She is haunted by some of her decisions and actions from book one (she went through some dark stuff so no surprise there). Although she has been reunited with her family, no one is very happy. I was mostly onboard with her decisions until the spoiler, which just pissed me off. Sorry but the spoiler really is integral to understanding my perspective on this book.

Cover: Redesign! This definitely looks like a masculine person, which is displeasing to me as Saba is definitely still the lead. I'm not sure if it's Lugh or Jack but neither possibility makes me happy. In my mind, this is Saba's story and the cover should reflect that.

Other Opinions: 
Book Labyrinth
In Bed With Books
Lisa is Busy Nerding

SPOILER ALERT:

So it's bad enough that Jack is barely present in this book and that we are led to think he's betrayed Saba (or us the reader really) but then I cannot believe she goes and sleeps with DeMalo! It almost seems like she is in a trance when she does this and obviously if she was thinking clearly, she would not have (right?) Needless to say I hated this plot development and it really ruined the book for me. The only part I might dislike more is the very ending when it sounds as if Tommo is watching the thankfully reunited Saba and Jack and possibly plotting something dark. Also we've got three guys lusting after Saba? I like her, sure, but that seems a bit much.

END SPOILER

Blood Red Road

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
4/5 stars
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011
459 pages
YA Post-Apocalyptic

Source: Library

I want to start with something I'm very glad I knew before picking up this book. It is written in its own distinct dialect that is not the traditional proper English. "Ain't"s, "cain't"s, and dropped "g"s abound in this book. While this is something that normally bothers me, I think it helped that I was prepared. It also helped that the language is very phonetic. I could hear it so clearly in my head and I imagine this could be a really good audiobook, depending on the narrator(s).

That said, let's move on to setting, characters, and plot. The setting is the distant future with a family out in the hinterlands, at least a day's ride from other people. Father, twins Lugh and Saba, and youngest child Emmi are barely surviving in the parched landscape until a mysterious group of men kidnap Lugh and leave their father dead. Now Saba will do anything to bring back her beloved brother and this sets her off on an epic quest.

Saba is the main character and boy is she prickly! My least favorite thing about her was her dislike of her younger sister, who she blames for the death of their mother. While acknowledging the realism of that, it's the opposite of how I feel about my younger sister (who I adore) so it was painful to read at times. She is really mean to Emmi who, to her credit, never gives up and is very much in the mold of her older sister with her incredible stubbornness and perseverance. But beyond that, Saba is strong, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. She undergoes terrible traumas on her journey to save Lugh and always keeps her head up for the next moment.

However, sometimes the plot seemed to almost stall, lingering in one place instead of high-octane action all the time. And a lot of things seemed too easy, too coincidental and it made it hard for me to suspend my disbelief. The big climax at the end with rescuing Lugh felt too short and I wanted to be blown back by the suspense and excitement, whereas I was able to put down this book at several critical junctures without feeling too much loss.

One last element to mention and not to spoil anything for you but there is a bit of romance...and I loved it! I found the male love interest a little rogueish in the best possible way and I love how Saba kept pushing him away despite the obvious signs of interest. She knew there was something about him, a cocky smile, the way he pokes through her defenses, and the way he lives by his wits. I really liked him as a love interest and as a character.

Overall: Really good-I enjoyed the journey a lot and I am happy to discover there is a sequel due out later this year titled Rebel Heart.

Cover: I think the cover is very evocative of the dusty setting; the sand plays a critical role at multiple parts of the story.

The Demon's Surrender

The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011
387 pages
YA; Paranormal
3/5 stars

Source: Library

Although I didn't love either The Demon's Lexicon or The Demon's Covenant, I have enjoyed many of Sarah Rees Brennan's blogposts and thus wanted to try the third book. Based on the cover, I had expected it to be told from Alan's point of view but I was mistaken and it is actually told from Sin's.

That's kind of a weird decision because she's always been on the periphery of the story. As Alan, Nick, Mae, and Jamie moved between the mortal world and the Goblin Market, Sin seemed firmly connected to it and thus not in the best position to convey all of the information that the reader wants to know.  Admittedly I had hoped for Alan, who is indisposed for part of the book, so my disappointment may color that assessment.

This book also has Sin explaining what I feel is the main reason for my inability to connect with this series when she states that she doesn't really get demons and magicians and their whole world. Although I've had plenty of exposure to that world throughout the three books, it never came to life, never threatened me, never dug deep into my skin and made me care. I think part of this is due to the limited third-person narration; first-person is more immediate and thrilling for me to read (in general).

The other main part I didn't like was the climax and all of the terrible actions therein; Sin encapsulates the finale with the statement that "It had been worth the cost. But it was such a cost" (375).  I have to disagree; I feel that the solution to their problem with magicians and their lust for power was a very poor one and will bring great future harm to the Market. Fighting for that solution would not leave me gratified or optimistic about the future.

Overall: A lackluster conclusion.

The Demon's Covenant

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010
440 pages
YA; Paranormal
3.5/5 stars
Sequel to The Demon's Lexicon

Source: Library

Spoilers for The Demon's Lexicon

Summary: Picking up a month after the first book ended, Mae thought things might be going back to normal.  But then she finds out that her brother Jamie has been sneaking out at night and interacting with another magician Gerald from the Circle that had originally tried to kill them.  So she calls Alan and Nick again as her only resource into the magical world.  Nick knows the truth about himself and something has happened between the brothers that causes a great deal of tension.

Thoughts: This is a switch as it begins in Mae's perspective and is in fact told from Mae's perspective; this makes me wonder if there will be subsequent books told from Jamie/Alan's POV.  I think I liked this book more, possibly because Lexicon is told from the point of view of a demon and that can be difficult for a human to understand.  It also ended up being a lot funnier with many quips. More of Alan/Nick's brother relationship is highlighted and I loved that.

I think my problem (and this is most definitely my problem and one that may not afflict you) is anxiety as I try to figure out the angle each person is going to play: Alan, Nick, Jamie, Mae, and the various magicians all have their own agendas and Mae is the only one we have some insight in to. The tension was awful.  I mean my stomach was tied in knots; it is not a feeling I like.  Will one of them betray another?  Will they all survive? Also sometimes the action was confusing and I had to reread several parts.

I also didn't like Mae's romantic entanglements as she has interactions with three different guys, none of which I can see turning out okay as all will cause her a great deal of trouble and/or heartbreak. 

Overall: I liked it more than the first book but I just don't love it.

Cover: That seems more like Sin than Mae, which is weird as Sin doesn't play that big of a role.

The Demon's Lexicon

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009
322 pages
YA; Paranormal
1st in series
3.5/5 stars

Source: Bought

Summary: Alan and Nick are brothers and Nick would do anything to protect Alan.  So when Jamie and Mae show up, the former with demon marks and the latter similarly protective of her brother, Nick wants them gone.  But Alan reaches out to the confused and scared siblings and now Nick has new complications in his life.

Thoughts: I had a lot of trouble with this review so I put it aside to come back to after I read the second book.  Part of my problem was expectations; having read some of Brennan's blog posts, I thought this would be a really funny book.  Obviously I wasn't looking closely at the cover as this is rather dark and not very funny.

I liked some of the characters some of the time but not as much as I wanted to.  Nick and Alan obviously have deep dark secrets that are only mostly revealed at the end.  I loved their relationship because while I am a sucker for sister stories, brothers are less common but still almost enjoyable and Nick is fiercely loyal to Alan.

I'm not sure about the universe of demons and magicians created so I will reserve judgment.  There is also a lot of fighting which is not my thing but is pretty much advertised on the cover so don't be surprised.

Overall: Not what I was expecting but I am planning to read the second and see where Brennan takes me.

Cover: Dark but the angle at which he is holding the sword seems really awkward.