Book Review – ‘Under the Never Sky’ by Veronica Rossi

Enjoyable but had me frowning at some inconsistencies…

Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction, Dystopia

No. of pages: 374

From Goodreads:

Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered.

This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland–known as The Death Shop–are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild–a savage–and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile–everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky. 

I’d been uncertain of picking up this book for over a year, and decided to put myself out of annoying procrastination and read the damn thing. “Under the Never Sky” was an epic dystopian adventure that entertained me to no end with its blend of science fiction and primitive civilization.

Written in alternating POV’s from our protagonists Perry and Aria through their trek and survival, was compelling, but I’d much rather have maintained a single voice in the narrative. Though the dual perspective does add layers to the story.

The Aria/Perry relationship was believable, and even though a slow burn, I felt a little rushed towards the end. Aria learning skill so readily – I would have liked to see her trip up a little more often instead of becoming an instant warrior. But really loved the character development.

“Under the Never Sky” gave me the feeling that it was coloured with shades of so many other YA books, and did not feel entirely original. It is gritty and raw with violence and death and although not totally predictable, it failed to give me any surprises.

Veronica Rossi did a good job at setting up the villain Consul Hess. I really did not like him or his motives and am interested to see where the continuing story leads us. (Don’t worry this is no spoiler, we discover early on just how diabolical Hess is.

Would have liked a bit more about the history on how the world became what it is. The reasoning behind the epidemic of DLS felt flimsy at best. The social structure and the fact of two warring civilizations also felt wishy-washy… there seemed little reason they weren’t more aware of each other, especially with the primitive ‘Dwellers’ searching for a cure to DLS and scientific advancements.

Ever Blue? A great myth/quest. Not sure how it could exist given the information we’ve been fed already on the state of the planet. So my hope is that we have naive or unreliable narrators with Aria and Perry and the truth is yet to make some sense, because as it stands, I’m having trouble stomaching the world around them.

I liked where the ending was going, but it lacked punch and didn’t really have me with a burning desire to pick up the sequel, but alas, my nature will force me to see it through to the end. Let’s hope the series improves.

Overall reaction: C’mon… really?

© Casey Carlisle 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

#bookquotes

The sensibilities of our red-blooded queen, Mare. Loved ‘Glass Sword’ and cant wait to get a copy of the next book to find out what happens next.

LONERS : Asherah update

 

 

Been making great strides in this series for April… in the meantime here’s some jellyfish!

 

Never lose your wonder.

Book Review – ‘Twilight : The Graphic Novel Part 1’ by Stephenie Meyer & Young Kim

Revisiting a classic never looked so good.

Genre: Y/A, Fantasy, Romance

No. of pages: 224

From Goodreads:

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret… 

This brought me back to my first ‘Twilight’ experience. The movies are great, but as an adaptation there are many differences to the narrative of the book. This version remains faithful to the original story line I was first introduced to.

The illustrations are beautiful and depicted in a way that more fits the descriptions imagined by Stephenie Meyer. I could gaze at them all day. It is primarily in black and white, with a few colour pages at key points in the story where colour makes artistic sense.

The story itself though, (because realistically we can’t use all the material,) felt flat. A lot of the humour and angst got cut out, the novel being squashed down to a couple of pages of dialogue… so if you have not read the original book, you’ll not have a very high opinion of ‘Twilight The Graphic Novel Part 1.’ It is also the reason I deducted a point – it felt like part of the soul of ‘Twilight’ had been ripped out. I’d recommend this more for fans, who what to enrich their experience, or revisit the novel in a different medium.

I liked the reveal (climax) for this first volume, the way it was drawn and the parts of the story Young Kim used was masterful. It gave a new edge to the events that happen in ‘Twilight.’

The dust jackets are cute how they match up to a larger poster for volumes 1 & 2. And I’ll be reviewing Part 2 soon.

Definitely recommend this for all Twilight fans.

Overall feeling: Still in love

© Casey Carlisle 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Write a novel… and then what?

I’ve had “Write a Novel” on my bucket list since I was a child, but I think I should have been clearer, or at least added a couple of more steps…

Write a novel? Tick, yes. Done!

But now it’s time to do re-writes. Then off to some Beta readers to get some input. Then another draft. And lastly, off to an Editor to get a final draft.

And that’s just the writing process.

After that it’s off to a publisher… or should I say, go through the submission process to get a publisher (via literary agent).

Then, if deemed a suitable match (and contract negotiations), my manuscript will be published and I’ll see it on shelves at my local bookstore.*

All of that listed above is what’s really meant to be included in the ‘write a novel’ Bucket List item. How naive I was.

 

I don’t want to be a one hit wonder either. I want several books published. Not through self-publishing, or vanity publishing, or any of the other variety of ways to see your novel in print. I desire traditional publishing. (Plus it’s a validation that you have been deemed worthy… something that plays to my ego.)

These days, a traditional publisher wants to see that you are a viable investment – a career writer. So, simply ‘write a novel’ has a lot of weight to it if you want to take it seriously. And I do. So what started off as a pipe-dream when I got diagnosed with cancer has turned into a career.

I’m old fashioned that way.

If only my chemo addled brain had made that realisation when I’d scratched out the single most want of my heart’s desire.

You need to have a vision of many books to be written in the future, either stand alone, or a series. Roughly sketched out plots, a timetable.

Now that you have the writing side sorted, there is all manner of elements that go along with it to add to your dossier to be deemed a worthy investment. Like an online presence, previously published works, a network or connections within the industry, a marketing plan, all these are thrown onto the pile just to make life just a little more exasperating. All from the three words “write a novel.”

Granted, you don’t really have to do any of it. You could just complete your manuscript and release it online, or self-publish an ebook. But I’m a glutton for punishment and a purist. I want the dream from my childhood, whether it’s realistic or not.

So I formed a 1-3 year plan. Made a detailed list. And I’m halfway there…

As big and as involved as this innocent little item on my Bucket List is, it has definitely been the most satisfying. I guess anything that takes a considerable amount of effort to achieve is ultimately rewarding… and while I could cross if off the list because the manuscript is complete; I think I’ll keep it there until the dream is fully realised.

But in the meantime I have plenty more items to attack, and life will be ever more richer because of it 🙂

 

Do you have a Bucket List, or are writing a novel? I’d love to hear all about your experiences and goals to help make life more fun and amazing.

*Let me live in this fantasy of perfection – it’s the only thing keeping me going at the moment – that, and a fridge stocked full of Tim-Tams and LOTS of coffee!

 © Casey Carlisle 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

LONERS : Homeworld #bookquotes

I’ve been working on this sci-fi series a lot through April #amwriting

 

How different experiences shape us… even if it is on an alien planet that could only best be described as Satan’s armpit.

#bookporn

Heard great things about this book and am looking forward to getting back into contemporary.

‘re-boot’ teaser by Casey Carlisle

Here’s a teaser I was playing with for the upcoming debut novel ‘re-boot’

After recovering from a horrific car accident where she lost her Grandparents, Bailey Silverman is returning to High School. The strange side effects from her brain injury only intensify around Flynn Nelson, leading her to question: is it really a medical condition or something else? Driven by an unknown need, Bailey pursues Flynn, fighting against the images of violently attacking him in her nightmares. Is Flynn the key to awakening her heart and becoming normal, or unlocking a monster inside?

#bookquotes

Revisiting ‘Twilight’ was so much fun… it will always get me out of a reading slump, or inspire me to start writing again.

Book Review – ‘Timepiece’ by Myra McEntire

When time itself goes ka-blewy!

Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 325

From Goodreads:

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…

Kaleb Ballard was never supposed to be able to see ripples – cracks in time. Are his powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Before he can find out, Jonathan landers, the man who tried to murder is father, reappears. Why is he back, and what, or whom, does he want?

In the wake of Landers’ return, the Hourglass organization is given an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he’s stolen on the people who might carry the time gene, or time will be altered – with devastating results for the people Kaleb loves most.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Landers. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…

At first I felt duped – this wasn’t the continued story from Emmeron’s POV. I’d fallen in love with her in ‘Hourglass,’ and was really looking forward to more. Instead what I got was the story being picked up right where the last book ended, but with Kaleb’s narrative.

It is an easy read though. I was able to fly through this, and thank goodness, because it took the first half of the novel to get over my disappointment and get into Kaleb’s head. We still get the goodness of Em and Michael, but from a different perspective.

I have grown to like Kaleb, and was rooting for him by the end of the novel. A tattooed and pierced bad boy with a marshmallow heart.

Lily was a breath of fresh air as far as a love interest and heroines go. She wasn’t the reactionary teen we see a lot of in YA. She was level headed and sarcastic in a dark way, not in the exaggerated obvious pun sort of way. She really stole my heart and I was cheering for her and Kaleb from early on.

It’s not oversaturated on the love and heavy petting either. McEntire really builds her relationships and characters in a realistic and organic way; which is impressive given the landscape being warped from rips and alternate versions of time and space which kept changing. Em and Michael, Lily and Kaleb were fixed points amongst the chaos.

I’ve deducted a few marks for the slow pacing at the beginning, and the lack of story. There could have been more action or conflict packed into ‘Timepiece’ – it was easy and pleasant to read, but did not live up to the likes of ‘Hourglass.’

Although the writing isn’t fancy, it does allow you to speed through the book; but the way McEntire weaves a story is masterful. So many threads to keep track of… brilliant imagination come to life on the written page. Really makes me want to grab everything she’s ever written to add it to my library.

A thoroughly entertaining read, not as dark as ‘Hourglass,’ more of the timey-wimey things and a couple of plot twists I did not see coming, but leading us towards what should be a very interesting conclusion in ‘Infinityglass.’ (Which I must read asap!)

Overall reaction: Do it again. Do it again!

© Casey Carlisle 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.