Satellite Blitz

</ a>

Young Adult Fantasy</ span>

Date Published: May 2013</ span>

Grant Bradley was never meant to survive cancer or live happily ever after with his fiancée, Tate. Before he was born, his destiny to become a guardian angel was decided by the life-planning Schedulers.</ span>

Despite having what his new peers deem as a great position in the afterlife, living in utopia with a merciless mentor and looking after strangers doesn't change the way Grant feels about losing out on his life with Tate. Refusing to accept his destiny, he finds a way to visit his lost love. However, keeping their connection alive and, most importantly, secret, will end up costing Grant more than he could ever imagine.

Written in a style that appeals to young men and women alike, Satellite, The Satellite Trilogy, Part I has a broad likability that will reach any fans of the sci-fi, fantasy genre's recent outings. The 2012 ABNA calls this fantasy "captivating" and "an epic love story." Inspired by the idea that everything happens for a reason and that even the most tragic of deaths can be instrumental in forming the future of the living, this novel delivers surprising depth behind its charming exterior.

Tagline</ strong>

Grant Bradley has just one thing standing in the way of his happiness: Destiny.

About the Author</ span>

Lee Davidson received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Lindenwood University</ span>. She lives in Missouri with her husband and three sons. Her 'on-the-clock' time is spent as a graphic artist designing great big things. Satellite, Lee's first novel, was selected as a quarterfinalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.</ span>

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December 9, 2014: 'After the End'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 9, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

After the End

Amy Plum

She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Juneau goes to find good. She returns to an empty camp. She tracks the leader of her clan to the sea. She goes to the sea and sees a city. She is surprised because she thought all the cities were destroyed in World War III. She goes into the city. She finds where the leader of her clan Whit is. After finding out she is wanted for a reward, Juneau changes her looks. She boards a boat. She gets to Seattle and finds an oracle. The oracle tells her she will find someone who will take her far. She finds Miles who needs her to gain favor in his father's eyes. They travel together. Juneau gets a message from Whit from a raven. She finds out using a Reading that Whit isn't being held prisoner. She gets supplies and gets Miles to star driving southeast. She starts to slowly lose her powers. Juneau tells Miles about her powers and the clan. Miles doesn't believe her, thinking she's insane. Miles kisses Juneau one night, and she forces him to be her oracle by knocking him out. She finds out where to go after the two had been waiting for days. Juneau throws Whit off her trail by sending the raven Poe back to him. Miles finds out Juneau drugged him. In a fit of rage, he runs away and betrays her by calling his father to come and get we. Juneau takes off and is hurt. She is saved by Tallie. Miles goes to Salt Lake City. He can't find Juneau, so he goes out to find her. He ends up camping in the woods. They meet again after Juneau figures out that Miles will take her to where she needs to go. Juneau makes him believe that she has powers. She figured out where they need to go next. They go to Salt Lake City's library. They find a book that leads them to think they need to go to New Mexico next. They are caught by Whit. Juneau is taken by Miles's father's agents. Miles is taken by Whit, but he breaks free. He goes to his father with Juneau learning the truth from Miles's father. She passes out. Miles arrives and talks to Juneau, hatching a plan to help her escape. Miles is shot during their escape. Juneau decides she has to perform the Rite to tie Miles to Yara to keep him alive. She does so, hoping it saves him.

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Juneau.

The future clan Sage. Can Read and Conjure. Best at Reading and Conjuring. Knows how to fight. Has two moods solemn and cheerful. Likes Miles. Unaccustomed to outside world. Reads a lot. Understands nature. 

Miles. 

City boy. Wants to gain father's favor. Kind. Cautious. Not survival savvy. Likes Juneau. Thinks turning her in will be good for her. Smart. Troublemaker. 

Opinions:

Gosh. I had high hopes for this book. I really did.

But it wasn't perfect. It wasn't as I expected it to be.

The supernatural, magical aspects are exciting. I would love having the ability to Read and Conjure. Making fire out of nowhere? An 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' fan's dream-come-true. I feel like it's a bit preachy. Warning you if you lose connection with nature. Maybe that's just me. But the supernatural magic? Amazing. Fantastic. Exciting. Elemental magic is always exciting. You're using your world around you. 

The betrayal is, oddly, a fantastic plot twist. I mean...I can't imagine the pain at the betrayal. But still! It was surprising. I didn't expect Juneau to drug Miles. And I didn't expect Miles to betray Juneau. Didn't you two kiss? Something? I don't know. Why? To protect her, Miles? To find the way, Juneau? Reasons are fascinating things. I really liked the betrayals. 

And Miles. He is the city boy. The guy you love to hate. I mean...I would like Juneau if she didn't switch moods like nothing to it. I hate Miles at first, but you grow to like him. He wants the best for Juneau. And while he's blinded by what he knows, he tries his best to keep her safe. Once he gets to know her, of course. 

But...I dislike some things.

One major thing? The romance. Man. The physical attraction is practically palpable. Can it get more teen hormones than this? I'm not sure. I don't see the chemistry. Where is the spark? Why do they like each other? The danger? The thrill? I feel like Juneau puts more effort into that relationship. I mean...she tried to save his life. What did he do for her? Not sure. Not sure at all... 

And another, albeit more minor thing, is the mood swings Juneau has. She is happy and flirty one moment, and she's solemn and 'gloom-and-doom' the next? Even I, as human being, haven't experienced that. I really don't like that. She makes it seem easy. I like Juneau when she's serious. I mean...she's searching for her clan. Why is she cheerful anyways? She doesn't seem to naturally be that person. Is she trying to impress Miles? I'm not sure. 

Weather:

Cloudy with a 75% chance of rain

3.5/5

Five: Out of The Dark Blitz

Young Adult Urban Fantasy

Date Published: August 2013</ span>

Five teenagers who've recently discovered they have magical powers and are living in the Seattle underground feel it's their responsibility to protect unsuspecting humans from otherworldly foes. Things are going well until Johnathan, their unofficial leader and the boy sixteen year old Paige is in love with, is bitten by a changeling - the venomous saliva causing him to metamorphose into a ravening beast with each full moon. Paige vows that, no matter the cost, she will find a way to cure Johnathan of the evil that has embedded itself in his soul. Johnathan's monthly transformation and daily personality roller coaster isn't the only problem they have to deal with. The Five are also gearing up to face their toughest and most dangerous enemy yet-a powerful and ruthless Warlock who will go to any means, including high school, to build his Dark Army.</ span>

Excerpt</ strong>

 Little blue sparks of electricity gathered at my fingertips. That should have scared me, or at least aroused my curiosity. But the scene playing out before me pushed away all other emotions except anger. Intense, red-hot anger.

I recognized the three boys from school―future serial killers, to be sure. The trio had Sadie tied to a tree. Her usually silky black coat was covered in dirt and pine needles.

One of the boys―Justin was his name; we had History together―looked up at me. “Hey, look. It’s the preacher’s daughter. Maybe we can try it on her next.” He hocked a loogy and spit at my whimpering dog.

They all laughed.

Sadie yelped as one boy held her tail up while a greasy haired boy knelt behind her holding a flaming lighter. He moved it closer to the firecracker they’d shoved in her behind. I could smell the singe of her fur. A fresh flurry of electric anger pushed its way out through my fingertips. My hair flew about my head, gathering more of the little blue bolts.

Then, I lost it. Completely lost it. I pointed at the boy with the lighter and let loose all of my anger and fear.

“Get Away!” I screamed, and with those two simple words, that fear and anger formed into something tangible and strong. An unseen force rammed into that sadistic boy with the power of an NFL linebacker. He flew into the tree directly behind him. The breath was knocked clean out of him. His brave, dog-torturing friends looked at him, then at me, then they high-tailed it out of there, leaving their fallen friend in a moaning, gasping heap on the forest floor. </ span>

About the Author</ span>

Holli Anderson has a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing--which has nothing to do with writing, except maybe by adding some pretty descriptive injury and vomit scenes to her books. She discovered her joy of writing during a very trying period in her life when escaping into make-believe saved her. She enjoys reading any book she gets her hands on, but has a particular love for anything fantasy.

Along with her husband, Steve, and their four sons, she lives in Grantsville, Utah--the same small town in which she grew up.

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Twitter:  @HaAuthor</ span>

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December 6, 2014: 'We Were Liars'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 6, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

We Were Liars

E. Lockhart 

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE. 

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Johnny comes one year with Gat. Cadence and Gat go on boat together. Gay gets a girlfriend named Raquel. Cadence gets jealous. She drinks herself into a stupor. She talks to Gat and kisses him when she cleans the attic. Tipper the grandmother of the Sinclair family dies. Cadence starts to cut in real time. She spend a summer going on a trip around Europe with her father who left her mother. She goes to the island for the next summer and meets her friends from the summers before, the four that call themselves the Liars. She sees the new Clairmont. She starts over with her summer love Gat. She remembers things slowly as she goes out and about. She remembers her aunt crying. Pieces of her shattered past flow forwards. She goes out with her grandfather that mimes what she did when she was not sick. She finally confronts her friends. As the story of the fire and the broken family comes forward, she remembers. She remembers her friends, her beautiful Liars, all died in the fire that was supposed to restart their family. The family was feuding about the house and the assets. She cleans the house she had been living in. She watches her ghostly friends leave her, leave the island. She accepts what happened and starts to move forwards. 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Cadence Sinclair.

Haunted by the death of her friends. Distant. Forgets about the accident, the fire. Has migraines. Needs pills. Part of the Sinclair family. Daughter to Penny. Friend to Johnny and Mirren. Maybe-girlfriend to Gat. Reader. 

Opinions: 

I first thought this book was overhyped. Then, I read the ending. Man. I teared up. Cadence's love for her friends lost in the fire was...palpable. I could feel it.

But.

I'll try to rationally think this review through.

The ending, as I mentioned, was amazing. It was a tearjerker, I tell you. The girl loved her friends. She cared. She wanted them to be alive. The way they left? Heartfelt. She couldn't stand to see them go. She wanted them to stay. She really did. 

But that's part of life. Letting go. 

I also liked the 'perfect' family. Man. That shows a lot about humanity in general. Even the most solemn, most rich, most beautiful, most smart people, or even families, can be broken. Can be imperfect on the inside. The outside isn't everything. The outside doesn't always show the truth. The truth might be on the inside. No. The truth is always in the inside. There is no perfection. And this book portrays it in a new light. 

But...this book is still overhyped. People made it sound like it is the best book in the world.

I don't think that. This book isn't perfect. It isn't amazing. It's okay. Simply okay. 

I think that Gat and Cadence have instant love. They have an instant connection. Their relationship wasn't built up really. Not on Gat's side. Cadence seems to like the thrill of being with someone her mother, and grandfather, doesn't like. I'm not sure I like this. They don't do much as a couple. I think that Gat hates cheating. He wants to be kind. And he isn't. Not really. He cheated on Raquel. But he was too nice to break up with her to be with his 'love' Cadence? I'm not sure what to think of it. It is no match made in 'Heaven' if that's what you think. It's bumbling and awkward. They don't do much. Kiss. Hold hands. Kiss some more. Their relationship doesn't develop. 

The writing was awkward to read. The sentences that started and ended on different paragraphs? That isn't easy for me to read. It is a similarly style to 'Shatter Me'. Didn't like that one either. The writing style is hard to read. And gets annoying. I know that Cadence might think that way. Even I do. But that doesn't mean it has to be that way. It really doesn't. I wish I was simply laid out. The complications make things worse. I prefer simple prose. 

I think that the way Cadence realized her past is confusing. Her revelations happen oddly. They come at odd times. And they just jump out at you. They don't have rhyme or reason. I think that they interrupt the story. They just happen. I would prefer it differently. 

The characters don't interest me. They have past. They have terrible things happening to them. But they don't seem to star enough. It's Cadence, but Cadence isn't enough for me. I don't just want her past. I want Gat. I want Johnny. I want Mirren. They can't be perfect. They seem too perfect, which contradicts the story. To me, this is a story about imperfection. And broken people. And that contradicts the simple characters. I wish there was more. 

Weather:

Sunny with 50% chance of rain

3/5

December 6, 2014: 'Burning Blue'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 6, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Burning Blue

Paul Griffin

When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.

Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Nicole is attacked. Jay and Nicole meet at the school therapist's office. Jay goes to janitor Sager and sees acid after deciding he'll try to figure out the person who threw acid at Nicole. Jay looks for suspects'. He talks to the cop on the case Barrone. He goes to the tennis court with Nicole. Jay crosses Sager, Schmidt, and Sabbatini off his suspects' list after finding out two wanted to help Nicole, and the other, the janitor, just needed acid to clean graffiti off the walls. He teams up with Angela another hacker. He finds a video of Dave being interrogated. He gets an email that forced him into a seizure. Nicole gets a text from Chrissie that seems like she's the suspect, but she isn't. Jay is attacked. Jay and Nicole go to Jay's place and hang out. Jay sees a car going after Nicole's car as she leaves his place. He goes to talk to Cherry a Starbucks barista who befriended him. He finds out that the car he saw had stolen plates. He blackmails a photographer to send out the pictures of the car. He goes to the house where the car was found. He is attacked by Angela and is put in jail. He is bailed by his father. Angela turns out to be the acid thrower. He finds out Dave cheated on Nicole with Angela. Emma Nicole's friend dies. He talks to Angela about why she threw acid into Nicole's face. He finds out she did it for money. Jay finds out his dad plays the piano and has nothing to do with the acid throwing. Jay is attacked by Dave and Kerns. They end up in a car accident. Jay finally finds out that Nicole's mother 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:
Jay.
Hacker. Has seizures. Wants to find the acid thrower. Starts to love Nicole. Was a wrestler. Sneaky. Junior in high school.

Nicole.
Ex-cheerleader. Has acid thrown in face. Kind. Cutter. Father ran off. Mother mopes. Looking for acceptance. Doesn't like the pity. Used to be considered beautiful. Used to date Dave a wrestler. 

Opinions:

This book...is just okay.

I think that the hacking is good. Hacking is quite nice. This book makes it seem easy. (I've tried these things. I'm better at reading.) I like hacking too. It's interesting. Breaking down firewalls. Getting into lists. Changing grades. It seems distant. But interesting. I admire hackers. It's skill. And perfection. I really do admire hackers. The good and the bad. (I just also hate the bad ones.)

The realistic problems make it a hard read. But a good one. We have cutters. We have a guy with seizures. When I read a realistic fiction, I look for this. Real problems. It's important for me. Really important. The people in these books could be real life people. I know you might be tired of me bringing this up. I know. But this is still true. 

I also like Nicole. She changes from the attack. She has to change. She starts of as the pretty girl no one understands. Then she ends up as the sad girl who is 'disfigured'? The change is...amazing. And seemingly impossible. How much can happen to one person? I pity her like everyone else. But I think that she is still living. She's suffering. Suffering bravely. I admire that. I admire Nicole's bravery. 

I do think that the romance is...awkward. As I usually say...where the chemistry? I see that they are friends then...then what? I'm confused on their relationship. I do think that it's great that Jay doesn't judge Nicole because of her looks. I think that people need to focus on personality. And Jay does exactly that. Or maybe it's the thrill of being with the 'disfigured' girl. 

I also think the ending is rushed. The information is dumped onto you. You just get the facts one after the other. You don't really get an ending. Everything is piled on you. The truth. The reason why. It's within the last few chapters. Boom boom boom. I wish that the author slowed it down. It's too fast. The falling action comes quickly. A brick wall. Smack. Right into you. 

And Jay is...simply...dull. He doesn't have much depth to him. He also seems reckless. He's chasing a criminal he might never catch. What does he do? Keep going. Hacker. Had seizures. What else to say? I'm not sure. He doesn't have a kind personality. Or whatnot. He's kind in an awkward way. He wants to be kind to Nicole, and he ends up finding the acid thrower. Very odd. I would take flowers honestly. 

Weather:

Sunny with 50% chance of rain

3/5

December 5, 2014: 'All is Silence'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 5, 2014

Special Report

Note: This review is written in a different format. I started this book, but I didn't really finish it until later on. I don't remember all of what happened. Therefore, this book is in a different format. 

Headline

All is Silence

Robert L Slater

In a future that could be ours, Lizzie, a suicidal teen-age girl, barely navigates her own life. Then everything falls apart. In an apocalyptic land nearly deserted by disease, she lacks reasons to live until a shocking turn of events reveals a phone number. Her call pulls her dangerously cross-country to meet a stranger she thought was dead.

In a world where there is plenty of food, plenty of gas, plenty of space… fear, anger and a lust for power still control the patterns of human life.

This is actually a pretty good book. I did enjoy some of it. It caught my attention with its summary of a suicidal main character in a post-apocalyptic world. I mean...combining realistic aspects with a dystopia world? That's perfect. It's the book I've been waiting for someone to write. I love when books aren't just one genre. It's nice to have a mix. 

I like the character development. They grow into new people. Lizzie isn't suicidal in the end. She finds Saj. She finds Spike. She gains a reason, or more than one, to live. Which is fantastic, I might add. I think that Zach changes. He clung to the idea of these girls, but he slowly turned to one, Nev, and hung onto her. That is important. Loving one person, I mean. 

Like most books I read,  I do have some problems.

As with most books. One of those problems is the romance.

I do think that Nev and Zach are a cute couple. They even each other out. They even have the couple squabbles about a menagerie of topics. 

But I hoped for more from them. Maybe they are like parents. Maybe they're like teenagers. I wanted more from their relationship. A few kisses? A smile? A 'I love you'? Convince me you're in love. That's what I look for. 

And I have a problem with the story. To me, it seems like the beginning is a survival, typical 'I'm the last human being, oh god' story. Then our dear Lizzie jumps in and finds people. Many people. Saj. Spike. Rachael. It turns to a road trip story. (Don't see what I mean? Well...it's a different type of road trip. But one nonetheless.) We have kidnappers. Attackers. A hacker in hiding. It falls into a lull. Not much action. Not much Lizzie, who seems like our main character. We get new places and new people. But not enough of these new places. The group seems to avoid towns with government. Why? Why won't they just go there? Is the government in these cities to oppressive? I don't get it. 

There also seems to be too many people. Lizzie and Zach are too trusting. Where do these people come from? The beginning made it seem like there was only a few survivors. Why? Where did they come from? How did they all survive? Why aren't they in cities? I'm not exactly sure. And it is pure coincidence that Lizzie and Mannie survived. But Jayce didn't? So it's not biological. 

We don't get enough of this disease. How does it happen? How do the people die? Heart attack? Dehydration? It doesn't really elaborate. 

I'm also not a fan of these characters. They get drunk. They get high. The dad is an ex-alcoholic even. What is with that? The characters seem to have dimensions. But they aren't likable. Lizzie is reckless. Nev is okay. She's sweet. Zach can be controlled by anger. Spike doesn't really communicate. (And I have problems with dog-man in another way.) And Charley? And Jess? They have back stories. But they aren't interesting. They all seem fine with the death around them. Really. We only get Lizzie's mourning. Everyone else seems to bounce back easily. And they kill too. Not even a flinch. It seems like Lizzie is more real than the others. Really.

Weather:

Cloudy with a 75% chance of rain

2.5/5

December 3, 2014: 'Endgame: The Calling'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 3, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Endgame: The Calling

James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton

Twelve thousand years ago, they came. They descended from the sky amid smoke and fire, and created humanity and gave us rules to live by. They needed gold and they built our earliest civilizations to mine it for them. When they had what they needed, they left. But before they left, they told us someday they would come back, and when they did, a game would be played. A game that would determine our future.

This is Endgame.

For ten thousand years the lines have existed in secret. The 12 original lines of humanity. Each had to have a Player prepared at all times. They have trained generation after generation after generation. In weapons, languages, history, tactics, disguise assassination. Together the players are everything: strong, kind, ruthless, loyal, smart, stupid, ugly, lustful, mean, fickle, beautiful, calculating, lazy, exuberant, weak. They are good and evil. Like you. Like all.

This is Endgame.

When the game starts, the players will have to find three keys. The keys are somewhere on earth. The only rule of their Endgame is that there are no rules. Whoever finds the keys first wins the game. Endgame: The Calling is about the hunt for the first key. And just as it tells the story of the hunt for a hidden key, written into the book is a puzzle. It invites readers to play their own Endgame and to try to solve the puzzle. Whoever does will open a case filled with gold. Alongside the puzzle will be a revolutionary mobile game built by Google’s Niantic Labs that will allow you to play a real-world version of Endgame where you can join one of the lines and do battle with people around you.

Will exuberance beat strength? Stupidity top kindness? Laziness thwart beauty? Will the winner be good or evil? There is only one way to find out.

Play.
Survive.
Solve.
People of Earth.
Endgame has begun.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Meteors rip through the world. The Players all see. They go to the meteor in their area and pluck a rock from it. They get a message with a location. The Players all go to that place. Before Sarah leaves, she explains that she's playing a dangerous to her boyfriend Christopher who promptly leaves a few days after her. Jago and Sarah go on the same train, but An Liu finds that train and places a bomb on it. Sarah and Jago escape and form an alliance. They all end up in Beijing. They get transported to a pyramid by a disembodied voice. They get the rules and are set loose. Some, like Chiyoko, An, and Baitsakhan, attack. Others flee into the woods or through the pyramid. Marus is killed by a bomb. Christopher follows Kala out of the pyramid and thinks she's the last one out. Jago and Sarah go next after Jago retrieves a disk. Aisling, Maccabee, and Chiyoko all go through the pyramid after Jago and Sarah. Jago and Sarah go to a reclusive hotel. Chiyoko, who knows they have the disk, follows. Shari follows Alice. On a bus, Shari helps a girl give birth. During this, Alice escapes. An and Chiyoko meet. Baitsakhan kidnaps Shari and tortures her. Jago, An, Sarah, and Chiyoko go to the Terra Cotta warriors, following Jago's clue. An blows up a secret room. Christophe follows Kala out of China. Alice frees Shari from Baitsakhan's grasp. An and Chiyoko share a bed, with An falling in love with her. Kala goes to a temple. Jago and Sarah check each other for bugs on a plane and find nothing. Chiyoko leaves An. Kala is taken by an Air Marshal that she kills. She, and Christopher, are caught in a plane crash. They escape. Jago and Sarah go to Jago's relative for guns and a car that has been altered. Baitsakhan stalks Maccabee. Kala calls Sarah after realizing who Christopher is. Maccabee and Baitsakhan become allies. Chiyoko saves Kala. Chiyoko, Jago, Sarah, Kala, Baitsakhan, Maccabee, and Christopher all go to a temple. Kala kills Jalair Baitsakhan's brother. Kala is killed. Maccabee finds Christopher. Chiyoko temporarily allies with Jago and Sarah. Chiyoko rescues Christopher. They go to Italy. Baitsakhan and Maccabee find Hilal with an orb they found at the temple. Chiyoko confronts Cheng Cheng's friend in Italy after stealing the disk. Sarah, Christopher, and Jago go to Stonehenge. An and Chiyoko also go. An takes Christopher prisoner. Sarah kills Christopher, who was doomed to die by An's hand. Sarah gets the Earth Key. Chiyoko dies. An dies. The end of the world begind. 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Chiyoko.

Japanese. Stealthy. Mute. Sneaky. Spy. Watches and waits. Ninja. 

An.

Has tics and a stutter. Hacker. Bomber. Genius. Falls in love with Chiyoko. 

Jago.

Cocky. Also called Feo. Fighter. Has family in high places. Likes Sarah. Understands whether someone is lying or not. Strong. 

Sarah.

All American girl. Smart. Beautiful. Has boyfriend but also likes Jago. Used to be normal. Was valedictorian. Understands codes. 

Opinions:

This book is pretty interesting. It's not the best book. There were problems. I do like enough of it, though.

The book has action. Fighting. Hand-to-hand. I love action. And this book has action. It brought the action I needed and have been lacking. This book makes up for the action I need. The fighting is fantastic. It's fast, though. Quick. To me, it seems too quick in certain times. 

While I don't love all the characters, I do like Christopher and Chiyoko. I like Christopher because he seems more down to earth. The other characters are superhuman. They don't seem to be humanly possible. Christopher is the only non-Player. And I like him. He also follows his heart. And he's stubborn. And he chases his love no matter the cost. I like Chiyoko because she's silent. She isn't fighting or killing unless she has to. She watches. Waits. I like that. She isn't confrontational in the way you might think. You think that I would like An, but I don't. He's too cocky. Sneaky. And obsessive. 

I like that it involves a diverse set of characters. They come from all over the world. American girl. Japanese girl. Hispanic boy. I think diversity is important in books. Especially in young adult fiction. I rather not be restricted to Caucasian males and females. The world isn't just Caucasians. No offense. (Sorry, guys. I'm not trying to offend. But diversity is important. I'm Asian American after all.) 

There are problems, though. I don't 

I disliked the romance. I didn't like that Sarah was 'cheating'. It seemed wrong. Though, she's is better suited for Jago. Jago is more like her. Which is good. And An? Really, Chiyoko? Can you not? I like you when you're not seducing your captor. Thank you very much. (I know I sound very sarcastic. But I like Chiyoko. And I wish she hadn't slept with him. Or did anything for him. Really? I'm sorry, but I wish she fought her way out.) 

I also disliked the characters. Most of them at least. I don't see why there has to be so many characters. It's hard to keep track of them. We have An. Chiyoko. Hilal. Jago. Maccabee. Alice. Shari. Baitsakhan. Sarah. And more. There are twelve. It's hard for a reader to keep track of them. I honestly considered using a notebook to write all of them down. It's hard for me to keep their back stories separate if they have similarities. I dog-eared the page that listed their ages and names and family. I used it for reference. 

Along the lines of characters, I have more problems.

There is minimal character development. Except in the four ones that are mentioned. And even they don't change that much. They start out and end up as the same people. I hope that all the characters get development. 

And, again with characters, the plot was hard to keep track of. The story jumps from character to character. This goes along the lines of too many characters. You get one character. You get another. It doesn't make any sense. I got lost. Especially with the characters that aren't mentioned a lot. It's hard to keep track of Hilal if he's mentioned only a few times. I don't mind it sometimes. But this was too many characters. And too many jumps from character to character. 

And...the characters seem so impossible. So superhuman. What do I mean? Well...how do they have all those talents? They can fight. Kill. Decode. Translate. It's insane. Even the best army guys can only do a few of these teens' talents. And they're only teenagers! How is that even possible? Teens can barely get out of bed sometimes. And killing? Traumatizing at worst. 

Weather:

Sunny with a 20% chance of rain 

4/5