Red Rising (Red Rising #1)
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Del Ray
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Pages: 382
Format: Paperback/Own
"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."
"I live for you," I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.
Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
Dearly, Beloved (Gone With The Respiration #2)
Author: Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: September 25, 2012
Pages: 496
Source: Galley/NetGalley
Can the living coexist with the living dead?
That’s
the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since
the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and
turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies
are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think,
speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.
Just ask
Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band
of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . .
of the dead variety.
Nora and her savior, the young zombie
soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only
fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between
pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the
streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and
his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace.
That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group
of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked
squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But
zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in
The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the
number one target.
As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks
threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist
father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets
of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a
mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the
virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the
apocalypse.
Lia Habel’s spellbinding, suspenseful sequel to
Dearly, Departed takes her imaginative mash-up of period romance,
futuristic thriller, and zombie drama to a whole new level of innovative
and irresistible storytelling.
Review: I don't know what to say besides I freaking LOVED this book! I definitely think this was better than the first one in many ways! It says a lot that this book topped Dearly, Departed, since I absolutely loved that book but it did! Not only did this book have that action we oh so love in books but it brought up some really good questions. Some of which were answered, some that were not. It was great!! I did like the multiple POV's, all expect Vespertines. I didn't get why hers was in there. Besides a little story to help with the plot there was really no point to it, especially since half her story was in other peoples chapters as well. Though with her POV in there we did see that she does have a bit of a heart and doesn't want certain people getting hurt. I really loved this new case of The Laz! Having Patient One with it and all that surrounded him made the story awesome! I do want to know what's up with these people that have it out for Z comp though. That's a really interesting story line that has yet to be explored more.
Nora! I seriously love this girl more than I did in the first book. She refused to just it on the sidelines. She wanted to be right up in the action, doing something to help instead of sitting around watching things happen. And I couldn't blame her. After all she went through and then with all the rising tensions about the Zombies living in the city (those close to her included), I would wanna be too! She wanted to protect those she cared about even if it put her in danger in the process. I found it really funny when Nora's dad grounded her. I mean seriously? Lol. He wasn't even home most of the time but yet one of the few times he is he grounds her? I get it, he was busy with the Laz vaccine and Patient One but that doesn't mean you can slack on your duties as a dad but then insert your authority when you do act like it. I have nothing against Dr. Dearly, I just thought he was being a bit hypocritical with that. I must say, I loved when Nora fake rebelled going out alone just to get her dad out of work and to actually pay attention to what was going on.
Bram! <3 I don't think a Zombie can get any better than this guy! He tries his hardest to protect Nora at all costs, he tries to help and protect his Zombie friends at all costs as well and he was dead-set determined to figure out who was causing all the havoc in New London revolving around the Zombies. He even took it upon himself most of the time to track down the problems, get information on things that could happen etc etc. He seriously took on as much as he could handle and he did it pretty well. I know I'd want this Zombie on my side if faced with all that happened! I really loved Bram in regards to Nora though. It wasn't exactly his cup of tea being in New London being a Punk and all but he tried his hardest to do right by Nora and I respected him for that. He really loves her.
Michael. I seriously wanted to punch this guy in the face... repeatedly. First of all, it annoyed me to death that he was so dead set on destroying Bram and taking Nora for himself. Are you kidding me? If she wanted to be with you Michael she never would have chose to stay with Bram after returning to New London. I was so annoyed with what he kept trying to do to the Dearly's and what he did to the Roe's. Seriously, payback on Pamela for disrespecting you? Uh, you definitely disrespected her way more than she did you. And the group he was involved in... I was glad that he got what was coming to him in the end.
The ending! It was such a shocker but so so good! I totally didn't see it coming but I loved it so much. Nora and Bram are the cutest!!!!! <3 <3 <3 (I'm so not spoiling the ending for anyone, it's too good).
5 Stars!
Dearly, Departed (Gone With The Respiration #1)
Author: Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Pages: 470
Source: Hardcover/Own
Love can never die.
Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The
year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on
the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high
society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her
country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But
after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her
domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the
family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora,
no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army
of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora.
Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly
gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos
and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell
along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram
Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead.
But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and
modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners,
and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to
tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease
will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then,
beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
In Dearly, Departed,
romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel
of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy
that forever redefines the concept of undying love.
Review: One word... AMAZING! I cant get over how much I loved this book! This was my first Zombie novel and it's set some pretty high expectations for the others I plan on reading! I loved the different points of view from this book! It gave you a look at many different angles of the same situation and I absolutely loved getting to know a little more about each character when it was being told by them (except Wolfe, I always felt like skipping his sections (although I didn't) cuz of his attitude). I also thought this whole entire thing with how the Zombies came to be infected to become that way in the first place was interesting (especially how some people tried blaming it on one specific person). I also liked learning about the Zombies, their leaders and how they came to be on different sides and what that meant. I just found it all so interesting, especially with the secrets that just kept coming out! I could not put this book down even if I wanted to!
I have to say I loved almost all the characters! Pam and Chas and Sam! I really loved almost all of the supporting characters! But I do have to say Bram and Nora are definitely my faves! Nora. She was stubborn when she wanted to be but she was also very strong willed! She knew what she wanted and she wouldn't let people stand in her way! And Bram!!! AHHH! He makes the undead sound awesome (most of the time)! I mean, people make Zombies out to be flesh eating monsters! And while they do crave flesh they can control that and actually seem pretty normal (minus the undead part obviously), Lol! He also showed that even the undead still have hearts! I mean he took protecting Nora so seriously! He wouldn't let anything happen to her and was always there for her when she needed him! And even though he was forced not to tell her things he even came out with those at some point even if it put him in danger! He was such a gentleman! I'm so glad he ended up ok in the end! I seriously need book two like now!!! (Please! Lol. I absolutely cant wait for it!)
5 Stars!
