New Release Review: The Ones

The Ones

by Daniel Sweren-Becker

Looking for an I’m-on-the-edge-of-my-seat kind of book?... well look no further. The book The Ones, by Daniel Sweren-Becker, will leave you breathless and wanting more. Join the main character Cody and her boyfriend, James, as they find out the hard way that even being “perfect” has its flaws. Cody and James thought that they were blessed when the government chose them to be “perfect”. In this generation, perfection is possible with genetic engineering. Just a few changes in the genes, can change both the personality as well as the appearance, of the Ones being engineered. Not long after genetic engineering took off, people who did not experience this phenomenon began to see what they were missing. Some were replaced in jobs by the Ones, some were put down and compared to the Ones, simply for not being in the one percent of the population that was “perfect”. That’s where society drew the line. After enough complaining the government decided to enact the Equality Act. The Equality Act’s goal was to make everyone equal, but what that meant for the Ones, was changing them for the worse. The effects of the Act were like trying to go back to the time when genetic engineering was not a thing. In their words, it was a reversal of the phenomenal effects of genetic engineering which had been making people “perfect” for about twenty years. This divided society, as well as the government, from the one percent of the population that had to fight to keep their rights.

 

 While reading The Ones, by Daniel Sweren-Becker, what really stood out to me was how detailed the book was. Between setting the description of the plot, to describing a character’s looks, to explaining what is going on in a character's head, the details were really vibrant. My favorite character in The Ones would probably be the main character, Cody. I think that the reader automatically falls in love with Cody, because despite not having the best past, she still pushes through that and really enjoys life. Cody is a fighter, and a tad bit sassy, which I feel is definitely a reason why I love, and can relate to Cody. Cody reminds me of some people I know, aside from the “perfect” engineered genes. I believe that the author wrote this book to entertain the reader, and to open up their imagination. We live in a world where the idea of genetic engineering doesn't sound so crazy, and is in fact possible, sometime in the near future. 

Learn more about the author, Daniel Sweren-Becker, and his new book, The Ones,  in the link http://fiercereads.com/books/the-ones/ .  While talking to the author over Instagram he told me, “I wrote this book to ignite a conversation about genetic engineering. It is really important that we figure out how to deal with it now, before it is too late.” Reading his response made me feel more connected with the author, as well as the book itself. I would give this book a 5/5 star rating, for anyone looking for a dystopian futuristic novel, for both girls and boys. Find him on Twitter @The_Ones_byDSB and Instagram @d_k_s_b

Review by Bella K.

Publisher: Imprint

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Hardcover Pages: 304

*Our class received an ARC of this book to read/ review from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

New Release Review!

The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire

by Dan Howell and Phil Lester

Review by Natalie S.

The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire, is actually on fire! The book wows readers with the bright colored cover, but that’s not all that amazes! The funny stories shared in the novel also throw people for a loop.

Recently I read the book The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire by Dan Howell and Phil Lester. The book lives up to the title “Amazing”. The book shares the story of Dan and Phil and how they got to where they are today. 

It begins when they were born, where the two asked their moms what they were like as a child and include all of the answers on the first two pages. Next, Dan and Phil share their experiences going through school. They tell you about their middle school, high school, and university life, even a few pages of tacky things they’ve done as a child, like breed hamsters and ending up in a terrible dorm. There are even pages that relate to characters in some of their video sketches! Readers see Becky and Jessica's pages and Dan’s cringe attacks. 

Another clever item added to this book are the funny quizzes. These quizzes include one about which one of their household chairs you would be and your very own guide to becoming a Youtuber!

More wacky events are shared throughout the whole book, it’s like you go on the journey with Dan and Phil! You journey from childhood, through university life, to starting their youtube channels with them!

If you aspire to be a Youtuber or just want a good laugh, I highly recommend this amazing book. Youtubers danisnotonfire and amazingphil made a masterpiece of crazy moments into a 200 page book. The amazing book is always on fire!  

ARC Review of The Possibility of Now

Just imagine, one day you’re the valedictorian of your top tier high school, and the next there is a video on YouTube with over 600,000 views of you and scraps of your old life. The Possibility of Now features Mara, an over-achiever who attends a prestigious private school in San Diego. But one day, a full-blown panic attacks complete with shredding papers and screaming before a test sends her whole world plummeting down. Mara travels up to Tahoe to live with her life-absent father, Trick, and everything she’s ever believed and worked for is put to the ultimate test.

Mara faces many difficulties upon reaching Tahoe. From boys to school, she’s neck deep in adventure. Mara is an absolute favorite character because I can easily relate to her and she is very similar to who I strive to be. Both major perfectionists, I believe that her going to Tahoe has inspired me to expand and live out of my control.

Kim Cultberson sets a beautiful vision for Mara’s world. She writes every character spectacularly, and doesn’t make up any cliches to help to move her plot along.  Her own story is enough. The Possibility of Now teaches readers to live in the now, and that life should be embraced, not clutched at trying to survive. The person that you grew up as is not always your true self, as evident with Mara - there is “San Diego Mara”, “Tahoe Mara”, and my personal favorite, just Mara.

Finally, I would highly, highly recommend this book. It stands apart from any other realistic fiction novels on the radar, and I would recommend it for people looking for a way to escape from their own reality. Every character written is relatable in their own way. It gives a glimpse of what living outside of your comfort zone really has to offer.

5/5 stars.                                                                     

The Possibility of Now comes to shelves January 26th, 2016.      

By: Devon K.

Welcome! Today we’re celebrating the release of BRAZEN by Christina Farley! We are SO excited to have Christina here with us to share the TOP 5 PLACES TO VISIT BASED ON BRAZEN AND we also have a GIVEAWAY! BRAZEN is the third and final book in the Gilded series about a sixteen-year old girl who must use her martial art skills and wits to save her family, friends, and country from an evil Korean god.

To learn more about this series, visit the Gilded Series website.

Be sure to pick up the letter for this stop at the end of this post to earn extra points in the Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon gift card giveaway! Collect all the letters during the blog tour to spell out the secret message to earn more points.

About the Book:

Find it: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Indie

Top 5 Places to Visit Based on BRAZEN:

1. Excavation Site of the Terracotta Army

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (210–209 BC), created an army of soldiers to protect his tomb and him in his afterlife. These soldiers are life-sized and the amazing feature about them is that every solider is different. Archeologists believe that perhaps these soldiers were based off of real soldiers in the emperor’s army.

Theses sculptures were buried not far from the emperor’s tomb (about a mile) and have recently been excavated after a farmer discovered some clay shards in his field. I got to go visit these warriors and it was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.

2. The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang

Photos curtesy of China.org

Like the ancient Egyptians, China’s first emperor built a massive square pyramid-shaped tomb. It’s located at the base of Mt. Li and was buried under a mouth of earth to keep it hidden.

There have been no excavations of the tomb as of yet, but visitors may walk up the long stairs to the top for a great view or to experience a Chinese performance.

Even though no one has been inside the hidden palace since it was built thousands of years ago, it’s believed to be riddled with booby traps and mercury rivers that will poison those who enter the sacred corridors.

3. City of Xian

This ancient city is a fascinating place to visit. We stayed at the Shangri-La (the very same hotel in the book) and were able to take a day to tour the area. One of the prominent features of this city is the bell tower, which once climbed offers an amazing view of the city.

4. Blue House

This is the living quarters of the President of Korea. I had the privilege of taking my students here on a field trip (see pic above). The building was constructed in 1991 and though it is a modern building, it reflects Korea’s beautiful cultural architecture and history. It’s located on the historical royal gardens of the Joseon Dynasty and within walking distance of Gyeongbok Palace. Check the website here.

5. Seoraksan Mountains

This is one of my favorite places to hike in Korea, not only for its stunning majestic peaks but also because of the rigor and feeling that you have left the modern world behind. There are temples, fortresses, caves, waterfalls, and beautiful views scattered all around the park. I knew that the climax to the Gilded series had to be held in this national park because in many ways it’s the epitome of Korea. The climbs are quite rigorous, but so fun. Though I was five months pregnant, I am proud to say I conquered Ulsan Bawi Rock and I've got pics to prove it!

About the Author:

CHRISTINA FARLEY is the author of the Gilded series, a YA contemporary fantasy series set in Korea. GILDED was nominated for Korea's 2014 Morning Calm, Ohio's 2015 Buckeye award, and the Tome’s It List. As a child, she loved to explore, which later inspired her to jump on a plane and travel the world. Christina's adventures sparked her to write stories, infusing the real world with fantasy. Currently she writes from home in Clermont, FL with her husband and two sons—that is until the travel itch whisks her off to a new unknown.

Find Christina Here:

Website

Twitter

YouTube

Facebook

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Goodreads

Instagram

BE SURE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW!!!

Rafflecopter link

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To celebrate the release of BRAZEN, Christina is giving away a Kindle Fire (US only) and a $50 Amazon gift card (international). 
The letter for this stop is ..... 

Collect all the letters from the blog tour to earn more points!

Where will Christina be tomorrow?? Click here for more blog tour information!