Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Title: Never Eighteen

Author: Megan Bostic

Publisher: HMH Children's Books

Release Date: January 17th, 2012

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5

 

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life. Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go. But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

I read a review on this book awhile back and knew I had to check it out. It seemed to be one of those books that punches you straight in the heart, and leaves a mark for a long time to come. And it was. It most definitely was.

Although you expect the flow of events, when they happen they stun you. I remember sitting on my back porch with tears pouring down my face as I read the tragic and moving story of one Austin Parker. I love to be inspired by books, and I felt that with Never Eighteen. Watching the journey made by Austin to try and help all the broken people in his life was heart-warming, and heart-breaking. He was trying to give life to those around him, because he himself didn't have a chance to live. Each person that entered the story left their own impact, be it with their stories or their lost will to live. And each time, Austin, the boy marked for death, tried to mend the broken pieces. Not everyone let him, not everyone embraced his message, but I think that was just right.

What I really liked about Never Eighteen is that it didn't focus on the illness. It wasn't a tragic story about death, but an uplifting story about the beauty of life. Austin was surrounded by death but determined to live life to the fullest, and to make sure everyone else did the same. I felt invested in the story, but I didn't know how much until I felt myself breaking down along with everyone else. I wanted this boy to get a chance to grow up, to see the world, to live a life he so greatly deserved. But, what he did in his short time was moving, and was exactly what he wanted.

The only reason I couldn't give Never Eighteen five stars is because of the writing. This is a debut novel, which usually isn't a writer's strongest work. I felt the writing to be a bit too simple, and didn't wow me like I expected. The story made up for it, but the writing itself slightly detracted from my overall love.

This was a tiny book but it left a huge hole in my heart. A life and death story that lifted me up, while breaking my heart. A great read, and one I won't soon forget.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Goodreads | Megan Bostic's Website

Waiting On Wednesday (14): UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

 

This week's pick: UnWholly (Unwind #2) by Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: August 28th, 2012

 

Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa—and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp—people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simultaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.
Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.
Rife with action and suspense, this riveting companion to the perennially popular Unwind challenges assumptions about where life begins and ends—and what it means to live.

Thought-provoking is probably the best phrase to describe Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I read it about four years ago and I have never forgotten about it, or had its impact lessen. In fact, there is a scene in the novel that haunts me to this day. 

UnWholly is the highly anticipated sequel that many, myself included, have been waiting YEARS for. Although I thought Unwind could be a stand alone novel, I'm really interested to see where the story will go next. I'm sure Shusterman will deliver another heart-stopping novel, rampant with action, anguish and a tiny persistent sliver of hope.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: February 28th, 2012

Source: Won (from Emilie's Book World)

My Rating: 4/5

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame. 

*Warning: Plot spoilers for Delirium and Pandemonium*
I was pretty nervous to read this book. I absolutely, totally, and completely LOVED Delirium. The last paragraph still gives me goosebumps, and I want the quote "I love you. Remember. They cannot take it." tattooed somewhere on my body. While I had heard solely good things about the novel I also heard it was, in typical Lauren Oliver fashion, a heart-breaker. I couldn't resist the temptation long (or the frantic tweets from my friend Crim) and finally picked it up. 

There were lots of things I loved about this book. In Delirium we were exposed to life in regular society: rigid, controlled, and loveless. Lena, as part of this society, follows the rules and doesn't question them. After the events at the end of the novel, Lena is a changed woman. She is brought into The Wilds and turned into a self-reliant survivor. It was very interesting, and a part of the novel I loved, to see Lena transform from this docile young girl, to a fierce member of the resistance. Lauren Oliver switched styles beautifully, darkening the tone of the series and giving us a harsh glimpse of life outside society's walls. I really liked having an overall view of this world, something I find is often lacking in many books. And the writing! Man, Lauren Oliver is crazy fantastic. She knows how to write a powerful and engaging story with believable characters and a fantastic plot line. Her writing itself never fails to amaze me. She gives me chills!

There were a few new characters introduced Pandemonium that left me with mixed emotions. I really liked Raven but I constantly felt suspicious of her intentions, and could never completely bring myself to believe in her. The same went with many members of The Wilds. And then there was Julian. Although I thought he was a perfectly fine person, what he caused I was not a fan of. So, this is when I talk about why I couldn't give Pandemonium five stars. It's a bit spoiler-y, as I mentioned above, so read on with caution.

Julian and his relationship with Lena kind of ruined the book for me. In Delirium the idea of love conquering everything was so prominent I felt like it defined the book. I've been a bit frustrated with YA romances recently, but Delirium was different and I loved all the messages it was sending. It was strong, powerful, and consuming. It made me want to get up and preach love from the rooftops! It made me so happy to live in a world where love was cherished. But, I felt like this message of hope that was said in Delirium was undermined in Pandemonium. For Lena to very quickly and easily fall into a new love, so soon after the loss of her previous one, confused the message of "love conquering all" for me.

I was also frustrated with the ending. Lauren Oliver is a fantastic writer and the Delirium series is superb both in concept and in execution. So, was it necessary to throw in that cliffhanger? I knew it was coming, and it was frustrating to have it thrown in at the end. Readers of the Delirium series will pick up Requiem without question. I felt it unnecessary to leave us hanging that way, and lessened the impact of the novel for me. I love cliffhangers, but I was not a fan of this one.

Now, I did love Pandemonium, don't get me wrong. It was a fantastic sequel in almost every way. Yes, there were a few things that irked me, but they didn't ruin the book for me. The Delirium series is one of the best romantic dystopians out there, and I highly recommend them! I'm very, very excited for Requiem and I can't wait to see how it all ends.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads | Lauren Oliver's Website