YA and Beyond discussion

Let's discuss this month's book Alive

This book has a really good hook and was very interesting from the beginning. The main character is very complex, very human, makes lots of mistakes and is honest. I didn't necessarily connect with her, but I appreciated that she was in no way cookie cutter. I honestly liked this book for the first 75-80%, though I was somewhat disappointed with the ending, which felt rushed and underwhelming. That being said, I just got the sequel from the library and am planning on reading it soon!

Hope you all enjoy this read :)

Thanks David! I hope to get to it soon.

enjoyed the last half of the book. Didn't really care that much for the beginning. I really hate how the author portrayed 12 years old kids, not very realistic, more like 7 than 12. Sorry, its the one thing that really aggravated me about the book.

BUT...

I did eventually enjoy my reading experience (view spoiler)[especially after the whole revelation in the garden. (hide spoiler)]

I just put a hold on it at the library. I am going to try the audiobook.

Yeah Blue, I agree with you about that aspect. I think I would've simply preferred if they were 16yo in 16yo bodies.

In any case, I'm now halfway done with the 2nd book and liking it okay. Some cool reveals with some answers to questions I've had for a while :)

Ahhh I'm behind, I still have to finish last month's group read, lol. But I just borrowed this from OverDrive and hopefully will get to it within a week or so! :)

I finished the sequel and overall thought it was better than the first book. The ending was much less rushed and more climactic. I've just requested the third book on Overdrive :)

Good to know David- thanks for the update :)

I found this one on the shelf at the library and had to put it back, at least for now. I feel like I've read way too many first-person present-tense books lately and I'm just so burned out on it.

I didn't even know the third one is out. This book intrigued me enough that I actually want to see what happens to the trilogy.

Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "I found this one on the shelf at the library and had to put it back, at least for now. I feel like I've read way too many first-person present-tense books lately and I'm just so burned out on it."

Yeah, I get that, Ashley. I have to switch it up as well. Overall I prefer third-person past with multiple POVs.

I don't think the 3rd book is out until 2017.

This book.....I loved and hated it at the same time.
The plot was quite good. (view spoiler)[ Heavy vibes of Lord of the Flies and Maze Runner going on at the beginning, but it became its own thing around the middle of the novel. I did not see them being in a spaceship--that one pulled the rug out from under me. It was crazy creepy too with all the dead bodies lying around. And the pigs. EEEEK! Once thing I loved was that everyone had their own name for the coffins: coffin, bed, etc. That part was cool--and gave insight at the thoughts of the characters. (hide spoiler)]
The main character drove me absolutely crazy. (view spoiler)[ She was so judgmental of the clothes of the other girls--and the scene where she said she was going to have to tell the girl to stop jumping up and down cuz her chest was distracting the others....come on.
She was so back and forth in her feelings: I'm a good leader. I'm a terrible leader. I just killed someone. Oh look, he's handsome.....I just couldn't take it. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, Elora, I had my own frustrations with the MC, although I liked that she wasn't Ms. Perfect and she had a strange tendency toward violent outbursts that seemed to surprise even her. It made me interested in her backstory and her past.

You bring up an excellent point, David. She was very unique and not at all a Mary Sue. Ideally, I would have loved her, but I just couldn't in this case.

I am still on hold for this at my library

My hold came in. I will start by the end of the week :)

I liked Em more in the 2nd book. :)

I completely agree, Karen!

Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "My hold came in. I will start by the end of the week :)"

Yay!

Probably starting this today or tomorrow!

Okay so I'm like 25% in right now. The beginning definitely hooked me, and I like the over all dark atmosphere of the book, it's very creepy. I don't really know what the heck is going on, but I'm intrigued!

Bluemoon, I agree with what you said that the characters seem weirdly immature, though. I get that they're 12-year-olds trapped in teenagers' bodies, but the way they talk/act seems a little off.

On top of that, I'm finding the writing style a bit grating. Something about it bothers me ... it's like, I'm not sure if it's supposed to be surreal or whether it just feels very stilted, if that makes sense? The dialogue in particular irritates me for some reason.

But I'm interested enough in the plot that I'm going to keep reading!

Exactly, Brigid, I completely agree with everything you said. I think it's yet another case of a successful adult author feeling like they need to simplify their writing to appeal to the YA market, which really isn't necessary. In any case, the plot IS interesting.

Oh no! One of my major pet peeves in YA books is when an author dumbs down content because they can not trust that their readers are intelligent enough to to form their own opinions or pick up on things!

Lol! I specifically avoided using the words "dumbs down". I think perhaps he changed his writing somewhat but I still think the content and characters have a complexity to them that makes it a compelling read.

Hahaha David - you see how you didn't have to use the words dumbs down for me to understand where you were coming from! :) My point exactly.

Yeah I agree with what David said––content-wise I don't think it's super dumbed-down, it's still pretty dark/violent. (Although I do feel like it has that "trying-too-hard-to-be-edgy" vibe sometimes.) It's just that the writing is a little overly simplistic. Not sure whether that's a stylistic choice or whether the author thinks it makes it more accessible to teens.

Ok. I will keep an open mind. I unfortunately will not get to this one until Sept. but I do plan to listen to it :)

Lol Heidi :)

Brigid, I agree with everything you said. And I think it might be both a stylistic choice and an attempt at writing for YA.

You're right, it could very well be both!

I agree with both of you Brigid and David. I think it has something to do with the way the characters act that's why it seems like the book is dumb down. I mean if their actions are similar to a six years old, then the dialogue will be too, right?

Anyways, the books is interesting enough that you want to keep read the trilogy.

So! I finished it. And I feel like knowing some of the "big plot twists" I can kind of understand why the characters talk the way they do. (view spoiler)[Since like ... they aren't really people? So that makes sense why maybe they talk kind of robotically. (hide spoiler)] But honestly I couldn't tell whether that was supposed to be intentional or not. :P

I didn't see the plot twists coming, and they were interesting. But I feel like they could've been introduced earlier and explored more. The first half of the book dragged a bit for me, and while the second half was more exciting, it felt kind of rushed. Over all I have to say I wasn't a huge fan, and I probably won't read the sequel(s), but it was a quick read at least!

Yes, good point about the way they talk, Brigid.

And I couldn't agree more about the rushed ending. The second half of the book could've easily been twice as long as the first half in my opinion. The pacing was much better in the second book though.

Agreed! I wish the beginning of the book had been shorter (like dang they spent like 50 pages just hunting a pig?? I'm probably exaggerating but it felt that long to me, lol) and that the actual plot had come in much sooner. (view spoiler)[The whole thing about them all being "receptacles" for these aliens with fabricated memories was REALLY COOL and brings up so many interesting questions about identity and whatnot, but ... I feel like it was used just for the shock factor, and it wasn't explained/explored to its full potential. Maybe the sequels get into that more?? (hide spoiler)]

Exactly! Yes, 50 pages shorter on the front end and 50 pages longer on the back end would've made a big difference. The sequel explores the idea of them (view spoiler)[being receptacles (hide spoiler)] a bit more, but I still think the author could've done a lot more with it. But IMO the sequel was a huge improvement and was a much more well-rounded book.

Ok, good to know! Maybe if I come across it at the library or something I'll give it a try. :)

That was my plan too and I happened to get a copy from Overdrive. Now I'm hoping they'll fulfill my request for book three :)

Nice!! I've only started to use Overdrive pretty recently, but it's awesome. :D

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "Nice!! I've only started to use Overdrive pretty recently, but it's awesome. :D"

Yes it is, Brigid. Borrowing books from the comfort of your own home??? SOLD!!!

stumbled upon the sequel yesterday at the library. We'll see if I get the chance to crack it open.

I like you new picture Elora :)

Thanks Heidi! I was tired of looking at my feet. ;)

Yes, love the new pic Elora!! :D

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "Yes, love the new pic Elora!! :D"

Thanks Brigid!

Hi Ladies? Am I missing the thread for this month's book?

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "Nice!! I've only started to use Overdrive pretty recently, but it's awesome. :D"

OH YES, I LOVE OVERDRIVE! Glad you've discovered it. I'm usually on the hold list for about ten books at a time LOL! It's always a nice surprise when I get the email that says my book is available :)

Elora wrote: "Hi Ladies? Am I missing the thread for this month's book?"

Oh my! I started one :) Thanks!

David wrote: "Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "Nice!! I've only started to use Overdrive pretty recently, but it's awesome. :D"

OH YES, I LOVE OVERDRIVE! Glad you've discovered it. I'm usually on the hold li..."

Yeah it took me a while to get the hang of it .... I feel like it's not as straightforward as it should be, lol. But I'm glad I finally figured it out. :D Haha same, I'm always requesting stuff. My only complaint is that it takes FOREVER to get a book if it has a few holds on it (maybe that's just my library system though, idk). And I feel like all my requests always come in at once, lol. (Also sometimes I forget to download something and it expires, booooo.)

Haha, yeah it IS way more complicated than it needs to be. It's like you have two pass a test or solve a riddle to prove you're worthy of using it LOL But once you figure it out, then you're golden! Yeah, I basically just request tons of stuff and then forget about them until I get that magical e-mail that says it's my turn, and then I download immediately so I don't forget. But I have the same issue with getting nothing for a month and then getting like three books I requested in the same week and having to speed read to finish them all! I'm not complaining though, it's worth it!