MY TOP 5 YA BOOKS OF 2012

In order to pick out my 5 favourite reads of this year, I've very strictly had to pick only books that were released this year. Even so, it's been really hard to whittle my list down, as there have been so many good reads, but I've managed to pick one for five different sub genres within YA.

Dystopian - Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Published by Bloomsbury, October 2012

It's been hard to pick a favourite dystopian because this genre has bloomed. But I picked Breathe because the story is completely immersed in a ruined futuristic world which is so easily imaginable it's scary.

The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.
Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.
Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.
Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.
And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

You can find my review here.


Paranormal - Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Published by Simon & Schuster, January 2012

As the plot counted down Nicki's remaining time before she is taken back to the underworld, the tension grew and grew. A very gripping story.

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

You can find my review here.


Science Fiction - Partials by Dan Wells
Published by Harper Collins, February 2012

I loved this book because of the post-apocolyptic setting and the strange partials that Kira is off to hunt. Nothing in this books is what it seems though.

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

You can find my review here.


Fantasy - Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Published by Random House Children's Publishers, July 2012

Rachel Hartman's debut features a brilliant fantasy setting and a female protagonist with a secret. Such a great read!

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

You can find my review here.


Contemporary - Whisper by Chrissie Keighery
Published by Templar, July 2012

I loved the unique perspective of this book, as it shows how Demi copes with becoming deaf and trying to deal with all the usual teenage issues and communicating with everyone around her.

Fifteen-year-old Demi's world is shattered when she is left profoundly deaf by a sudden illness. Everything is different now, and Demi must learn to adapt to a new school, new friends and even learn a whole new language.

Whisper is a coming-of-age tale, about discovering who you are and where you fit in life. About friendships and first love and, most of all, learning to love the person you are.

You can find my review here.



What have been your favourite books this year?

REVIEW: KATYA'S WORLD

Author: Jonathan L. Howard
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 6th November 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet. (Goodreads)

Katya, despite being only 15, was an extremely practical and logical young girl at the start of her navigation career. As her first job veered extremely off-course, she was able to come up with solutions to life threatening situations that even experienced war veterans weren’t able to think of. She was also very forthright and stubborn, refusing to be left behind from any dangerous missions on multiple occasions, despite the risks. All of these things made me like her a lot. She had smarts and balls!

The setting for the story is primarily underwater on a variety of different submarines. Russalka is a planet that has absolutely no land mass, forcing the inhabitants from earth to live under water, on submarines, on ships or on water platforms. This makes for a very interesting setting as the threats are different to normal sci-fi/YA, the obstacles characters face are very different, and because of this I found the story really engaging.

Outlaw Kane was a most secretive and mysterious character. He often withheld important information from the other characters and at best talked cryptically. I did expect certain things to be revealed about his past and links to Russalka, but never got any of this. I don’t know why but I expected more revelations and big surprises lurking in his past. I guess if this is the start of a series, there may be more revelations later on. Despite the fact that he has had a shady past, I couldn’t help but like him. I knew deep down he was a good man by the way he looked out for and protected Katya.

Although the current inhabitants of Russalka are long ago descendants of earth, specifically Russians, they have lost their sense of heritage and ancestry and formed a completely new identity and society for themselves. I liked seeing how a group of people from the same socio-economic and cultural group now lived without any earth history to go by. Even on Russalka, a people united against earth, they still managed to have their own factions and groups, and I thought that Jonathan L. Howard’s writing managed to subtly explore human nature and behaviour without overpowering the plot.

Katya’s World is an underwater, action packed adventure with a strong lead character and amazing space setting.

Rating: 4*

ON MY WISHLIST

Although my post today isn't part of the linked original meme, I just couldn't bear to think up another name for what is basically a post about books that I'm looking forward to. So anyway, here are books that I can't wait to read.

MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: 12th March 2013

Genre: Science fiction

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

*****

Taken by Erin Bowman

Published by: Harper Teen
Release date: 16th April 2013

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends...and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

*****

Freakling by Lana Krumwiede
Published by: Candlewick Press
Release date: October 2012
Genre: Dystopian

A thrilling, fast-paced dystopian novel about the dangers of unchecked power and the dilemmas facing a boy torn between two ways of life.

In twelve-year-old Taemon’s city, everyone has a power called psi—the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. But a humiliating incident at a sports tournament exposes his disability, and Taemon is exiled to the powerless colony.

The "dud farm" is not what Taemon expected, though: people are kind and open, and they actually seem to enjoy using their hands to work and play and even comfort their children. Taemon adjusts to his new life quickly, making friends and finding unconditional acceptance.

But gradually he discovers that for all its openness, there are mysteries at the colony, too—dangerous secrets that would give unchecked power to psi wielders if discovered.

When Taemon unwittingly leaks one of these secrets, will he have the courage to repair the damage—even if it means returning to the city and facing the very people who exiled him?


What books are you dying to read?

REVIEW: REVIVED

Author: Cat Patrick
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Electric Monkey
UK Release date: July 2012
Genre: YA

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life. A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger -- and more sinister -- than she ever imagined

Having absolutely loved Cat Patrick's Forgotten, I couldn't wait to read Revived. Like the former, Revived was a sharp and succinct standalone book. The theme of the book revolved a lot around life and death and had serious and sad undertones at certain points. Rather than feeling overwhelming and unnecessarily heavy, this was delicately balanced with the blossoming romance between Daisy and Matt and the heartwarming friendship Daisy had with Audrey.

Daisy was such an adorable protagonist. She's the girl-next-door kind of girl, at least when she's not moving around the country, because she's down to earth and very likeable. And I really liked how much of a good friend she was to Audrey. I always think you can tell a lot about someone by the way they are with their friends. Their friendship was a surprise within the book, and what happens later on in the book was such an ironic and sad contrast to what Daisy has experienced and what she knows.
The one potential downside about Daisy, which was a purposeful characteristic based on her own experiences, was her blase attitude towards her own safety. She could be reckless and thoughtless, but not in a bad way.

The unique development that has affected and shaped Daisy's life so much is Revive, an experimental and highly secretive drug that can bring people back from the dead. The fact that it was so secretive added mystery, and hints of paranoia/suspicions to the plot, and made it feel like Daisy was part of the FBI. Although the Revive drug gives the basis for the story and is an intriguing and slightly scary concept, I have to admit that Cat Patrick's character development and writing almost surpassed this for me. The secondary characters, including Audrey, Mason and co-blogger Megan, were brilliant. I loved the idea of Daisy and Megan's blog which drew on both random and relevant points in the story.

Revived is a beautiful blend of science fiction, humanity, emotional turmoil and romance. Another stunning read from Cat Patrick.

Rating: 5*

STRANGE CHEMISTRY LAUNCHES

I'm so excited that Strange Chemistry has finally launched. Strange Chemistry, as a 'younger sister' to Angry Robot, will publish modern young adult science fiction, fantasy and everything in between. They have an amazing lineup of authors and new titles coming out, some of whom we heard readings from at the launch earlier this week. The launch itself was a huge success and a very promising start to a wonderful imprint - not only did the books grab your attention, but the popping candy in test tubes certainly got me bubbling with excitement! Keep you eyes peeled on My Book Journey for a Strange Chemistry goody bag giveaway coming soon!

Below are the burbs for the first 5 books to be released, and you can read extracts of these titles on Strange Chemistry's website.

Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke - tbp October 2012
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings - tbp October 2012
15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.
In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - tbp September 2012
On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Shift by Kim Curran - tbp September 2012
When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he's not so average after all. He's a 'Shifter'. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he's ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Katya's World by Jonathan L. Howard - tbp November 2012
The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet.

Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for Strange Chemistry's other titles which will be released in 2013:

Broken by AE Rought
The Holders by Julien Scott
Pantomime by Laura Lam

REVIEW: TEMPEST

Author: Julie Cross
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
UK Release date: January 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. (Goodreads)

Tempest has a very complex and interweaving plot, which jumps all over the place – literally from one time period in Jackson’s life to another. It could be a little hard to keep up with, but this wasn’t a bad thing. I loved the fact that there were so many things for Jackson to figure out and learn about his father, as well as himself. Cross must have had one hull of planner to keep track of the characters when she was writing this!

At first I was a little dubious about the time travelling concept, but the way it’s done makes it so interesting. A few chapters in and I was hooked. The sci-fi feel mixed with the CIA elements, made the plot dangerous and exciting. Jackson was constantly being chased, but no matter where or when he went he couldn’t seem to escape. It was like a complex, thrilling game of cat and mouse, packed full of action and adventure.

You could attempt to read Tempest as a standalone, but there are a lot of hints and questions unanswered, and I want to know what the future will actually turn out to be and whether Jackson can save Holly. The idea that the future can change like a ripple effect from one single event, means that the follow-on from this book could be anything, and personally I find that really exciting!

Although Jackson often had to lie and cover his tracks, I still liked him. He was funny, spontaneous, and clever, and I enjoyed his honest and real internal thoughts and reactions. Because of all the deception and uncertainty around so many characters, I liked the real moments and memories that showed us the true Jackson, like the heartbreaking card he wrote for his sister. And the fact that he was so protective over Holly made him even better in my eyes.

I kind of felt sorry for Holly, because she doesn’t know what is going on but is still involved in the conflict between the CIA and the time travellers. I liked the fact that the Holly in 2009 and 2007 are different character wise – she’s more serious and reserved when she’s older, but she still keeps Jackson on his toes. For me it shows how her character has changed, even if we haven’t necessarily seen how or why.

Tempest is a sci-fi time travelling thriller, with action, adventure and romance around every corner.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: SUITED

*Please note, there won't be spoilers for Suited, but there may be spoilers for Debris, the first in the series.

Author: Jo Anderton
Series: Yes, #2
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: July 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In Morvoc-under-Keeper Tanyana has chosen to help the Keeper and fight the Puppet Men. But something is wrong in the city - debris is disappearing, and strange doors are appearing in the Keeper's world. Can Tanyana figure out what is wrong and help the keeper, or will the puppet-men finally turn her into the weapon she doesn't want to be?

What I loved about the first in the series, Debris, was Tanyana's fall from being a pion binder to being a lowly debris collector and adapting to her new life. Whilst Suited didn't have that same feeling of loss and struggling to get Tan's life on track, there was plenty of action, upheaval, sadness and plenty of questions. I liked the dichotomty Tan felt with her suit - it protected her and gave her powers and strength that no-one else had, but it also started to change and work autonomously. Tan had to fight her suit to feel like herself, which made for interesting personal change and dilemmas for Tan.

I did sometimes feel like the plot was going around in circles, not necessarily the action, but in terms of finding out what the 'puppet-men' were up to and helping the Keeper close the doors. Each time I thought I was on the verge of finding out something new about the mysterious doors appearing and the disappearing debris, I found myself back at square one and none the wiser. It was like being constantly in the dark, chasing shadows and trying to find the light, as Tan ran around blindly following the Keeper. It was both frustrating and compelling because I wanted to find out what was happening.

The relationship between Tanyana and Kichlan changed in this book, and would swing from tender to untrusting. I loved the moments when they shared touches and shy openess about how they feel for each other. But despite the fact that Deviche is no longer around, Tan and Kichlan have a distance between them that they can't seem to cross. I really hope they can overcome this in the third book as I really want to see them together.

Childlike, vulnerable Lad also changed a lot. He became more outspoken and thought more for himself. I was worried that his beautiful character might change too much, but he was still completely lovable and adorable.

Before I saw the Keeper as useless and a bit of a snivelling coward. Although he's still a little bit like this in this book, the kepper has a much bigger role, and we see him a lot of different scenarios and see him change and develop. We get a little closer to figuring out who or what he is, but I suspect we won't really find out until the next book.

Suited is a strong follow-on from Jo Anderton's first science fiction book.

Rating: 4*

BOOK TOUR REVIEW: KINGDOM

Today I am very excited to be part of the blog tour to promote Kingdom, a dystopian, biopunk-thriller, and the first part of the Tiber City Trilogy. 

Author: Anderson O'Donnell
Series: Yes, #1
Publisher: Tiber City Press
Release date: May 2012
Kindly given by the author for an honest review

In a secret laboratory hidden under the desert, a covert bioengineering project—codename “Exodus”—has discovered the gene responsible for the human soul.

Somewhere in the neon sprawl outside the nation’s collapsing economic core, a group of renegade monks are on the verge of uncovering a secret that has eluded mankind for centuries.

In a glittering tower high above the urban decay, an ascendant U.S. Senator is found dead—an apparent, yet inexplicable, suicide.

And in the streets below, a young man races through an ultra modern metropolis on the verge of a violent revolution....closing in on the terrible truth behind Exodus—and one man’s dark vision for the future of mankind.

 WELCOME TO TIBER CITY.

Kingdom follows the stories of three different men: Campbell the reformed scientist, Michael Morrison the power hungry CEO, and the rich but lost young Dylan. From the very beginning the plot felt like it was building up towards some sort of collision between these characters, gathering pace as it went, and I became more and more intrigued and curious to find out how their stories might entwine. Although I couldn't easily relate to these characters, I felt a lot of sympathy for the positions they were in, often at the mercy of a harsh and unforgiving society and the evil Morrison. In particular Dylan grabbed my attention - he was surrounded by drugs, sex and the rich and famous lifestyle. Yet he struggled with the death of his father and tried to shut out his pain with cocaine, alcohol and pills. His search for answers made him vulnerable and captivating.

The atmosphere in Kingdom is very ominous and dark - O'Donnell has created a gritty and murky future, that feels like a permanent cloud is hanging over it. Society, and Tiber City in particular, suffers from extreme poverty, bountiful crime and violence, and a general feeling of apathy and desperation. I certainly hope I never end up in future like this one! This setting and context was an intrinsic part of the plot and was written in such description that I became completely immersed in the characters. I could hear, smell and see everything they could. This might not suit every reader's taste as it could slow the pace at times but it clearly sets O'Donnell's writing style as unique and eloquently graphic.

A big part of the plot was biogenetics and the alteration of human DNA. As such Kingdom had a firm base in science and I was a little surprised when the story took a turn towards exploring faith and what makes us human. It certainly added a depth to the plot and made me think about the essence of being human as well as the ethics of altering human genetics in the pursuit of perfection. Michael Morrison's attempts to perfect the human species at all costs made him a dangerous character; without any conscience or compassion he is the ultimate evil CEO scientist.

Kingdom is a powerfully descriptive and thought provoking dystopian with a dark and gritty atmosphere.

Rating: 3.5*

You can find out more about Anderson and his new book on:

Anderson's Website where you can download the first 4 chapters of Kingdom.
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: MADELINE ASHBY

Today I am really excited to have author Madeline Ashby joining me on the blog to kindly answer a few questions about her debut science fiction novel vN and her passion for science fiction. vN looks at how humanoid robots could be used to enhance our lives, and whether they may not be all that different to us.

vN will be released in August 2012 by Angry Robot, and you can read my review of it here or you can head on over to Amazon to grab yourself a copy. Be sure to check the bottom of the post for the links!

Your debut book vN is coming out in August 2012 [UK; July in US]. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
vN is the story of Amy Peterson, a self-replicating humanoid robot who's lived with her synthetic mother and organic father for five years. She's been grown slowly, at the speed of an ordinary human child. When her synthetic grandmother shows up and tries to kidnap her, she eats her alive. Literally. Then her grandmother lives on as a partition in her drivespace, providing snide (and disturbingly violent) commentary as Amy goes on a journey of discovery that includes escaping jail, getting her first job, and figuring out why she alone can harm human beings.

What sparked the idea for self-replicating humanoids?
It started out with a question I had while watching Naruto and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. (They used to air on the same night, in Toronto.) I wondered if Naruto, a ninja-in-training who can make multiple "shadow clones" of himself, used the copies in parallel process. Could Naruto use them to do high-order math problems, like a bunch of PS3s rigged together as a supercomputer? Could the clones have ideas on their own? Then I wondered the same about the Tachikoma units in GITS:SAC. (My first husband had a theory that the Tachikomas would become von Neumann machines in their quest for individuality and sentience, replicating extra versions of themselves to take over after they got scrapped.) At the time, I was working on a thesis on anime and cyborg theory, so these themes of identity and replication and reproduction were in my head all the time. I started wondering what it would be like to be a person who iterated multiple versions of herself, von Neumann-style.

What makes von Neumann-type humanoids different from humans?
vN cannot hurt human beings. They can't even really simulate what it would feel like to do so. All models have a built-in failsafe that cripples their memory and processes if they even consider hurting a human being. They start to stutter, like a buffering video. They have "a humane response to inhuman behaviour," as one human puts it, in the novel.
Aside from the failsafe, vN also iterate copies of themselves. They reproduce asexually, depending on how much they eat, and what they reproduce is an exact replica of themselves. So they have some issues about the differences between themselves and their iterations. I suppose that doesn't make them any different from humans, really, but it does re-frame the problem.

What qualities do you admire most in Amy?
Amy is very brave. Almost foolishly so. But I admire it all the same, because she doesn't pussyfoot around wondering what to do. She's willing to try and fail. She sees a problem and tries to solve it. That's because deep down, she doesn't accept things as they are. She knows they could and should be better. She insists on that. And I like that about her. Amy does not avoid the fight. She runs straight for it.

Who was your favourite character to develop and write for in vN?
Hmm. It's a tie between Javier (a supporting character) and Portia (Amy's grandmother). Portia is more fun to write. She tends to be factually right, but morally wrong. She's also completely comfortable with her villainy. She relishes it. She's proud of it. It makes her happy. But Javier is different. He's a very active character who's resourceful enough to get things done, and experienced enough to know how the world really works. So I think they both add something crucial to a story about someone growing up too fast.

If you were to 'sell' vN using a single quote or line from the book, what would you choose?
Hmm. That's tough. Maybe, "I'm tired of loving humans."

If you could, would you have a vN as a partner?
Maybe when I was elderly. I think vN would be good partners for a lot of people, but the elderly in particular. People who have had plenty of relationships already, or even just a few strong ones, who need someone who won't abandon them and who will love them unconditionally as their lives become steadily more awkward and difficult, and who won't die on them in the process.

What attracts you to the science fiction genre?
I grew up watching and reading science fiction. It was a constant presence in our household. I was the kid who explained The X-Files to all the adults, because they couldn't understand the plot. But in general, what drew me to science fiction were the words of Ursula K. LeGuin: “The exercise of imagination is dangerous to those who profit from the way things are because it has the power to show that the way things are is not permanent, not universal, not necessary.”I think science fiction has the power to do exactly that. I think it can showcase many possible futures, so we're better equipped to choose the ones we want. And I think that in a culture that is so unabashedly anti-intellectual, anti-factual, and anti-science as this one, writing science fiction is even more important. I mean, the anti-vaccination movement has brought on measles outbreaks in California children. We need science. We need inspiring stories about science and the people who practise it.

Which authors or characters inspired you when you were growing up?
I was a big fan of Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Margaret Mahy, and Sebastien Japrisot. I discovered the first few in elementary school, and Japrisot in junior high. In high school I discovered anime and manga. I watched Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell and Akira and all the big titles I could find. (I also went through a big Dune phase, senior year. It really put prom in perspective.) In college, I discovered Haruki Murakami and Ursula LeGuin and William Gibson. I also watched Cowboy Bebop and Stand Alone Complex and Fullmetal Alchemist. At the time, I was in a classics-oriented program at a Jesuit school, so it was a fun mix.

As a debut author, what has been the most exciting/challenge thing about getting published?
The most exciting thing is the fact that it actually happens. I really didn't expect anything to happen. I'm friends with a lot of novelists, and they all have trunk novels that have never seen the light of day. So, I had prepared myself for that. I knew this might wind up being a prototype and nothing more. The fact that people were interested in it, and even wanted to purchase the manuscript, was the real surprise.

Thank you so much Madeline for taking time to answer my questions! If you would like more information on Madeline or her first book vN, you can find it here: 

Madeline's website
Amazon
Goodreads
Twitter 

REVIEW: vN

Author: Madeline Ashby
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: August 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Amy is a vN, a von Neumann humanoid robot able to self replicate. With a human father and humanoid mother, Amy has grown up in a mixed organic/synthetic family, kept safe at home and school from other children in case their fighting might cause her failsafe to kick in and her memory to shutdown. But when Amy's mother is attacked by her grandmother, her instinct is to protect her mother - and she eats her grandmother. Now with a faulty failsafe and her grandmother piggy backing inside her, Amy is being hunted down and must find a way to escape.

I will warn you now, vN isn't a light read. Unless of course you eat technical science for breakfast. I really had to concentrate on the story, and this was for two reasons. Firstly the science fiction elements were fairly complex and technical, to my brain anyway, and I had to focus to understand the language used to describe Amy's physical makeup and artificial intelligence. Secondly vN was constantly presenting thought provoking situations, whether it was about what makes someone human, where do morals and ethics end and robotics begin, or how much can humanoid robots be aware, conscious or considered human.

I felt frustrated that humanoids like Amy weren't given any of the rights that humans were, because they had been programmed to act certain ways. There was a massive manhunt for Amy after she attacked and ate her grandmother, despite the fact that it was to protect another humanoid. vNs could be used for pedophilia, rape, or torture and they would endure it with a smile because their programming told them to enjoy human's company and never to hurt them in return. Can you argue that it's ok to do these things just because they aren't fully human and are built of silicon? For me it felt very creepy to see young vN children being kept by grown men for indecent sexual acts. It was situations like these that kept challenging my moral and ethical values.

Amy was such a gentle and likeable character. Despite being an artificially intelligent humanoid, she felt so real and human. Her compassion and caring for Javier's baby was unexpected but intriguing. I loved the fact that she was able to take on key features of others she ate and changed as a character throughout the book. Granny was scary, violent, motivated, singleminded and squatting inside Amy's consciousness like an artificial toad. Her thoughts interrupted Amy's own thoughts and at times she would completely take over Amy and wreak havoc. The huge difference between Amy and Granny was fascinating, and  I loved seeing Granny take charge and go on a violent spree.

Javier really surprised me. The fact that he was built to breed and reiterate and then would just leave his children to grow up on their own, made me initially think he would be unreliable and selfish. But he kept surprising me throughout the story, coming back to help Amy and changing his own behaviour because of her.

vN digs deep into the human and AI psyche, and is a thoroughly thought provoking read.

Rating: 4*

Don't forgot to drop by tomorrow to read my interview with Madeline Ashby!!

REVIEW: UNRAVELLING

Author: Elizabeth Norris
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: 7th June 2012
Genre: YA sci-fi
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

17 year old Janelle Tenner is hit by a truck. And she dies. But when she is mysteriously brought back to life, she can't help but wonder why. And how. As she starts following her father's FBI case, she starts seeing how her 'death' might fit into a huge threat to end the world.

I found Unravelling so gripping, each chapter counting down to some unknown and mysterious apocalypse. There were lots of little clues to figure, and it was like putting together and solve a puzzle. Think X-Files and you won't go far wrong.

What really brought the story to life for me was how many little details were used to describe the characters' pasts. Little stories about things that happened to the Tenner family made them all seem so real and alive, with pasts and histories that explained why they were the way they were and made me feel like I knew intimate details of their lives. I knew their quirks, their faults, their strengths and the way these memories were written in made the story feel so whole and intimate.

Janelle was such a strong character. She's had to cope with her mum's depression, look after her younger brother Jared and stay ahead in school. The way she has protected her brother without even thinking twice is admirable. She did play at detective, but I could see the draw of putting together the clues. Further into the story this became even more personal and important to Janelle. Her determination even when her life was turned upside was unstoppable and I respected her so much.

I was a big fan of Ben, surrounded by mystery and defying expectations at every turn. He was smart, caring, broody, and there was something naturally appealing about him.

I always say this, but I love gutsy authors that kill off key people (I'm not telling who, promise). It made Unravelling such a tumultuous, intense and emotional story. It really had me by the heart strings and made me shed more than several tears.

There is so much more that I want to tell you about this book, but I don't want to ruin your experience reading it. So all I can say is please read this. If you like science fiction, investigations and intrigue, please please read it!

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: A CONFUSION OF PRINCES

Author: Garth Nix
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: May 2012
Genre: Sci-fi
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

You’d think being a privileged Prince in a vast intergalactic Empire would be about as good as it gets. But it isn’t as great as it sounds. For one thing, Princes are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Khemri discovers that the moment he is proclaimed a Prince.
He also discovers mysteries within the hidden workings of the Empire. Dispatched on a secret mission, Khemri comes across the ruins of a space battle. In the midst of it all he meets a young woman named Raine, who will challenge his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself. (Goodreads)

I absolutely LOVED this book. Yes, I loved Garth Nix's Sabriel series, but I did have reservations about his transition from fantasy into science fiction. And despite the fact that it was more sci-fi than I expected, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted the book to continue on and never end. And admittedly I actually cried at the end I enjoyed it so much.

Prince Khemri is an unlikely hero. He is arrogant, selfish and conceited. Having being created and designed to be a Prince of the Empire, he knows nothing other than his place in society. In fact he isn't happy with simply being a prince, he wants to be Emperor. But his training has omitted key information about the reality of being a prince: other princes want him dead and if he wants to become Emperor he must battle against 999 other princes. His transformational character development and admittance of how naive and arrogant he actually is, endeared him to me. As he realises the truth of how the empire actually works, his vanity mellows and I found he grew on me until I became really fond of and attached to him.

Although we knew so little about Haddad, Khemri's Master of Assassins, he came across as a father figure.  He was all knowing, but as his position dictated he never overtly gave advice or likewise any real show of emotion or affection. Whilst some might see him as cold, calculating and emotionless, I also really liked him too, and liked his subtle way of helping and guiding Khemri.

The Empire built by Nix was so detailed, complex and yet naturally believable. The fact that it would take days, or even months to travel from one solar system to another, made it more realistic for me. I was a little thrown by the mind communications at first, :My name is Haddad <<identifier>>., but soon got used to them and found them a really interesting way for characters to communicate when they needed a private way to talk or learn of things from the Imperial Mind.

A Confusion of Princes is a sci-fi delight! Highly recommended!

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: PARTIALS

Author: Dan Wells
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: February 2012
Genre: Sci-fi, dystopian
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In a dystopian future society, partials turned on humans, unleashing a dangerous virus that wiped out most of the human population and rendering survivors’ new born children unable to live past a few days. In the eleven years since the initial attack, the Senate have been trying to find a cure to the virus with no luck. Working in midwifery, Kira has seen a number of babies die from the mysterious virus, but when she learns that her sister is pregnant she can no longer sit back and let the virus continue to kill the young and any chance their race has for survival. As she sets off on a dangerous mission to find a partial and discover what the virus is doing, she will unearth secrets that change her understanding of the world around her.

I really enjoyed Partials, particularly how well the dystopian society was mixed in with scifi elements. The future world Dan Wells built is very convincing and well written, and the conflict between the senate, the rebel voice, the manipulated and subjugated population as well as the mysterious and dangerous partials is compelling. I loved the descriptions of how New York had become a wilderness, abandoned and over grown with nature and wild animals that escaped from the zoo eleven years before.

The plot itself was gripping with jaw dropping surprises, explosive action, and plenty of twists. I didn’t want to put it down and can’t wait to see what happens next in the series. You could say that the plot stuffed in too much action and change in such a short time that is was a little unbelievable, but I thought this was balanced by the fact that characters helping push all this action forward do die – they don’t all happen to survive every fight and hostile encounter which would have made the story less believable for me. Combining this with some characters ‘sacrificing’ themselves for others and the greater good made the story more gripping and emotionally turbulent.

I was so intrigued by partials. What exactly are they? Are they part human or just robot clones? The fact that no one has ever seen a partial despite the fact that they are supposedly hunting humans down and trying to wipe them out completely formed lots of questions in my mind. So when Kira sets out to catch one, I felt both the excitement and fear of the unknown. The partial she captures, Samm, really captivated my attention. He was quiet, protective, and yet held an appealing charm. The fact that any relationship or romance was forbidden between him and Kira made their connection all the more exciting.

The main protagonist is sixteen year old Kira was very driven by what is right for humanity, making her very passionate, determined and strong. When she learns that her ‘sister’ is pregnant she is pushed to act because she doesn’t want to watch another child die and doesn’t want to see her sister go through childbirth only to be rewarded with the pain and suffering of her child dying. Throughout the story she remained strong even when she was beaten down, and for me she was a positive female role model able to sympathise with Samm and not torture him like everyone else but tough enough to fight for what she believes in. I also really liked the secondary characters, who each had conflicting believe systems and opinions on the senate despite the fact that they were all working together.

Dan Well’s gripping and action packed sci-fi dystopian Partials is a post-apocalyptic delight - I highly recommend reading!

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: REPLICATION

Author: Jill Williamson
Series: No, standalone
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Release date: December 2011
Genre: YA Scifi
Read via NetGalley

Abby Goyer’s dad has dragged her to the wilds of Alaska where there is nothing but snow. Except a very well hidden and mysterious farm, where young boys are brought up to serve their higher purpose. When Abby follows her dad to his secretive job on the farm, Abby learns that something sinister lurks beneath the surface. But for Martyr, a resident of Jason farms, all he wants to do is see the sky once before he expires. Will he understand his own true purpose before he expires?

Replication was a bit of a mixed bag for me. At first I loved it. I loved the concept of there being identical young boys programmed to serve a mysterious higher purpose, and I thought they might either be clones or some sort of robot. The hints and suspicions of what might be going on was really intriguing and drew me straight in.

But I did really want the story to go even further, so that it was part of a much bigger world that was different to ours. So when I discovered that this farm existed within our normal reality and society I was a little disappointed. As the story progressed I liked the fact that it was taking on a big dilemmas of ethics versus medicine, religion versus science. But I didn’t appreciate how much religion was built into the story, with Abby suggesting characters should pray for things to work out.

Martyr however was absolutely adorable. Whilst his isolation and lack of knowledge about the world was terribly sad, it made him such an endearing character. His innocence and confusion over seemingly simple things as colours, love and marriage was sweet, especially thinking he must love Abby. The fact that he wanted to protect those less able, making him the ‘martyr’ of the group also made him stand out from the other characters and Jasons, and made him likeable and a very winning hero. The idea that someone good and kind can grow in such a barren environment was also an underlying hope set against the evil displayed by some of the doctors.

Abby was also a mixed character for me. I loved her quirky use of pros and cons to assess situations, as it made her interesting and real. However this soon died out only to reappear rather suddenly at the end, as if it had been remembered and added in as an afterthought. She was brave and I respected that she liked Martyr but didn't like JD, but the overly religious aspect to her character was a little too much for me.

Replication addresses huge dilemmas about whether it is ethical to complete medical research in the name of science. Do the means justify the end? Where do you draw the line at what is ethical? Obviously in this case the way Jasons lived was akin to abuse and murder, but there were small glimmers of hope. There was also a big undercurrent about religion, which didn’t necessarily sit well with me, but it was interesting to have the religious, moral and scientific aspects looked at. Replication will make you question morals, ethics, and the value of life.

Rating: 3.5*

ON MY WISHLIST (6)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

My choices for this week are both yet to be published and have a sci-fi feel to them. What do you think? Would they go on your wishlist?

vN by Madeline Ashby
To be published August 2012 by Angry Robot

Amy Peterson is a self-replicating humanoid robot known as a VonNeumann.

For the past five years, she has been grown slowly as part of a mixed organic/synthetic family. She knows very little about her android mother's past, so when her grandmother arrives and attacks her mother, Amy wastes no time: she eats her alive. Now she carries her malfunctioning granny as a partition on her memory drive, and she's learning impossible things about her clade's history - like the fact that she alone can kill humans without failsafing...

*****

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

To be published October 1st 2012 by Carolrhoda Lab

Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.

Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.

Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret – but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

REVIEW: EXILED

Author: RaShelle Workman
Series: Yes #1
Publisher: Polished Pen Press
Release date: October 2011
Genre: YA scifi

On the planet of Kelari, Princess Venus is set to leave on her journey to become immortal. But someone sends her to Earth and accuses her of blasphemy, punishable by death. The only way Venus can redeem herself in the eyes of the gods is completing a new mission for them. She must make young Michael find his true love. But her body can only survive on earth for seven days and her time is running out.

I liked the concepts in Exiled, like the bed that knows when you're ill, but most particularly Venus' cool boots. Their super strength is balanced by the symbols in the heels which show the wearer's personal weaknesses, sort of like a real-life Achilles heel! They show that no matter who you are, god or not, everyone can strive to be better.

It did start to feel though like more and more ideas were being thrown into the pot including mind reading abilities on earth, and it felt a little mish-mash. I haven't yet decided whether it was an overwhelming jumble or very wide world building. If you're going to accept that aliens and other plants exist, then why not accept selective mind reading and gods arising from the ashes in super-boots? Perhaps it is down to each reader to decide.

I felt sorry for Venus because she was stuck in a love triangle with the dependable and protective Zaren and the vulnerable Michael. Both of them are good, kind and caring people. I wanted her to like Zaren who was willing to stand by her no matter what, but chemical attraction doesn't work like that. As Venus is not used to human emotions, she struggled to understand her own and other people's feelings, making the concept of love seem strange and making her naive to how others felt about her.

The story did leave me wanting on several fronts. Being a fan of standalone books or series books that you can read without feeling obliged to finish the series, it left quite a few questions in the air. There was also some inconsistencies in the plot: Venus would be dying then spritely, then dying again then spritely. With a little more work, Exiled could have been a great read. Let's hope that Beguiled doesn't suffer from the same issues.

Exiled is a light and easy read that will have you wondering ' do aliens really do exist, and if they do can I have a pair of those boots please'?!

Rating: 3*

GOLLANCZ'S SF GATEWAY

If you haven't yet come across the SF Gateaway, then why on this galaxy not?!

The SF Gateway is an initiative of the Orion Publishing Group, home to the UK's oldest science fiction publisher, Gollancz. It was launched this autumn with more than a thousand titles and will build to 3,000 titles by the end of 2012, and 5,000 or more by 2014.

As a website, SF Gateway is part catalogue site, highlighting and promoting the thousands of eBooks the imprint publishes; it is part gateway to the online retailers from whom these eBooks can be bought; part social network for readers who wish to discuss and recommend authors and books with their fellow enthusiasts; and part commentary/blog site.

The site will allow fans of Science fiction and fantasy to find classic titles that they might not have come across before. I think this is a great tool and having already had a nosy round the site have come across so many books I'd never even heard of - I can't wait to find my next read on there!

REVIEW: GLOW

Glow

Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Series: Yes, #1 Sky Chasers
UK Publisher: Macmillan
UK Release date: October 2011
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

When earth is no longer sustainable to live on spaceships set off for a New Earth. For Waverly and the other children born on the Empyrean, life in space is normal and happy. At least until their twin spaceship, the New Horizon, docks next to them when it should be years ahead of them.

Review: To grow up in space, never seeing a sunset, waves hitting the beach or mountains seems odd and slightly sad to me, but for Empyrean’s children space is their home. I imagined it might be quite cool to travel through space, with normal gravity and views of the cosmos, but the reality seems more sterile. Whilst they are in the nebula they see no stars, and really the view doesn’t change that much (just more black space out the window!) Leaving the confines of the spaceship is virtually impossible, and must drive some people to suffer from ‘cabin-fever’ after so many years, and for the New Horizon it must be even worse, and in some ways explains why some characters acted the way they did. This setting was different and interesting, and I’m really intrigued to find out whether they ever reach their new planet!

Glow touches on what it takes to be a good person and a leader. It doesn’t matter if you are female, male, religious or secular, you can still fail your people. Anne Mather’s use of religion uplifted the crew and made them believe they were working towards a higher power and bigger goal, however her deception and willingness to commit crimes to ensure the survival of their crew was deceitful and heinous. I didn’t like the way she twisted religion, blending lies and truth, to make people follow her. In contrast Seth used fear to lead and control the other boys. Whilst he was a bully, he was upfront about what he was doing. In neither situation was it a black or white answer as to whether they were right or wrong.

As I’m not particularly religious I don’t like being preached to, and at one point I almost thought that’s what Glow was trying to do with its sermons. Thankfully however, Amy Kathleen Ryan doesn’t just present one point of view, but through a third person perspective is able to show a variety of views and opinions, each justified by different characters. I guess this is quite good because depending on your own opinion as a reader you can then relate more to a particular character that shares your outlook. But the problem with this for me is that I sympathised with almost everyone despite their conflicting viewpoints and morally wrong actions, because you could see their justification and reasoning. Although I liked Waverly the most I didn’t have an overwhelming sense of connection with any one character. I’m hoping that in the next book, we get to see even more of Waverly so that I can build on the connection I do have with her.

Glow was intriguing and definitely thought-provoking. I knew what might happen on New Horizon, but I couldn’t help feeling a horrible sense of dread and fearful anticipation all the same. Amy Kathleen Ryan really makes you think how far you would be willing to go to save humanity. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Sky Chasers series.

Rating: 4*

DEBRIS

Debris (The Veiled Worlds)

Author: Jo Anderton
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: October 2011
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In Movoc-under-Keeper, there are two types of people. Those who can see and work with pions, and those who work with the dirty by-product of pions, debris. Tanyana is a talented architect and pion binder, but when she falls from the grand statue she is building she also falls in status; losing her ability to see pions, she becomes a lowly debris collector, robbed of rank and career. As she adapts to her new life, Tanyana discovers that there may be more to the debris than she realised, and more to the Veche council than she suspected.

Review: First off I have to say I absolutely adored Debris and found it full of surprises. The futuristic setting and science fiction premise of Morvoc-under-Keeper was absorbing and enthralling – I could almost imagine that in our own world there are invisible pions driving the electricity and water that we rely so much on, and not far behind is the debris wreaking havoc. Whilst I'm not a huge fan of purely science-fiction books, Debris didn't feel like a heavy, overly descriptive sci-fi novel because I was swept away with the engaging characters and compelling plot.

Having fallen, both literally and socially, Tanyana’s situation is both pitiable and unjust. Whilst she hangs onto her former life staying in her luxurious house with little way of paying for it, I still admire her courage to ask for help and understand her feelings of injustice. She can be stubborn and proud, but if you’ve spent you’re life striving to create buildings of beauty, I can imagine that to be cast to the lowest levels of society would be hard to adjust to at first. The fact that she learns and grows makes the story so much more interesting than if she had taken everything in her stride. And to be honest, if I was her I would probably have the spent the first few months after the accident wallowing in self pity in my bed!

The idea of tagging or shackling to distinguish groups isn't new, but the suit that debris collectors are horrifically implanted with is intriguing and slightly gross. With a steampunk feel to them the suits connect to the body through physical bands at the wrists, ankles, waist and neck. Beyond this the suit also reflects her entrapment in society and her lowly job working with debris, acting almost like a badge of shame and reminding me of the old striped prison jumpsuits. There are implications that there is more to the suits and debris than anyone knows, and I hold out hope that in the rest of the series debris collectors won't always be as discriminated against as they are now.

Lad was one of my favourite characters, with his childlike openness and honesty and concern for 'Tan' as he calls her. The changes in his personality when he is confused or overcome with anger or sadness, meant that he wasn't just a static, flat reflection of someone with learning difficulties. Whilst most people saw Lad as damaged or crazy, I really admired the way his team fiercely protected and looked after him. In particular Kichlan, his brother, who selflessly sacrifices so much for him. Despite his initial gruffness towards Tanyana, I instantly liked Kichlan. You can tell a good man by the way he looks after his family and friends! There is also a very subtle hint of something developing between him and Tanyana, and I can't wait to see what happens.

As a debut novel, Debris is impressive; Jo Anderton has managed to maintain a balance that often tests science fiction and fantasy authors, by being able to describe such a wonderfully rich world without losing any of the plot or character development. Jo is very quickly becoming one of my new favourite authors!

Rating: 5*

You can read sample chapters from Debris here.

REVIEW: ULTRAVIOLET

Ultraviolet

Author: R.J. Anderson
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Orchard books
UK Release date: June 2011
Genre: Paranormal Sci-Fi

Sixteen year old Alison wakes up in a psychiatric unit, with little memory of what brought her there. But what she does know is that she has killed someone. She will have to face the truth of her extrasensory perceptions to remember what happened and get her life back on track.

Review: Ultraviolet isn't anything like you might expect. Alison's suffers from a very intriguing condition - she can see sounds, smell colours, and even taste lies. Sadly she can't see the difference between her condition and mental insanity especially after a breakdown where she thinks she has murdered another girl and is now on anti-psychotic drugs in a mental institution. On a light-hearted note, the description of the way she sees sounds and can describe letters is stunning and beautiful.

The fact that her unusual senses are based on a real neurological condition makes it so fascinating and really brings the story to life and makes it more believable. Learning about her mother's rejection and emotional abandonment of her from a young age because of this condition makes me instantly feel sorry for Alison and instantly disapproving of her mother. But it was Alison's down to earth, humble and shy character that made me feel more than just pity for her, but feel really affectionate towards her.

The first two-thirds of the book are based in the psychiatric hospital, but despite this the plot is fast paced and intense. The insight we're given into what sanity and insanity looks like for different people is so different and interesting, and I totally felt for Alison as she struggled to prove to her family, doctor and even herself that she might be both sane and innocent. Often her every move was interpreted as crazy, and it reminded me of this old experiment when normal sane people were put into a mental institution as tests. Their reaction to the environment and boredom was interpreted by real practitioners as symptoms of psychological disorders, despite the fact that absolutely nothing was wrong with them!

The other young people in the ward each have their own issues, from Kirk's flirtations and pyromania to Sanjoy's delusions of alien invasions. Each of the characters felt completely real and really tugged on my heart strings when I learnt more about them and saw some of the sadness in their lives. On the flipside it is also these colourful characters that bring humour and life to the story.

In the third and final part of the story the plot takes an astounding and completely crazy twist. Although I was half expecting it, for some reason it just didn't live up the rest of the book which I absolutely loved. Maybe I wanted something cleverer or even more surreal, I don't know. Overall I really enjoyed Ultraviolet, but the first half was so much stronger for me and so gripping.

Different, gripping and full of psychological struggles, Ultraviolet is a story of how one girl comes to terms with an unusual gift.

Rating: 4*