Review: Before Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

Montag, 31. Oktober 2016

Before Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn
Published: October 31st 2016 by Entangled TEEN
Number of pages: 81 Pages (Kindle)
Series: Yes, 1.5 of the Forget Tomorrow Trilogy

   In a world where all seventeen-year-olds receive a memory from their future selves, Logan Russell's vision is exactly as he expects—and exactly not. He sees himself achieving his greatest wish of becoming a gold-star swimmer, but strangely enough, the vision also shows him locking eyes with a girl from his past, Callie Stone, and experiencing an overwhelming sense of love and belonging.
   Logan’s not sure what the memory means, but soon enough, he learns that his old friend Callie is in trouble. She’s received an atypical memory, one where she commits a crime in the future. According to the law, she must be imprisoned, even though she's done nothing wrong. Now, Logan must decide if he'll give up his future as a gold-star swimmer and rescue the literal girl of his dreams. All he'll have to do is defy Fate. (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Entangled TEEN for providing me with 
an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion *

   I am obsessed with the Forget Tomorrow Trilogy because both books have so far been absolutely amazing and Pintip is an awesome author, so when I heard that there would be a novella from Logan's POV, I was on that!

   Usually I'm not into novellas or prequels, but this one, I just had to have it and read it. I loved Logan in Forget Tomorrow (review) and so getting to read more about him, from his POV, was really interesting. Throughout Before Tomorrow we follow Logan as he receives his Future Memory and how that changes his thoughts and basically everything for him. We get to know his life a little more, the way he thinks and feels, which was fascinating.

   Unlike the other books in the trilogy, this one was in 3rd person. I'm not a fan of 3rd person at all so that threw me of a little at first, but I managed to look past it enough to still really enjoy the story and see the world I already loved through another set of eyes.

   All in all, I really enjoyed Before Tomorrow a lot. If you're a fan of Pintip and the Forget Tomorrow trilogy, definitely check it out, especially because you can read it for free for a limited time so use the opportunity while you still can!
I give Before Tomorrow 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Review: Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Samstag, 22. Oktober 2016

Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Published: October 18th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Number of Pages: 659 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #2 in the Illuminae Files Trilogy

   Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
   The saga that began with Illuminae continues on board the space station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of BeiTech’s assault. Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter, Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
   When an elite BeiTech team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum may be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival. The fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
   But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope. (goodreads.com)

"It may comfort you to know that your death, 
while astonishingly violent, 
will likely be mercifully swift."

   Ever since I finished reading Illuminae (find my review here) last year, I waited with anticipation and great expectations for Gemina. As with all sequels, the second book fear was real, but Gemina exceeded all my hopes and expectations in amazing ways with brilliant and unexpected twists and turns.

   Just like Illuminae, Gemina is told through files, instant messages, video transcripts and alike, which is still the coolest book format I've ever encountered. We also meet another crucial character from Illuminae again who turns out to be an even worse person than we've so far thought. The hate is real and only turns realer. That part is told through a court room transcript which in itself was really interesting.

   In Gemina we follow Hanna and Nik. Hanna is the daughter of the Heimdall's captain, rich, spoiled but still a total badass with a black belt and loads of tactical knowledge which most definitely comes in handy through the story. I really liked her, even though she seemed a bit naive and very spoiled throughout the first few pages, but my opinion of her quick changed. She was a really interesting character and I couldn't wait to see what her role in the story would end up being. I didn't quite expect her to be that much of a badass, but I loved every second of it.
   On the other hand we have Nik who belongs to the House of Knives, a Russian criminal cartel on board of the Heimdall station, as well as New Petersburg. Since characters like him belong to my favorites, I knew I'd like him the moment we first meet him. Throughout the story I only fell more in love with him and found myself rooting for him. When a very emotional moment came up, that I won't spoil, I was on the verge of tears, not going to lie. He was a great and really interesting character, especially thanks to all the details about the cartel and the tattoos he and the others had.

   Another thing that blew my mind in Gemina was the whole aspect of the wormhole within the Heimdall station which was later on explained in a more scientific way, along with other hardcore science, which honestly was one of my favorite parts of the story. I love sci-fi books that have a solid dose of science in them, even if most of it is way too complicated for me to understand. Gemina definitely did that part right and in a marvelously interesting way.

   In the second half of the story we also meet our beloved characters from Illuminae again. Their role in the story isn't necessarily the biggest one in terms of page count, but it's still very much crucial and done in an amazing way. I was curious how Jay and Amie would tie them into the story and I am more than happy with the way they've done it.

   Also we need to take a moment and truly appreciate Marie Lu's (author of the Legend trilogy as well as The Young Elites trilogy) illustrations for Gemina. She isn't only a incredible author, no, she's also amazing at drawing. I was really curious to see all of it after I first heard about it, and boy did I love it!

   Just like Illuminae, Gemina has a lot of aces up its sleeve in form of amazing plot twists that you most definitely won't see coming and aliens that creeped the hell out of me, especially the way they were "created". Now that was awful in more ways than one. But their role in the story was fascinating, even though, as I mentioned before, they were really creepy. But, at the end of the day, the Phobos virus people in Illuminae were still scarier than the aliens, but that was to be expected, I mean that virus was off the charts.

   Gemina is am amazing action packed sequel with unexpected twists and turns, smart moves and tactical planning, and even some crazy science. I didn't think it could one up Illuminae, but somehow it managed to do it anyways. I cannot wait until we'll finally get the finale next year, especially after that ending. I am excited!
I give Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman 5 out of 5 stars!

Blog Tour: Remember Yesterday by Pintip Dunn (Review)

Freitag, 7. Oktober 2016


Remember Yesterday by Pintip Dunn
Released: October 4th 2016 by Entangled TEEN
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #2 in the Forget Tomorrow Trilogy

   The sequel to the NYT Bestselling and RITA™ Award-winning novel, Forget Tomorrow, is a twisting, turning roller-coaster ride—the perfect sci-fi futuristic read.
   Sixteen-year-old Jessa Stone is the most valuable citizen in Eden City. Her psychic abilities could lead to significant scientific discoveries, if only she’d let TechRA study her. But ten years ago, the scientists kidnapped and experimented on her, leading to severe ramifications for her sister, Callie. She’d much rather break into their labs and sabotage their research—starting with Tanner Callahan, budding scientist and the boy she loathes most at school.
   The past isn’t what she assumed, though—and neither is Tanner. He’s not the arrogant jerk she thought he was. And his research opens the door to the possibility that Jessa can rectify a fatal mistake made ten years earlier. She’ll do anything to change the past and save her sister—even if it means teaming up with the enemy she swore to defeat.

* Thank you to Entangled TEEN for providing me with an eARC 
in exchange for my honest opinion *

   I was beyond excited to get my hands on Remember Yesterday because I absolutely loved Forget Tomorrow last year (review here). Luckily I not only received an eARC but was also invited to be part of the blog tour for it, which was just double amazing.
   When it comes to sequels I'm always a bit worried that they might turn out to be nothing more than fillers building up to the finale and nothing more. Remember Yesterday definitely didn't feel like a filler but like a worthy sequel to Forget Tomorrow.

   Unlike the first book, this one is told my Callie's sister, Jessa. At first I wasn't quite sure what I thought of that, but I knew that that was the only option for the sequel to work and happen. Quickly I started to really like Jessa and enjoyed her narration and voice, which sounded definitely different then Callie's in the first book.
   The plot was filled with twists and turns, exciting revelations and lots of moments that amazed me, made me swoon and move to the edge of my seat. It offered a lot of things we didn't have in the previous book, which I can't name of course because spoilers, but if you worry that the plot might somehow repeat itself, there is no need for it. Remember Yesterday is completely different then Forget Tomorrow.
   Also, the ending? Still didn't recover. 

   The love interest in this one was interesting and very different then the one in the previous novel. Tanner was an interesting character with a truly sad backstory which I enjoyed getting to know piece by piece. Though I'll admit I'm really not fond of the name Tanner. Seeing the way he acted toward Jessa change throughout the novel was interesting, especially as certain things were revealed and he understood different moments from his past he didn't understand before.

   I honestly cannot wait to see how the trilogy will end, what will happen with Chairwoman Dresden and if Jessa and the others will be able to figure out how to defeat her. Also, I really enjoyed the look into technologies we heard about in the previous novel but never explored in detail.
   Another thing that stuck out to me was how certain parts from the sequel played into the previous book and tied the plot together even more. Anyone who's read both will know what I'm talking about. It really showed, again, how much thought Pintip put into planning out these books and how much love to detail went into them.

   All in all I think Remember Yesterday is more than a worthy sequel to Forget Tomorrow offering many twists and turns, exciting revelations and swoon worthy moments. I cannot wait to read the final book in the trilogy, though it'll be sad to say goodbye to the characters and the story. Also, I cannot wait to see what the title will be for the third and final book because I've been loving the titles and covers so far! I cannot recommend these two books enough, so if sci-fi is your jam, definitely give them a try. Forget Tomorrow didn't win an award for nothing after all.
I give Remember Yesterday 5 out of 5 stars.

* * *

Buy Remember Yesterday here:
Amazon US // Barnes & Noble // iBooks // Kobo // Amazon UK // Amazon CA

   Giveaway
   One (1) winner will receive a limited, annotated hardcover of Forget Tomorrow

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

   Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of YA fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journel.
   Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. Her debut novel, Forget Tomorrow, won the RWA RITA® for Best First Book. Her other novels include The Darkest Lie and the forthcoming Remember Yesterday.
   She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.


Review: The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire + Dan and Phil's Story of TATINOF (No Spoilers)

Donnerstag, 6. Oktober 2016

   The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire
   Released: October 5th 2016 via YouTube Red
   Length: 96 Minutes
   PG-13
   Stage Show Recording

   Dan and Phil present their hit international stage show "The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire"! A performance inspired by the best of their videos, live and interactive with a real audience—along with some surprises you’ll never see coming.
   When Phil microwaves his laptop, he and Dan are warped into a universe where the internet is destroyed and everything from their online world has become real! As they work out how to entertain the real-life audience, a mysterious figure decides to teach them an important lesson. (youtube.com)

   After touring through the UK and US, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) announced that their LA show at the Dolby Theatre will be filmed and released as YouTube Red Original Movie. Understandably their fans, especially those in places that didn't host any shows and thus couldn't go and see it, were very excited.
   Unlike other YouTuber tours and shows, Dan and Phil created an entire stage show with a proper script, music, props and audience participation (very consensual as Dan mentions in the actual show) bringing their YouTube Channels and personalities onto big stages.

   Diving into the stage show, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Sure, I've seen a few spoilers over the past months but I didn't know anything about the plot or how any of it actually looks like, which was honestly the best way to go into this show. As avid viewer of both Dan and Phil, I got all the inside jokes and could enjoy every aspect of the show easily which definitely enhanced my viewing experience.
   If you go in as very casual viewer, or a parent who's being forced into watching it with their kid, I don't think you'll enjoy the show just as much simply because of all the references to their videos and  the things Dan and Phil have done over the years. Please be warned.

   As fan of the two, I enjoyed the show tremendously. I couldn't stop smiling and laughing and it basically left me feeling very happy and positive. A message the two want to bring across with the show is that being weird or different is okay, that you can reach your goals and fulfill your dreams if you believe in yourself. I definitely got that from it.
   Looking at it from a more subjective perspective I still think it's a very cool stage show with an amazingly decorated stage and two very funny guys jumping around on said stage trying to entertain the audience. Speaking of which, you could really see how much joy the show was giving them which was just another layer of amazing really.
All in all I give The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire 5 out of 5 stars, 
subjectively and not just because I'm a fan.

* * *

   Dan and Phil's Story of TATINOF
   Released: October 5th 2016 via YouTube Red
   Length: 61 Minutes
   PG-13
   Behind the Scenes Documentary

   The behind-the-scenes story of Dan and Phil’s adventure on tour! An intimate and epic documentary film chronicling everything from creating their stage show, to life on the road and reflecting back on its legacy. (youtube.com)

   Have you ever wondered how stage shows happen and what happens behind the scenes during tours? Dan and Phil's Story of TATINOF will show you exactly that. Over the course of an hour you get to see who helped Dan and Phil create the show, how parts of it came together, how the look of the stage became what it is in the end, and what actually happens behind the scenes of the stage during the show itself.

    I was really curious to see how Dan and Phil came up with the show, how they as people of the internet who have nothing to do with big stage shows managed to create exactly that. Seeing them learn how to dance or learn tricks was really interesting, as well as seeing their adventures through the USA in their giant tour bus.

   Something that was also quite unique and interesting was seeing their fans talk about the show, express their feelings and see just how excited they were and how happy Dan and Phil, and the show, made them.
   The narration that leads us through the documentary was really well done and entertaining with the typical Dan and Phil humor.

   All in all I think Dan and Phil's Story of TATINOF is really interesting and a fun look behind the scenes. When you decide to watch these two, definitely watch the Stage Show first and then the documentary because spoilers. I had a really good time watching the documentary and I'll definitely watch it, along with the stage show, again soon.
I give Dan and Phil's Story of TATINOF 5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Samstag, 1. Oktober 2016

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Published: October 18th 2007 by Razorbill
Number of Pages: 288 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No

   Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
   On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
   Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers. (goodreads.com)

   I've had this book on my shelf for at least over a year but, even though I knew I really wanted to read it, I never picked it up. But then as I was browsing through audible, I remembered it, remembered that it's largely based on the narrator listening to tapes, so I thought it's the perfect book to listen to.
   And I was right.

   Thirteen Reasons Why is one of those books that I would call important, touching upon a topic people might find uncomfortable, especially when shown in this way. Personally, once I was done reading it, I felt the urge to write an email to my old English teacher to ask her if there is any sort of way she could incorporate this book into her lessons (knowing all too well that that's not possible).
   In Thirteen Reasons Why we follow Clay as he receives a box filled with cassette tapes containing thirteen different stories and reasons explaining why this girl called Hannah decided to commit suicide. This definitely isn't an easy, afternoon read that'll just entertain you. This is the sort of book that will make you stop and think about yourself and the way you treat others, what effect you might have on them even in moments that you'd think are trivial, insignificant.

   I don't think this book is for everyone, despite being nearly unputdownable, because a lot of it depends on you as reader being able to sympathize with Hannah, if her voice and narration style will click with you. Personally, I sympathized very much with her, and sure, some of her reasons might not come across as something that you'd think would have such a grave impact on a person, but I can understand why they affected her the way they did. If you take reach reason as a separate thing, none of them are heavy enough, but you have to remember that, as the story progresses, these reasons are stacked on top of each other creating this much larger, much more complex picture that will make you understand that it's very realistic that all of them together could make someone snap.
   Bullying especially is something that affects people in different ways, just like harassment that might not have that big of an affect on one person but might change someone else's life completely.
   Something that also stuck out to me was the discussion on how boys, in a way, find reasons and explanations for why they are entitled to treating girls a certain way, or talk to them a certain way. That was certainly a very interesting aspect that I think is still very much a big issue today, even more than back when Thirteen Reasons Why came out, adding only more to the list of reasons why I would have loved to read a book like this in English class and discuss it.

   When it comes to Clay, the supposed main character of the story, I really liked the way his story progressed throughout the book, how he was questioning why he got those tapes, how he could've affected Hannah in some more meaningful way. Once it was finally revealed and he understood what happened and what he did, or didn't do, I actually teared up a bit along with him. The one thing that I'd definitely criticize about him is how quickly he changed his mind, which I think would take much longer in a real life setting.
   Also, and this has nothing to do with Clay, did people actually still use cassette tapes in 2007?

   All in all I can very much recommend Thirteen Reasons Why and think it's an important read, especially for young people. I think this book raises many good points and gives a lot of material perfect for discussions and personal reflecting. I really much enjoyed listening to it, so I can recommend the audiobook. The two narrators did an amazing job at bringing Clay and Hannah to life.
I give Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 4 out of 5 stars.