[Cover Reveal] Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

If you're following me either on my blog or on twitter, you know how big a fan I am of Katie McGarry. I adored her Pushing the Limits series, and her Thunder Road series is one of my favorite series EVER. I also loved Say You'll Remember Me. Basically, what Katie writes, I love, so when I was offered the chance to reveal the cover of Katie's newest book, how can I not?

And guys. YOU GUYS. Look at how gorgeous this cover is!!! I squealed so loud when I received the email with the cover - I cannot get enough of it! And like all of Katie's other books, I'm sure Only a Breath Apart will feature realistically portrayed teens and an engrossing plot. Why is January 2019 so far away... I already know for sure that this book will be one of my favorites of 2019!

  
   Title: Only a Breath Apart

   Author: Katie McGarry

   Publisher: Tor Teen
   Release Date: January 22, 2019

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Jesse dreams of working the land that’s been in his family forever. But he’s cursed to lose everything he loves most.

Scarlett is desperate to escape her “charmed” life. But leaving a small town is easier said than done.

Despite their history of heartbreak, when Jesse sees a way they can work together to each get what they want, Scarlett can’t say no. Each midnight meeting between Jesse and Scarlett will push them to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other.

Would you dare to defy destiny? Are our destinies written in stone? Do we become nothing more than the self-fulfilling prophesies of other people's opinions? Or can we dare to become who we believe we were born to be?

“A gorgeous, heartfelt journey of redemption and love” (Wendy Higgins), ONLY A BREATH APART is a young adult contemporary novel from critically acclaimed Katie McGarry.

“Haunting, authentic, and ultimately hopeful” (Tammara Webber), ONLY A BREATH APART will be available on all retailers on January 22, 2019!  

“Gritty and real, Only a Breath Apart is a story of hope conjured from pain, strength drawn from innocence, and love earned from self-respect. Beautiful, poignant, and fierce.”

―Kristen Simmons, critically acclaimed author of the Article 5 series

So, what do you think of the cover? Do you love it as much as I do? And what do you think of the synopsis? Doesn't it sound amazing? Let me know what you think!

[Blog Tour: Review] Revolution by Jenna Black

Title: Revolution (Replica #3)
Author: Jenna Black
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Goodreads | Tour Stops

Dorothy Hayes claims to be the secret daughter of the recently assassinated Chairman. She also claims that Nate Hayes, the true heir and her supposed brother, was the one who murdered their father.

Nate and his best friend, Nadia Lake, are the only ones who know the truth about what really happened to the Chairman, and more importantly, the truth about Dorothy.

But with Dorothy in power, Nate and Nadia know their days are numbered. They have nowhere to run except the Basement, Paxco's perilous and lawless slums. But Dorothy is far from content with drivine her enemies into hiding.

She wants them dead.

THOUGHTS:

I know that the Replica series is science fiction for the most part, but so many aspects of it fall under the dystopian genre as well. That's why for the most part, I've considered this series as a science fiction - dystopian hybrid. With that being said, I've read (and disliked) a lot of dystopian series over the years, and my main gripe with them is that they never seem to have endings that are both realistic and can provide even a semblance of closure for the characters we've come to know and love. I know that writing 'happy endings' isn't always possible with dystopian series usually focus on wars and revolts, but I just want to know that these characters who've suffered so much - these characters that I've been with every step of the way - are at least on the path to happiness. Not a lot of dystopian novels have been able to pull this off, and truth be told, this is the biggest reason as to why I didn't have that highest of expectations for Revolution. I just wanted a 'good' ending - an ending that wouldn't make me want to scream in frustration, and and ending that would make me glad that I picked up this series.

Well... let me tell you - Revolution wasn't just a book with a good enough ending. It was a book that shattered all my expectations of it, and it had an enrichingly satisfying (albeit incredibly heartbreaking) finish. It was everything I wanted and more.

From the first to the last page, Revolution was just an intense read. It picks up right where Resistance left off - Nadia and Nate, and along with them Kurt, Dante, and Agnes, are now wanted by the government headed by Dorothy, and they have nowhere else to hide but the Basement. From the get go, living in a less than ideal situation - with dirty surroundings and barely enough food to survive is incredibly tough for everyone, but all the more so for Nate, Nadia, and Agnes, all of whom who grew up in affluent lifestyles. Despite their desperation to bring down Dorothy, and for Nate to claim his position as the rightful executive Paxco, everyone has no choice but to hide. After a few choice encounters, and with their meager supplies running out, Kurt decided that they have no choice but to hide out with the Red Death, one of the most powerful gangs in the Basement. Things slow down for a while, but that all changes when Dorothy decides to withhold all resources from the Basement to flush Nate and Nadia out. When this doesn't work, Dorothy ups her game... and decides to bomb the Basement.

Something I really like about Revolution is how Nate, Nadia, Agnes, Kurt, and Dante had to rely on their own wits, their strengths, their plans, and their ideas from beginning to end. This was their battle, and they intended to finish it no matter what. I also appreciated that the book was realistic in the sense that the group never had it easy - there wasn't any political group backing them or anything like that. They weren't the faces of any revolution. Simply put, they knew the truth, and they wanted the world to know it not just so their lives can go back to the normal, but because they want Paxco to be a better place. That was the aim from day one. I also like how our main characters learned to rely on each other. There was never any love lost between Nate and Dante, Nadia and Kurt, and even Nate and Agnes, but they all knew that there was no way that they were going to win this war if they didn't put aside their differences and stand together.

What I like the most about Revolution, and the Replica series as a whole is how thorough the character development is, and with that, how meticulously developed all the relationships are. We were introduced to Nate who was obnoxious and thought the world of himself, and as someone who never took other people into consideration. By Revolution, Nate shows just how able of an Executive he can be - thoughtful and caring. Nadia, at the beginning, thought too much of what other people thought of her, but now, she can let loose and actually do the things not because they are what are expected of her, but because she actually wants to. Agnes is not as sheltered as she was - she's grown into her own skin, she is much more confident, and she's not afraid to say what she thinks. Dante and Kurt even, initially stoic and seemingly cold, learn to rely on other people as well.

I can go on and on about how much I love Nadia (which I'm pretty sure I did in my reviews of Replica and Resistance), but right now, let me take the time to talk about Agnes. I adore Agnes and everything she's brought to the group - she sees things with a different perspective, and there's even a number of times wherein it was her quick-thinking and bravery that saved the others. I love how Agnes slowly and surely blossoms into a confident woman who is not afraid to fight for what's right. Initially, I had no idea why the author would introduce another main character in the middle of the series, but now, I feel so stupid for even questioning her! Agnes has brought so much to the series - she grows so much in such a short span of time, and I admire just how strong of a character she is!

As I've mentioned earlier, the action doesn't let up in Revolution. From the beginning, I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to find out if there's a chance that all the main characters will survive, and whether they can take down Dorothy. There's no moment wherein Black stops peeling back the layers of her characters either - I don't know how she did it, but other than several instances of character growth, we also have action-packed scenes, a properly-paced overall plot, and just the right amount of twists and turns in this book! Believe me when I say that there's nothing missing!

Oh god, and now, let's talk about the ending. I'm not going to lie and say that it's one of those endings that would make you grin non-stop - rather, it's a bittersweet ending... but ultimately, it's still a wonderful ending. A part of you will simply close your eyes at the unfairness of it all, but at the end of the day, the way everything ended seemed inevitable. All important loose ends are tied up, and we get a peek of Paxco post-chaos. We also get a glimpse of the current fates of our main characters. Just writing these words is enough to get me teary-eyed (and it's pretty much known that I bawled big time after finishing Revolution - apparently I'm not done crying yet!) - and while a part of me is sad that the ending wasn't all rainbows and unicorns, I'm glad that is still satisfied me as a reader for the most part. All in all, I can't recommend the Replica series enough.

Rating: 5 Stars

Resistance by Jenna Black

Title: Resistance (Replica #2)
Author: Jenna Black
Source: Review Copy from the Publisher
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Goodreads
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Nate Hayes is a Replica.

The real Nate was viciously murdered, but thanks to Paxco’s groundbreaking human replication technology, a duplicate was created that holds all of the personality and the memories of the original. Or...almost all. Nate’s backup didn't extend to the days preceding his murder, leaving him searching for answers about who would kill him, and why. Now, after weeks spent attempting to solve his own murder with the help of his best friend and betrothed, Nadia Lake, Nate has found the answers he was seeking...and he doesn’t like what he’s discovered.

The original Nate was killed because he knew a secret that could change everything. Thanks to Nadia’s quick thinking, the two of them hold the cards now—or think they do.

Unfortunately, neither of them fully understands just how deep the conspiracy runs.

THOUGHTS: 

I didn't think it possible, but Resistance blew Replica COMPLETELY out of the water. (This should already be a good enough of a reason for you to read Resistance, but if you're not fully convinced yet, continue reading!) Replica was already one heck of an amazing start to what promised to be an incredible trilogy, and because of that, I already knew that this was one series that I was going to finish no matter what. However, let me be honest here - I was fully prepared for the sequel to lose a bit of steam (because that's usually what happens to the in-between books in trilogies) but wow, that did not happen. AT ALL. Seriously. I don't even have words for how amazing and just jam-packed Resistance (and this series, in general) is! (If it isn't obvious enough with all the caps lock and the incoherent blabbing, let me say it one more time - this series is mindblowingly awesome!) It usually takes me such a long time to read both sci-fi and dystopia (and this series is a little bit of both), and I just breezed through both Replica and Resistance! As a matter of fact, I can't help hating myself for taking so long to pick up this sequel! I should have read it ages ago!

Before the blabbing and the freaking out takes over this post, let me go ahead just what made me like Resistance so much:

I love how multidimensional the characters are. There's so much more to Nate and Nadia than just your average 'we need to take the government or higher-powers down' goal we see in every single dystopia out there. They're not your cookie-cutter perfect hero and heroines - they're like every teenager you know. They're scared, confused, they make a lot of mistakes, and while they do want to bring down the bad guys, there's always this feeling you get that these characters just want to make it out of all this mess alive. I believe that all these are what make Nate and Nadia are relateable, simply because they're not glorified as heroes who can do absolutely anything. Rather, they're realistically portrayed as two teenagers who are just doing their best to make sense of the mess that fell on their laps, and at the end of the day, hopefully do what's right.

Also, like I mentioned, while the big picture remains to be ultimately righting all the wrongs Chairman Hayes has done, Nate and Nadia have their own problems to face. Nadia, now deemed a social pariah by both society and her parents, is forced to live in solitude in a retreat house with no contact to the outside world. Not only does Nadia feel the crushing loneliness at being alone most of the time, she also has the safety of her family to think of. Nate's father might have promised a truce, but Nadia knows perfectly well that she can never fully trust someone who wants her dead. You can't help but feel for Nadia in this book - she faces so much adversity, and what's most terrible is that she has no one to talk to and lean on for support. Yet despite all these, Nadia keeps her calm and never loses her focus. I don't even know how she does it! Also, it should be pointed out that while Nadia already showed just how strong she is in Replica, here in Resistance, she transcends to all sorts of jaw-dropping badassery. Not rooting for her is simply impossible.

Nate, meanwhile, is not the same character we met in Replica. I still don't consider myself his biggest fan, but I can't deny how Black fleshed out his character. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that Nate has the most character growth is this series so far. Gone is the boy who always acts before he thinks, and who never stops to ponder the consequences. Instead, we have this character who takes time to think through his decisions and to think of how they will affect other people. As I have mentioned earlier, while Nate is most certainly not my favorite character in this series, that doesn't mean that I don't like reading about him, and that I do not want him to be the best guy that he can be. I'm excited to see just how much more he will develop as a character in the final book!

What I love the most about Resistance is that Jenna Black somehow managed to do it all - there's character development, world building, proper plot pacing, and even romance! Not one page of this book bored me, I tell you. Black expertly explores the fragile yet at the same time unwavering friendship between Nate and Nadia, the budding romance between Nadia and Dante, and the constant love of Nate and Kurt. She took her time in establishing all these different relationships between our characters, but at the same time, I never felt that romance preceded the other facets of the book - all aspects of the book are equally important, and that's something that I really like.

All in all, Resistance is one book that you HAVE to read - this is sci-fi and dystopia at its finest. I had the highest of expectations for it, and it most definitely did not disappoint. I am counting down the days until I can read the final book in the series!

Rating: 5 Stars

Replica by Jenna Black

Title: Replica
Author: Jenna Black
Release Date: July 16, 2013
Source: Review copy from publisher
Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Nadia Lake comes from a high-class Executive family in the Corporate States. Her marriage has been arranged with the most powerful family in her state, which means she lives a life of privilege but also of public scrutiny, followed everywhere by photographers, every detail of her private life tabloid fodder. But her future is assured, as long as she can maintain her flawless public image — no easy feat when your betrothed is a notorious playboy.

Nathan Hayes is the heir of Paxco — controller of the former state of New York, and creator of human replication technology, science that every state and every country in the world would kill to have. Though Nadia and Nate aren’t in love, they’ve grown up close, and they (and the world) are happy enough with their match.

Until Nate turns up dead, and as far as everyone knows, Nadia was the last person to see him alive.

When the new Nate wakes up in the replication tanks, he knows he must have died, but with a memory that only reaches to his last memory backup, he doesn’t know what killed him. Together, Nadia and Nate must discover what really happened without revealing the secrets that those who run their world would kill to protect.

THOUGHTS:

So... how on earth am I going to do justice to this book with my review? I honestly have no idea how - and I probably won't be able to do, because you can only add so much 'awesome' and 'amazing' in your reviews before your readers roll their eyes and move on to the next blog, and I want other people to read this review because I want them to know the mind-blowing awesomeness that is Replica! (Oh god just writing this incredibly long sentence masquerading as a paragraph makes me want to groan.)

Replica introduces us to Nate and Nadia, children of very powerful families, and soon to be engaged to be married and the pair that would rule Paxco in the not-so-distant future. From the first chapter alone, a lot of things about this society they live in, as well as Nate and Nadia's relationship was obvious. While very progressive, Paxco still adheres to age-old rules of how people must act in front of those high up in society, as not to tarnish their reputations. Also, it was apparent that all rules and regulations are to be followed, else repercussions (as well as endless gossip) will befall you. In line with this, while Nate and Nadia are in all technicalities engaged, Nadia is still very careful in how they act around other people. (So yes, no PDA or anything like that.)

Black also managed to successfully convey that though Nate and Nadia cared for each other, they didn't exactly love each other per se. As a matter of fact, Nate's taste lies elsewhere, and he's also in love with somebody else. Nadia is resigned to the fact that she will be marrying someone who will never be faithful to her, and she's supportive of Nate's choices. The creeping sadness that she won't be married to someone who loves her is there, of course, but Nadia chooses to ignore this line of thinking for the meantime. (At this point I thought Nadia would be a doormat of a character, but let me talk about that later.) Things get messy when Nate is murdered, and the last people to see him alive are Nadia and his boyfriend, Kurt. Nate is brought back to life through a replica - replica Nate is essentially the same person as murdered Nate... except that his memories only date back to two weeks before the murder. Since Kurt disappeared after the murder, Nadia must face the line of fire alone - only she has a semblance of information of what happened that night. Needless to say I was pulled in pretty early on in the novel.

This is how a dystopian novel is supposed to be written, folks. I'm trying to look back and think if I have any misgivings with the writing, but nope, nothing comes to mind. The world-building was present - I got to learn everything I needed to know, yet nothing was shoved down my throat. There were no pages upon pages of info dump or long winded-explanations. This novel was written in such a way that every aspect of this new world, this Corporate States, is not the least bit difficult to understand. The concept of replicas was easy to grasp as well. My eternal complaint against dystopia as a genre as whole always has to do with the writing - sometimes it feels like I'm reading a very thorough encyclopedia instead of fast-paced Young Adult novel, and I didn't get that feeling while reading Replica. AT ALL.

Black did a great job with her characters - they were quite complex and in no way one-dimensional. Sure, there were a lot of times wherein their actions made me want to bang my head against wall, but hey, it's so much better to feel this way than to just roll my eyes and fervently hope that the characters just go ahead and vanish without warning. I wasn't exactly pleased with Nate in the beginning - I found him selfish and too reckless in his ways. Of course I understood his desire to find Kurt, but I hated how he treated Nadia so callously as a result. He knew how deep in trouble Nadia was after the murder, but Nate only thought of himself and no one else. Nate did win me over with his undying love for Kurt, and when he finally FINALLY realized that the world didn't revolve around him.

I have previously mentioned that I thought that Nadia was a weak character and wow - I couldn't be more wrong! The lengths Nadia went through to protect her family were just immense, and she never ever put her welfare first. Nadia's family meant the world to her and she was willing to do anything to save them... even if that meant betraying the one other person she loves most in the world - Nate. The guilt that Nadia suffers through as a result, as well as her strong character, were enough to make me sympathize with her and all the life-changing decisions she had to make. I also laud how she finally stood up to Nate, who hasn't been treating her like she deserves to be treated. Nadia's character has so much depth, has so many layers and facets, and she just grows a lot in this book - I love how Black wrote about such a strong, calm and level-headed heroine!

No part of the novel bored me - the mystery of Nate's murder intrigued me from start to finish, and the growth of both Nate and Nadia's characters captivated me. Moreover, I usually try to predict plot twists and the like but this book surprised me at every turn, so again, Black was amazing on that front. Also, Replica was written in dual POVs, and this setting allowed the readers to connect with Nate and Nadia and for Black to explore both characters thoroughly as well. I'm serious in saying that I loved every aspect of this novel - the plot, the characters, the writing, and even the fact that this book is first in a series! This is a world that I would love to read more about, and these are characters whom I've grown to care for - all in all, an amazing read!

Rating: 5 Stars

[Blog Tour: Review] Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

 

Title: Breaking Point (Article 5 #2)

Author: Kristen Simmons
Release Date: February, 2013

Publisher: Tor Teen

Source: A copy was sent by the publisher for a blog tour

Goodreads

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?

THOUGHTS:

Wow. Just when I thought that this series couldn't get any better, Simmons proves me wrong by creating a kick-ass, unforgettable sequel!

What I loved the most about Article 5, the previous book in the series, is the non-stop action, and I'm happy to note that Breaking Point doesn't disappoint in that aspect. In this novel, we have Ember and Chase in the thick of things - now that they are part of The Resistance, things are different. In Article 5, Ember and Chase's main goal was to protect themselves and ensure their own safety, but now that they a part of a larger group, that mindset wouldn't work anymore. They have to contribute to the cause - to the resistance - and despite Ember's initial yearning to keep her head down in hiding, she learns that that isn't something can do. Furthermore, things take a turn for the worse when the FBR pinpoints Ember as a primary suspect in the sniper shootings that have been occurring as of late.

I consider myself a huge fan of Ember, and I'm completely at how spot on Simmons was in portraying this character. In the first few pages of Breaking Point, we are privy to an Ember who is skittish, frightened, and is determined to keep her nose out of the thick of things. She hasn't left the Resistance's compound in months, and she's content with simply hiding. Things obviously don't stay that way for long, but I love how Simmons made sure that we would notice the subtle transition in Ember's mindset between staying out of trouble and finally deciding to stand up and fight back. The writing for this particular character never felt forced - Ember's extremely relateable, and it's rather difficult not to sympathize with her after all the horrible things she has experienced and is currently going through.

I've previously mentioned that the world-building in Article 5 is a bit lacking, but we get to learn some important details about the FBR - the aftermath of the war that gave birth to it; the president spearheading this government; and of course, the citizens' growing displeasure of the Moral Statutes - in Breaking Point. In the same light, we also learn more about the members of The Resistance, and just how they are willing to do absolutely anything - even at the expense of their lives - just to overthrow the FBR. Knowing all about these characters, their motives, as well as factoids here and there about this world they live in, just makes you appreciate the story all the more so.

I loved how Simmons made sure to develop on the characters of Ember and Chase, as well as their relationship. We all know that their relationship can never be perfect because of their rocky past, but this time, Chase's overpowering desire to protect Ember also strains their relationship. Add in the fact that Chase carries on his shoulders the guilt of what happened to Ember's mother, and that Ember still wonders whether Chase truly couldn't do anything to save her mother. Suffice to say the two have a messy, chaotic relationship, but there is no other person whom Ember trusts more than Chase, and the same goes for Chase. Simmons did an amazing job in developing this relationship, and we truly get to know more about these characters throughout this novel.

I can't say this enough - if you haven't started this series yet, you should do so now. The writing is excellent; the plot fast-paced; the characters developed thoroughly - what else could you ask for?

Rating: 4 Stars