Penguin Teen Game Changers Sampler Review
- Sep 9, 2017
- 5 min read
For this book, because it is a sampler, I will be splitting up my review into section.
Warcross by Marie Lu
While I am not usually too huge of a science fiction reader, I did enjoy this premise and I liked Marie Lu's writing style. The writing style felt very relatable and never felt like it was trying to be too technical or sophisticated. Lu made sure to write the story in a way that felt realistic in a potentially unrealistic setting, as well as keep the character lively and moving. Even when the narrator stops to just look at a magazine or check her phone, there is never a dull moment. I think that the idea of a futuristic New York City and a virtual game is a really unique premise. I also found the bounty hunter angle interesting too because it is something I rarely ever see in YA books or at least the books I have read. Everything in this this world felt like a future that could happen, rather than something an author just made up. With so much online gaming, the angle of gambling or trading notes for actual cash (similar to people selling their game accounts on Amazon) is not too far off. I liked how the author mixed our modern day world with her futuristic world, helping again to make it more believable and relatable to the reader. I liked the main character of Emika Chen. I thought she was extremely cool and adventurous. On top of that I feel like I can relate to Emika and feel for her as she is dealing with being scared of eviction from her apartment or not having money or missing her father. Even the act of the Warcross game being used to make someone forget their troubles is something that a lot of people go through when it comes to online gaming. It is amazing how Lu was able to take a fictional futuristic world and combine it's struggles and hardships with today's reality so well. I honestly really loved this sample and it definitely made me want to read this book when it comes out.
Jane, Unlimited by Kristen Cashore
This is a book I have had on my want to read list for a while. Sadly, when I started to read it I felt very bored. The conversations between Jane and Kiran and others just did not interest me and I felt myself scrolling through the pages and skimming a lot. There is a lot of uninteresting dialouge at the beginning of this story and I kept getting confused by even where the premise was going or if we were ever going to get somewhere interesting with this story. I know someone out there will enjoy this book, but for me I just was not invested in the story at all.
There's Someone in Your House by Stephanie Perkins
I am a fan of Stephanie Perkins and I have read many of her YA contemporary romance novels in the past and liked them. This is a new type of story and I am happy to say I feel Perkins did not disappoint when she decided to switch to a more horror/thriller type of book. Adding the backdrop of a musical about murder aka Sweeney Todd, on top of real life murders in a small town of Nebraska makes the story even creepier and more intriguing. To top it off the main character's feelings of spookiness and feeling unsettled can really resonate with the readers. I even felt like the mystery surrounding some of the characters like what happened on the beach with Makani to make her have to move to Nebraska had me extremely intrigued. I really like Perkins new book and this new genre, I am definitely going to want to read this when it comes out.
Things I'm Seeing Without You by: Peter Boganni
I actually did read this book before from a copy I got at Book Con. I enjoyed the book, though I felt some parts to be a little too unrealistic. For the most part though I though this story was a good in depth look about loss, grief, letting go, and moving on. There were a few things I felt I had to have more suspension of disbelief about like the friend pretending to be Tess's online boyfriend after his death and Tess forgiving him a little too quickly or being able to travel to Italy on a whim with barely any consequences. Overall, I did enjoy this book but felt it was a little unrealistic at some parts in the story.
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
This story took a while to pull me in. If I am not interested in a story after a few pages I usually do not like the book. Sadly, though I tried to give this story a chance, I just did not find it very interesting or intriguing. The conversations had in the story felt dull and the exposition and descriptions of character's past and lives felt just the same. However, I did like the struggle that Xifeng felt revolving about what she wanted and her life with her aunt, Guma and Guma's opinion about Xifeng's love life and desires. I also liked the character's work as a seamstress/tailor and thought that her desire to want to be with the emperor was relatable to the fairy tale esque story that the author was going for. So as I read, I do have to admit, the story picked up a little bit. Overall, I thought this was an okay sample, but I am not 100& sure if I will want to read this book once it is released in stores.
I enjoyed these chapter samples, for the most part. I feel some of these stories made me want to not read the book when it comes out or made me feel like I will only possibly want to read the stories. However, more books samples supplied in this sampler actually made me very excited for the books coming out. I was already planning on wanting to read the new Stephanie Perkin's
novel, but this helped make me even more hype. I was not sure if I would like Warcross, but after reading the sample I am definitely going to want to buy the book or get it from my local library. I am very glad I read this chapter sampler and I hope that those who read this will be able to pick their next read, by viewing this sampler., but this helped make me even more hype. I was not sure if I would like Warcross, but after reading the sample I am definitely going to want to buy the book or get it from my local library. I am very glad I read this chapter sampler and I hope that those who read this will be able to pick their next read, by viewing this sampler.
I received this chapter sampler from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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