This Is Where We Die by Cindy R. X. He

“Eight friends went on a trip. Only six made it out alive. Now a killer has one night to make sure the survivors pay for what they did … so that zero make it out alive. 

Sadie, Will, Isla, Anthony, Emily, and Charlie are survivors. They were the six (out of eight) to return from a ski holiday turned nightmare two years ago. Although … nobody knows exactly what happened; the details hushed up via the wealth and connections of Sadie's rich parents.

When an exclusive private island with a mansion for rent goes viral on social media, their graduating class persuades Sadie to rent it for the weekend. The six arrive first by helicopter and wait for the rest of their classmates to join them by boat the next day.

But nobody ever comes.

Cut off from the rest of the world with no cell service and no means off the island, paranoia and terror mount as they start to be picked off one by one by an unseen killer. Their past has finally caught up with them, and they'll need to figure out who is killing them before they all wind up dead.” - taken from Goodreads.

This is a YA take on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Eight friends went on a ski trip but only six survived and no one talks about what happened. Now with graduation over, they decide to have one last night together before some other friends arrive on the private island that they rented for a party. Sadie, Isla, Emily, Charlie, Will, and Ant are all bound by the horrific secret that no one talks about. As soon as the six arrive on the island, they realize that they are trapped and at the mercy of someone who wants them to pay for what happened on that ill-fated ski trip. Told from six points of view with flashbacks to the ski trip, who will survive the weekend and who wants them dead?

Visit Cindy R. X. He’s website.

Six Must Die by Victoria Wlosok

“Twelve months ago, an escape room fire took everything from Steffi Zamekova. In just one hour, she lost it all: her popular blog, her close-knit inner circle, and her memories of the night that killed one of the group’s own… the charismatic (if infuriating) Matt Cesari.

On the anniversary of the bewildering tragedy, Steffi is still desperate to piece together what went wrong. So when she receives an ominous invitation in the mail summoning her to the new escape room across town, she seizes the chance for answers.

Reunited with her former friends, Steffi sees the game as a last chance to uncover the truth behind Matt’s death. But it’s soon clear that each participant has their own cagey reasons for accepting the challenge. And as tensions rise and the players are picked off one by one, it’s a race against the clock for Steffi to uncover their secrets and unlock her own memories before the game’s mastermind ensures that no one escapes the room alive.” - taken from Goodreads.

Steffi hasn't seen her friends since the night her best friend Matt died in a fire that occurred in the escape room that they were attending. Now the six of them have been brought back together at an inferno themed game the night before their high school graduation by an unknown person. Steffi suffers from a traumatic brain injury and hopes that playing the escape room scenario will allow her to remember the events of that deadly night .

What really happened the night of the escape room fire? Can Steffi regain her memories of that night? Who and why has someone brought the six survivors back to another escape room? Readers will be surprised.

Visit Victoria Wlosok’s website.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (A Hunger Games novel)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a prequel to The Hunger Games and is a continuation of the story.

“When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.” - taken from Goodreads.

The story of Haymitch Abernathy and the absolute horrors he suffered during his time in the Hunger Games. Seeing life in District 12 before Katniss and Peeta were born and how events from The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes fit together was incredible. I also loved seeing some previous victors that we met in Catching Fire. It was insightful. I cannot wait to see what story Ms. Collins will tell next.

Visit Suzanne Collins’ website.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games book #0)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a prequel to The Hunger Games and is a continuation of the story.

“Ambition will fuel him.

Competition will drive him.

But power has its price.

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.” - taken from Goodreads.

I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book. I loved seeing inside the inner workings of Coriolanus Snow and what it took to make him the ultimate villain that we loved to hate in The Hunger Games.

Visit Suzanne Collins’ website.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

 

“By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.” - taken from Goodreads.

A haunting twist on The Hunger Games that kept me turning the pages until the end.

Visit Ava Reid’s website.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

“Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early—The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by…a demon?

But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human—going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle.

Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?” - taken from Goodreads.

A creepy yet cheesy horror film like thriller that will shock readers by the ending. This book does start off super slow in building the plot and the action really doesn’t start until around chapter five. The best parts of this book are the friendships and Devin trying to repair the bond with her sister Dru.

Visit Joelle Wellington’s website.

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe (Girls I’ve Been book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Girls I’ve Been, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“High school is over, but Nora O'Malley's life isn't, which is weird now that her murderous stepdad Raymond is free.

Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a ten day backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. Her plans hit a snag when Wes's girlfriend tags along. Amanda is nice, so it's not a huge issue—until she gets taken. Or rather, mistaken...for Nora. All because of a borrowed flannel.

Now Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris has a spear and Wes is building boobytraps. It'll take all of their skills to make it out of the forest alive.

There are three problems: Someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets.

And someone has to die.” - taken from Goodreads.

A great continuation of Nora O’Malley’s story now that most of her secrets are out. A backpacking trip with Iris, Wes, and Wes’s girlfriend Amanda goes off the rails when Raymond Keene decides to reclaim his daughter Ashley (Nora), no matter the cost. Delving into Ashley’s (Nora’s) past life along with the unexpected return of a former mark, not everyone will make it out of the forest alive. Hold on tight because this sequel is as good as the first.

Visit Tess Sharpe’s website.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

 

“Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.)

These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a slow read for me. I heard such great things about this book that I couldn’t wait to read it. Unfortunately, it took awhile for me to get into it. Not wanting to give up and see how the story ended, the ending was okay. Definitely not one of my favorites. 

Visit Talia Hibbert’s website.

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len (Monsters book 1)

“It should have been the perfect summer. Sent to stay with her late mother’s eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her nerdy job at the historic Holland House, and when her super cute co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place.

But she soon learns the truth. Her family aren’t just eccentric: they’re monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers. And Nick isn’t just a cute boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to bring them down.

As she battles Nick, Joan is forced to work with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates her own. She’ll have to embrace her own monstrousness if she is to save herself, and her family. Because in this story . . .

. . . she is not the hero” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an incredible start to a planned trilogy. Summer is going great for Joan, especially when her cute coworker Nick asks her out on a date. But the day doesn't begin as she hoped when a strange occurrence finds that Joan has traveled forward in time and missed her date. Arriving back at home, her grandmother tells her the truth about the family. They are monsters with the ability to steal time from humans to travel in time. Shocked by this news, Joan is warned never to tell anyone the truth about herself. 

Wanting to explain to Nick why it seems she stood him up, they are interrupted by the sudden arrival of a rival monster family. Trying to save them both, Joan finds herself in the middle when Nick reveals that he is the fabled hero whose destiny is to kill all monsters. With her family dead, Joan is determined to change the timeline to save her family and stop Nick. 

Book two will be published in 2023.

Visit Vanessa Len’s website.

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson (The Remnant Chronicles book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

“Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now?” - take from Goodreads.com

The stunning conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles that leave eagerly awaiting what happens to Lia, Rafe, Kaden and all of their friends. No one is safe and not all storylines necessarily have a happy ending. The is a massive tome numbering at 684 pages!

Why hasn't Lia’s wedding kavah disappeared? What secrets have her mother and Rafe kept from Lia? Who is Kaden’s father? Is the Komizar still alive? Will Venda attack? Can Lia ever return to Morrighan? Will her parents forgive her? Can she save her kingdom from the traitors within? Will Lia and Rafe fulfill their marriage contract? Can Lia live happily ever after?

Visit Mary E. Pearson’s website.

The Last Star by Rick Yancey (The 5th Wave book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, The 5th Wave and The Infinite Sea, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher on the first book in the series.

“The enemy is Other. The enemy is us.

They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.

But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.

In these last days, Earth’s remaining survivors will need to decide what’s more important: saving themselves…or saving what makes us human.” - Goodreads.com

Four days is all that remains before the end of humanity and Earth as Cassie and company know it. In a race against time, the Others and each other to stop the destruction, everyone finds out what exactly the 5th Wave entails and just how far humanity has been duped. A bit confusing at times as who as survived for another day, the ending isn’t all wrapped up in a neat bow.

Visit Rick Yancey’s website.

The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

Unwind - Book One

Here is the link to one of my very first blog reviews I wrote for Unwind way back in March 2010. At the time, Unwind was a stand alone title. There were no plans at the time to expand the world into the now completed four book series.

UnWholly - Book Two

SPOILER ALERT! Please don’t read any further if you haven’t read the first book in the dystology, Unwind. I wouldn’t want to ruin the story for you.

Since the high profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp led by Connor Lassiter, Risa Ward and Lev Calder, unwinding has moved to the forefront of society. It is something that can no longer be ignored. In fact, a ban has been put in place that seventeen-year-olds can no longer be unwound. Body parts are now becoming scarce. Connor is in charge of the Graveyard since the death of the admiral while Risa works medical detail. Things are tough for Conner, always wondering when the Juvenile Authority is going to decide to take over and if the ADR (Anti-Divisional Resistance) will come through with much needed supplies. There is discontent brewing through the Graveyard with the arrival of a new AWOL.

Mason Michael Starkey was storked or abandoned on a doorstep. Never really wanted by his adoptive parents, he has been bullied his entire life. The kids all call him Storky and he stays in trouble. Always knowing the day would probably come, Starkey has always made several plans to escape. The Akron AWOL is his hero. When the juvey-cops come in the middle of the night to take him to be unwound, he eventually makes his escape. Starkey is later found by the Anti-Divisional Resistance and taken to the Graveyard. There, he finally meets face-to-face with the Akron AWOL and Starkey is not impressed by Connor.

Camus Comprix or Cam is literally a superior specimen of the human body and mind. He was literally created using the best parts of unwound teenagers; intelligently designed. Major contributors have spared no expense to see him thrive and be the best of the best. When he is revealed to the world, shock waves ripple through society. To make him seem more “human”, the company behind his creation thinks a girlfriend is in order. Cam has eyes for only one, a wheelchair bound girl.

Miracolina Roselli was conceived for the sole purpose of being a donor for her older brother when he was stricken with leukemia and no match could be found. She has always known that her purpose now is to be tithed. Even on the day she is to go to the harvest camp, her parents regret their decision and attempt to stop it. Miracolina has other plans and happily goes, leaving her family heartbroken. Just before the van she is riding in arrives at the Wood Hollow Harvest Camp, Miracolina is captured by the resistance group, where she meets Lev Calder. She is furious.

Why have the authorities not raided the Graveyard? Who is behind the creation of Cam and why did they do it? How did Lev get involved with the resistance group? Is Starkey to be trusted? Who will be betrayed? And who will uncover the truth behind unwinding?

Once again interspersed with advertisements, newspaper articles and snippets of the law, readers will be thrusted into the debate to unwind or not.  

UnSouled - Book Three

There is no safe place for the AWOLs and the key to ending unwinding may lie back where it all started.

UnDivided - Book Four

The journey to end unwinding comes to the final showdown.

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.
Visit the Unwind movie site. The movie is currently listed as being in development.

The Testing trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau

Book one – The Testing 

The Seven Stages War left Earth a damaged and devastated world. The first four stages were brought about by manmade warfare on the Asian side of the planet and spread. During the last three stages, Earth retaliated against man for the biochemical destruction and radiation by unleashing earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. The United Commonwealth chose the former site of Wichita, Kansas as its capital because of its non-strategic location and the fact it escaped the first four stages of the war. Its new name is Tosu City.

Malencia "Cia" Vale resides in the Five Lakes colony with her parents and four older brothers. Five Lakes is one of the smallest and farthest colonies from Tosu City. She is graduating today. At sixteen, she is by far the youngest member of her class. Cia is hoping that she will be chosen for The Testing. Only the best and brightest graduates are chosen by the Commonwealth for the program. Her eldest brother, Zeen, was disappointed when he wasn’t chosen for The Testing. Their father was and attended the university where he learned to genetically alter plants and trees to be able to survive in Earth's blighted soil. His sons work with him. Cia has also been offed a job but she is more mechanically inclined and usually kills plants. Rumors swirl at the ceremony that a special guest will make an announcement. Cia is disappointed when no one is chosen for The Testing. The rumor was just a rumor after all.

The next morning, Cia's mother persuades her to go to Kip Drysten's to ask him for a job. He repairs farm equipment. Cia is relieved when he is out on a job and won’t be home for several days. She rides to the town square and is relieved that most people there are too busy to speak to her. Cia finally begins the ride back home to help her mother prepare for her graduation party that night. On the way, she runs into one of her brothers. Magistrate Owens had sent a message to their father requesting Cia's appearance at her house in just under an hour. She has to hurry to make it.

It turns out that Cia is the last to arrive. Also sitting at Magistrate Owens's house are three of her fellow graduates; Tomas Endress, Malachi Rourke and Zandri Hicks. Cia sits next to Tomas when he smiles and motions for her to sit next to him. Owens apologizes for the short notice and introduces Michal Gallen, a Tosu City official. He was supposed to attend the graduation ceremony but was delayed. He reads from a sheet of paper explaining The Testing. He ends his speech by announcing that all four of them have been chosen. They will leave in the morning. When Zandri ask if she can decline, Michael informs her that she doesn't have a choice; it is the law. Failure for not presenting oneself for The Testing is a form of treason. Everyone in the room knows that treason is punishable by death.

Cia returns home to tell her family and finds her party is in full swing. Her father is the first to notice the official United Commonwealth bag hanging from her shoulder and he immediately announces to everyone what it means. Her brothers are the first to congratulate her but she notices that her eldest brother Zeen slipping out of the room. The party turns out to be Cia's last chance to tell her friends goodbye. While helping her mother clean up afterwards, her mother weighs in on what Cia take with her. Her father comes and asks if he can take a walk with Cia to spend a little quiet time. They head out into the garden. He tells her that should have never been chosen. Shocked and angry at first, Cia cannot believe the secrets that her father divulges. He tells her to trust no one. She is no longer sure what she should expect at The Testing.

What is the purpose of The Testing? Why was Cia and the others from Five Lakes chosen after so many years of no candidates? Are the horrors that her father remembers really true? Can Cia trust the one boy from home who wants to form an alliance? Will Cia or anyone else survive? 

Book two – Independent Study

“Failure is not an option.”

Book three – Graduation Day
 
“The final test is the deadliest"

 Visit Joelle Charbonneau’s website.