The Fates Divide

Book 26 of 2018 is The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth.

This series excites and confuses me. She's so strong and still vulnerable. Her love is kind and confused. Same ol', same ol'. The thing is that you want more and that is where the parents come in. The dysfunctional family.

There are enough characters to keep me excited and not too many to Wheel of Time me.

I looked forward to every new chapter. The second book is better than the first.

4 journeys out of 5.

Should I read this? Only for people who can deal with the depths of human suffering and self journey.
What did I learn? I'm still searching for my place.

Turtles All The Way Down

Book 55 is Turtles All The Way Down by John Green.

It is rare for me to like a John Green so I can't for the life of me work out why I picked this up.

To clear things up quickly, I didn't like it.

It's the typical pattern or quotes from other people, teenage angst-love-heartbreak and Green summing up the whole point of the story in the last two chapters.

I'd wonder like to ask if he writes the end of his books first and then fills in the justification for them because it all feels too rushed and doesn't always fit.

Even the title of the book is hollow in its use in the story.

These books are for teenagers and having not been one for many years, I can happily say that this book may appeal to other when it did not to me.

2 predictable twists with dead parents out of 5.

Should I read this? If you are under 20 years old, maybe.
What did I learn? I'm over 20 years old.

Hopeless Magic

Book 30 of 2017 is Hopeless Magic from the Star-Crossed series the by Rachel Higginson.

I read the first book from this series a month ago and enjoyed it enough to want to read the second book.

After finishing this arduous read with a whining teenage girl and her band of merry teenage men chasing her along with the "once you have sex you are bonded for life" message, I was glad it ended. There will be no more reading from this conservative non-subtle instruction on how young women cause trouble by speaking their minds and should think carefully of who they will marry because he owns you forever.

It. Was. Painful.

This had to have been written by a middle aged suburban housewife who wished she had never married her boring muggle husband.

1 spoilt Omaha teenage victim out of 5.

Should I read this? No. The first book ends implying more lies ahead in this book but nothing does.
What did I learn? First books in a series should be standalone.

Legend

Book 18 of 2017 is Legend by Marie Lu.

This is another young adult series that I will continue to read. Both the main female and male characters are likable and multidimensional.

The premise of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks mixed with the girl learning that the world she assumes is right may not be what it seems is interesting.

To be honest, the lead female character is strong and forceful. She is fun to read.

4 twists out of 5.

Should I read this? Only if you enjoy young adult novels.
What did I learn? I love female characters written by women.

Illuminae

Book 5 of 2017 is Illuminae by Amie Kaufman.

Continuing with consciously reading female authors in 2017 sees me read my fifth in five books. I'm sure I can't ignore male authors but this gives me a good incentive to read books I may have decided to top with something higher up the pile written by a man. It is changing my reading style.

This book is very interesting. It is written in the style of a hacked dossier so fits the whole wikileaks theme of the moment. The AI character is very HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey but extends that in a Young Adult book way. I won't say too much about that so as not to spoil it for anyone.

This is book one of a series and I'm not sure I will continue with it but this was enjoyable because it was original but safely predictable.

Three space walks out of five.

Should I read this? This is another YA book that will appeal to someone who wants an easy read with a few twists.
What did I learn? You never know when your entire world will fall apart so live life like this is your last day on Earth... or the moon.

The 5th Wave

Book 18 of 2016 is The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.

This book has been on list of books to read since 2014. It was actually in my top ten reads and kept getting pushed down the list by other books because I always knew I'd read it one day. It only took two years to get there.

This is another Young Adult book, which is I genre I enjoy for the adventure and very easy reading.

This is another post apocalyptic tale with a strong female lead with a mission that will not be taken from her.

This is another sit down and read in two days book.

The main character Cassie is believable and likeable. There are moments when she says something very teenage girl and then snaps herself out of it. This gave truly gives away the fact that a man wrote her and not a woman. I say this because women can have multiple trains of thought going simultaneously without so deliberately halting a thought as silly and starting a new one. That other way is a very male way of thinking.

Through this book, all the major characters are fighting to save someone more innocent than themselves. It is as if when the world as they new it ended, they fought to hold on to their own innocence. This is repeated and honed as a well played metaphor in this story. Nicely original in many ways. Or at least originally presented.

Four waves out of five.

Should I read this? Yes, if you like sci-fi AND you like young adult fiction.
What did I learn? We protect in others what we lost in ourselves.