Short Stories I

I've been on kind of a short story kick for a while.  I avoided them for some time, but most of the time I like being able to devour these shorts in such a, well, short time.  Here are the ones I've read recently (and I'm being pretty loose in my use of the word recently, as some of these are from last year...).  Also, is anyone else so stingy that the thought of paying $3.00 or really anything for short stories is painful?  Let's just say, I prefer the free ones.  And those that aren't?  Thank you, library, for having them available.


Double Crossed by Ally Carter
Absolutely loved this.  I adore Ally Carter's series and seeing the two collide was so fun.  This was the perfect kind of story, too.  A short story should pretty much have an arc all its own and this one was wonderful.  It was perfect for devouring in one sitting and feeling satisfied.  Can't wait for more from this author!



Among the Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund
I enjoyed this short as well, though I think it left me a bit confused.  I liked seeing where Kai was when he left, but it didn't feel quite like a full story.  There was a lot of new stuff and not a lot of page time to explain it.  Still, I loved the book it went with enough to love this as well.



The New World by Patrick Ness
It has been ages since I finished the Chaos Walking trilogy, but this one has been sitting in my reader and I wanted to give it a try.  I felt like I was able to fall right back into Ness' world without any kind of refresher.  I loved seeing how Violet got there and what it must have been like.  Makes me want to do a reread.



The Spring Before I Met You AND The Summer Before I Met You by Sarah Rees Brennan
I'm lumping these two together, since they are from the same series.  I liked them a lot, mostly because of Brennan's fabulous writing, though I also thought the idea of seeing our two main characters from the POV of an outsider was interesting.  Fun stories, though not necessarily in the content (both were a bit heavy). 


Neverfall by Brodi Ashton
I thought this was rather an essential story to read for the whole trilogy to make sense.  I read it right before the last book and I think it made Cole a lot easier to understand.  His motivations and a bit of his history.  A nice addition to the series.


Life Before Legend by Marie Lu
I think I would have liked this more if I'd read it closer to when I read the second book.  Or maybe even the first.  I have to admit I had forgotten a lot of the story.  Even now, trying to remember the last book in the series, I'm drawing a blank.  I know I liked it, but I seem to have forgotten why...


Roar and Liv AND Brooke by Veronica Rossi
These two were both wonderful looks at some of my favorite side characters (well, Brooke wasn't a favorite, but her story was still interesting).  I loved seeing more of Roar and Liv and what it must have been like for Roar to lose her.  They were both rather painful reads and I think they make sense when both of them are read close together.  We see a lot about Brooke and possibly some motivation for her actions.  Loved them!


UnStrung by Neal Shusterman
This one was definitely important for me to read before I got to the third book.  I think it makes that one seem less like it's out of the blue.  I'm still not sure how I feel about short stories that are kind of required to enjoy the series.  Still, this one was a full story and it was beautiful and heart-breaking.  Definitely vital for more understanding of UnSouled. 



Isolation by Dan Wells
This was an interesting short story about Heron and I found it both intriguing and a little bit hard to follow.  It jumps back and forth in time and I didn't like that sometimes.  But I thought the story definitely made Heron make a LOT more sense in learning more about her history.  Good to read before Ruins.


Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson
First, I felt this was just the right length for a short story.  Most of these have been, though some felt a little too short :)  I loved seeing more of our "heroes" and just what it must have been like in the aftermath of the first book.  I don't know if it's essential for the next one, but I sure liked getting more story in the meantime.

Any favorite short stories you have found?  What's your favorite kind of short story?

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Book Review: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780763647513
Source: Library

Viola and Todd are both caught up in wars that seem to have no end and no good can come of them.  The Spackle have risen against them and Todd must make a dangerous choice between what he knows is right and what he feels like he must do to save Viola.  Viola is also being torn between her friends who just arrived and being able to bring peace for Todd.  The war is ugly and it changes how both Todd and Viola think - can they both survive together?

Things I Liked:
The book definitely packs a punch.  There is so much to think about and it will make you question what type of person you would be in a similar situation.  What choices would you make to save someone you loved?  Not to mention the story is action-packed with twists and turns that you don't see coming until it hits you right in the face.  The plot is so well done and the surprises just perfect that you won't be able to put it down.  Or stop thinking about it when you're done.  An awesome sci-fi/dystopia/futuristic story that still packs the punch of the first two books.

Things I Didn't Like:
The only thing I found bothersome was that the message seemed a little heavy-handed.  Every few pages, we would be reminded of the exceptionally hard choices Todd and Viola make.  It also explicitly asked several times how far would a person go to save someone they love?  I think we could have figured out the theme without having it spelled out for us.  Still quite powerful and thought-provoking.

Read-alikes:
Read the first two books in the Chaos Walking trilogy
Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
plenty

mrg-factor: X
nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->->->
there is a lot of fighting and gore (it's about war, remember?)

Overall rating: ****



What's your favorite really unique book?

Posted as part of the YA-D2 dystopian challenge

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Book Review: The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

The Ask and the Answer is the action-packed second book in the Chaos Walking series.  Viola and Todd made it to Haven, only to land in the hands of the very person they were running from.  They are separated and Todd begins life under the rule of President Prentiss and works with his son, Davy.  Every day he is forced to do things he doesn't want to, and wonders how he can find Viola and escape.  Viola becomes involved with the mysterious group known as the Answer and finds herself drawn into things she is uncertain she wants to do.  Will they be able to find one another and will they recognize each other when they do?

Things I Liked:

This continues to be a very intense story, making me wish I could devour it in one sitting.  I find the setting very interesting, the characters complex, and their interactions believable.  I like the way different dialects are written and the way Noise is set apart from regular speaking and thinking.  Ness has a real talent for creating an intriguing and also terrifyingly realistic story.  The book also gives you a lot to think about, such as this:

"Men have Noise and the way they handle it is to make themselves just a little bit dead, but you, even when you want to, you can't.  More than any man I've ever met, Todd, you feel... But that makes you powerful, Todd Hewitt.  In this world of numbness and information overload, the ability to feel, my boy, is a rare gift indeed." p459

Things I Didn't Like:

It really grates on a person to read a story so hopeless, doomed, and fatalistic.  Sometimes it was bordering on the melodramatic as well.  I hated the ending, partly because it seemed inevitable, but especially because it was a choice one of the characters made and choices were so important throughout the book.

Read-alikes:

Read the first in the series The Knife of Never Letting Go
Somewhat like The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Kind of like the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:

s-factor: !@

some, not a lot

mrg-factor: X

a very few references

v-factor: ->->->->

a lot of violence and fighting

Overall rating: ****

Do you ever struggle with finishing books that seem hopeless or depressing?

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I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

The Knife of Never Letting Gois the intense story of Todd, the last boy in his village, who one day discovers something new - silence - in the form of a girl. Todd lives in a world where thoughts - everyone's thoughts - can be heard. He is always surrounded by Noise, his own and every other man in his village. But, when he discovers this silence, he doesn't realize he is uncovering terrible secrets about his village. When he must flee his home in the company of this girl, he sets out on a dangerous escape that just might lead to freedom or death.

Things I Liked:
This story kept me turning pages as fast as I could! Ness sure knows how to write a story that will knock your socks off and keep your eyes open (all night, if necessary). I had a hard time putting it down, because I just had to know what happened next. The story was heartwrenching, unique, and not exactly what I expected. And the ending? I almost threw the book I was so upset! The cliffhanger made me really happy the sequel was already out. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a copy yet. The writing was excellent, and I really enjoyed how the Noise was written in the book. Here is a quote that will only give you a small glimpse of its awesomeness:

'Cuz I see Viola looking back at me as we run and there's brightness on her face and she keeps urging me on with tilts of her head and smiles and I think how hope may be the thing that pulls you forward, may be the thing that keeps you going, but that it's dangerous, too, that it's painful and risky, that it's making a dare to the world and when has the world ever let us win a dare? p423

Things I Didn't Like:
It felt really fatalistic, which isn't necessarily bad since that was probably the point, but it didn't make for happy feelings after I finished. Especially the ending! Of course, with any dystopian story, I wanted more information!

Read-alikes:
The Giverand Messengerby Lois Lowry
Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty of swearing

mrg-factor: X
some references

v-factor: ->->->->
there was a lot of violence, some of it pretty graphic

Overall rating: ****

How do you feel about cliffhanger endings? Love them, hate them, can't live without them?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage