The Replaced by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Science Fiction

The Taking Series, Book 2

Kimberly Derting's website

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Note:  This is the second book in a series.  Descriptions below have the potential to spoil the plot in the first book.

Description (taken from Kimberly Derting's website):

Kyra hasn't been the same since she returned from her mysterious five-year disappearance. Now, on the run from the NSA, Kyra is forced to hide out with others who, like her, have been Returned. Yet she is determined to find Tyler, the boy she loves who was also abducted . . . all because of her. When her group intercepts a message that Tyler might still be alive, Kyra risks everything to get him back. But he is being held by a shadowy government organization that experiments on the Returned, and going after him puts the rest of the group in danger. Even if Kyra gets Tyler back, the fight to save him—and the rest of the Returned—is just beginning.

This book picks up right where the first one left: with Kyra eagerly searching for Tyler.  She takes the blame for Tyler's abduction and is anxiously waiting to see if he is okay.  However, the group of Returned she is with have ulterior motives.

Kyra is convinced her group of friends will help her find Tyler and her dad.  But Simon is also convinced Kyra will see the big picture when she's ready for it.  And maybe, just maybe, she'll let go of her high school crush on Tyler.  Natty is ready to help her friend Kyra no matter what it takes.  And Thom?  He's going to protect his group and as long as Simon is out-thwarted, he's okay.  But when the group encounters another group of Returned, all mayhem seems to break loose.  And the social order is thrown into a brick wall.

I feel like this book flows very smoothly.  And while the very premise of the story has everything to do with aliens, we never get to see a cameo of these aliens.  So it's very misconceiving and this story is shrouded more in mystery when it comes to the science fiction aspect.  This story is more of an action-drama where the teenagers avoid the corrupted authority.  But we also find out that teenagers aren't always the best of leaders and at making the best decisions.

After reading this one, I'm not sure I want to read the next one.  Yes, the story is well-paced.  But in the end, I kind of want to know more about the aliens and less about Kyra's drama.

The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Science Fiction

The Taking Series, Book 1

Kimberly Derting's website

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Description (taken from Kimberly Derting's website):

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas 'n' Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn't aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra's old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn't sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin's annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra's father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Kyra is living the average life as a star pitcher on her high school's softball team.  She's got the perfect dad who's trying to get her into a good college.  She's got the boyfriend, and they're madly in love.  But suddenly she disappears and life moves on without her.  When she returns, will she be able to live the same life she once had?

When Kyra returns to her world: Earth, five years have passed.  And everyone she's loved has moved on without her.  And it's not pleasant.  Her dad has become a conspiracy theorist who now believes in aliens.  And as crazy as that sounds, it begins to explain a lot of what happened to her.  Her past boyfriend's kid brother suddenly isn't a kid anymore.  And he's eager to help her figure things out.  But when mysterious people show up asking questions she can't answer, Kyra finds herself in danger.  And even though she'll be fighting for her life, she finds the last five years that she can't remember did something to her.

This book had so much potential.  But it seemed like all this book did was build the world and set up the suspense for the aliens.  But nothing gets answered.  That's like my biggest pet peeve with books.  A million questions with no answers.  I enjoyed this story, I just wished something had been answered.

It's a novel concept: a story about aliens.  And I'm sure there are going to be others who enjoy this one more than I did.  I hope the second one's better...

The Offering by Kimberly Derting

The Offering by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Fantasy

The Pledge series, Book 3

Kimberly Derting's website

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Note:  Information below was built from the first two books.  So of course it'll spoil the first two books if you're not careful.  Go read the series.

Description (taken from Book Blast):

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.

Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

The end of a series.  It's usually satisfying to close the last book of a series and call it completed.  And this one doesn't disappoint with its ending.  I had to look at my reviews of the last two books to recall my thoughts.

This book immediately jumps into Charlie trying to forge a shaky alliance with Astonia.  When Queen Elena offers Charlie an ultimatum, she, along with Sabara's essence, must decide what to do for the sake of her queendom.  With Sabara at odds against Charlie's plan, we see Charlie trying to come up with a plan to rid herself of Sabara once and for all.  Only problem is Sabara's privy to all of Charlie's thoughts and has plans to counter them.

I must say that I still hold the same opinions from the first two books.  This is an excellent story to follow.  An original world, a one-of-a-kind story, and a bit of romance.  However, the characters don't seem to develop much.  You kind of see them as is and no more.  Don't get me wrong, they do amazing things.  I guess it just feels like the story went too fast.  I wish I could have seen more Sabara, more Niko, more Max.  Also, Charlie's plan was a little childish, and I wanted something more substantial to back her up.  It just wasn't enough, but it was still good.

Read this series for the story.  The plot is excellent.  It's a fun, quick, and easy read.  I think you'll enjoy it.

Thanks goes to Simon & Schuster for providing me a review copy.

About the Author

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.

Excerpt

The two guards dragged Xander toward a small, round opening in the stone floor, a hole through which blood could easily drain away to the sewers. They, along with two others who’d appeared, pinned him to the ground while he continued to writhe and scream. They waited until he was too weary to fight any longer. Until he had no other option but to accept this fate he’d been handed.

Then the executioner raised his blade.

Niko would have closed his eyes, if Elena wasn’t observing him so keenly. Unlike Niko, she had no interest in turning away. She seemed to relish the moment.

When the axe fell and the sharp crack of metal struck stone beneath, he felt the slightest jerk from beside him. But when he turned his gaze on her, he saw that she was frowning at the hem of her gown, rather than at the grisly view at her feet.

“Will you look at that,” she clucked, craning her neck to get a better look, and ignoring everything else going on around her. “He got blood on my new dress.”

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Book Blast and Giveaway: The Offering by Kimberly Derting

Have you guys read this series yet?  Did you know the final book is coming out next year?  Let me tell you, it does have a satisfying ending...

The Offering by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Fantasy

The Pledge series, Book 3

Kimberly Derting's website

Expected publication date:  December 31, 2013

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Book Blast):

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.

Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

About the Author

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.

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The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Dystopian Fantasy

The Pledge Series, Book 2

Kimberly Derting's website

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Description (taken from Kimberly Derting's website):

Though it has been months since Charlaina—Charlie—defeated the tyrant Sabara and took control of the Ludanian crown, Sabara has not disappeared. The old queen's Essence has fused itself to Charlie's psyche and is viciously fighting to overpower Charlie.

Balancing her new duties as Queen and battling both Sabara's voice and a growing resistance to her rule push Charlie to the brink of exhaustion. She wants to be the same old Charlie she has ever been but now she is Your Majesty.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with the leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages is the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

I'm trying to figure out why I've been striking out on so many 'second' books.  Maybe it's because all the enthusiasm I had for the first books didn't hold for the whole year I had to wait for the next book.  Or I've forgotten too much of the plot to continue with satisfaction.  Maybe I need to quit reading debut novels until after the whole trilogy is out, so I don't lose the story while waiting.

Ugh, so I felt like this book just kind of made me question the whole world that Charlie lives in.  I questioned the fantasy part, what actually happened in the first book, Charlie herself, her friends, and the plot.  The first book seemed a little more clear cut: there's an evil queen, destroy her and let good triumph.  And then the second comes along, and we find out it's a lot harder to keep the good triumphing.  It's also hard to try to make the good look bad and give a reason for rioters.

Reading this book, we start to lose ourselves a little with who the evil threats really are.  Who we thought were good and evil in the first book suddenly begin to loosen and move towards the other end in this book.  And I don't think it set well for me.  And I feel like the characters were flat here; they didn't continue to develop.

Agh, I don't think I'll continue this series.  I wanted it to be something great for me, but it feels like time away from this series was not a good thing for me.

Challenges:  Dystopia Reading Challenge

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Dystopian Fantasy

Kimberly Derting's website

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Kimberly Derting's website):

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

So, I was surprised with this book.  When I first heard about it, I was definitely intrigued.  But I'm not a big fan of The Body Finder books, so I waited to read this one.  However, I don't think classifying this novel as pure dystopian is accurate.  The setting isn't this world set in the future (unless you add some paranormal influence to it).  Hence I added fantasy to the genre.

I can't really describe any bit of the book without ruining the plot for you.  It is an intricate book that gives you piece after piece to help you build the puzzle.  Granted, I wasn't completely hooked until halfway through the book.

The only drawback I have is everything seemed to fit in a little too well.  Like it was a match made in heaven.  As long as you don't question the story as it unfolds, then you'll be fine reading the book.  It also seemed like this book could be a standalone novel, but it's not.  So I'll most likely be reading the next one next year...

Challenges:  Young Adult Reading Challenge

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Genre:  YA Paranormal Mystery

The Body Finder Series, Book 1

Kimberly Derting's website
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Description (taken from Kimberly Derting's website):

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

This book was very slow-going for me.  It could have been the third person aspect, but I was left wanting more.  I wanted to see more body finding action, more romance, more interesting parts, less description of the everyday-boring routine (I get enough of that in my own life).  The book did finally hook my interests about two-thirds through, but I still felt a little jipped.  Maybe I read too many awesome reviews about this book.

Will I continue this series?  Probably not.  There wasn't enough excitement in this book.  However I find a lot of other people love this series, so there is potential...