Book Review: The Atheist by Alpha Cauwenbergh

"I think therefore I am... I think therefore I am... But I am not, and have never been. I have been thinking for years but still have yet to see evidence for my existence; I guess that is another human saying of theirs that I don't agree with. They are always in my thoughts and in my heart..." 
- The Atheist, Alpha Cauwenbergh.

 When Alpha emailed me and gave me the plot for his book I was intrigued. The idea for this story was unique. The idea of angel like creatures seeing over earth and splitting themselves, and half being punished by being sent to earth was different. Needless to say I accepted his book.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Julian, a mixed race boy from a broken home is 17 and in his last year of sixth form. After losing his mother in sudden and mysterious circumstances, he grew up with hate and resentment in his heart. His loving father, unable to tame him lives a life unfulfilled. Julian has long since lost faith in religious and academic institutions. God, to him, is nothing but a 3 letter word said by the delusional. 

But, he's about to be thrown in the middle of a war between two beings from a realm above the heavens. A war that transcends time and space, whose battle ground has become the very fabric of existence itself. Its warriors, like fallen Angels, live among us -- hidden within a program designed for their rehabilitation. Julian will rediscover beliefs and emotions he had long since discarded, have them brutally tested, witness things no other mortal man has -- and through these trials discover the true meaning of faith.

At the beginning of our book, Julian is a teenage boy with a bad attitude. He's been given a bad lot in life and that's caused him to be a closed off jerk to everyone around him. I loved watching Julian evolve throughout the story. The way he grew to care about the people in his life was really sweet. I loved Julians dad and how he would slip into French. The nun, Aeryn, was as un-nun-ish as you could get. She was fun and sassy and wouldn't let anyone push her around. I enjoyed seeing Aeryn and Julian interact. The way he wanted to protect her from the evil going on around them and the way she treated him as though he wasn't going to break. 

So our villain. When he came into the story I was horrified. He's despicable in every way. And he wasn't one of those evil characters you secretly loved. He was terrifying. Twisted and psychotic. Every time the story went to his point of view it gave me the creeps. 

I said earlier that the idea for this book was unique. It was in many ways not what I was expecting. I felt that the whole "angel" thing was a little confusing. As was the faith thing. In the end there wasn't a god (or is there and we just have to have faith...?) there were just these beings created from one split being living in another dimension above earth. If you just think in your mind that they're angels it makes the whole thing a little less confusing. I feel like the story could have focused a little less on Julians lack of faith in a god and more on his faith in humanity. 

Depending on your book taste I think this book would be enjoyable. If you don't mind the slow start and the slightly confusing angel thing then its definitely enjoyable. The characters are well developed and the world Alpha has created is interesting. Definitely give it a try. You can't go wrong with "sort of" fallen angels and a lone figure being earths only hope. 

My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Author: Alpha Cauwenbergh
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 2015

Book Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

“She cried for the girl who had never belonged. A girl who tried so hard, harder than anyone else, and still never had anything to show for it.” 
- Fairest, Marissa Meyer

When I got this book I was expecting to see tragic things. Because most time, in most stories, that is how the villian is created. Fairest did not disappoint. But it wasn't the tragic I was expecting. I was expecting to feel sorry for Levana and I really tried. But seeing into her mind, what motivated her to do the things she did, killed any sympathy I felt for her. Marissa Meyer really surprised me with this one. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series. 

Seeing Lunar was really interesting. It was actually pretty similar to earth. Except for the fact that everyone uses a glamour and some can manipulate the feelings of others. I guess if I were born and raised there I would be like everyone else and that's how Levana is. She portrays herself as different but shes just the same as every, other cruel person. The "good" characters in this book are few and far between and they seem to be buried in the Lunar ways.

The thing with books like this is we've already seen the future Levana, so we know that she turns out to be a terrible person. It was truly interesting to see her as a young girl struggling with her identity though. Insecure and a joke with the other people of court. You can see how she got to the place shes at in the first three books  of the series. But I really don't think she can blame it on her family. Some things you could blame on them but the way Levana thinks and the little dreams, and ideas she has are just awful. And she doesn't even seem to think that. She thinks she has a right to do everything shes doing. For herself and Luna. And that makes it ten times creepier.

So you're reading all this and you're wondering why you should read it. You don't need it to read the last book so why bother with something so dark, right? Wrong. This book is dark, and chilling but it's also beautiful. Marissa Meyer blows me away with the way she weaves a story together. You can feel the anger, and distrust of the lunar court. The hatred of the two sisters is always a constant. And the evolution of Levana is shocking. Every chapter she gets a little darker, a little more twisted. And it's sad and terrible and gripping. You want to see her become better. Make the kinder choices but you know she won't.

If you love the series, then read this one. Don't skip over it because you hate Levana. You'll regret it.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Published: 2015

Book Review: The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

“By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers; it would still be his were the Martians ten times as mighty as they are. For neither do men live nor die in vain.” 
- The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells

I'm not much of a science fiction reader and I probably wouldn't have ever picked this up if it weren't for my book club. Its one of the first books about alien invasion and it's so interesting. You know that this man wasn't influenced by other books or movies this all just came right out of his head. It's actually a little terrifying to think about it.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Man had not yet learned to fly when H.G. Wells conceived this story of a Martian attack on England. Giant cylinders crash to Earth, disgorging huge, unearthly creatures armed with heat-rays and fighting machines. Amid the boundless destruction they cause, it looks as if the end of the world has come.

The story follows a man who is at the scene of the first martian landing. We see the wonder, the terror, and the utter defeat he feels. The journey as he treks across England looking for safety and finding none. The ending is crazy and mind boggling but I think H. G. Wells went about the whole book brilliantly.

The man we follow is determined to live. And from the very first scene you can tell that hes going to fight before he just rolls over and accepts that life as he knows it is over. As he journeys he starts to see that humanity takes a lot for granted. We are the rulers of the earth and everything bows to our will. But when the martians come he see that we are like ants to the martians.

At the time this was written there were no planes and you have to wonder just how different it would be if aliens invaded earth now. We have a lot more fire power and I'd like to think we wouldn't be thrown into chaos and be picked off so easily.

Towards the end of the book we run into a character who has a whole system worked out to build tunnels under England and only allow the strong in. The whole save humanity by hiding and coming out to fight stronger thing. And I had to think how many dystopian books have I read where there's a community in hiding waiting to come out and fight? Really I think H. G. Wells had a time machine.

It struck me while reading that this book was more about the way humans act than the martians invading earth. When he describes the scenes where people are thrown into chaos it was horrifying. He put it in such a graphic way and when he described how the people were treating each other it was disgusting. But I've heard so many real life stories about how people act when they're scared and their only concern is for themselves it was believable.

But the main characters give you hope for humanity and that's something I loved about the book. You could see that even though there was no way that the one man could defeat a martian he was still going to try. You could count on it.

If you want a book that is going to make you think then I recommend this one. H. G. Wells was way beyond his time period and that fact just gives you more to digest as you read.

My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Author: H. G. Wells
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 1898

Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

"Who do you think keeps this country safe so you can sleep at night?”
“I don’t sleep most nights. And to be honest, Your Grace, I don’t feel all that safe.”  
- The Girl in the Steel Corset, Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset isn't my typical read. I picked it up at the library when a friend suggested it and started reading it when I got bored. I got hooked. This book is a steam punk twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Set in the the late eighteen hundreds its a creative, unique read that is worth every line.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one... except the "thing" inside her.
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gas lit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on even if it seems no one believes her. 

I was really surprised when I enjoyed this book. It didn't sound that promising but the further I got into the book the more I enjoyed it. With fight scenes, balls, the queen of England, and a man determined to take over the world with robots the story is fast paced and full of dark twists that keep you on your toes.

One the things that really made me love the story was the characters. I loved every single one of them. Finley Jane and her struggle with both sides of her. Griffin the orphan Duke who just wants to help others like him. Emily and her quiet way of helping everyone. Sam and his struggle with the robot parts inside of him. Not to mention Jasper, and Jack Dandy.

Kady Cross creates a world that is both dark and hopeful. Her descriptions are so detailed that you feel like you are a part of the story with Finley Jane and the Machinist. The dresses that Finley wears! One of my favorite things about the Selection series by Kira Cass were the dress descriptions and that's true for this story as well. Silks, satin, lace, corsets, gloves, and little gadgets that went with Finley's everyday outfit made the book seem just a little bit more real.

Steam punk is really not my thing but this book was an exception. The robots were cool but I was mainly excited about the whole "steel corset" thing. Finley's darker self can lift heavy objects and take down a grown man but shes still able to be injured and when Emily created the corset for her I was genuinely excited.

The plot and story line were great. It was really a very different book. I've never read anything like it. The whole automatons thing was a bit strange to me and when the master plan of the machinists was revealed all I could think of was The Great Mouse Detective. Seriously it made me laugh but it was a bit more mature and scary then the cartoon I promise.

This book was amazing and I definitely plan on reading the rest of the series.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Author: Kady Cross
Genre: Science Fiction/Steampunk
Published: May 24, 2011