Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
Holy gorey graphic distopian novel batman!
17 year old brain tumour patient Alex is on a hike in the UP when an 'event' changes her and the rest of the world she knows. Thankfully Alex is an indepdent young lady who can handle her Glock with ease and who is also capable of protecting herself and her new travel mates from wild animals and the "changed," who are reminiscent of zombies.
The story truly picks up when the young girl Alex and a 21 year old Veteran named Tom are trying to protect is kidnapped. Tom is hurt during the encounter, and Alex must strike out on her own to find help. She is unknowingly drawn into a community that doesn't really have her best interests at heart.
The ending was a bit rushed and did have a major cliff hanger, but I thoroughly enjoyed the wild ride Wisconsin native Ilsa Bick took me on. Tons of action, tons of graphic descriptions of battle, gun shot wounds, and dead bodies. Finally a YA book that can appeal to dudes too (even though the lead is a female).
Can't wait to read the second book, Shadows.
17 year old brain tumour patient Alex is on a hike in the UP when an 'event' changes her and the rest of the world she knows. Thankfully Alex is an indepdent young lady who can handle her Glock with ease and who is also capable of protecting herself and her new travel mates from wild animals and the "changed," who are reminiscent of zombies.
The story truly picks up when the young girl Alex and a 21 year old Veteran named Tom are trying to protect is kidnapped. Tom is hurt during the encounter, and Alex must strike out on her own to find help. She is unknowingly drawn into a community that doesn't really have her best interests at heart.
The ending was a bit rushed and did have a major cliff hanger, but I thoroughly enjoyed the wild ride Wisconsin native Ilsa Bick took me on. Tons of action, tons of graphic descriptions of battle, gun shot wounds, and dead bodies. Finally a YA book that can appeal to dudes too (even though the lead is a female).
Can't wait to read the second book, Shadows.
In "The Round House," a 14 year old boy living on an Indian Reservation seeks the perpetrator who violently assaulted his mother.
I have mixed feelings for Round House. I enjoyed the character studies in the novel, especially the friendship between Joe and his three buddies. I often laughed out loud at their conversations which revolved around sex, cigarettes, and booze. One particularily funny scene had the boys' ancient great grandmother regaling them with her past escapades, which they sat through in order to be fed. Hilarious.
The main story arc regarding the rape of Joe's mother and the grey areas of Tribal Law I found rather contrived. Joe's mother withdraws into her own world after the rape and can't tell the authorities if she was raped on tribal, federal, or private land. The perpetrator, who the victim KNOWS (but will not divulge at first)choose a piece of land specifically for this reason. Ok, you have me so far, but then the author takes you on a convoluted path as to why Joe's mother was the victim. The path includes a barely explained relationship between a young native american girl and the governor of the state, their bastard child, and a odd twin brother/sister, adopbted sibling relationship. Throw in some Native American spiritulaism complete with undefined Native American vocabulary words and legends spanning pages, and I really started to lose interest. Plus, the ultimate conclusion was hurried and disappointing.
I also found out this book is part of a larger series involving this same community; perhaps I would have a deeper understanding had a read the prior tales.
Recommended only for those who really enjoye legal mysteries and Native AMerican culture.
I have mixed feelings for Round House. I enjoyed the character studies in the novel, especially the friendship between Joe and his three buddies. I often laughed out loud at their conversations which revolved around sex, cigarettes, and booze. One particularily funny scene had the boys' ancient great grandmother regaling them with her past escapades, which they sat through in order to be fed. Hilarious.
The main story arc regarding the rape of Joe's mother and the grey areas of Tribal Law I found rather contrived. Joe's mother withdraws into her own world after the rape and can't tell the authorities if she was raped on tribal, federal, or private land. The perpetrator, who the victim KNOWS (but will not divulge at first)choose a piece of land specifically for this reason. Ok, you have me so far, but then the author takes you on a convoluted path as to why Joe's mother was the victim. The path includes a barely explained relationship between a young native american girl and the governor of the state, their bastard child, and a odd twin brother/sister, adopbted sibling relationship. Throw in some Native American spiritulaism complete with undefined Native American vocabulary words and legends spanning pages, and I really started to lose interest. Plus, the ultimate conclusion was hurried and disappointing.
I also found out this book is part of a larger series involving this same community; perhaps I would have a deeper understanding had a read the prior tales.
Recommended only for those who really enjoye legal mysteries and Native AMerican culture.
Set in a harsh world that may or may not be Earth, two different ways of life have evolved after the onset of some sort of natural disaster and/or revolution which is never fully explained. Some people live a life of total grayness except for their ability to 'escape' to different realms via a "Smart Eye" which is just a high tech version of virtual reality. They are too afraid (and not allowed) to leave their confined space as they are told they would die out in the open. Those who do not live in this dome are considered Outsiders, and they live like primitive tribes, hunting off the land, and fighting to the death for land, supremacy, and power all in a hostile environment not really conducive to human life.
The world-building for Under the Never Sky was promising and while the two main characters who each come from these opposing worlds had a genuine chemistry the story line was rushed and under-explained. Much is left to the imagination. What is this mystical Aether that makes the sky roil and creates enormous storms, lightening strikes, and chaos? When, if not necessarily how, did it come into being? What divided humanity so?
The female lead, Aria, is part of an intriguing mystery leading to the death of some of her friends, the disappearance of her mother, and why certain members of her society seem to be going crazy. Part of this mystery leads her to be cast out of her world, and into the harsh world of Peregrine, the male lead who also has his own struggles to overcome. Their interplay is at times amusing and sweet as they both learn to adjust to one another, but I found ARia's transformation into a outdoorsy wonder woman a bit quick.
I may gie the second book a shot, we'll see!
The world-building for Under the Never Sky was promising and while the two main characters who each come from these opposing worlds had a genuine chemistry the story line was rushed and under-explained. Much is left to the imagination. What is this mystical Aether that makes the sky roil and creates enormous storms, lightening strikes, and chaos? When, if not necessarily how, did it come into being? What divided humanity so?
The female lead, Aria, is part of an intriguing mystery leading to the death of some of her friends, the disappearance of her mother, and why certain members of her society seem to be going crazy. Part of this mystery leads her to be cast out of her world, and into the harsh world of Peregrine, the male lead who also has his own struggles to overcome. Their interplay is at times amusing and sweet as they both learn to adjust to one another, but I found ARia's transformation into a outdoorsy wonder woman a bit quick.
I may gie the second book a shot, we'll see!
