Book Reviews

I have actually gotten quite a bit of reading done lately, and I just have to share!

Horde by Ann Aguirre

Horde is the last book of the Razorland Trilogy, and it is the culmination of an incredible, impossible to put down, story.  In a futuristic world, a virus has spread across the country, turning people into "Freaks" or "Muties."  These zombie-like animals roam the land and the subway tunnels under cities searching for survivors to make their dinners.  Deuce and Fade, who we meet in Enclave, are now out of the tunnels and have become part of a home and a family in one of a few surviving villages.  But while Deuce and Fade are gone, the Freaks, who have become exceedingly cunning and intelligent in the past few years, destroy their home of Salvation and most of the population.  Seeking an end to the Freaks, Deuce and Fade travel the last few territories to recruit an army to fight the Freaks and end the destruction and feasting once and for all.  But Deuce, a 16 year old girl, has her work cut out for her to recruit grown men to fight a seemingly losing battle.  Deuce, along with her friends must make the most of their band of soldiers, fight the Freaks, form alliances with a younger, more peaceful generation of Freaks, and make the world a safer place, once again.

This series, Horde being no exception, is one of my favorite books of all time.  When I picked up Enclave, I was enthralled with the talent of Aguirre and was immediately sucked in to her futuristic world.  An epic battle ends the series, much like The Hobbit, with multiple races fighting to rule the land.  Ladies and gentlemen, alike, will be captured by the struggles of Deuce and her friends and will enter a world where hope is scarce, but bravery and determination are rampant.  You HAVE to check this series out!

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

High school student Sam isn't the most popular or the hottest, but she has a great friend that understands her.  The problem is that Sam has fallen in love with her best friend, Nick, but Nick has an on-again/off-again girlfriend.  If Sam could just make Nick jealous enough to see if he may have the same feelings, maybe he would finally completely end things with his girlfriend and be with Sam.  In order to do this, Sam has an idea. She will dress up for a party and offer herself to the hottest, most popular guy at school. Surely if Nick sees that Sam is taken, he will be jealous enough to realize his feelings for her.  Only, Sam's idea doesn't go according to plan.  Carter, the hot guy, doesn't want her.  In an effort to shoo her out of his room, he yells at her and calls her horrible names making Sam cry, her make up run, and encourages Sam to make a mad dash out of the room. But it doesn't stop there. Unused to high heels, Sam trips on her way out, slams her face against a dresser, and rips her dress.  When she exits the room, a girl sees her and immediately thinks...rape.  Only Carter didn't rape her.  And Sam is too drunk to understand what is happening so she unknowingly goes along with a lie that will ruin Carter and his reputation.  When the ruse works and Nick relays his feelings for Sam...and Sam realizes what everything thinks happened, how can she come forward and tell the truth?

In Too Deep is the perfect title for this teen story--a story that could happen anywhere.  Would YOU tell the truth? Even knowing you could lose the one person you love the most? There are times reading this story you just want to yell at Sam to man up and come clean...but could you?  The author weaves a fantastic tale that will keep you on edge, wondering just when everything will blow up and the truth will come out. You won't believe how it happens!