The Kill Order (Prequel to The Maze Runner Series) by James Dashner

* * * *

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next.

Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

Let’s get straight to the point. The Kill Order is depressing.  Even more so that the rest of the series simply because it takes place so soon after the sun flares that life before all hell broke loose is still a fresh memory.  Every page speaks of the loss that these characters have just experienced. That is compounded by the heavy task of survival and learning to live in this new world that is all debris, chaos and vile.

We flash back 13 years before the events of The Maze Runner. Mark and Trina are in New York when the sun flares hit but survive because they were traveling the underground subway system when it happened. There they meet up with Alec and Lana, two army vets. Alec is a real tough guy who has seen plenty of action in his time and takes them under his wing. Together they attempt to stay alive and seek out shelter and food.

The Kill Order is all about being in survival mode. The only time when there is “down time” is at the beginning of the book. Otherwise, it’s straight action and mayhem once they’re attacked and the disease starts to take a hold of people’s minds.  Many of the things that occur, such as the disease, will be familiar to readers of the previous three books.  

I enjoyed the book. Yes, I know I said it was depressing but when a disaster of this magnitude happens, how can it not be? What makes it hard to swallow is seeing what becomes of those left behind.  Human nature descends into the depths of debauchery, superstition, insanity and gore, all in the name of survival. of the fittest.  It’s a new world order with rules made up as you go along. Everyone is out for themselves and it’s hard to figure out who to trust. It’s in this world that Mark and Trina begin to lose their innocence.  Mark goes from being the average teenager nursing a crush to a leader and hero who has to learn to make hard decisions including pulling the trigger when needed.

This is a must read for fans of the series. The prologue at the beginning of the book featuring Thomas and Theresa where he is getting the procedure moments prior to ending up in the box gave me the chills! Even though it’s short, it gives a more sympathetic perspective of Theresa and their friendship. It's kind of heartbreaking too knowing the trials they have to endure later. Overall, The Kill Order, which will be released August 14, is a great addition to the series. Believe me, you'll feel just as exhauted and worn down as the characters but this time we know what we're in for and we know how it all ends eventually.

~ Bel

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.



By James Dashner
Publication Date: August 14, 2012

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive



By Michelle Rowen
Publication Date:  August 7, 2012

An Immortality Bites Mystery #1
 August 7, 2012 - NAL Obsidian
ISBN-10: 0451237641
ISBN-13: 978-0451237644


Sarah Dearly is adjusting to life as a fledgling vampire, satisfying her cravings at vampire-friendly blood banks. But when her fiance Thierry takes a job with the Ring—the secret council in charge of keeping vampires in line—Sarah’s about to get more than a taste of danger…


Being engaged to a centuries-old master vampire can be challenging—especially when he takes a job with the Ring. Thierry’s in for fifty years of nonstop travel and deadly risk. It’s enough to make any woman reconsider the wedding…any woman except Sarah, that is!

Traveling with him to Las Vegas for his first assignment, they encounter a child beauty pageant contestant from hell, as well as a vampire serial killer leaving victims drained of blood, potentially exposing the existence of vampires to the whole world. But when Thierry’s truly ancient history comes back to haunt him, and he’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, it’s up to Sarah to clear his name before their immortal lives come to an end.

Bel's Top 10 of 2011

Coming up with my favorite 10 reads was no easy task, especially since I've been reading like a fiend for most of the year. But here’s my stab at it and in no particular order …

The Mortal Instruments Series

Like Nat, I have to cheat here because I just couldn't narrow it down. It's like picking out one puppy from the litter - it breaks your heart to separate it from its siblings. Not only do I enjoy the storyline and all the characters immensely, I just simply love Cassie Clare’s writing.  She is so good at writing snark and so good a writing non-smutty smut that we BiblioJunkies would just die if Ms. Clare decided to write an adult series. Can you begin to imagine how far she'd go? In all seriousness, I’ve said this before, this series opened the floodgates for me and because of it I’ve experienced a whole new genre.

Hush Hush & Crescendo

On the subject of snark – I do believe that people are familiar with my, um, deep, deep appreciation (read: lust) for Patch Cipriano. In fact, I'm a wee bit disappointed (gutted if I wanted to be melodramatic about it) that I didn't find him in my Christmas stocking. And I know I'm "cheating" again here by naming two books but seriously, it's Patch! Both are filled with plenty of great one-liners and images that make you want to scream in a good way. And that wicked ending in Crescendo had me all strung up. I simply can't get enough!

The Maze Runner

To me, The Maze Runner is the best of the series. James Dashner upped the ante by removing every one's memory and giving them a blank slate. How do you move forward from that with no reference points and no idea who to trust? Everything from the hellish environment to the relentless action left me banging my head for answers and utterly exhausted.

The Iron Knight

The Iron Fey series is one of the most spectacular and intricate out there but The Iron Knight is the one had the most effect on me. Ash is the ULTIMATE knight in shining armor. The trials he goes through make you ache. His resolve to be with his beloved Megan make you pine for him even more. It's no wonder he has such a rabid legion of fans. And with Puck and Grimalkin as travel companions, how can this not be a thrilling adventure?

Thirteen Reasons Why

My niece recommended this book saying it was one of her favorites.  I have to agree with her. I clung to every page of this story and felt a myriad of emotions because it had of its sensitivity and straightforward bluntness.  While the ending doesn’t exactly make you jump up and cheer, you still feel its quiet but hopeful impact. And sometimes subtle works best. 

Saving June

After having read Thirteen Reasons Why I thought, one - I’d be doing a comparison between these two books and two - I’d be spending a very depressing couple of weeks. I was sooo wrong because this turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read in years! Harrington’s effortless blending of humor and sarcasm balanced perfectly the serious side of the story. And adding to its awesomeness, this book came with its very own soundtrack.

  

The Likeness (non YA)

I love a good psychological mystery and Tana French delivers in this Irish thriller. The mixture of murder and suspense had me on edge throughout.  But what I enjoyed most was how each little plot twist had me gasping. Plus, it's set in Ireland where good things like U2, Snow Patrol, Two Door Cinema Club and Michael Fassbender come from ... not that they had anything to do with the book.

Firelight

Thank you, thank you Sophie Jordan for putting something different out there! I was already on a slight vampire/werewolf overload when I stumbled upon this Romeo and Juliet style dragon tale (ha! see what I did there?). I was so caught up in Will and Jacinda's connection and worried for them non-stop. And the cliffhangers for Firelight and its follow up, Vanish, left me hungry for more.

Clockwork Prince

Oh my! Cassandra Clare you really love to make us suffer. Aside from the excellent story, there are the gorgeous Will and Jem and that poor girl Tessa who has to look at both of them. Through all the publicity we were all made well aware of the DSBS. But boy was I a bit giddy with that other DSBS that came before it! I'm not ashamed to say that those pages have been bookmarked and I've re-read them a few times times. Oh Jem …

Cold Kiss

Morbid, creepy, morbidly fascinating - it didn’t hit me until recently how much I liked this book. It happened when I was listening to my iPod and a gorgeously haunting song came on that encompassed the book's entire theme - sorrow, loss and letting go. I instantly thought of Wren and Danny. It was one of those moments that made me shiver. While the storyline is set in a paranormal arena, Wren's deeply personal loss is one that anyone can understand.  

So there we have it.  Hope your New Year is filled with plenty of good books, surprises and much, much more!

Cheers!

~Bel

Death Cure by James Dashner

* * * *

Thomas knows that WICKED can't be trusted.  They stole his memories and locked him inside the Maze.  They forced him to the brink of death by dropping him in the wilds of the Scorch.  And they took Gladers, his friends, from him.


Now WICKED says that the time for lies is over.  That they've collected all the data they can from the Trials and will rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission: to complete the blueprint for the cure for the Flare.  But Thomas must undergo one final test.


What WICKED doesn't know, however, is that Thomas has already remembered far more than they think.  And it's enough to prove that he can't believe a word of what WICKED says.


The time for lies is over.  And the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could have ever imagined.

WILL ANYONE SURVIVE THE DEATH CURE?

Intense, non-stop, heart-pounding, rip-roaring action would be the best way to describe The Death Cure, the third and final installment in the excellent  Maze Runner series. Thomas continues to battle the mind games on all fronts and maneuver between good and evil in a fight to save his life and that of his friends.


After years of tests and mind traps, WICKED has finally promised a cure to those who have survived the Scorch. But of course, can anyone really trust them? There are always strings attached and Thomas’ has been tethered pretty tightly to them. With the unenviable task of leading the group upon his weathered shoulders he must decide carefully if he wants to sever all ties with WICKED or put his life into their hands. His decision is directly tied to the cure…but at a cost. When WICKED offers the opportunity to retrieve all his memories he goes with gut instinct. He hides his secret that he's slowly regaining his memories, fleeting as they may be, but they're enough to plant doubts in his mind about WICKED's ulterior motives. With his friend Brenda, one of the few he trusts implicitly besides his Glader friends, Minho and Newt,  they hatch plans for their escape to go searching for answers on their own terms. The Death Cure is where this gang finally takes charge of their fate. Former enemies become allies, former allies become untrustworthy and all the while society is rapidly descending into debauchery around them.


What I have enjoyed most about this series is that you’re just as cynical and confused as the characters are.  Every misdirection somehow leads closer to the truth and every easy route is questionable. There is always so much more than meets the eye that you find yourself second guessing everything. It’s so easy to get sucked in and feel the pressure that these kids feel.  But these kids are so unbelievably resilient and loyal and ultimately they make this series so fantastic.


The intensity in The Death Cure is relentless and doesn't disappoint.  And if you have the special edition which includes never-before-seen classified documents –  let's just say that they're intriguing enough to make you wonder if perhaps there's more of the story to tell ...


~ Bel

A Peek in the Biblio-Bin -#7

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This week Bel gives you a peek into the Biblio-Bin

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice;Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Tell us what books you acquired this week!

The Death Cure Book Trailer

Happy Release Day to The Death Cure by James Dashner!

I've raved about the first 2 books - The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials and finally we're here at the end.  Thomas and company are back!  Oh and there's that pesky WICKED too.  Check out the trailer below.

It's a short clip but doesn't it get your adrenaline going? I can't wait to get my hands on it and see what Thomas is up against now!  Excuse me, I'll just hit the replay button on this a few more times ...


~ Bel

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

* * * *

"Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant dust storms.  That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother, Lugh, is around.  But when a monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered.  Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her.  So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent.  Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, relentless action, and an epic love story."

I LOVE this book – so much so that when I unintentionally woke up at 4:30am on a Saturday morning I had no desire to go back to sleep.  This book is everywhere and I didn’t have the impulse to pick it up until I saw that James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner had recommended it.  I loved The Maze Runner and if Mr. Dashner says I should read it then I will.

Moira Young does a superb job immediately establishing the tone of the book.  And much like Dashner, the language and grammar of the characters are unique to their world. It took me a few pages in to get accustomed to it and by then I was so engrossed in the story it felt so natural.  You’re not quite sure when or where exactly this takes place but it’s post-apocalyptic.  What happened is never discussed and is actually unimportant here. 

Eighteen year-old Saba is devoted to her twin brother, Lugh and they live in an area called Silverlake, a harsh, desolate place isolated from everyone.  They have only themselves, their father, their younger sister Emmi and Saba’s pet crow, Nero for company.  Lugh is Saba’s world.  She hangs on every word he says and resents anyone else taking away his attention from her, including their little sister.  He holds the family together as his father has been unstable since their mother died giving birth to Emmi.  They trudge through their day scrounging for scraps – metal, plastic - that have been left behind by the Wreckers, the lost civilization.  One day their ho-hum world gets thrown upside down when Lugh is kidnapped.  Saba vows to find him and bring him back and reunite the family.

Saba is a fierce heroine.  She's unpretentious and unapologetic.  While, it’s almost cringe-worthy to hear her admit some bitter flaws about herself, it’s also her unwavering loyalty and love for her brother that drives her to reunite her family.  Her search for Lugh takes her beyond Silverlake to a place called Hopetown.  If only it lived up to its name!  Having received undesirable attention on the way there, she gets captured and thrown into the violent world of cage fighting reminiscent of the gladiator fights in ancient Rome.  And Saba becomes the star attraction who is quickly dubbed the “Angel of Death”. 

While she’s trapped she uncovers a web of intrigue surrounding the town's inhabitants.  Having tunnel vision all along regarding her brother's rescue, she's surprised to learn how Lugh's kidnapping is connected to her current predicament.  She befriends a  group of young girl fighters known as the “Free Hawks” and together they hatch a plan for escape.

It’s so fascinating to read how Saba gradually grasps the concept of friendship. She’s reserved and has no interest in getting involved in other people’s quarrels; however, everyone she encounters along the way enlightens her.  Maev, as the leader of the Free Hawks becomes a kind of BFF.  She begins to understand that this is bigger than just her search for her brother; that her personal mission also carries the hopes of many people.

There is of course, a love interest in the form of Jack.  They meet as fellow fighters who escape together.  Jack is a much-needed comic relief that is a mix of Jace and Patch – good-looking, cocky, irritating and heroic. Despite the instant attraction between them, Saba never admits it nor does she allow that to distract her from her plans.  It was great fun to watch the two antagonize each other as their sexual tension steadily built.  And ladies, let me tell you there was even a dirty sexy cave scene that had me jumping!

By the end I felt as if I had been through this rough ordeal with Saba.  It could have been a thoroughly depressing read but Young added plenty of light-hearted moments by sprinkling some humorous interplay between the characters.  It was such a pleasure to watch Saba develop into a person who realizes that she has her own strength and ambition, independent of her brother.  At no time is it more apparent than when she has to fight for her life in the cages.  Her description of the adrenaline rush she gets - "red hot" as she calls it - are vivid.  And despite the violence she has to suffer through, she maintains her simple morals. 

Blood Red Road is the first in the Dustlands trilogy and apparently director Ridley Scott has already optioned the film rights.  Until that happens, I wait patiently to continue Saba's journey, especially since there were some minor characters introduced that I suspect will play a bigger role in the next book.  Moira Young is a gifted storyteller and I hope you’ll think so too!

~ Bel

The Maze Runner & The Scorch Trials By James Dashner

I am in awe of The Maze Runner series.  It is by far one of the best that I’ve read recently!  James Dashner is a genius who has created a complex world filled with plenty of suspense, strife and intrigue. I’m utterly spent after finally finishing the first two books. 

I would describe this series as a cross between Lost, Lord of the Flies and the Hunger Games.  It’s intense from the very start and you’re left breathless upon making it to the end.

The Maze Runner begins with Thomas who finds himself alone inside a metal box. He has no memory, just faint glimpses of his past with no way of putting any of those memories in context.  He’s discovered by a group of boys.  It turns out that the box is actually an elevator of sorts that has transported him to a very different world called The Glades. 

The Gladers, are all boys who’ve inhabited this world for 2 years by the time Thomas shows up.  Like Thomas, all of them have had their memories wiped.  None has managed to escape.  Despite the hopelessness, there's a very calm order that allows the boys to function.  The population is split into different groups each with a specific responsibility to ensure the running of their “society”. 

There are plenty of questions but answers are few and far between.  The most important rule he learns is never to find himself beyond the movable walls that enclose The Glades at night.  If he does, he’ll find himself trapped in the Maze along with some unwanted company and no hope of survival.  There's an order to things he’s told several times and any deviation from it is discouraged.

Thomas’ arrival is like clockwork.  A “newbie” shows up every 30 days.  Supplies arrive every 2 weeks.  Since the story is told from Thomas’ perspective, you feel all his helplessness, confusion, frustration and anxiety swelling inside of him.  Whatever bits of fleeting memory Thomas has only lead to more questions and disappointment.

On his second day there, an unusual thing happens.  Another delivery is made and this time there’s a girl in the box.  She’s unconscious and carries a cryptic message that everything is going to change from that moment on.  This sends the Gladers into a panic and they become suspicious of Thomas and what his purpose in The Glades is.  Thomas has to defend himself while at the same time feeling an inexplicable connection to the comatose girl he doesn’t remember.  All he knows of her is her name, Teresa.

While the she's recovering, Thomas is determined to play an important role in The Glades.  Every day, a group called the Runners, travels beyond the walls to map out the Maze.  Every day they come home before the walls close, draw their maps, compare them for clues as to what the purpose of the Maze is and how to escape.  Thomas is drawn to the Maze and feels a sense of familiarity.  He befriends one of the best Runners, Minho and soon becomes one as well. 

It’s so easy to get drawn into The Glades because Dashner has so deftly created this world with its own rules, habitat and even vernacular.  And Thomas as the hero is such a worthy character.  He’s not perfect.  He's not a stealth-like superhero.  He's just a kid who wants out in a bad way.  Every bit of vague memory he tries to snatch gets the reader excitable.  And he even discovers that he and Teresa have a special skill that sets them apart from the rest of The Gladers.  The friends he makes are such impressive personalities that it’s hard to fathom that they’re just kids – leaders Alby and Newt, Minho and a younger kid, Chuck, who quietly becomes one of Thomas’ best friends.   

There are many twists and turns throughout the book that only add to the depth of the story.  Just like Thomas, I found myself going through plenty of scenarios in my head trying to figure out the purpose of the Maze and how all these people were connected.  This is why it reminded me so much of Lost.  And just like Lost, my mind was buzzing with plenty of conspiracy theories.  The ending had me in disbelief and I had no idea what was to come …

The Scorch Trials

I can’t talk about The Scorch Trials without giving away what happens in The Maze Runner.  So I’ll say this  - it’s AWESOME!

Just when you think things couldn’t get worse, they do.  Thomas and his friends have been through hell and now they’re thrown further into it.  You learn more about the Maze and that Thomas and company serve a purpose.  The Maze was child’s play compared to what the next level is. 

Thomas and his friends have received special instructions and must complete the next phase of their "trials" within a certain time frame in order to survive.  They've even been given special motivation -a reward they'll all receive at the end.  But there’s a hitch as well.  They can’t trust anyone or trust what they see.  Every thing is questionable. 

The Scorch Trials has more going on in it than the previous book and don’t be surprised if you feel yourself getting a bit of an adrenaline rush.  New characters are introduced and Thomas constantly finds himself in many precarious positions.    Whatever small victory is accomplished is usually erased by some disappointment soon after. They all face physical challenges that drive them to their absolute limits.  They’re emotionally beaten down and scarred.  As the reader you do feel their frantic moments and their isolation.  And somehow they’re always clinging to hope no matter how overwhelming their circumstances are.  They don't ever give up.  They manage to push through no matter what.  Their collective determination is what drives this story.

Available October 11, 2011

By the end of the book I found myself thinking of the beginning credits of The X-Files - “the truth is out there”.  I have no idea what’s going to happen in The Death Cure that comes out in October but I know to expect more physical and emotional turmoil, lies, mind games, near-death moments and eventually ... the truth.

- Bel

(P.S.  Thank you James Dashner for making reality boring by comparison!)