The Never Dawn—R.E. Palmer

Title: The Never Dawn
Author: R.E. Palmer
Publisher: Front Runner Publications, 2016
Pages: 252 p
Source: Author
Compensation: None
Read: April 2017

R.E. Palmer’s The Never Dawn

I don’t respond to book review requests anymore because I am so behind in my reviews, but I was intrigued by the description of this book and the author’s assertion that he didn’t need a review written by a certain date. So, I accepted and here I am writing a review 9 months later.

The Never Dawn is the first book in a dystopian trilogy about an underground society of people tirelessly working to be able to someday return to the surface of the earth. Noah’s work is very monotonous and repetitive but he’s highly motivated to do a good job and win approval from “Mother”—the mysterious leader of the group. Noah is not really sure how his work will help, but he knows the more units he completes, the closer they’ll get to being able to go home. Noah’s faith in the system is unshaken until he meets Rebecca—a beautiful girl that makes him question everything. Together they begin to realize that things are not quite what they seem.

There have been many dystopian stories, making it difficult to find one that’s different. The Never Dawn is—it made me think about control and freedom and choice. Although you can guess what the true purpose of Noah’s work is, the twist at the end of the book is unexpected. I found myself really wanting to know what happened next—so much so that I bought the second book on my own.

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Queens of Geek—Jen Wilde

Title: Queens of Geek
Author: Jen Wilde
Publisher: Swoon Reads, 2017
Pages: 288 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None
Read: March 2017

Jen Wilde's Queens of Geek

Taylor, Charlie, and Jamie have traveled all the way to the United States from Australia to attend the ultimate fandom convention, SupaCon. Charlie has a fan base of her own as a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie and was able to use her new celebrity status to get lifelong friends Taylor and Jamie into SupaCon as well. Charlie's co-star, the swoon-worthy Reese Ryan, is also her ex-boyfriend and his presence at SupaCon complicates things for the young actress. She strikes up a relationship with fellow vlogger and super cool-girl Alyssa Huntington and discovers that her crush on the internet star isn't in vain. While Charlie and Alyssa are exploring their new relationship, anxiety-prone Taylor and trusty sidekick Jamie are determined to make SupaCon the best experience ever by meeting their favorite author. Taylor must overcome her deepest fears in order to get what she wants. Jamie helps her to realize that what she really wants is him in this geeky romance. 

Queens of Geek is full of book and movie references and is a fun look at the fandom convention phenomena. Taylor's anxiety and experience with Asperger's is treated sensitively. The story is told in chapters alternating between Charlie's and Taylor's point of view, giving the reader a chance to see inside both of their minds. Queens of Geek is a fun quick read that will appeal to romance readers and self-proclaimed geeks. 

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Take the Key and Lock Her Up—Ally Carter

Title: Take the Key and Lock Her Up
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Scholastic, 2016
Pages: 336 p.
Source: Library
Compensation: None
Read: March 2017

Ally Carter's Take the Key and Lock Her Up

Ally Carter’s Embassy Row series began with All Fall Down, continued with See How they Run, and now ends with this final installment. I read the first one two and a half years ago and I still vividly remember how it made me feel. I remember the tension and the stomach clenching and the suspense. Am I an Ally Carter fangirl? Maybe. Do I start out each of her books already knowing I’m going to like it? Maybe.

If you haven’t read the first two books, get that done before you attempt this one.

This is a solid conclusion to the series. Some of the tension is missing because the cards are on the table now—we know who the bad guys are and what they want. I know that at the time I read this (nearly a year ago) I gave it 4 stars, but I’m having trouble remembering specific details. Yet, I can clearly recall things that happened in the first book. I’m not saying this to mean that I didn’t enjoy Take the Key and Lock Her Up, because clearly I did, but it may not be as strong as the first two books. Things are wrapped up neatly and I would still recommend this entire trilogy.

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All the Bright Places—Jennifer Niven

Title: All the Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Knopf, 2015
Pages: 378 p.
Source: Library ebook
Compensation: None
Read: Dec 2016

Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places

Violet Markey is mourning the death of her sister when she meets mysterious Theodore Finch. Theodore is obsessed with death, constantly coming up with different ways he could kill himself, but something always stops him from going through with it. Violet and Theodore embark on a school project to discover the unknown natural wonders of their state. As they discover each new place, they learn more and more about each other. Theodore brings Violet out her shell and gives her something to look forward to other than just counting the days. But even as Theodore helps Violet, he falls deeper and deeper into his own depression.

I picked up All the Bright Places because I really liked Holding Up the Universe, a book I was sent to review for VOYA. All the Bright Places was just as good and difficult to put down. Violet and Theodore are both likable characters that readers will naturally root for. The writing is poignant and meaningful; Theodore’s positive post-it notes are thoughtful & insightful. Although it’s difficult to put this book down, it’s not an easy book to finish. It’s heart-wrenching and emotionally exhausting. Have a box of tissues nearby.

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