Author: Lauren Oliver Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: October 4, 2016 Pages: 544 Source/format: ARC borrowed from Rachel
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Synopsis (from goodreads.com): Gemma has been in and out of hospitals since she was born. 'A sickly child', her lonely life to date has revolved around her home, school and one best friend, Alice. But when she discovers her father's connection to the top secret Haven research facility, currently hitting the headlines and under siege by religious fanatics, Gemma decides to leave the sanctuary she's always known to find the institute and determine what is going on there and why her father's name seems inextricably linked to it.
Amidst the frenzy outside the institute's walls, Lyra - or number 24 as she is known as at Haven - and a fellow experimental subject known only as 72, manage to escape. Encountering a world they never knew existed outside the walls of their secluded upbringing , they meet Gemma and, as they try to understand Haven's purpose together, they uncover some earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls forever...
M Y T H O U G H T S
There are three ways to read Replica. Readers can start with Lyra's story first and then read Gemma's story last. Or the reader can read Gemma's story first and Lyra's story last. Or readers can read each girls' story alternating chapters. I ended up doing the latter. I started with Lyra and alternated with Gemma every two chapters.
Two girls are somehow intertwined and both stories take place at the same time. It's an interesting take on a book where the reader can read two stories that are interconnected with one another. The dual perspective keeps the pace of the plot engaging and the structure of the books creates a fascinating reading experience.
Lyra is a replica, also known as a biologically engineered human model. She lives in a research institute on an island off of Florida with other replicas being watched by doctors, nurses and scientists.
Gemma lives with her family in North Carolina as a normal human but uncovers secrets her parents have been hiding from her. Gemma is able to get a ride with her friend Pete and ends up befriending Jake Witz who knows a bit about the secrets of the Haven institute. Gemma wants to know how her father is connected with Haven.
Lauren Oliver's writing is superb. She makes you think of who you are. Replica is about identity and individuality. Oliver shows how conditioning can shape the person they are who they are today. Part of someone's identity comes from their genetics but a lot of it has to do with their upbringings. Oliver also taps into trust. Who can you trust? Oliver does a fantastic job with the character development and plotting out every interaction. Each person in the book is somewhat important to this puzzle of mysteries.
Erin Fitzsimmons did a wonderful job with Replica's dust jacket. The mirror image with the butterfly and the two sides of the book is perfect to convey two perspectives of the same story.
Replica is a stunning and insightful sci-fi novel. If you're interested in books like the Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien, definitely check out Replica. I am super excited to read the second book in the series called Simulation.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday asks bloggers to post about their top ten books on their fall TBR list. The titles are in no
particular order.
1. The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is the third installment of The Magisterium series. I cannot wait to see what Call, Tamara and Aaron dives into during this novel.
2. The Midnight Star by Marie Lu is the last book in The Young Elites trilogy. This thrilling conclusion will definitely be worth the wait to one of my favorite series. Is it October yet?
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsby J.K. Rowlingand illustrated by Jim Kay is going to be fantastic! Mr. Kay's wonderful illustrations captures the true essence of Harry Potter. I cannot wait to add this to my collection!
4. Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini is the final installment in the Worldwalker series. Angelini left readers hanging in Firewalker and everyone is dying to get their hands on Witch's Pyre to find out what happens next. I hope it lives up to the hype!
5. Going Geek by Charlotte Huang is Huang's sophomore book. I enjoyed reading For the Record and cannot wait to read this cute contemporary with an East Coast boarding school setting!
6. Vicarious by Paula Stokes is a bit of adventure, a bit of sci-fi and a bit of a mystery. Many genres are rolled into one in this thrilling novel. This has been always on my TBR for awhile and I hope to be able to read it soon.
7. Even if the Sky Falls by Mia Garcia is a coming-of-age story about a girl who is desperate for change. She travels to New Orleans with her youth group to rebuild houses not knowing she will find romance. This contemporary definitely sounds like something I would enjoy.
8. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling is the perfect companion to the film, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". As a huge Harry Potter fan, I definitely need this book to read and for my collection. Also, how stunning is the cover art?
9. Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz is an important book about coming-of-age and immigration. How to you reach your dreams when there is something preventing you from succeeding? Miss de la Cruz will be in Boston in October for the Boston Book Festival! I cannot wait to meet her!
10. Nutshell by by Ian McEwan is a story narrated by a baby in the womb. This novel is about deceit and and murder. This is a very interesting take on a thriller and will be a perfect fall read.
What books are you excited to read this fall? Do we share any of the same books on the fall TBR list?
Let's celebrate the 34th year of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week starts today on Sunday, September 25th and ends on Saturday, October 1st. Often many books are frequently challenged or banned due to the content within the books. A good portion of these books contain diverse content. Did you know that hundreds of books are banned or are challenged in schools and libraries in the United States every year? Some of these books include popular books that are read in school or are popular books that are loved by the masses. Check out what I had to say about Banned Books Week last year.
Banned Books Week is about spreading the awareness of the freedom to read. I am a big advocate for people of all ages to gain the access to books. By banning books, we are prohibiting people to exercise the rights as citizens. What happened to freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press? Sure, it's okay to write and publish a book but what's the point of it if no one can read the book? Books are published for people to read the words of the author. This person's ideas and thoughts are important.
People are always encouraging children and teens to read. How are we suppose to encourage them to read when people are banning and challenging books? We are censoring the youth of real life matters. Why sugarcoat life? They need to know the truth! Let's celebrate the freedom to read!
Many books that I grew up on as a child, as a teen and even as an adult were banned or challenged at one time in the past. Check out the list below for some of these titles.
What do you think about Banned Books Week? Have you read any of the books listed above? Did you enjoy any of them? Do you have recommendations of books that were once banned or challenged?
SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.
Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.
When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.
M Y T H O U G H T S
Skybright is the handmaiden to the Yuan's youngest daughter, Zhen Li. Although their companionship is one that is very sisterly, Skybright cannot tell Zhen Li everything since she hides a secret that can threaten her life.
Cindy Pon does a wonderful job with female relationships. Friendships and bonding are super important no matter what the status the characters are. Serpentine is inspired by Chinese folklore with a twist. Pon's description of the food is fantastic! I was constantly craving all the wonderful Chinese delicacies mentioned in the book. It's refreshing to see a f/f relationship in an Asian setting. It's something that is always kept under the wraps so seeing it while reading this historical fantasy helps understand the motives of Zhen Li.
Although I enjoyed reading about Chinese traditions, customs and the culture, I found it unrealistic that the Yuan family didn't check on Skybright's disappearances and how she didn't get reprimanded. The romance in the novel was very insta-love with Skybright and Kai Sen; there was no time for love to grow and blossom. I was surprised how Zhen Li ran off to see her lover but no one was able to find her besides Skybright.
I also wasn't found of the Skybright fighting off the dead. It became increasingly boring and I wanted to learn more about Skybright as a serpent demon. There wasn't too much information about Skybright and her family's history but I hope to find out in the Sacrifice, the next installment in the series.
Autumn is my favorite time of year not only because of the cooler temperatures, the crisp air and the foliage but I enjoy all of the wonderful festivities such as the Boston Teen Author Festival (BTAF). This year marks five years of the festival's existence! The festival has been well attended and this year the festival will be expanding from one building to two buildings. BTAF is located at the Cambridge Public Library and at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on Saturday, September 24th. This will be my 3rd time attending BTAF.
Co-founder and director, Renee Combs, has been fantastic over the years to create such an amazing festival for people of all ages to enjoy YA! This year's line up of authors is absolutely fantastic! Some of my favorite authors will be attending and I cannot wait to meet them and hear all the authors speak at the panels. Some of the authors I am looking forward to meeting include Melissa Landers, Eric Smith and Emery Lord. Of course I can't wait to see Roshani Chokshi, Zoraida Córdova, Lori Goldstein and Marie Rutkoski again. If you are curious about the authors attending, check out the author list.
What's great about the festival are the panels that are offered and the fact that you get to meet so many people interested in same thing as you. I have met so many people who enjoy reading the same books and who love the same authors I do. It's definitely an event to attend if you are around the Boston and Cambridge area. What I love seeing the most is when teens get to enjoy a safe and welcoming environment to celebrate their love for books. I wish I had something like this when I was younger.
If you plan to attend BTAF, come and say hi if you see me! I promise, I don't bite.
Thank you so much to Hannah from Irish Banana and Brianna from Wunderkind PR for hosting this wonderful Roald Dahl Birthday celebration blog tour! Not only is Roald Dahl one of my favorite children's book authors since I was a child but I have the pleasure to showcase The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets on Roald Dahl's actual birthday nevertheless.
I have not read this book prior being selected for the blog tour but I was so excited I was selected to feature this title. The top-secret missing chapter from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is included within the book. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom of the post.
Feast your eyes on a secret! Between these covers is a long-lost chapter—and the original ending—from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other delicious never-before-seen tidbits from Mr. Wonka’s factory. Then slip into some tasty tales from Roald Dahl’s life to discover more about the world’s No. 1 storyteller. No Roald Dahl collection is complete without this splendiferous treat!
M Y T H O U G H T S
When I first started to read The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets, Roald Dahl lets readers know some secrets from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He includes a did you know section about some trivia facts about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and how there were originally ten lucky kids who uncovered a golden ticket. Oompa-Loompas were going to be called Whipple-Scrumpets. I think I like the Oompa-Loompas better. The fact that Dahl rewrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory several times shows how ideas can morph into an incredible and unforgettable classic that we know today.
If you think that's neat, Mr. Dahl even included recipes from Mr. Wonka's Chocolate Factory! You can make your very own Strawberry-flavored Chocolate-covered fudge and Butterscotch. Mr. Dahl also tells his readers some of his favorite things such as things on his table and how he likes to write in a shed in his garden. He loves nature and would take notes about the habits of butterflies and frogs, colors and songs of birds and notes about different flowers, plants and berries. Did you know Walt Disney called Mr. Dahl Stalky?
The secret chapter is delightful about Spotty Powder and a girl named Miranda Mary Piker. If you are a huge fan of Roald Dahl, definitely check out The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets.
Wise words from Mr. Dahl
"I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives terrific advantage."
About ROALD DAHL
Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and beloved storytellers. He was born in Wales of Norwegian parents and spent much of his childhood in England. After establishing himself as a writer for adults with short story collections such as Kiss Kiss and Tales of the Unexpected, Roald Dahl began writing children's stories in 1960 while living with his family in both the U.S. and in England. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.
Roald Dahl’s first children’s story, The Gremlins, was a story about little creatures that were responsible for the various mechanical failures on airplanes. The Gremlins came to the attention of both First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who loved to read the story to her grandchildren, and Walt Disney, with whom Roald Dahl had discussions about the production of a movie.
Roald Dahl was inspired by American culture and by many of the most quintessential American landmarks to write some of his most memorable passages, such as the thrilling final scenes in James and the Giant Peach - when the peach lands on the Empire State Building! Upon the publication of James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl began work on the story that would later be published as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and today, Roald Dahl’s stories are available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate, have sold more than 200 million copies.
Roald Dahl also enjoyed great success for the screenplays he wrote for both the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967 and for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released one year later, which went on to become a beloved family film. Roald Dahl’s popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.
Two charities have been founded in Roald Dahl’s memory: the first charity, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, created in 1991, focuses on making life better for seriously ill children through the funding of specialist nurses, innovative medical training, hospitals, and individual families across the UK.
The second charity, The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre – a unique cultural, literary and education hub – opened in June 2005 in Great Missenden where Roald Dahl lived and wrote many of his best-loved works. 10% of income from Roald Dahl books and adaptations are donated to the two Roald Dahl charities.
On September 13, 2006, the first national Roald Dahl Day was celebrated, on what would have been the author’s 90thbirthday. The event proved such a success that Roald Dahl Day is now marked annually all over the world. September 13, 2016 is Roald Dahl 100, marking 100 years since the birth of the world’s number one storyteller. There will be celebrations for Roald Dahl 100 throughout 2016, delivering a year packed with gloriumptious treats and surprises for everyone.
GIVEAWAY
1 winner can pick 5 books from the Roald Dahl collection! US Only.
Thank you Sourcebooks for this wonderful opportunity to
showcase Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova. Not only is Labyrinth Lost a
magical novel about family and coming-of-age but it’s a book like no other. You
can check out my review here. Don’t forget to check out the rafflecopter
giveaway at the bottom of the post.
Synopsis: Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.
Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.
The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…
PRAISE FOR LABYRINTH LOST
“This work is a magical journey from start to finish... A compelling must-have for teens”
–School Library Journal, STARRED review
“Córdova’s (the Vicious Deep series) magic-infused, delightfully dark story introduces readers to an engrossing, Latin American–inspired fantasy setting and an irresistible heroine”
–Publishers Weekly
“A brilliant brown-girl-in-Brooklyn update on Alice in Wonderland and Dante’s Inferno. Very creepy, very magical, very necessary.”
—Daniel José Older, New York Times bestselling author of Shadowshaper
“Labyrinth Lost is morelike reading Paradise Found. Zoraida Córdova brings us a new generation of witches, enchanting and complex. And every page is filled with magic.”
—Danielle Page, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die
Córdova’s world will leave you breathless, and her magic will ignite an envy so green you’ll wish you were born a bruja. Delightfully dark and enchanting. An un-putdownable book.”
-Dhonielle Clayton, author of The Belles and Shiny Broken Pieces
“Córdova’s rich exploration of Latin American culture, her healthy portrayal of bisexuality and her unique voice allow this novel to stand out among its many peers.”
–RT Book Reviews
“Cordova draws inspiration from Ecuadorian, Spanish, African, Mexican, and Caribbean folklore and mythology to craft a page-turning tale about a young bruja unsure of her place in the world.”
“Córdova pulls elements from Greek mythology and Spanish and Latin American legends to craft a memorable world in Los Lagos, a supernatural realm that is as fascinating as it is threatening. The history and customs of Alex’s family’s type of witchery are also carefully constructed, giving readers a complete world to sink into with satisfaction and wonder.”
-Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“This succeeds with its lush use of Latin American mythologies, an unexpected love story, and, above all, in Alex’s complicated relationship with her family. Alex is a necessary heroine, and this dark fantasy nicely”
-Booklist
LABYRINTH LOST BOOK TRAILER
LABYRINTH LOST EXCERPT
1
Follow our voices, sister.
Tell us the secret of your death.
—-Resurrection Canto, Book of Cantos
T
he second time I saw my dead aunt Rosaria, she was dancing.
Earlier that day, my mom had warned me, pressing a long, red fingernail on the tip of my nose, “Alejandra, don’t go downstairs when the Circle arrives.”
But I was seven and asked too many questions. Every Sunday, cars piled up in our driveway, down the street, and around the corner of our old, narrow house in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Mom’s Circle usually brought cellophane--wrapped dishes and jars of dirt and tubs of brackish water that made the Hudson River look clean. This time, they carried something more.
When my sisters started snoring, I threw off my covers and crept down the stairs. The floorboards were uneven and creaky, but I was good at not being seen. Fuzzy, yellow streetlight shone through our attic window and followed me down every flight until I reached the basement.
A soft hum made its way through the thin walls. I remember thinking I should listen to my mom’s warning and go back upstairs. But our house had been restless all week, and Lula, Rose, and I were shoved into the attic, out of the way while the grown--ups prepared the funeral. I wanted out. I wanted to see.
The night was moonless and cold one week after the Witch’s New Year, when Aunt Rosaria died of a sickness that made her skin yellow like hundred--year--old paper and her nails turn black as coal. We tried to make her beautiful again. My sisters and I spent all day weaving good luck charms from peonies, corn husks, and string—-one loop over, under, two loops over, under. Not even the morticians, the Magos de Muerte, could fix her once--lovely face.
Aunt Rosaria was dead. I was there when we mourned her. I was there when we buried her. Then, I watched my father and two others shoulder a dirty cloth bundle into the house, and I knew I couldn’t stay in bed, no matter what my mother said.
So I opened the basement door.
Red light bathed the steep stairs. I leaned my head toward the light, toward the beating sound of drums and sharp plucks of fat, nylon guitar strings.
A soft mew followed by whiskers against my arm made my heart jump to the back of my rib cage. I bit my tongue to stop the scream. It was just my cat, Miluna. She stared at me with her white, glowing eyes and hissed a warning, as if telling me to turn back. But Aunt Rosaria was my godmother, my family, my friend. And I wanted to see her again.
“Sh!” I brushed the cat’s head back.
Miluna nudged my leg, then ran away as the singing started.
I took my first step down, into the warm, red light. Raspy voices called out to our gods, the Deos, asking for blessings beyond the veil of our worlds. Their melody pulled me step by step until I was crouched at the bottom of the landing.
They were dancing.
Brujas and brujos were dressed in mourning white, their faces painted in the aspects of the dead, white clay and black coal to trace the bones. They danced in two circles—-the outer ring going clockwise, the inner counterclockwise—hands clasped tight, voices vibrating to the pulsing drums.
And in the middle was Aunt Rosaria.
Her body jerked upward. Her black hair pooled in the air like she was suspended in water. There was still dirt on her skin. The white skirt we buried her in billowed around her slender legs. Black smoke slithered out of her open mouth. It weaved in and out of the circle—-one loop over, under, two loops over, under. It tugged Aunt Rosaria higher and higher, matching the rhythm of the canto.
Then, the black smoke perked up and changed its target. It could smell me. I tried to backpedal, but the tiles were slick, and I slid toward the circle. My head smacked the tiles. Pain splintered my skull, and a broken scream lodged in my throat.
The music stopped. Heavy, tired breaths filled the silence of the pulsing red dark. The enchantment was broken. Aunt Rosaria’s reanimated corpse turned to me. Her body purged black smoke, lowering her back to the ground. Her ankles cracked where the bone was brittle, but still she took a step. Her dead eyes gaped at me. Her wrinkled mouth growled my name: Alejandra.
She took another step. Her ankle turned and broke at the joint, sending her flying forward. She landed on top of me. The rot of her skin filled my nose, and grave dirt fell into my eyes.
Tongues clucked against crooked teeth. The voices of the circle hissed, “What’s the girl doing out of bed?”
There was the scent of extinguished candles and melting wax. Decay and perfume oil smothered me until they pulled the body away.
My mother jerked me up by the ear, pulling me up two flights of stairs until I was back in my bed, the scream stuck in my throat like a stone.
“Never,” she said. “You hear me, Alejandra? Never break a Circle.”
I lay still. So still that after a while, she brushed my hair, thinking I had fallen asleep.
I wasn’t. How could I ever sleep again? Blood and rot and smoke and whispers filled my head.
“One day you’ll learn,” she whispered.
Then she went back down the street--lit stairs, down into the warm red light and to Aunt Rosaria’s body. My mother clapped her hands, drums beat, strings plucked, and she said, “Again.”
About Zoraida Córdova
Zoraida Córdova was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. She is the author of the Vicious Deep trilogy, the On the Verge series, and the Brooklyn Brujas series. She loves black coffee, snark, and still believes in magic. Send her a tweet @Zlikeinzorro or visit her at zoraidacordova.com.
For more information about Zoraida Córdova, check out her social media platforms.
Giveaway for 2 Copies of Labyrinth Lost with signed Labyrinth Lost Bookmarks. Giveaway runs September 6th - September 19th (US & Canada only). Giveaway provided by Sourcebooks.
