This is Not a Test vs. Monument 14

I have not read a whole lot of books focusing on zombies or an apocalypse, but This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is a story that shares many similarities with another book I read a few years ago, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. Admittedly, I enjoyed This is Not a Test a whole lot better than Monument 14 for reasons I will explain later on.

Six high school students, two eighth graders, and six younger children have taken refuge in a chain superstore (for example, Walmart). Occurring outside are a series of escalating disasters ranging from a monster hailstorm to a chemical weapons spill, which are tearing the world apart. This is the first of a series, but I only managed to finish the first one because I wasn't very impressed with the characters and the writing. It's safe to say that I will not be continuing the series. Same goes for This is Not a Test, though only because after two apocalyptic stories, I think I've had enough.

Six students have taken cover in their high school after a zombie epidemic breaks out. Sound familiar? Yeah, very similar story lines, but I enjoyed this one a lot more because it had some good character development. The main character is Sloane Price, who lost her will to live after her older sister ran away and left Sloane to live alone with their abusive father. And now the world's falling apart, and people are dying left and right. What does she do? It's interesting to see Sloane trying to figure out a way to end her life without burdening her five companions who are desperately trying to survive.

Now I won't go into detail about the two books (I hardly remember Monument 14 except for the fact that it had really stupid characters and no development). But I will say that both stories have a very similar layout. I don't know if this is the case with most apocalyptic books as I haven't read much in that genre, but that's the thing I noticed while reading This is Not a Test. Both books have a group of characters taking refuge in a sturdy building with enough supplies to last them a while. Both groups of characters aren't originally friends (they only happened to be there and therefore need each other to survive). There are conflicts between the characters themselves, and a lot of tension because of the chaos going on outside the walls. They also both end in a similar fashion.

If you are a die-hard fan of apocalyptic stories, then I'd recommend This is Not a Test because of the two, this one had a lot more character development and it had a decent story. If you aren't, don't waste your time on either of them because I'm sure there are a ton of apocalyptic stories with a much more original and less cliched story line as these.

Top 5 Science Fiction Books

I don't usually read a lot of science-fiction books mainly because of all the world-building that is required to write it. Authors spend a lot of time describing the world before getting into the actual story, and I often don't have the patience to wade through all of that information. (I'm also not a huge fan of fantasy which involves kingdoms and elves and other mystical beings.) Out of the several science-fiction books I've read, here are my top five.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is set in the future when Earth has been attacked by aliens called the Buggers. In order to combat another oncoming war, the government recruits gifted young children to Battle School where they train to become soldiers. It's one that I've reread over and over again and I haven't gotten tired of it yet. One reason is because the book really makes you think because of all the issues the author explores. Every time I reread the book I discover something new that I hadn't noticed or understood before.

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card is basically the same story as Ender's Game, but it is told from a different character's point of view. Even though the two books cover the same time period and the same events, you get to see it from two different people with different backgrounds and thought process. Orson Scott Card has written many more books about Ender and Bean about when they're older, but I've only read these two. I would definitely recommend checking either one out to see if you'd like it, though I know science-fiction isn't for everyone.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is set in the future, everyone spends their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality, where the creator had hidden treasure somewhere very secret. Several years after the creator died, Wade Watts stumbles upon the first puzzle. This also had a lot of world-building and information, but I found the description of the virtual reality really interesting. Even though it's set in the future, the world has an obsession with the 1980s, so I thought it was an interesting way to make the context more familiar for the readers. I really enjoyed this book, but it's not one I can reread over and over again.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman is set after the Second Civil War, where the conclusion was this; parents can have their child "unwound" when he/she is between the ages of 13-18. In other words, all of the child's organs will be transplanted into different donors, which means they are technically still living, albeit not in one piece. Three unwanted children, Connor, Risa, and Lev, are on the run to escape this dreaded fate. I really enjoyed this sci-fi because of the concept of "unwounding" which I thought was very unique. It's the first of a series, but I think the first book can stand alone because it had a good conclusion. I didn't find the sequels worth reading.

Gone by Michael Grant is the first of a 6-book series and is about what happens when an impenetrable dome appears over an area in California and everyone over the age of 15 disappears. Electronics cease to work, and what happens after is chaos as the teens and kids attempt to establish order, whilst others are gaining supernatural powers. I really enjoyed this series, but I'm not sure it's for everyone because it is quite lengthy (6 books) and there's a lot of characters to follow. The entire series is chaotic but I think that's mainly why I enjoyed it so much.

Ready Player One

Hey guys! It's been a while since I've posted here. I was busy with school and was in a reading slump for a while. I tried to read some here and there, but none of them kept my attention for long. But Ready Player One by Ernest Cline I picked up at the library and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't like anything I've read before, and I found it very interesting and the world just sucked me in.

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. 
Are you ready?

Tell me, does this synopsis not immediately intrigue you right on the spot? I've never read anything set in a virtual reality, so reading about this fictional future and the OASIS was soo interesting, and intrigued me from beginning to the end. Next, was the idea of the contest. Halliday, upon his death, set up a bunch of hidden puzzles inside this massive virtual world, with only a bunch of riddles to lead the way. And in order to solve these puzzles, a knowledge of '80s trivia was needed. Although I have pretty much no knowledge of the 1980s, I found the references to be really interesting.

At times there were large passages of just information, which might be skipped by some readers. But I never found the book to be boring at any point. It was just a chain of events and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout it all. The characters were so distinct and unique. A lack of character development can make me avoid many books, but this book just hit it spot on. The plot got more and more intense, and the ending was just full of excitement and I just can't express how much I loved this book.

I would give it a 100 out of 10. So now that you've heard my thoughts go and enjoy it for yourself! If you're not immediately immersed into the book after the first few chapters, than I admit that it's not for everyone. But I would definitely give it a try, and comment below on what you thought.

Off topic: I'll try to post more often, though no promises. It'll probably be once in a while from now on. Thanks for reading!

I am Number Four

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is about nine children and their guardians from the planet Lorien, the only ones left after it was wiped out. Now all of them are living separate lives on Earth, binded by a charm where they can only be killed in numerical order. Hunted by the Mongadorians, they have to keep a quiet life, and avoid any attention or suspicion toward themselves. But the Mongadorians are finding them, and are getting closer and closer to killing them all. Three are dead, and John is Number Four. But when love and friendship gets in the way of survival, not only is his own life at risk, but the five others.

I loved the plot idea, and because of this I had high expectations for this book. Boy, was I disappointed. I thought this book was very poorly written, and a perfect example of "telling", and not "showing". It had me wincing many times throughout the book, and I was fed up of the phrase "we aren't who you think we are" being used so many times. The romance was mushy, and the storyline was very slow. If just based off how well this book was written, I probably would've given it 2-3 stars out of ten.

But the plot, the idea. This book would've been so good if it wasn't for the actual writing. But the plot gave through and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series just to see how the story unravels.

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

Gone vs. Maze Runner

The Gone series by Michael Grant versus the Maze Runner series by James Dashner. Since I just finished Fear, the fifth book in the Gone series, I realized several reasons why this series is one of my favorites. The best way to show this is to compare it to another book. Not that the Maze Runner series isn't a good series; it is. But for me, Gone, is just my kind of book. I chose Maze Runner because it is very similar as in the things they encounter. They're both about a group of kids who encounter horrifying obstacles and must use the resources they find to survive. A ton of people die on the way, as they face challenges that threaten their lives. Only the structure of how they're written is different.

One thing a good story needs is a variety of different characters. Although both series has a good number of main characters, Maze Runner is told solely by Thomas's point of view, while Gone is told from many different points of view. Although it may be for a purpose such as if it's only told from a single person's point of view, you have no idea what's going on, making the plot more suspenseful, I found it frustrating that I had no idea what was going on in another character's mind. In Gone, the character's points of view just gives a better insight on what's going on, creating more of a horror scene when you don't want them to fall into a trap or something.

The plot itself differs in many ways. In Maze Runner they encounter obstacles one after another; they would get pass one horror only to find themselves facing yet another obstacle in their path. I think this is why it seems so fast-paced, when it never gives you a decent break. Gone has many obstacles too, yet they are organized in a more confusing way. All these little obstacles in the beginning overlap each other, while it leads to an even bigger problem. More like that there are so many things going on, you can't even stop to think. All the different characters, all in different situations, it's enough to make your head spin.

Why they are similar is because they both face horrifying obstacles as they struggle to survive. They both face horrifying creatures, struggling in a crazy new world. They are both exciting, terrifying, suspenseful sci-fi novels. They are both great series. But in my opinion, I think the Gone series is superior.

Fear

Fear, the fifth book in the Gone series by Michael Grant finally gives you a glimpse of what's going on outside the FAYZ. In a world without adults, the barrier and the gaiaphage are both weakening, causing the FAYZ to turn black, into darkness, obliterating any light from the sun or stars. The gaiaphage is dying, and needs to be reborn. The Big Split has them separated when they need to be working together in order to survive. Fear starts to grab at them as they are emerged into complete darkness, as anything or anyone could be lurking around, attacking when you least expect it.

You can never put down any of these books. It's a high-tension, thrilling, terrifying story of a group of kids striving to survive at all costs in an impossible world of horror and hopelessness. The vivid characters and the intense plot keeps you reading, page after page, impossible to put it down as you are drawn more and more into the story. There's always so many things going on you can't stop to think. The author keeps switching from different character's points of view, providing a bigger insight to what's going on in so many different places.

This book is where they introduce the parents, long gone from the first book, and where their role is played in the result of the end of the book. I'm really looking forward to the next and last book in the series; Light. The change in the dome (I won't spoil it for you...) is really going to change the relationship and understanding between the kids and the adults. I'm really curious how this change will affect their lives, both inside and outside of the FAYZ.

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

To find out how the FAYZ came to be, check out my review on the first book; Gone. Click HERE to read it.

Gone Series

One second they were there; the next they were gone. One day, everyone age fourteen and up suddenly disappears in a blink of an eye. Only the kids are left to survive on their own in this new world they nickname "the FAYZ". Enclosed by an impenetrable dome, they are unable to contact the outside world for help. At first it begins a terrific life; a life without adults to tell you what to do. But when food starts running out, people start developing strange supernatural powers, and the kids of Perdido Beach start encountering unimaginable horrors, their life in the FAYZ is getting out of control. And when your fourteenth birthday comes along, you may be the next one to disappear.

Suspenseful. Creepy. Enthralling. I loved every bit of it. Every book comes with a new challenge to overcome, and with the rich characters, and fascinating plot, you won't be able to put it down. Told from many different characters' point of view, you never know what's going to happen next. Gone by Michael Grant will have you suspicious, horrified, and thrilled all at the same time.

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Maze Runner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner takes place in a rectangular open expanse called the Glade. The Glade is surrounded by four stone walls, which opens up during the day to reveal an unsolvable maze behind it. Thomas wakes up to find that he can only remember his first name. He is greeted by other boys living in the Glade, the "Gladers", and tries to settle into his new home. But Thomas' arrival seems to have triggered a chain of events that cause the Gladers to wonder why they are here and how to get out.

I heard about this series from many classmates, some saying it was the best series ever. I slightly disagree. Don't get me wrong; it's a great book and I enjoyed it a lot. But I thought it could've been better. I liked the plot, and the suspenseful events kept me reading to the end. But I didn't like the style of writing. It was somehow kind of plain; although it was a fast-paced book, it felt kinda slow. I still had a lot of unanswered questions by the end of the book, which I hope will be answered in the next book. Overall, a pretty decent book, with a suspenseful plot that is brilliant enough for me to be willing to read the rest of the series.

My Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Ender's Game

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite books! It's a mixture of sci-fi, war, and smart kids. I absolutely loved it!

    The earth is under attack once again. The "buggers" final invasion could wipe out the human species. And only one person can defeat them...

    Ender Wiggin is sent to Battleschool for millitary training at age six, where he quickly proves himself to be the best of the best. Smart. Daring. A quick thinker. But how will he do when he's in command of a real fleet? Is he willing to defeat the "buggers" once and for all?

There's also a companion book; Ender's Shadow. It's basically the same time period in which Ender's Game occurs, yet all the events are told from a different point of view, from one of Ender's fellow classmates and friends in Battleschool. I loved them both!

My Rating: 10 out of 10 stars