Replica

The Bookworm says... Maybe. Replica by Lauren Oliver is a very interesting read.
Gemma is a teenage girl who has been in and out of hospitals her entire life with a varying slew of illnesses. Gemma's parents are extremely protective, and as she grows older she begins to question her family's past. She also tries to understand her father's mysterious connection to the Haven center of research, something that is near impossible because of the high security surrounding the center.
Lyra, also known as 24, is an experimental subject at the Haven research center. After disaster strikes at Haven, she and a boy known only as 72 are left to fend for themselves in the real world.
When Gemma and Lyra cross paths, they each find answers to questions they didn't know they should be asking.

The concept behind Replica is very creative, and I found it very intriguing. The book has two sides- Gemma's story and Lyra's story. It can be read starting with Gemma's side, starting with Lyra's side, or alternating chapters. I opted to read Gemma's side first, and I thought it was excellent. But, when it was time to flip the book over and read from Lyra's point of view, I became very bored. I truly cannot see the appeal in re-reading the exact same story from another point of view, and I don't think that too much new information was revealed from the other side. This book would have been better if it was written with the chapters alternating point of view- it would be smoother and much more enjoyable. My boredom with the second side may also be a result of the incredible amount of other books I have to read, but I truly think that reading the second side was a colossal waste of time.

"A strange and baffling truth: that the people we're supposed to know best can turn out to be strangers, and that near strangers can feel so much like home."

Previously reviewed by Lauren Oliver: Before I Fall, Panic,

DISCLAIMER: Review is based on an advanced reading copy made from uncorrected proofs. Tentative release date is October 4th, 2016.

A Shadow Bright and Burning

The Bookworm says... ABSOLUTELY!!! A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess is one of the best things I have read recently, and maybe ever. Henrietta Howel is a teacher at Brimthorn School for Girls. She also happens to be the first female sorcerer in hundreds of years. She ALSO happens to have the ability to control flames. Henrietta is the one that the prophecy calls for to defeat the Ancients and save Europe from the hands of war. Is she really the young sorcerer they are looking for?

I kept this summary brief in order to avoid spoilers, so that does not (by any means) do this incredible book justice. The world that Jessica Cluess creates, a Victorian England with a society of sorcerers, is vivid and burning with detail. Each character is so poignantly developed that they honestly could have stepped right off the page and I wouldn't be surprised. The plot is gripping and exciting and I was hanging off the edge of my seat the whole time. It's been a while since I stayed up until three o'clock in the morning reading a book, but that's exactly what I did last night. I truly cannot convey how much I love this book, nor how excited I am for the rest of the world to feel the effects of it. A Shadow Bright and Burning is the YA Harry Potter of 2016, and I am ecstatic to see the world sway in wake of this incredible novel. The story telling exhibited is incomparable to that of any other novel published recently, and the romantic element is a well appreciated bonus feature. I don't know how I can possibly await the release of the next installment in the Kingdom on Fire series; I will await the continuation of Henrietta Howel's adventure with greatest anticipation.

"Knowledge is as powerful as fire. The brighter it burns, the more it devours."

DISCLAIMER: Review is based on an uncorrected proof. Tentative release date is September 20, 2016.

Every Single Second

The Bookworm says... Yes! Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb is utterly fantastic! Nella is twelve years old, and she feels like her life is falling apart. Her once "secret sister", Angela, can barely be considered an acquaintance. Her new best friend, Clem, is completely focused on how to spend the "leap second"- a second that is being added to the official world clock. With her two closest friends feeling further and further away, Nella begins to feel truly alone. Angela's older brother makes a mistake that turns everything upside down, and forces Nella to make some choices. Stand up or stand by? She tries to act with Angela's interests in mind, but also following her heart. Can she really trust what her heart has to say?

Every Single Second, as I said above, is utterly fantastic. In a society where racial divides tear us apart, it is absolutely essential that we acknowledge this fatal flaw. Books are the perfect way to examine the problem and spread awareness, especially to middle grade readers. My only problem with this book is that I felt the first hundred or so pages were extremely confusing and I felt that the confusion lingered throughout most of the book. With that trivial detail set aside, I have nothing but pure admiration for this book. A must read for all children- the children who wonder why hate grips our nation so strongly. 

"Forward! That is the way of our cosmos. The future is urgent, irresistible, and majestic."