The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur (Awesome)

I LOVED The Unhappening of Genesis Lee!  It had an unique premise which was presented in a very plausible way.  It kept me guessing throughout the entire book, and even included some powerful messages about memories and human existence.  Very impressive.

The cover:

I'm not sure what I think about this cover.  It shows our main character, Gena (Genesis), dancing while possibly dissolving.  Stars dot the background.  After reading this book, the stars seem to have their own significance.  However, the cover does no suitably illustrate the tone/mood of this book.  This isn't what I would classify as a "dancing girl" book.  The cover just doesn't seem to properly merge with my idea of the book.

Official Description:

What would it feel like to never forget? Or to have a memory stolen?

Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything.  As one of the Mementi-a small group of genetically enhanced humans-Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve the perfectly.  But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena's best friend.

Anyone could be next.  That's why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims not only that they have met before, but also that Gena knows who the thief is.

The problem is that Gena doesn't remember Kalan, she doesn't remember seeing the thief, and she doesn't know why she's forgetting things-or you much else she might forget.  As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast...because Gena's life is unhappening around her.

My Review:

I enjoyed The Unhappening of Genesis Lee about ten times more than I expected to, which is saying something considering how interesting the description sounded to me.  However, it took a while to get into the story, I have to admit.  The first 10% (sorry, didn't have page numbers, just percents) of the story went really slowly since McArthur needed to set up the premise of the book so the reader would understand the basics.  After she introduced Kalan, however, everything sped up exponentially.  

I loved the complexities of all the characters in this book.  They seemed like real people with hopes dreams, and severe misconceptions.  There weren't really villains, but people who made mistakes.  I love that; it makes everything seem more real, in a way.  

Also, The Unhappening of Genesis Lee was DEEP! Are you the same person even without your memories? What exactly are the boundaries before the collateral damage becomes too great? And a lot more questions (which I'm not sharing because they are spoilers) are asked.  This book makes you question the definitions of things that you've for granted in the past.  

I was very impressed by Shallee McArthur's debut novel, and would highly recommend it to almost anyone.  It was fantastic and might even become one of the next "big books"!

The Unhappening of Genesis Lee comes out October 14, 2014.  

*Note: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review through Edelweiss*

Phrase:

You don't remember, do you?

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (Great)

Here is a Mini Review of How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell.
The cover:

I think the cover is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't get into that.  You're welcome.

My Review:

As a fifteen year old girl, I should probably stop reading books meant for ten-year-old boys, but today is not the day!

I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book. I actually read (listened?) to the audiobook version, which was narrated by David Tennent whom I love from Doctor Who. To be honest, a good portion of my enjoyment can probably be traced to how Scottish the audiobook sounded. I loved the plot line and read/ listened to the entire book in a single day. It was a lighthearted story that made me, at least, happy. I liked it a lot and would heavily recommend it!

*Note: this review was not tampered with by the movie version in the slightest. It is purely my thoughts from the book and not the film*

Story Thieves by James Riley (Great)

I was sent a copy of Story Thieves in exchange for an honest review.  (Thanks, Aladdin!)

I read the description for Story Thieves  and thought that it sounded different and that it could be a good book.  That original thought pales in comparison to how great the book really was.  This book is classified as a 3-7 grade book, and those are most certainly the prime ages.  However, as a person in grade 10, I still really enjoyed reading it and didn't feel as if it talked down to the reader at all, which I consider to be a great feat.
The cover:

The cover:

The cover shows Bethany and Owen (or maybe Kyle?) jumping into/ out of a book.  In the background, the universe from the book Kiel Gnomenfoot is seen.

Official Description:

Life is boring when you love in the real world, instead of starring in your own book series.  Owen knows that better than anyone, what with the real world's homework and chores.

But everything changes the day Owen sees the impossible happen - his classmate Bethany climb out of a book in the library.  It turns out Bethany's half-fictional and has been searching every book she can find for her missing father, a fictional character.

Bethany can't let anyone else learn her secret, so Owen makes her a deal: All she has to do is take him into a book in Owen's favorite Kiel Gnomenfoot series, and he'll never say a word.  Besides, visiting the book might help Bethany find her father...

...Or it might just destroy the Kiel Gnomenfoot series, reveal Bethany's secret to the entire world, and force Owen to live out Kiel Gnomenfoot's final (very final) adventure.

Review:

I really enjoyed reading Story Thieves! It was a fresh and different, in a good way.
The characters were all complex with varying and relatable motives for all their actions.  Even the fictional characters (the characters of the books within the book) were nicely developed and did not feel two demential at all.  I found myself relating more than I expected with both Owen and Bethany. Bethany was overly worried about consequences and yet enjoyed herself when the going got tough, which I feel quite a few people understand.  Also, Owen was so excited by the idea of jumping into books.  I don't know a single reader who doesn't wish to jump inside another world, and Owen learned he could!
The plot line was super engaging.  While the pace started off a little bit slow, once it started going, I loved it.  Parts of the book were told from from both Bethany and Owen's alternating perspectives and I was interested in both story lines.  (More often than not in books, one storyline is exciting while the other is just... there.)  Nearing the end, especially, the pace increased so much that Story Thieves was impossible to put down.
Another positive, in my opinion, was the whole book-within-a-book concept.  I love that.  The characters would be talking about how one of them wasn't real because he was "fictional", and the reader is on the sidelines thinking "But you are fictional, too!"  I think that whole situation is terribly ironic, whether you focus on it or not.  It's definitely a plus if you like that type of thing.
I would recommend Story Thieves to anyone who likes reading.  It was a good book, but I imagine it would be difficult to relate to if you don't enjoy books.  Also, I would recommend it more to the middle grade readers than older audiences.  While still enjoyable for all, it truly is aimed closer for the Lower/Middle School level of readers.

Story Thieves by James Riley comes out January 20, 2015.

Phrase:
Magic vs Science