Book Review: The Kill Order by James Dashner

Title: The Kill Order

Author: James Dashner

Series/Standalone: The Maze Runner Series (Book #4)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Pages: 327

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2012

Format: Audiobook

"Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there's something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it's mutating, and all the evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there's a way to save those left from descending into madness. And they're determined to find it- if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you're worth more dead than alive."

My Rating: 4/5

I love a prequel that describes where the first book takes off. I think that this story did an excellent job of explaining the flares and the illness. Just how everything started out really. This was heart-wrenching and made me angry about how WICKED used people and their innocence to start a pandemic. That being said, maybe not the best thing to read during a global pandemic. I loved Alex's character and would have done anything for that sweet, gruff man. The plot of this book reinvigorated me for the last book in the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Sidny

Book Review: The Death Cure by James Dashner

Title: The Death Cure

Author: James Dashner

Series/Standalone: The Maze Runner Series (Book #3)

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Young Adult

Pages: 325

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2011

Format: Audiobook

"It's the end of the line.

WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends- the Gladers. But it's finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test.

Will anyone survive?

What WICKED doesn't know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it's enough to prove that he can't believe a word of what they say.

The truth will be terrifying.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He'll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over."

My Rating: 4/5

I know that a lot of people didn't like this third book in the series as it drew a conclusion for a lot of people's reading experience. I enjoyed it. I think that the author did a wonderful job of continuing our intrigue into what was going on. The fact that we never truly know who to trust is a trope  I really enjoy used in plots with dystopian novels. I love not being able to see where we are going and having our main characters be paranoid to a certain extent as well. I plan to continue on with the series although I expect there will be a change in pace due to how this book ended.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Pages: 306
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2015
Format: Audiobook

"My disease is as rare as it is famous. It's a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I'm allergic to the world. I don't leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. He's tall, lean and wearing all black- black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean- blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself start to change- starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer.

Maybe we can't predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It's almost certainly going to be a disaster."

My Rating: 2.5/5

Again, I'm behind the curve. When I started to watch booktube, everyone was raving about Nicola Yoon's romances and her stories. I'd love to say that I was on board with everything that happened in this novel, but I just wasn't. I assumed how it was going to end about a quarter of the way through. I also found that the characters were lack luster and at some points different just to be different. I'm just not a fan of the writing style either. I just found that it was over the top in every romantic scene.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny