I LOVE to read! Jason bought me a Kindle for Christmas and since then I’ve read 29 books (almost 30). I subscribe to Daily Free Books via Amazon, so every day I get a fresh set of usually unknown books to look over. Because of that, I’ve read some great ones, some bad ones, and some I couldn’t even get through. I wanted to share some of the best ones I’ve read recently, especially the ones that are relatively unknown. The three I featured below could (and should) be made into movies, they are that good. Read the premise and see what you think, and if you read them, let me know! Also be sure to write reviews for the authors. They are trying their best to get the word out, and they deserve to!
Saving Mars is a breathe of fresh air! It is the story of Jessamyn Jaarda, a girl living on Mars, who also happens to be one of the best pilots of all time. When the food supply on Mars is destroyed in a fire, she is chosen to raid Earth in search of more. Earth is no longer friendly to Mars, however, and the mission is extremely dangerous. Many books in the Young Adult genre that are about teenage girls are pretty stereotypical. The girl has a love interest, has a weird relationship with her parents, and something paranormal almost always shows up. Well this one is different. Jessamyn is more like Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games; a fiery, gutsy girl whose life on Mars is so swamped with uncertainty that boys are the last thing on her mind. The events are intense, unpredictable, and will keep you on the edge of your seat! I emailed the author when I finished the third book in this series, and she let me know that the next one should be out this summer!! I can’t wait to learn what happens, and I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author.
Few books have grabbed me faster than The Game by Terry Schott. It’s a fast-paced, science fiction (but seemingly set in this world), get-you-thinking, mind boggling ride and I couldn’t have loved it more! Here’s an excerpt from the description on Amazon:
“”What if life as we know it was just a game? What if, instead of traditional schools, children learned by participating in a virtual reality simulation, one that allowed them to experience “life” from birth to death — multiple times? What if one player, on his final play, could change the world forever…?”
Cool premise, right? If you think you’ve seen a movie like this, you haven’t. The twists and turns and reality-turned-on-its-head moments in this book are one of a kind and I highly highly recommend it. There are two books in the series write now, and the third comes out in a week or so, which is an interlude, not a continuation of the main story. According to the author (in an email he responded to), there will be at least four books in all, but he thinks the story is coming to a conclusion soon. I personally wish it would go on an on and on, but waiting isn’t something I’m good at, so maybe it’s for the best! Be sure to read this book, but not when you’re tired, and it’s a thinker and will blow your mind!
Marking Time is the story of Saira Elian, a seventeen-year-old free running tag artist living a boring, but normal life. Enter an unexpected trip back to 19th century London where she runs into Jack the Ripper, and everything changes.
I absolutely LOVED this book! I went into it with average hopes. Anything with young adult plus time travel is usually fun, but not normally all that well done. This is the exception to that rule. April White’s characters are so relatable, her writing is very descriptive, the tension is palpable, and the love story is sweet, but not overbearing at all. I got this one for free, but I would pay for it in an instant, and I definitely will for the sequels! I emailed the author to tell her how much I loved this story, and she told me that there will be five books in the series! Definitely the best free book I’ve ever read, and probably my favorite read since The Hunger Games. Read it.
Other books I’ve loved this year:
The Host by Stephanie Meyer – $4.99
Really intriguing story (sci-fi, romance, and surprisingly funny), and the book is much much better than the movie, in case you saw it. 5 out of 5
Edgewood by Karen McQuestion – $2.99
I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did (teens who discover powers after a mysterious comet hits the ground). I haven’t read the sequel, because I’m waiting for the third to come out first. 4.5 out of 5.
I wanted to like this more than I did, but it was good enough to read all four books. Good story, just not wild about the writing. 4 out of 5.
Though not about vampires, if you like Twilight, you’ll like this book. It’s a very similar vibe. 3.5 out of 5.