Review: This is Not a Test

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers 
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Release Date: June 19th, 2012
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

I approached This is Not a Test as I would any other zombie novel: expecting only blood, guts, and horror. I was gravely mistaken... While This is Not a Test does contain the elements mentioned above, there is significantly more to this story. It is emotional, humbling, thought provoking, and original. In truth, it is not the plot that makes this book shine, it's the characters, namely Sloane.

Sloane didn't want to live. She was tired, damaged, and looking for a way out. She was weak and not particularly likeable. Still, I didn't want to see her die. As my dislike for her character grew, I also found that in the process I started rooting for her. I just wanted her to find some peace. Happiness maybe? Thankfully Rhys was there to give her a glimpse of what could be. Rhys' character really impressed me. He maintained a level-head throughout all the madness. Trace on the other hand clashed with Rhys on everything and fed off of the mayhem. I don't think Trace was a bad person, just very hurt. In a way each of the characters in this story was damaged.

As far as setting goes, it didn't really change all that much through the story. Very little of this book occurs outside the school walls. Boring? Not one bit. The tension between the characters alone would have been enough to keep me engaged and reading.

While This is Not a Test makes for a perfect, open-ended standalone novel, I would absolutely love to see a sequel. Ok, scratch that.... I'm DYING for a sequel! If you don't mind a little less gore and a little more emotion in your zombie books, this is definitely for you.

ARC Tour Signups: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Tour Info

Hi Inklings!! I have a special opportunity for you guys today. I have an ARC of Wake (AUGUST 2012) by Amanda Hocking and I’d like to give you a chance to read it. I’ve already enjoyed it! You can see my review here. If you’re interested in participating in the tour, it’s really simple: Fill out the form below, I send the book to the first person, they send it to the next, and so on. Ideally, I would like to get 5-8 bloggers/reviewers involved. Sign up below and I will contact the chosen ones for more information!

Book Info

Wake (Watersong, #1) by Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: ARC
Release Date: August 7th, 2012

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs.  She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door.  He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back.  Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever.  She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove.  They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price.  And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

RULES

1. US Only.
2. You do not need to have a blog, but please do have a place where you post reviews.
3. You must read and send the book out to the next person within 2 weeks.
4. Let me know when you receive and send out the book.
5. I'm not specific about when you write your review or how long it takes to write. Please do send me a link when you’ve posted it though!

See! Simple. If you're interested fill out the form below:

SIGNUPS ARE NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!

Review: Wake (Watersong, #1)

Wake (Watersong, #1) by Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher/BEA
Release Date: August 7th, 2012
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs.  She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door.  He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back.  Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever.  She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove.  They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price.  And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Not having read any of Amanda Hocking's books, I was hesitant to pick up Wake. Luckily, I was not disappointed. Wake proved itself to be a fast, engaging read! While I didn't find myself particularly impressed with the characters, I fell in love with the story. Hocking's true skill for storytelling will make Wake hard to put down this summer!

I was surprised to find that Wake has a darker side. I was expecting the usual fluffy summer romance. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with that, but it can get predictable. Wake was something completely different: an intelligent mix of mythology, horror, and a pinch of romance. After moving a bit slow in the beginning, Wake quickly picked up after Gemma's encounter with Penn, Lexi, and Thea on the cove.
 
The three antagonists, specifically Penn, made wicked awesome villains: beautiful yet deadly and easy to hate. Gemma was the perfect counter to the threesome mentioned above! She was passionate, likable, and relatively easy to relate to. Gemma was great, but the character that really stole my heart was Daniel! Daniel was a bit of a bum, living on a boat and all, but he had a fantastic personality. He was such an interesting character that he quickly became my favorite! Honestly, I wish he would have been Gemma's love interest instead of Alex!

While I do wish that the characters were a bit more developed, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment of the Watersong series. Definitely throw this one in your beach bag this August when it releases!