Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea (Adam Roberts, Mahendra Singh - Illustrator)

Synopsis:
Adam Roberts revisits Jules Verne's classic novel in a collaboration with the illustrator behind a recent highly acclaimed edition of The Hunting of the Snark.
It is 1958 and France's first nuclear submarine, Plongeur, leaves port for the first of its sea trials. On board, gathered together for the first time, are one of the Navy's most experienced captains and a tiny skeleton crew of sailors, engineers, and scientists. The Plongeur makes her first dive and goes down, and down and down. Out of control, the submarine plummets to a depth where the pressure will crush her hull, killing everyone on board, and beyond. The pressure builds, the hull protests, the crew prepare for death, the boat reaches the bottom of the sea and finds nothing. Her final dive continues, the pressure begins to relent, but the depth guage is useless. They have gone miles down. Hundreds of miles, thousands, and so it goes on. Onboard the crew succumb to madness, betrayal, religious mania, and murder. Has the Plongeur left the limits of our world and gone elsewhere?

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
Going into this book I was expecting something like a retelling of Jules Verne's 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea, maybe with a modern sci-fi sort of twist. Although I haven't read that book yet, I am pretty sure Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea is nothing like I just described.
Before I start the actual review, I need to address the fact that half-way through the book I discovered Adam Roberts also wrote The Soddit under the name A.R.R.R. Roberts, a parody of The Hobbit that I read last year and extremely enjoyed. The writing was just as intriguing and the story just as weird and gripping. However, in The Soddit the combination of the author's imagination with his wits and strange plotlines created an hilarious and fast-paced story, whereas in Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea it was just odd. That's the best word I can think of. Odd.
First of all, this was a good book. It was good. It definitely didn't blow my mind and the collection of french names was not easy to follow, but there was something about how strange it was that kept me reading on. I honestly wanted to get to the end and know what was causing all those shenanigans.
To me, the story just dragged a little bit, there were moments where it felt like nothing was happening, and I felt there were deaths and violent and gory descriptions that were just a bit unnecessary, like they were there for effect or the eccentric factor.I couldn't like any of the characters. They were all so proud and crazy, always trying to prove themselves and their manly power. In this case, I don't reckon we are supposed to like the characters, but I believe this is a classic example of men in power and how keeping a cool head in extreme situations is impossible to them sometimes and it can lead to war - internal and external. Linked to this is the lack of female characters. I know this is set in 1958 and a woman in a war submarine might have been somehow too much to ask for, but I still wish there had been at least one involved in some way in this project.
Another thing that lowered my rating was how uneven this book felt. For about three fourths of the story it was slow and not too crazy. It was just the crew of the Plongeur falling through a huge body of water without being able to do anything about it (kind of). But there was a point where everything just turned bizarre and freaky. It seemed like two different books and I was completely lost - I had now idea what had just happened and I was like that until the end. The ending only confused me more, to be honest.
Now, I have to admit that there are a lot of redeeming qualities, the most impressive of which is the illustrations. They helped the story a lot. The helped me visualise the extraordinary descriptions that were almost impossible to imagine. They were mysterious and wonderful and a beautiful and awesome addition to the book.
I definitely recommend giving this a try, because I feel that this isn't for everyone. I was still very entertained and will absolutely read more books by Adam Roberts if I get the chance.

Beat the Turtle Drum (Constance C. Greene)

Synopsis:
An ALA Notable Book and an IRA-CBC Children’s Choice: Losing your sister can mean losing your best friend too
Thirteen-year-old Kate is thrilled for her sister, Joss, when Joss finds out she gets to keep a horse for a week as a birthday present.
Then in one tragic moment, all of the happiness is gone, and numbness and grief overwhelm the family. Kate cannot imagine how she’ll survive but knows somehow she must come to terms with her loss. In this heart-wrenching story, Kate strives to find a place where joyful memories and painful loss can coexist.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
I must say that I was immediately sold on the synopsis of this book. I sounded like the quick, emotional read I needed. And although it wasn't exactly like I expected it to be, Beat the Turtle Drum was, in fact, an extremely beautiful and moving book.
Overall, the story was interesting and I loved seeing such a wonderfully close sister relationship like Kate and Joss's. We got to know them through the course of the months that preceded the turning point. You can pretty much guess what happens from the synopsis, but when it comes, it hits you like a brick wall, especially if you have a sibling yourself and you can't imagine what you would do if it happened to them. In that sense, it was an heart wrenching tale that definitely stays with you for a long time.
However, I felt that there was nothing new besides what we can deduce from the synopsis and kind of changes the experience, had I not read it before. Nevertheless the writing brough something new to the book and keeps you reading on. There is so much to say, even if we already know it, no matter the size of this small story.
I really adored this book and I honestly believe that it probably would have been one of my favourite books had I read it when I was younger. I recommend this to younger kids that want to start reading books that deal with more serious themes and want to discover a new favourite author.

The Rose Master (Valentina Cano)

Synopsis:
The day Anne Tinning turns seventeen, birds fall from the sky. But that's hardly the most upsetting news. She's being dismissed from the home she's served at since she was a child, and shipped off to become the newly hired parlor maid for a place she's never heard of. And when she sees the run-down, isolated house, she instantly knows why:
There's something wrong with Rosewood Manor.
Staffed with only three other servants, all gripped by icy silence and inexplicable bruises, and inhabited by a young master who is as cold as the place itself, the house is shrouded in neglect and thick with fear. Her questions are met with hushed whispers, and she soon finds herself alone in the empty halls, left to tidy and clean rooms no one visits.
As the feeling of being watched grows, she begins to realize there is something else in the house with them--some creature that stalks the frozen halls and claws at her door. A creature that seems intent on harming her.
When a fire leaves Anne trapped in the manor with its Master, she finally demands to know why. But as she forces the truth about what haunts the grounds from Lord Grey, she learns secrets she isn't prepared for. The creature is very real, and she's the only one who can help him stop it.
Now, Anne must either risk her life for the young man she's grown to admire, or abandon her post while she still can.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
I have seen this book being described as Beauty and the Beast meets Jane Eyre and I can totally see why. It definitely has that victorian gothic, horror, haunted house with a huge secret feel we get while experiencing these stories.
I think the strongest point of this book was the writing, without a doubt. It was so intricate and beautiful and completely set the tone of the book, as Valentina Cano was able to convey that dark, eerie feel through her writing. It actually gave me chills at some points and I would read toilet paper instructions if it were written by this woman. Seriously.On the other side, though, the story itself left a lot to be desired. Don't get me wrong, the plot was so intriguing and I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails the whole time I was reading. The atmosphere was all there, that instensity, the oppressing feeling of the cold and the ghosts that haunted Rosewood Manor and its Master. But I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I could have if it had been executed differently.
Fist of all, I felt the events could have been developed a bit more. I felt like the story just dragged a little for the fist half or so and then everything was happening, like the climax happened there and then it died down from there. It was intense, I'll give it that, but I wish there had been more story and that everything wasn't so thrown at the reader and the main character, Anne, all at once. There were points where I had to force myself to continue, even though I was enjoying it. There was just so much to process I needed to take breaks. It took me a really long time to read this 200-page book because of that.
My second point is that I wasn't a huge fan of the romance aspect. I knew it was coming, but I always find it hard to appreciate when it's so predictable and fast. I just didn't find it was very believable, but, on second thought, that was probably just me. I honestly trust that there are readers who love cringe worthy romances and I think this would be perfect for them. Like I said, it just wasn't for me.
The characters were another of the strong points of this book, in my opinion. They were really well developed and I loved the backstory we got throughout the story. I mainly loved the fact that Lord Grey was so flawed, like he wasn't supposed to be perfect and swoon worthy. He was thin and kind of a twit, but he was also kind, deep down, and cared about his staff, especially Anne. The only problem I had with this aspect was the fact that I couldn't feel a connection with any of them. I didn't particularly relate to them and I actually felt really detached.After all that, I must admit that this was still a really enjoyable read and I wholeheartedly believe this author has a lot of potential and could create a classic tale one day.

All the Bright Places (Jennifer Niven)

Synopsis:
The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park, All the Bright Places is a compelling and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the 'natural wonders' of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It's only with Violet that Finch can be himself - a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.An intense, gripping YA novel, perfect for fans of John Green, Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, Gayle Forman and Jenny Downham.About the author: Jennifer Niven is the author of two narrative non-fiction books, The Ice Master and Ada Blackjack; a high school memoir, The Aqua Net Diaries; and four historical novels for adults: Velva Jean Learns to Drive (based on her Emmy Award-winning film of the same name), Velva Jean Learns to Fly, Becoming Clementine, and the forthcoming American Blonde. Jennifer lives in Los Angeles and you can learn more about her at www.jenniferniven.com. All the Bright Places is her first book for young adults.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
First, I will say that this book deserves all the hype it gets and more. Every teenager and adult should read it, especially if they are going through mental issues or know someone who is. It is extremely important to talk about these issues before suicide seemed an option to someone suffering from them. On that note, I believe authors are being less afraid of writing about it and are venturing into what could be an age of true information for teenagers on what suicide means to them and the people who stay behind, and, in my opinion, Jennifer Niven really set an example with All the Bright Places.
The writing was extremely energetic and sad and beautiful, one of those styles of writing you just can't help but admire because it completed the story so well. There are only a hand-full of authors these days with such a poignant writing style as Jennifer Niven.The story was, of course, emotional and meaningful, full of amazing metaphors and symbolism. But it was also a really uplifting, inspiring and fun at times, showing us that there is hope, there is love, there is friendship if we let those things into our minds and hearts in times of trouble. Mental diseases can make it seem like it's impossible to be loved or to love, but I think this books shows how it's possible, or what can happen if we let those feelings prevail. It was a pleasure to go through this story with Violet and Finch. Absolutely lovely.
The characters were real to me, they were developed in such a realistic way that it made the story even more difficult to deal with. Violet and Finch's relationship was so wonderful to read about and warmed my hart while crushing it to pieces at the same time. They both had issues of their own to deal with and they helped each other, although some times it can be hard to realise it, as the ending demonstrated. Because I was dealing with similar problems at the time that I read this, I could relate with either one, but especially Finch and his way of seeing the world.
At the end, I can, without a doubt, say that this book helped me in ways I couldn't explained if I tried and, although I didn't cry as I was expecting, I came out a different and better person after that final page.
I honestly hope this book becomes a huge success so it can reach a broader audience, and it can help others as it helped me, show how a light can be found it the darkness of the deep blue hole.

Quozl (Alan Dean Foster)

Synopsis:
Rabbitlike aliens from outer space colonize Earth during humankind’s Second World War in a delightfully funny and thought-provoking science fiction adventure.
The Quozl just need somewhere to call home. A gentle race of extraterrestrial rabbits, they have a propensity for reproduction that has left their home planet, Quozlene, dangerously overpopulated, and in their search for greener and less-crowded pastures, they have discovered the perfect place to start over: the third planet away from a healthy, warming sun. What they don’t realize is that this world they call Shiraz is already inhabited by a species of violent sentient creatures known as humans.
But there’s no going back now. In the midst of the brutal and helpfully distracting global conflict the Shirazians call World War II, the colony ship lands undetected, and the space rabbits immediately go into hiding. But a secret like the Quozl can be concealed for only so long, especially when their numbers start to increase and certain rebellious members of the long-eared society decide the time is ripe to claim their place in a world they believe is rightfully theirs.
One of the most admired and prolific authors in the science fiction arena, Alan Dean Foster will delight readers who hunger for something different with this funny, thoughtful, and wildly inventive novel of first contact and coexistence. Once you meet the Quozl, you will never forget them.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
I need to start by saying that I barely read any books set in space, or with alien characters, so I am not an expert on this matter, but I think I can honestly say this is probably one of the best developed out there right now.
The Quozl culture, their costumes, their identity as inteligent beings, their way of living. It felt as if nothing was left out. Everything was interestingly detailed and analysed, leaving us with the sense that we knew them as well as the author, there was nothing else we could ask for that wasn't mentioned here. The story didn't feel shallow, basic. It went kilometers deep into Quozl history.
I especially adored the way it was funny and light and easy to read, but also extremely profound, scientific and fascinating. It made these little guys feel so real and the story so much more intense and fast to get trough.
The next thing that needs to be acknowledged is the way these aliens see the world they are about to enter. In the beginning of the story we see the crew of the Sequencer, after generations and generations of interspace travel from their overpopulated planet, Quozl, as they land on a new (supposedly) unoccupied planet, Shiraz. However, as they study it further, they discover it has already been popularized by other intelligent beings. They landed on Earth. As peaceful, respectful and polite creatures, the Quozl are aghast when they start studying Humans and learn of their violent wars. That's probably what stuck me the most, the views they had on the Human society and their way of exposing it. In my opinion, it was brilliantly made and it was carried all throughout the story.
I believe these alien colonists really force us to see what we have let technology, evolution and Human nature do to the world we live in and give an example everyone reading would want to follow.
I absolutely loved to love and loved to hate some of the characters. Not because they were detestable, but because they were so clueless and naive. Anyhow, all of the characters were explored and described immensely well and we get to met such a diverse set of them that it's hard to point out any negative aspects.
The relationship between aliens and humans was one of the best aspects about the last half of the book. The differences and similarities, especially the differences in the dialogue, was what, in my opinion, took this story to the next level.
The ending was not how I pictured it, but it was still really good, and showed that a book like this can remain constant and true to itself and still keep you guessing and reading on. There is always something new to discover, until the very last page. I utterly believe we would like to think that that is not how things would play out, but I think, deep down, we all hope for it. There is no way to guess what would actually happen, but Alan Dean Foster did a remarkable job.
Although this isn't a recent book, I would still absolutely recommend it. It was, overall, such an interesting, enjoyable, amusing book, with cute moments, awkward scenes and lovable characters. Under all the subtle humour, it is the kind of sci-fi novel that makes us wonder 'what if?'

One last thing: because I read this as an ebook, I didn't get to experience the flip-a-motion art inside the original paperback copies of Quozl, but I found a video and I leave it here if you also like to watch it: