Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre and Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

 

Last Friday, I finished reading Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre. This paranormal thriller is about Liv Burnham, a high school junior who is in a car accident after a party with her best friend Morgan Frost, her boyfriend Nathan Claymore, and his brother Clay, who just happens to be Morgan's boyfriend. In the hospital while recovering, Liv wakes up in Morgan's body. As she tries to adjust to her new life, she discovers that Morgan had some disturbing secrets, including an affair with an older married man, Creepy Jack, and begins to piece together the mystery of Morgan's mom's death. Although she misses her old life, especially her parents and Nathan, she genuinely falls for Clay while determining if she can trust him with Morgan's and her own secrets. As it becomes more clear that Creepy Jack is on to her, Liv must decide when to release the evidence she has against him.

This novel was such a compelling read. I had no idea what to expect at the beginning, but I was intrigued from the moment that Liv woke up in Morgan's body. At first, I thought it was for scientific reasons, like a brain transplant similar to a book I read (Airhead by Meg Cabot), but it became clear in the middle of the book that what happened to Liv was supernatural in nature. The mystery was suspenseful and I kept wondering what other secrets would be revealed about Morgan as the plot went on. Most of all, though, I enjoyed the romance between Liv and Clay. I have this thing where I tend to root for the older brother in love triangles, and I was not disappointed at all. I love how Liv had to let go of her preconceived notions of him as she got to know him better and the conflict of Clay falling for his brother's ex-girlfriend, who isn't really dead, was so interesting. The end of the story was dynamic and I was totally ecstatic with it. Like Never and Always is a great choice for anyone who loves mystery with some romance.

On Saturday, I finished reading Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston. This realistic fiction novel is about Sharkita "Kita" Lloyd, a twelve-year-old seventh-grade girl who is just reunited with her younger brother, Lamar, and her younger sister, Lillieana, after being in foster care for over sixty days due to their mom Brittany's alcoholism and tendency to leave them alone. Kita wants nothing more than to keep her family together this time around and she is hopeful when their mom finds a job as a paralegal and promises that things are different. Although she often still has to help take care of her younger siblings, Kita tries out for the dance team and makes the cut, but as she grows closer to the coach, she worries more and more about keeping up appearances. When her mom begins slipping into old habits again, Kita wonders if her worst fear could be what's best for her and her siblings.

Although this book deals with some tough stuff as an exploration of the effects of parental neglect, I enjoyed reading it. I absolutely adored Kita's relationship with her younger siblings, Lilli and Lamar. It was so clear that she just wanted what was best for them by the end of the story, even if it meant being separated again. At the same time, I really felt for Kita because she had to act as a parental figure to Lilli and Lamar even though all of the pressure being placed on her was causing her to have sleep paralysis and panic attacks. Not to mention, she had to find ways of helping Lamar through his behavioral issues as a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. I wanted her to get the help she needed and was glad when she started opening up to the new school counselor, Dr. Charles. The new assistant principal and dance team coach, Dr. Sapperstein, was another good influence in Kita's life, and I liked her friends, as well. It was wonderful following Kita's journey in realizing that she's not alone and that she could stand up for herself and her well-being. As I learned about Kita's mom's past, it didn't surprise me that she wasn't able to keep her promise and the climax of the book was heartbreaking. The story did finish on a hopeful note, though, and I think it demonstrates the importance of kids being able to be just kids. Shark Teeth is a difficult story, but anyone should read it.

The Razorland Series by Ann Aguirre

 

Yesterday, I finished reading the Razorland series by Ann Aguirre. This dystopian series is about teenagers that live in a post-apocalyptic world in which zombie-like monsters called Freaks roam free. In the prequel short story, Foundation, survivors, including two boys who fall in love, create the first enclaves underground as disease spreads in the city. In Enclave, which begins the main trilogy, Deuce turns fifteen and takes on her role as Huntress in the enclave of College, which is in the subway tunnels of what was once New York City. After Deuce is paired with a young Hunter, Fade, they discover that a neighboring enclave, Nassau, was destroyed by Freaks, but the elders refuse to believe their warnings. Then, when Deuce's friend, Stone, is framed, she and Fade are exiled from College and have to go topside. Because the ruins of the city are ruled by dangerous gangs, they decide to go north. In the second book, Outpost, Deuce and Fade, along with their new friends Tegan and Stalker, have to adjust to living in the small town of Salvation. Deuce doesn't understand why Fade has been keeping her at a distant, but when she signs up for the summer patrols, she notices that the Freaks are getting smarter and that their time in Salvation may be limited. In the final book of the trilogy, Horde, Salvation is surrounded by Freaks and the four friends have to find a new place for its residents, leading to the ultimate battle for survival. Endurance, a novella taking place between Enclave and Outpost, is about how Deuce's friends, Stone and Thimble decide to escape from the rebellion and destruction in College with Stone's son to go topside and fall in love. Restoration, a short story taking place near the end of Outpost, is about how Fade felt after Deuce rescued him from the Freak outpost. In the final book of the series, Vanguard, Tegan goes on a journey when her mentor, Dr. Wilson, dies about a year after the events of Horde. She is accompanied by Millie Faraday, James Morrow, and the Uroch vanguard, Szarok. Although Morrow has feelings for her, Tegan is inexplicably drawn to Szarok. After Tegan and Szarok get separated from Millie and Morrow during a storm, they all have to determine what their hearts truly want.

This entire series was totally awesome. When I first read the premise, it reminded me a little of The Hunger Games. Deuce definitely seemed a lot like Katniss Everdeen and I grew to really love her character because of her bravery and commitment to doing what's right. I also really enjoyed her romance with Fade because he taught her that she could want more in life than just fighting to the death and protecting others. My other favorite character in the main trilogy was Stalker because he grew to really be someone that Deuce could trust to help her protect the community even though he seemed like a villain at first with how he treated Tegan during the time she was captured by his gang. Additionally, I thought it was fascinating learning about the origin of the Freaks. At first, I thought they were very similar to zombies, but little hints were dropped here and there until the shocking reveal about their connection to humans. These books were definitely filled with adventure, suspense, and high stakes, but the romance is what moved me. In addition to Deuce and Fade, I thought the love stories of Robin Schiller and Austin Shelley, Stone and Thimble, and the two pairings in Vanguard (I don't want to spoil too much) were beautiful. All in all, the Razorland series is fantastic for fans of dystopian and science fiction novels with a dash of romance.