Swoon Thursday (#308): Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd!

She left Toblerone to guard the entrance and returned to the château, to the west bedroom, where Beau was still in bed but awake now, groggy, rubbing his head as though it ached. It was cold, and she pulled on her Faustine jacket.

"Anouk. The time -"

She climbed onto the bed and pressed a finger to his mouth.

"For once, let's not think about time."

Then impulsively, she replaced her finger with her lips.

He stirred awake quickly after that, stiff with surprise at first, but then his arms circled her waist and an exhale slipped from his throat. He kissed her back, sending magic shooting between her two ears, all the way to her ten fingers and her eight dirt-caked toes. 

One of his hands found her hair, and she, in turn, found herself touching his cheekbones, his chest, his arms, every inch of him. She felt those champagne bubbles churning like they never had before, going straight to her head, making her feel giddy and thirsty and like she was a fool too, that she should have kissed him long ago, that they had wasted too much precious life already.

- ARC, pages 157-158

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Such a swoony scene! Did you see that the cover of book two was revealed? It's beautiful!

Science in Fiction (#29): The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd!

The Cage review | The Hunt review | The Gauntlet review

The Gauntlet is the third and final book of Megan Shepherd's second YA trilogy. In this series, teens are taken from Earth, a planet that may not even exist anymore. Humans may have destroyed their planet and no life may still exist. Cora and her friends don't know, because they've been taken to an alien planet with no knowledge of what happened to Earth.

I'm going to tangentially relate my topic to The Gauntlet. Life on earth in The Gauntlet could be destroyed, because of pollution, greenhouse gases, lack of clean water - who knows. Just like life on our Earth could be destroyed fort the same reason.

If it wasn't obvious, today I'm going to talk about the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement was adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Paris. 195 UNFCCC members signed the Agreement. The countries that have not adopted the Agreement are Syria and Nicaragua. As of June 1st, 2017, that is. 

What is the Paris Agreement?

The Paris agreement deals with the increase in the global average temperature, the impacts of climate change, and the financing of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. There are several important points of the Agreement, the most important being the following:

"Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change"

(Article 2 of the Paris Agreement)

Why is the Paris Agreement necessary?

In my last Science in Fiction post, I talked a lot about certain impacts of global climate change and global warming. The Paris Agreement is so important if we (the world) want to work together to slow down the effects of global climate change. By signing the Agreement, we (the world) recognize that we must work together to make efforts in slowing the increase of the global temperature, and slowing the rapid effects of climate change.

To withdraw from the Agreement would mean that the country withdrawing doesn't care about the increasing average global temperature, rising sea levels, disappearing islands, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing carbon in the atmosphere... well, we all know that the current U.S. president has a head of the EPA that doesn't even believe climate change is real.

Which, to put it bluntly, is utter stupidity. 

Keep in mind, the U.S. is a top emitter of carbon (with China). We need to be committed to the Paris Agreement. For us to withdraw sets a bad precedent for the rest of the world. What if China pulls out too? And India? The U.S. is responsible for a lot of human impacts on the environment (like carbon emission). We should be held responsible for this, down to the citizen level (yes, I'm implying exactly what you think I'm implying). 

Why is President Trump/the U.S. government pulling out of the Agreement?

Great question. To me, it doesn't seem like Trump is concerned about climate. Or even the U.S. economy, a reasoning I've seen many Republicans use to justify the withdrawal. To me, it seems like the President is trying to isolate the U.S., and this is a slap in the face to the rest of the world. A "bye Felicia" moment, if you will. Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement isn't going to create jobs in the coal industry (a dying industry, mind you). It isn't going to bring back jobs (Trump claimed that the Paris Agreement would cause jobs cuts - no sweetie, it would create jobs). It isn't going to ensure that the U.S. comes up with "better" alternative ways to deal with global climate change (remember that Republicans don't believe in global climate change!). The Republicans don't even care about the environment, so I have no doubt that they are not going to propose anything in place of the Agreement, for the U.S. alone or for the world. 

But, this is my opinion, and it's worth what you're paying for. You can check out this Politico article that I found fascinating, Or better yet, check out this Fox News article but a very intelligent man that doesn't know how to cite facts. (Spoiler alert: the article is garbage.)

Resources:

The Paris Agreement (provided by UNFCCC)
Paris Agreement Tracker (provided by the World Resources Institute)
Full text and annotations of Trump's speech on the Paris Agreement withdrawal (provided by NPR)
Fact-check on Trump's speech (provided by USA Today)


So, fellow earthling: what are your thoughts on the latest environmental decisions that the U.S. president has been making? I welcome all thoughts, agree or disagree.

Review: The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

Book Three of The Cage series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: May 23, 2017

Rating: 3 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race.

Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove humanity’s intelligence and set them free. But Armstrong is no paradise; ruled by a power-hungry sheriff, it’s a violent world where the teens are enslaved and put to work in mines. As Nok’s due date grows closer, and Mali and Leon journey across space to rescue Cassian, the former inhabitants of the cage are up against impossible odds.

With the whole universe at stake, Cora will do whatever it takes, including pushing her body and mind to the breaking point, to escape Armstrong and run the Gauntlet. But it isn’t just a deranged sheriff she has to overcome: the other intelligent species—the Axion, Kindred, Gatherers, and Mosca—all have their own reasons to stop her. Not knowing who to trust, Cora must rely on her own instincts to win the competition, which could change the world—though it might destroy her in the process.

What I Liked:

The Gauntlet is the final book in Megan Shepherd's second YA trilogy. I read and neither loved nor hated her debut trilogy, and I had high hopes for this series. Overall, I liked this science fiction trilogy more than I liked her historical fiction trilogy, but I wasn't completely impressed by this conclusion novel. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It was a decent conclusion though!

Cora and the gang have escaped from the Kindred and have made it to Armstrong, a small moon that is supposed to be safe. But when they are stranded there and captured by the Sheriff of Armstrong and her ruthless human army, Cora fears that she will not be able to run the Gauntlet. Meanwhile, Mali and Leon attempt to rescue Cassian, who sacrificed himself to let Cora and the others escape. With a little help, Cora and the gang escape on Armstrong - and Cassian escapes from the Kindred, with Mali and Leon. It all comes down to the Gauntlet. If Cora succeeds, an evolutionary jump will boost humans' natural abilities and help them overthrew the powerful species that is hunting them. If she fails, she'll die, and so will all of the other humans, and the Kindred too. It's do or die, and it all comes down to the Gauntlet.

“The wolves are strong. But the rabbits are clever.”

That line is my favorite of the book, and probably the series in general. It speaks to me on so many levels. Anya needs to hear it several times throughout the story, and it really is good encouragement. This line holds true for the duration of the book; the wolves are the Kindred, the evil humans, the Axion, and the rabbits are Cora and the other humans who are trying to escape. 

Like the previous books, this one is written in third-person limited, with POVs of various characters. Cora's POV is the most important and the most common, but we also get to read from Rolf's and Leon's (and maybe Mali's too, if I remember correctly). Cora has shown a lot of character growth from book one to this book, as did Leon, and Rolf, and Nok. Nok surprised me by becoming one of my favorites of the "original" band of humans, from book one. I also adored Leon and his heroic self. 

Cassian isn't present for about half of this book, and I definitely wanted him to be around more than he was, but I liked his stable presence in the second half of the book. Cassian is a good man and a very important player in the series. I wish the author wrote chapters from his POV though - he's easily the most interesting guy of the cast, but he seems one-dimensional sometimes, because of his mechanical, distant nature. But Cassian is so complex and interesting, and I think chapters from his POV would have the story even more intriguing.

In terms of the romance, there are several romances and no love triangles. Rolf and Nok are a solid couple, and despite their current circumstances, I like how they grow to love each other even more. Leon and Mali are adorable together - they're both combative, which is funny to watch. Cassian and Cora are my favorite pair, and I really wish there were more scenes featuring them, in this book.

There is a looooot of good science in this book. When I say "good", I mean interesting, noteworthy, and thought-provoking. It's not just the planet-hopping or the space travel or the advanced intelligent species with supernatural abilities. Shepherd includes a variety of scientific issues worth discussing - the treatment of animals, the evolution of humans, mining resources. The setting of this book is purely fictional, but the scientific basis behind it is fascinating.

As far as conclusion novels go, the plot of this one wasn't bad. In fact, there was a good amount of action and the stakes were incredibly high. I wasn't bored or uninterested for the most part, though I did start to lose a little interest as the Gauntlet dragged on. The Gauntlet begins around the three-quarter mark (or thereabout), and it seems like it drags on. More on that below. In any case, the first half of the book was gritty and harsh, and the second half of the book was heart-pounding and yet a little predictable. The ending of the book was bittersweet and I didn't particularly love it. But it's not a bad ending.

What I Did Not Like:

I can't say I was bored while reading this book, because that wouldn't be true, but my interest definitely slowed down as the end got closer. It felt like the closer Cora got to the Gauntlet, the less interested I became. And then the actual Gauntlet course took forever! I started flipping the pages a little faster.

The predictability of the ending was a little annoying too. We all knew what was going to happen with the Gauntlet! Why not shake things up a bit? The ending of this book, in terms of the Gauntlet, was very obvious and probably the easiest way out. A little cliche though.

Also, you know how at least one main character has to die at the end of a trilogy? In my opinion, the wrong one died. Just my opinion. It wasn't Cora or Cassian, I'll tell you that. But the wrong character died. 

Speaking of Cora and Cassian... they were hardly together in this book! As in, they didn't really even see each other until the last quarter of the book or so! And when they did finally see each other - man, I was expecting some swoony times! Sexy times! Anything! These two barely even kiss once! I can't help but feel a little disappointed. Cassian and Cora share some borderline steamy moments in The Cage and The Hunt - but the author gave us nothing, in this book. 

Also, the ending in terms of Cassian/Cora did not leave me happy at all. Just saying. I need an epilogue in which Cora changes her mind of something. I'm trying to be vague, but gah! I'm annoyed and disappointed in the ending (in terms of Cassian and Cora). The ending in general is not bad. Though I did find it a little underwhelming - but I found the entire climax underwhelming. 

Would I Recommend It:

I liked the series overall, definitely more than Shepherd's debut trilogy. I think this series is a good science fiction series, but it's not a life-changing series in general, you know? I do recommend it if you enjoy YA science fiction, but I don't necessarily recommend it in general.

However, I recommend this book if you've read the previous books in the series, or even if you've only read the first book. Finish the series! It's a fairly good series, and definitely worth finishing. This conclusion novel wasn't a great finish, but I loved the second book (The Hunt). 

Rating:

3 stars. I'm disappointed in myself, because the last two books I read were YA science fiction, and both got 3 stars from me! I love science fiction and I fully expected to love both books. Maybe it is my mood - though I don't think so! Any have Summer/Fall 2017 YA science fiction recommendations for me? Pre-published is preferred!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Waiting on Wednesday (#203): The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

The Gauntlet by Megan Shepherd

Book Three of The Cage series
Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: May 23, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove humanity’s intelligence and set them free. But Armstrong is no paradise; ruled by a power-hungry sheriff, it’s a violent world where the teens are enslaved and put to work in mines. As Nok’s due date grows closer, and Mali and Leon journey across space to rescue Cassian, the former inhabitants of the cage are up against impossible odds.

With the whole universe at stake, Cora will do whatever it takes, including pushing her body and mind to the breaking point, to escape Armstrong and run the Gauntlet. But it isn’t just a deranged sheriff she has to overcome: the other intelligent species—the Axion, Kindred, Gatherers, and Mosca—all have their own reasons to stop her. Not knowing who to trust, Cora must rely on her own instincts to win the competition, which could change the world—though it might destroy her in the process.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The Cage review | The Hunt review

I can't wait to see how this series ends!

Review: The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

Book Two of The Cage series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: May 24, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

They’ve left the cage—but they’re not free yet.

After their failed escape attempt, Cora, Lucky, and Mali have been demoted to the lowest level of human captives and placed in a safari-themed environment called the Hunt, along with wild animals and other human outcasts. They must serve new Kindred masters—Cora as a lounge singer, Lucky as an animal wrangler, and Mali as a safari guide—and follow new rules or face dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, Nok and Rolf have been moved into an enormous dollhouse, observed around the clock by Kindred scientists interested in Nok’s pregnancy. And Leon, the only one who successfully escaped, has teamed up with villainous Mosca black-market traders.

The former inhabitants of the Cage are threatened on all fronts—and maybe worst of all, one of the Hunt’s Kindred safari guests begins to play a twisted game of cat and mouse with Cora. Separated and constantly under watch, she and the others must struggle to stay alive, never mind find a way back to each other. When Cassian secretly offers to train Cora to develop her psychic abilities—to prove the worthiness of humanity in a series of tests called the Gauntlet—she’ll have to decide fast if she dares to trust the Kindred who betrayed her, or if she can forge her own way to freedom.

What I Liked:

In my opinion, this is Shepherd's best published book. I gave all of her other books three stars each, my absolute least favorite probably being Her Dark Curiosity (gosh that book was a mess). I liked The Cage more than I liked any of her debut trilogy's books, but I didn't connected with the characters. I'm not sure what it is about Shepherd's books that keep me coming back, but in this case, I don't regret it. The Hunt is my favorite Shepherd book, and her best to date.

At the end of The Cage, Cora and the other humans tried to escape from the Cage, but they failed. Now split up, they must survive the horror in front of them. Cora is taken to a menagerie called The Hunt, where she sings. Lucky is placed an animal wrangler at the menagerie. Pregnant Nok and Rolf are taken to a facility where they are watched 24/7 by the Kindred, who want to see how typical humans raise a baby. Leon escaped successfully, and has pledged himself to work for a dangerous Mosca. Cora has been working with Cassian to strengthen her telekinetic abilities, in order to enter a game that might free the humans. Cassian is no longer a foe to worry about - the dangers outside the Cage are much greater than Cora and the other humans imagined.

This book is written in the perspectives of the different humans that we met in book one. Specifically, Cora, Lucky, Leon, Mali, Rolf. Usually I don't like multiple POVs (more than two, meaning), because authors tend to scatter events and interrupt key scenes and it's just too much going on. But I really liked how the author crafted this story, with the POVs she decided to include. All of them are in third-person. Cora is clearly the most important protagonist, but I think each of the other POVs were just as necessary.

I felt like I connected with the characters, in this book! That was one of my complaints abut The Cage. I liked Cora in this book; she is determined and willful and a fighter, and she is willing to do just about anything to get back to Earth. Lucky wasn't my favorite in book one, but I liked him more in this book. I felt like I understood him more.

Leon seems like a changed and better person, in this book. He takes on a rather noble and brave role, and I like the progression of his character development. Rolf and Nok's plot aren't as important as the plot of the other characters (it's pretty much just two plots, with Rolf and Nok being the second separate one), but towards the end, their roles are significant. We get a few chapters in Mali's POV; she is a strange one, but I like her.

Cassian is entirely redeemed, in my opinion. I feel bad for him, in this book. It's clear that he is working extremely hard to give Cora and the humans a chance to become an equal race in the eyes of the Kindred and the other species that treat humans like slaves and animals. Cassian is like a revolutionary, yet Cora and the others struggle to trust him. Cora's case is a little different because she has feelings for him and had felt personally betrayed by him in book one. But no matter - she seems him differently in this book.

One thing I really liked was how focused Cora was on getting back to Earth. She's focused on honing her abilities so that she will be strong enough to compete in the Gauntlet. She isn't letting her emotions get the best of her - the romance in this book is not at the forefront of everything.

But I can't go through this entire review and not talking about the romance. In my review of The Cage, I talked about how a love triangle was forming. The love triangle starts and ends with that book, for the most part. Lucky cares about Cora a lot, but it's clear that Cora does not return his feelings the way he wants her to. Cora has feelings for Cassian, and this scares her, because he is a Kindred, one of a species that she hates. But she can't hate him. Cassian loves Cora, which is pretty rare for the Kindred. I'm rooting for these two! Not in a Team Cassian kind of way, but in a way such that I want them to have a happy ending together, even though they are human and Kindred. 

Have I mentioned how cool (and disturbing) I find the science aspect? The Kindred, the Mosca, and other species are all alien species. The Kindred are really advanced, and super smart, and really good-looking, and not entirely human-looking. They have abilities beyond telekinesis and telecommunication, and they are "superior" to humans (not all of them think that way). Cora and the other humans are stuck galaxies away from Earth, with the Kindred and the Mosca and other alien species, in a place where humans are not treated, well, humanely.

Betrayals, epiphanies, deaths, steamy kisses - this book had it all. This didn't seem like on of Shepherd's books, from what I'm used to! I really enjoyed the story. The ending is pretty wide open, though I hesitate to call it a cliffhanger. I am very anxious to read book three! Shepherd sets up the scene perfectly for book three - I can see how things will shape up!

What I Did Not Like:

The beginning of the book is pretty slow - maybe the first fourth of the book. It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I was hooked, I couldn't stop reading.

I feel a little for Lucky, because it was always clear that Cora didn't want him like he wanted her? Their friendship is pretty important in this book, and I think they have a nice relationship, but as friends. Still, I could see how there could have been a love triangle (it's not happening though). I wish Lucky could just fall for someone else! So frustrating.

Would I Recommend It:

I'm not sure how to make this call, because this is my first Shepherd book that I've given more than 3.5 stars (and I've read five of five Shepherd books). If you read The Cage, you should definitely read this sequel - The Hunt is (even) better. But if you haven't read book one, maybe don't start the series. I have a good feeling about this series though!

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm impressed with this book! I honestly wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. It almost didn't feel like a Shepherd book (though it undoubtedly was). I definitely will be reading the conclusion to this series! This series is much better than Shepherd's debut trilogy.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Blog Tour Interview with Megan Shepherd, Author of The Cage (and GIVEAWAY!)

Welcome to the blog tour for The Cage by Megan Shepherd! Check out the interesting interview I have with Megan, and enter to win a prize!

My review of The Cage | Science in Fiction

Meet Megan!

Alyssa: Hi, Megan! Thank you so much for joining me today on my blog! And congratulations on yet another release! How does it feel to be published four times now? :)

Megan: Hey, Alyssa! I’m thrilled to have my fourth book on shelves, especially the start of a brand-new series!

Alyssa: Describe some differences in THE CAGE, versus writing THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER (the first novels in a series)

Megan: When I wrote THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER, I was unpublished, unagented, and didn’t know very much about the business end of writing. Now that I know more about the market, about readers’ tastes, and publishers’ expectations, I sometimes find it hard to just sit back and write. While I was writing THE CAGE, I really had to find ways to clear all those worries from my head and just focus on the story.

Alyssa: Were there any novels that inspired or influenced THE CAGE?

Megan: When I started writing THE CAGE, I kept thinking back to an old episode of ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? that I remembered from my childhood. Did you ever watch that show? So I was in part inspired by that, and in part by the fast pace and themes of some great current YA sci-fi books like ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and SHATTER ME.

Alyssa: Did you come up with the comparison in the synopsis (“THE MAZE RUNNER meets Scott Westerfeld”)? What do you think of this comparison?

Megan: I didn’t! My publisher wrote that description. I feel really honored to be compared to those awesome books & authors.

Alyssa: Do you prefer writing historical fiction, or science fiction?

Megan: It really depends. I like writing the historical fiction voice best, and I find it a relief to write about a time period before the internet/cell phones/computers, but I also love the big philosophical questions you also often find in science fiction.

Alyssa: That’s it from me! Thank you for your time, and best of luck with the books (and movie)!

Megan: Thanks so much, Alyssa! Awesome questions, and a pleasure talking with you!

About the Author:

Megan Shepherd grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where her family has owned and operated an independent bookstore for over 35 years. Shepherd attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she majored in international studies and went on to live and work in Costa Rica, Senegal, Scotland, Spain, and many other countries. Now, Shepherd has returned to Western North Carolina and is a full-time writer of young adult novels.

She is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

Author Photo by Kristi Hedberg Photography

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

About the Book:

The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Book One of The Cage series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: May 26, 2015

Official Summary:

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage? 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

The Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a signed ARC of THE CAGE with a CAGE bookmark and sticker sheet. US Only.

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Follow the Tour!

Week One:

5/18/2015- No BS Book Reviews- Interview

5/19/2015- Me, My Shelf and I- Review

5/20/2015- Bewitched Bookworms- Guest Post

5/21/2015- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review

5/22/2015- Novel Novice- Interview

Week Two:

5/25/2015- Fiktshun- Guest Post

5/26/2015- Bookish- Review

5/27/2015- The Eater of Books!- Interview

5/28/2015- Such a Novel Idea- Review

5/29/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

Science in Fiction (#4): The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring The Cage by Megan Shepherd!

The Cage review | Blog tour

***NOTE: There may be spoilers. If you have not read The Cage, be aware that there are some key ideas from this post that can seem spoiler-y. Sorry to everyone!***

This is Megan Shepherd's fourth published novel, the first one of a new series. You can check out my reviews of The Madman's Daughter, Her Dark Curiosity, and A Cold Legacy! In this novel, Cora and five other teens are taken from their homes and plopped into a cage-like habitat... and they have no recollection of getting there. As it would turn out, Cora and the other teens were taken from Earth by aliens (who look like humans, but with huge differences in appearance). The purpose for taking the humans? Super sinister.

READ ON ONLY IF YOU DON'T MIND SPOILERS.

Today, I'm going to talk about natural selection and evolution!

(In a very general sense.)

Regardless of your beliefs, it's pretty obvious that every species has evolved somehow. I'm not necessarily saying that a rabbit evolved from a worm or something (not trying to step on anyone's toes), but I am saying that species adapt to changing conditions and in time in general. I know that the topics of natural selection and evolution can start wars, but I want to relate this concepts very generally to The Cage.

Human evolution has been well studied. We can see evidence of adaptations and evolution within the Homo sapiens species through geologic time. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (which I just visited two months ago) has a really interesting hall on human evolution, called Human Origins. Check out skull shapes and other fossils, it would definitely seem like we have evolved some since "cavemen"!

National Geographic wrote an article about RECENT human evolution. Yes, humans are still evolving! The human genome is changing. This depends on region, climate, and even culture. But humans are evolving to have slightly different bone structure, metabolism, and other small changes that we might not be able to physically see - but maybe hundreds or thousands of years from now, our descendants will!

What does this have to do with The Cage? Here's where it gets kind of spoiler-y?

The aliens take the six teenagers because of their TRAITS. Cora is innocent and kind, Rolf is intelligent, Nok is beautiful, Lucky is... fearless and alpha-y (I can't remember specifically what his desired trait was), Leon is the epitome of perfect human musculature and fitness (apparently), and the sixth human, a girl, you'll have to read to find out about her.

The aliens chose these humans specifically because they have traits that would be successful in the next generation of humans... their offspring. Between the six of them. Three males, three females, and each of them has a strong amount of a certain trait that makes them valuable as well as necessary to the aliens. The aliens want the humans to procreate with each other, to produce a more superior generation of humans.

This is basically forcing natural selection. Natural selection is the process in which organisms adapt to conditions such as environment in order to better survive. The aliens are pushing the six humans to procreate, with hopes that the combination of traits will produce stronger traits in the offspring. In this way, the humans are to be evolving into a generation of more superior humans.

Creepy, no? Imagine if you were chosen for some trait, and told to mate with someone who also has a strong trait, in order to bear superior offspring. For which trait do you think you would be chosen? Would you go along with this scheme (I mean, in this book, they have pretty much no choice - start procreating in 21 days or else)?

I don't have a ton of science-y articles and evidence to provide for you all, since this practice isn't exactly known to humankind, but it's definitely something to think about. What if we were paired off based on certain valued traits - and what if some of us didn't have a strong trait? What if some of us didn't make the cut?

Despite the overwhelming population of humans on Earth (seriously, we are WAY over the carrying capacity), I think procreation should be between two willing individuals. The human race will survive and evolve as it is!

Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Book One of The Cage series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: May 26, 2015

Rating: 3 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

What I Liked:

As I'm writing this review, I'm struggling to decide if I liked this book or not. It should be easy, right? To figure out if you (overall) felt positively towards a book, or negatively. I have no idea. I feel like I liked the science fiction, but could not connect with some of the characters, so I'm stuck. I have no idea how this review is going to go, so bear with me!

Cora and five other humans have been taken from their homes and plopped in a mysterious and unknown place. All of them wake up separately and have no idea how they got here or where they are. As they slowly find each other, they realize that they are in some sort of artificial environment - a cage. And one of the six of them is dead, though the five don't know how. They find out that they are being held by an advanced species that is not human. The Caretaker, Cassian, tells them the rules - live happily in this establishment, cooperate, and... procreate, by the end of twenty-one days. Cora refuses to believe that this is their new home - can she find a way out, without the help of the others?

We get to read from the perspectives of all five of the teenagers - Rolf, Nok, Cora, Lucky, and Leon. The sixth person (and third girl) is dead, from the beginning of the story. Each perspective is told in third person, which I actually really like. Too much first person in YA these days. I didn't like any of the teens' perspectives, to be honest (which is the biggest problem I had), but I kept reading.

I was intrigued from the start. To be honest, I didn't realize that this book is science fiction! I thought it was a medical thriller or something. But the cage is run by aliens, an advanced species that somewhat looks like humans - though not really. They're huge, with no irises or pupils, and mind powers. Like a sort of mind reading, for one. More like emotional reading, but you get what I'm saying. Cassian - the Caretaker - can feel exactly what the humans are feeling at all times, as can the other Mosca (I think that's what they're called? If I remember correctly).

The aliens want the humans to live in this establishment, peacefully and cooperatively, and procreate. Each one of them has been paired off - Cora and Lucky, Nok and Rolf, Leon and the dead girl (she wasn't supposed to die). Nok and Rolf hit it off pretty quickly. Leon is aggressive and doesn't get along with the group. Lucky actually knew Cora from before... there is a really dark past between them, though Cora has no idea. Lucky falls for Cora quickly, but Cora refuses to believe that that is what they are expected to do. She likes Lucky, but she doesn't want to love him or have sex with him (me either, no matter how cute he is. The situation is WEIRD).

I don't think I liked Cora, or any of the humans, to be honest. Maybe Mali, the replacement for Girl 3. I don't know if I liked Cassian, though he was interesting. He was very static, not a developing character, and he seemed flat to me. But I see why Shepherd has him as a leader type AND a love interest. Meh.

The romance - there's a love triangle brewing. Lucky is in love with Cora, though Cora does not seem to really have feelings for him. She DOES have feelings for Cassian (and vice versa, but he's their Caretaker... she wants to be as far from this place as possible. So I'm not sure how the romance will go. 

Overall, I think the science fiction and the STORY were good... ish. The characters and I didn't really agree. But I'm interested in seeing where this series is going. It's a trilogy, which I find strange - how in the world is Shepherd going to stretch out this one?

What I Did Not Like:

Like I've been saying, I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I didn't like Cora. I get it, you don't want to stay in this freakish establishment. But I feel like she wasn't always rational. But then, I also understand that, because I don't know how rational I would be under the circumstances. Still, there was something that I really didn't like about Cora.

I definitely didn't like Nok or Rolf from the beginning. Both of them are odd characters from the start, and they evolve into sleazy people. Jeez, I wanted to punch both of them. Leon, not so much. I felt bad for him, more than anything else.

I wish Cassian were more of a three-dimensional person to me. He seemed one-dimensional and flat, and I feel like he had the potential to be a quietly villainous hero. I love forbidden romance between the villain and the female protagonist - but I feel like Cassian was too flat of a "villain", and a character in general. 

The story progression is weird. We get a lot of information dumping about Cora's past and Lucky's past throughout the book, and to be honest, I skipped most of that. It didn't feel necessary, and it probably wasn't. I'm not sure what it was doing for the story or for the character development, but it wasn't doing anything for me.

The fighting and bickering REALLY detracted from the story. There is a point, not even halfway through the book, when everyone starts getting mad at Cora for no reason, and the fighting and verbal fighting gets ridiculous. I'm sure it's authentic (or maybe not, who knows) but I didn't like it. It REALLY made me mad, and I felt a lot of resentment towards certain characters and irritation towards the story. This goes on for most of the book. Ugh!

The ending is strange. It's predictable, down to the last page, for me. I'm curious as to how Shepherd is going to make this series a trilogy - I feel like it would be a good duology. Also I have a tooooon of questions, so I hope those will be answered in the next book(s).

Would I Recommend It:

Eh. No. It's not the most impressive science fiction novel. You all saw how meh I was about Shepherd's debut trilogy, right? Three stars all around? I feel like this series might end up along the same vein. At least the love triangle doesn't seem as idiotic as the love triangle in The Madman's Daughter trilogy. That needed to be cut out from page one. This POTENTIAL love triangle at least makes more sense (though I still don't like the idea of it).

Rating:

2.5 stars -> I guess I'm rounding up to 3 stars? 2.5 stars is a perfect rating for this book, but Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble don't do half-star ratings. Ugh! 3 stars it is. What a struggle.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

The Madman's Daughter | Her Dark Curiosity | A Cold Legacy

Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

Welcome to the release day blitz for A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd! I'm a day late on posting this (forgive me, Megan, Rockstar Book Tours, and HarperCollins!), but I figured, late was better than never. Join me in celebrating the (post) release of this conclusion novel!

Read my reviews of this series:

The Madman's Daughter | Her Dark Curiosity | A Cold Legacy

A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

Book Three of The Madman's Daughter series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: January 27, 2015

Official Summary:

After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls.

Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

With inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this breathless conclusion to the Madman’s Daughter trilogy is about the things we’ll sacrifice to save those we love—even our own humanity. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

I've been many things, like a professional exchange student, park ranger in Montana, and LOST enthusiast, but what I am now is a writer.

I think it’s fair to say I was born into it. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina, raised behind the counter of my parents’ independent bookstore, Highland Books in Brevard. Ah, so many free books. But I never thought being a writer could be a real career. After college I thought I’d end up as a foreign service officer somewhere dashing and exotic, like Canada. I studied French, Spanish, German, and Russian and still speak a few of those. Then I joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in Senegal, where I learned a few more languages I’ll never speak again and lived in a mud hut with no electricity or running water. You can probably imagine how that experience went, but if you’re curious, here are the dirty details. 

It wasn't until a chance aquaintance read something I wrote and said, "have you ever considered being a writer?" that something clicked and I realized it was possible. My husband encouraged me, and I quickly fell head-over-heels in love with writing and children's literature in particular. I started out writing articles, which have appeared in Faces, Appleseeds, and Calliope magazines, and stories for younger children. I soon realized I wasn’t sweet enough to write fiction for that age and found myself writing young adult literature instead, which doesn’t require nearly as many tender moments and includes a lot more cursing.

When I'm not writing, I can usually be found horseback riding, day dreaming at coffee shops, or hiking in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. I love to hear from readers, so please drop me a line!

I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

Author Photo by Kristi Hedberg Photography

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr


The Excerpt:

Montgomery stopped the horses outside a tavern. He came to the carriage door, opening it just a crack to keep the rain from drenching us. “I’m going to ask directions. We can’t be far now.”

We watched him saunter over the muddy street as though he didn’t even feel the bite of freezing rain. A face appeared in the tavern window. The door opened and he spoke to a woman in a wool dress for a few moments, then stomped back through the mud. “This village is called Quick,” he told us. “The manor’s only five miles from here.”

“Did you hear that?” Lucy murmured to Edward, still stroking his hair. “We’re almost there. Just hold on. Everything will be all right once we arrive.”

Montgomery’s eyes shifted to me. Neither of us wanted to remind Lucy that the prospect of Edward’s fever breaking—and the Beast’s reappearance—was almost more frightening than the fever itself. Delirious, he was less of a threat.

“Let’s go then,” I whispered to Montgomery. “And quickly.”

He closed the door and in another moment we were moving again, passing through the rest of Quick. Then all too soon the village was nothing but fading lights. The storm grew and the road became rougher, and all the while Edward’s eyes rolled back and forth beneath shuttered lids.

Thunder struck close by, and Lucy shrieked. Montgomery whipped the horses harder, pulling us along the uneven road impossibly fast, trying to outrun the storm. I twisted in the seat to look out the back window at the pelting rain. A stone fence ran alongside us.

“We must be getting close,” I said.

“Not soon enough,” Lucy breathed. “We’re going to crash if he keeps driving like this!”

The road widened, straightening, letting us travel even faster. Lightning struck close by, blinding me. The horses bolted. Lucy screamed and covered her eyes, but I couldn't tear mine away. The lightning had struck an enormous oak tree, twisted from centuries of wind. The oak took flame, blazing despite the rain. A smoking gash ran down the trunk—the lightning’s death mark. I watched until the rain put out most of the flames, but it still smoldered, billowing hot ash into the night.

The horses pawed the earth, and I grabbed the window to steady myself. At this wild speed, just hitting a single rock at the wrong angle would send the carriage shattering to the ground. It was madness to go so fast. Couldn't Montgomery calm the horses?

Just when I feared the carriage would careen out of control, it stopped short, throwing me against the opposite wall. I tangled in Lucy’s limbs as the chains around Edward’s body clinked. Balthazar grunted, jerking awake at last. We scrambled in the bottom of the carriage until the door flew open.

Montgomery stood in the pelting rain. I feared he’d say we’d broken another strut or the horses had gone lame or we’d have to spend the night in the harsh storm.

But then I saw the lights behind him, and the night took shape into a turreted stone manor with bright lamps blazing and gargoyles on the roof vomiting rain into a stone courtyard.

Montgomery’s eyes met mine beneath the low brim of his hat.

“We've arrived,” he said.

The Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a signed copy of A COLD LEGACY and swag! US Only.
Ends on February 6th at Midnight EST!

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