Waiting on Wednesday (#304): Dreaming Darkly by Caitlin Kittredge

"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:

Dreaming Darkly by Caitlin Kittredge

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: April 9, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ivy Bloodgood’s mother is dead, and she should probably be sad about it. But she isn’t. Myra Bloodgood was confusing mix of protective and abusive, a manipulative personality who never told the truth—about where she came from, who Ivy’s father was, or why they were living their lives on the run.

Now that Ivy has been sent to Darkhaven, an island off the New England coast, to live with a rich uncle she didn’t know existed, she is forced to reckon with her mother’s past. Ivy can tell right away there are long-held family secrets buried within these walls, but when she wakes up from one of her nightmares covered in someone else’s blood, Ivy fears that whatever demons her mother battled while she was alive have come to roost in her own mind. Scared that she can no longer trust what she sees, Ivy seeks the help of a boy who thinks her episodes are connected to the sordid history of Darkhaven—but what they don’t know might kill them both.

A moody and twisty gothic mystery with an impossible romance, Dreaming Darkly is an atmospheric, fast-paced page-turner written by comics veteran Caitlin Kittredge.

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I remember reading a book by Kittredge a loooong time ago - The Iron Thorn. This new book is different and sounds pretty good!

Review: Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

Book Two of the Unraveling series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: April 23, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Purchased copy

Summary (from Goodreads):

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

What I Liked:

I read Unraveling six years ago, but somehow I never followed up and reading this book. I love that this series is a duology, because there's less waiting and less commitment involved. At this point though, it has been years, but I probably forgot about this book in the year of waiting after Unraveling published. In any case, I'm sorry I waited so long to read this book because I was missing out, after having read Unraveling! Unbreakable was even more thrilling and engaging than Unraveling. I almost wish there was a third book!

Warning: there will be spoilers for Unraveling (but not Unbreakable).

The end of Unraveling was quite shocking, as it was somewhat cliffhanger-y. Unbreakable begins four months later, and in those four months, Janelle hasn't seen Ben. He hasn't returned to her universe. Her universe is in shambles, but the pieces are coming together... until Barclay shows up, and explains why he's back: he needs Janelle to come with him to find Ben. Why? Because Ben is possibly a wanted man, and Janelle is the key to finding him. Ben's brother is kidnapped and imprisoned and if Ben isn't found, his family will be executed. But it's not just Ben's family that has been kidnapped - someone that Janelle knows in her universe has disappeared. Tensions are high and time is running out to save Ben, or let his family die.

I usually don't like it when the sequel involves a long separation between the couple, but it actually seemed to work for me, in this novel. I was pretty sure Ben was not behind the human trafficking operation, but at the same time, what if he was? What if he's a villain and not a hero? The separation was good, because Janelle had to decide just how far she was willing to go for Ben. And we got to see just how far Ben would go for Janelle. 

That being said, the romance is present but the two characters don't share a ton of page space, until about three-quarters of the way into the book. Which worked, given the structure of the story. The romance has some longing and pain and sadness, but it becomes stronger as the story progresses. Ben and Janelle needed the distance to clearly see how important the other was to them. There were a few swoons, a few sweet scenes.

Janelle is even more bada** and fierce in this book. She is by no means an invincible, fearless warrior - she gets scared, vulnerable, and insecure - but she is mentally tough and physically tough too. This book presents all kinds of difficult situations for her, but she labors on. She does so much for all the people in her life, and I wanted to see her get a happy ending.

Same with Ben - he was selfless to the very end. The author will make you question his values and his decisions. But Ben is still selfless and brave, no matter what is in his path. He and Janelle are always putting everyone else first, and each other, and I really wanted him to get a happy ending too.

You'll have to read the book to find out about Ben's suspected involvement with the human trafficking between universes, and how all of that went down. It's a complicated web and politics play a role in this book, towards the end especially. It all comes together in the end.

The ending has a lot going on (as does the book in general), and everything happens at a rapid pace, though not to the point where things go confusing. The author had a good balance with the pacing throughout the book, and I actually enjoyed the faster pace at the climax. You really have to digest everything to understand the magnitude of the actions. Norris executed the climax and ending very well!

Yes, there is a HEA. That's all I'm going to say! It's a lovely HEA. You should check out the series!

What I Did Not Like:

I mean of course I wanted more swoons! But I get that the romance was set up with Ben and Janelle being separated for most of the novel. But still. More kisses is always a good thing.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend the entire series (it's a duology, so the commitment is low). I love sci-fi novels and thrillers, and this sci-fi thriller had me hooked from page one of Unraveling. The first book had a few spots that were slower or had some info-dumping, but once we get past the initial setup of the world-building and the big reveal (Ben is from an parallel universe), the series zips by. I liked the fast pace, and I adored the characters (Ben = swoon! Janelle = bada**!). 

Rating:

4 stars. I would love to read more by this author! This series is perfect as is, but something new by Norris would be awesome. I hope she publishes something soon. This backlist reread/read has been fun and I plan to do it more often with other "older" books on my TBR.

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Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Book One of the Unraveling series

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Purchased copy

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle's mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared.

And that was before she died... and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth's destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.

What I Liked:

I actually read this book back in 2012, after its publication, but it has been so long, and I never wrote a review of the book. In fact, I didn't remember much from my initial read years ago, other than the fact that I really enjoyed the story. I found book one and book two from BookOutlet, at a super cheap price, and so I couldn't not buy them. It was a great decision, because rereading this book was a blast, and I loved book two as well. I'll post a review of book two on another day.

This debut novel is incredibly unique, right from the start. Chapter one features Janelle Tenner getting hit by a truck - yup, you read that correctly. Somehow she survives, with little to no injury, and she remembers waking up looking into the eyes of a boy. That boy is Ben Michaels, a loner student in the same grade at the high school. Janelle never really paid much attention to him, until now, when she's pretty sure he brought her back to life. Her revival isn't the only strange thing going on. The end of the world is coming, and it's more complicated than you'd think.

This book was so dynamite, from the first page to the last. There was so much action, tension, and intrigue throughout the story. I don't remember ever being bored, in my first read years ago, or my recent read. This is a sci-fi thriller novel, and the "thriller" part was really, really good.

The sci-fi part was extremely cool. This story deals with parallel universes, which I'm not always a fan of (in fiction), but I thought the concept was really fascinating in this book. There is a lot of science-y topics and explanations in this book, but you don't have to be a science-y person to understand what's going on. I liked all of the physics that backed up the parallel universes. I liked seeing physical theory behind everything.

Janelle is a warrior woman, to me. She's sixteen and so tough - and she has to be, whether she likes it or not. But she has a natural air of strength, and she is mentally tough too. Janelle is very intelligent and she's good at piecing things together. Heroines like Janelle make me happy! I could relate to her and I really liked her.

This book is written exclusively from Janelle's first-person POV, but that doesn't mean that the secondary characters weren't equally as important. Ben Michaels is a catalyst for so many things; he's a unique individual with a lot of secrets, for a high school loner. He's also the sole love interest, and he's pretty swoony (even if he's a strange loner kid). Other secondary characters include Janelle's best friend Alex, and Ben's best friend Elijah. Best friends are important in this story! I always love seeing positive friendships.

The romance is a cute, slow-burn type. There are a few swoons, not as many as I'd like, but it's a slow-burn romance that takes a lot of time to build, so less swoons made sense. Ben and Janelle have great chemistry and are a great couple. Both of them are very astute and brave, and they become very devoted to each other by the end of the book.

I am not going to give away much in terms of the plot, because things get twisted pretty quickly! As you can imagine, with a novel involving parallel universes. I will say that the ending is a huge cliffhanger, and I don't usually care for cliffhangers, but it helped to have book two right next to me so I could make sure everything was okay. Cliffhangers are the worst! But a great hook into book two.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There was nonstop action, smart teenagers, sweet romance, and an end-of-the-world plot that was surprisingly unique and intriguing. I loved the sci-fi, the thriller, the concept, and I will be moving on to book two very shortly.

What I Did Not Like:

More swoons! Ben and Janelle have such good chemistry. And I already mentioned the cliffhanger.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like thrillers, this is one for you! I know science fiction isn't always for everything, but hey, the science isn't too confusing in this book. I'm saying this as an engineer but six years ago I wasn't an engineer and I thought the science wasn't too in-depth to confuse someone, but "there" enough to be interesting and supportive of the world-building. Anyway, this backlist title is one I'd highly recommend - it hasn't aged at all!

Rating:

4 stars. I remember loving this way back when, and I'm so glad I still love the book years later. I hadn't read Unbreakable so that will be a first-time read. I'm excited! I'm sure book two will be even more exciting and thrilling, with even high stakes. Bring it on!

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Swoon Thursday (#274): Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

- 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 Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris!

He pulls me to him and whispers, "Are you okay?" His breath is warm on my cheek.

I tilt my face to his, look up past the dark curls and long eyelashes, into those bottomless eyes. I almost tell him the truth - that I haven't been okay since he left. But I can't bring myself to speak.

Instead, I look at his lips and raise up on my toes so they're only a millimeter from mine, then I lift my eyes to his.

His lips part. Under my hand his chest rises and falls faster than it should, and his heart pulses through his whole body and reverberates into me. 

One of his hands slides behind my back, the other he lays over my fingers, and we stand there suspended in time, in the dark, with only the warmth of our bodies, and the sounds of our breaths.

"I'm sorry," Ben says, and then his lips are on mine.

They're soft, and he tastes minty, and the familiarity of it just feels so right. I kiss him back with everything I am, opening my lips, touching his tongue, remembering every inch of his mouth.

- Paperback, pages 357-358

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Last week I shared a swoon from Unraveling (book one), so I thought it was fitting that I share a swoon from book two today. I still need to review both of these, but I really enjoyed them!

Swoon Thursday (#273): Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

- 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 Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris!

His hand tilts my chin up. I close my eyes. His breath is warm against my skin. Our noses brush against each other. I hold my breath. Before he kisses me, I can feel how close we are, like the nerve endings in my body are so sensitive they've extended inches outward, and the electricity between us charges the space between. Ben hesitates, and I wonder if he's changed his mind. I open my eyes to check.

And then his lips touch mine.

They're soft and smooth, ad they taste salty from his tears. And then he opens his mouth, our tongues touch, I taste mine, and his other hand slides around my waist, settling on my back. My mouth opens wider, and I don't know if I'll ever get enough of him.

- Finished copy, page 346

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I read this book a looooong time ago - back in 2012 - and I loved it! I'm rereading it before reading the next book (for the first time). =)

Swoon Thursday (#272): Altered by Jennifer Rush

- 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 Altered by Jennifer Rush!

His hand went to my waist as his eyes met mine.  His fingers found bare flesh beneath the hem of my T-shirt. Every nerve ending in my body thrummed in response.

"Sam," I said, though I couldn't pull together the rest of what I wanted to say, all the things I should have said.

He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine, feather-light at first, then more eager. My heart thundered as he exhaled, like he'd been holding the air in his lungs for far too long.

My hands walked up his biceps as his fingers threaded through my hair, sending ribbons of heat down to my skull. He pressed into me as it he couldn't get close enough, and I pressed back. Because I wasn't close enough. Because I'd spent the last several years of my life wishing I could be closer.

- Finished copy, page 224

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Altered review | Erased review

I was rereading this book this week, and couldn't help but share a swoon from it. This is one of my favorite books of all time. =)

Swoon Thursday (#269): The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

- 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 The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin!

I tilted my head up and asked, "What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

He pretended to think about it for an obnoxious amount of time before saying, "I would kiss you back."

I'd been surviving on crumbs for so long - thoughts of him, memories of us. But now, with him here and close and willing, I realized I'd been starving.

I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him softly. His hand grazed the hem of my shirt, and when I felt his skin on mine it was like a storm beneath his fingertips, the rolling of clouds, the snapping of lighting. All at once it was too much and not enough, and I arched against him and kissed him harder, roughly.

You think it can't get worse than wanting someone and not having them, but it can. You can want someone, have them, and want them more. Still. Always. You can never get enough.

We broke apart to breathe, our foreheads still touching. He didn't say he loved me. He didn't need to. I could feel it in the way he pressed my palm against hi neck. His eyes were closed, and my heart turned over. He needed me too.

- Hardcover, page 442

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer | The Evolution of Mara Dyer

I'm finishing up this series and OMG the swoonage in this book! Mostly towards the end, but still. Finally! I can't wait to read The Becoming of Noah Shaw. Hopefully there is even more swoonage!

Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien

Welcome to the nerd blast for The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien! This is the final novel in the Vault of Dreamers trilogy. I've read this conclusion novel and it is excellent! Find out more about it below. There is a giveaway too!

My Reviews:

The Vault of Dreamers | The Rule of Mirrors | The Keep of Ages

About the Book:

The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien

Book Three of The Vault of Dreamers series

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the fast-paced, high-stakes conclusion to Caragh M. O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy, Rosie travels to a derelict theme park to shut down dream mining once and for all.

Driven by fear when Dean Berg kidnaps her family, Rosie Sinclair strikes out across the country to rescue them. When an elusive trail leads her to Grisly Valley, the contaminated ruin of a horror theme park, Rosie has to consider that Berg may once again be manipulating her every move to make her fearful, priming her for a final, lethal dream mining procedure. As Rosie struggles to outmaneuver Berg, she unearths the ultimate vault of dreamers and the hint of a consciousness more powerful and dangerous than any she's imagined before. Faced with unspeakable suffering and otherworldly beauty, Rosie must discover how to trust her mind, her friends, and reality itself.

Propulsive and deeply speculative, The Keep of Ages concludes the Vault of Dreamers trilogy with stirring possibilities for what it means to be alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

The Series:

  

(Click on the covers for more information!)

Praise for the series:

“A sharp novel about the ways in which everyone can be manipulated, either through editing or one's own desire to go the easiest path.” ―BCCB

“Like O'Briens Birthmarked trilogy, this dystopian, sci-fi, psychological-thriller hybrid raises ethical and moral questions about science. This might have been a difficult story to pull off, given the environment, but with a likable narrator who is thoroughly unimpressed with herself, it works . . . this should have wide appeal.” ―Booklist

“Fans looking for a science fiction novel that is not heavy on the science fiction or who want something vaguely dystopian will enjoy this title.” ―VOYA

“A mixture of science fiction and contemporary fiction, this novel is an interesting addition to both genres.” ―School Library Journal

“A fast, satisfying psychological thriller . . . The sudden cliffhanger will polarize readers.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Like viewers of The Forge Show, readers will want to keep watching Rosie.” ―Publishers Weekly

About the Author:

Caragh M. O’Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS series, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O’Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA in the Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University. Her young adult science fiction has been honored by the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, the Amelia Bloomer Award, the Junior Library Guild, and numerous state reading lists. A former high school English teacher, she now writes young adult novels full time from her home in rural Connecticut.

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The Giveaway:

10 Winners will receive a copy of The Keep of Ages by Caragh M. O'Brien. Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter.

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Interview with Caragh O'Brien, Author of The Keep of Ages (and GIVEAWAY!)

Happy Tuesday, bibliovores! Today I have an interview with Caragh O'Brien, author of The Keep of Ages. This is the final novel in the Vault of Dreamers trilogy. Stick around for the giveaway at the bottom of this post, in which you can win a copy of The Keep of Ages!

Meet Caragh O'Brien!

Alyssa: Hi Caragh! Welcome to The Eater of Books! I’m so happy to have you here today. I’ve been waiting for The Keep of Ages and I’m glad it’s finally here! How does it feel to complete another series? 

Caragh: Thanks, Alyssa! I’m happy to here on The Eater of Books!

Finishing this series has been amazing for me. Rosie’s story was a huge undertaking that preoccupied me for four years, and I’m really happy with how it has turned out. When I held a finished copy in my hand for the first time this weekend, I was awed.

Alyssa: Which of the three books of this series was the most difficult to write?

Caragh: The second novel, The Rule of Mirrors, had special challenges because Rosie’s consciousness split in two, and I was dealing with two perspectives in two characters that grew apart and intertwined intricately. It was a fascinating puzzle to work on, and it took me a long time to figure out. The third book, The Keep of Ages, had special challenges, too, but they had more to do with psychological issues than the structure of novel. The book’s a bit of a mind-bender.

Alyssa: Do you have a favorite deleted/cut scene from The Keep of Ages (or any of the books in the series) that you can share or describe to us?

Caragh: A chapter in The Keep of Ages was originally written from the perspective of Thea, a key character in the second book, and it ended up being cut. I reworked the substance of the chapter into other parts of the novel to cover the plot turns, but I lost a scene of conversation that I liked. Writing the chapter helped me understand the characters better and identify other changes that needed to happen, but I believe the book is stronger without the little section. It interrupted the momentum of the main story line.

Alyssa: Did the end of this series change, from what you originally outlined to what is now set to publish?

Caragh: Yes. I had only a sketchy idea of how the series would evolve when I started it, so the entire last novel feels new to me. I originally began with characters I cared deeply about, and a creepy, intriguing situation (the dream mining), and I had to trust that the story would evolve from those elements. It did, I’m happy to report.

Alyssa: Who was your favorite character to write?

Caragh: Rosie has been my favorite all along. She’s so smart, but she also has a certain blindness about herself and others. For instance, at the start, she wants to be a film director and she’s very comfortable behind the camera, yet she doesn’t realize that she uses her filming of others to keep herself at a distance. Later, she grapples with truly trusting herself and loving someone. She grows enormously across the three books.

Alyssa: Do you have new books that you’re working on that you can tell us a little about?

Caragh: I’ve started a new project, another young adult novel, which I’m very excited about. I’ve always been interested in time and the way we create patterns and routines, so I’m playing around with that concept. I’m in a very early stage, but it’s already quite surprising and intriguing to me.

Thank you for all your support of my novels, Alyssa, and for having me by! This has been a treat! 

Alyssa: Thank YOU so much for joining me today, Caragh! Best of luck with future projects. =)

About the Author:

Caragh M. O’Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS series, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O’Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA in the Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University. Her young adult science fiction has been honored by the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, the Amelia Bloomer Award, the Junior Library Guild, and numerous state reading lists. A former high school English teacher, she now writes young adult novels full time from her home in rural Connecticut.

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Praise for Caragh M. O’Brien:

“Psychologically and philosophically rich.”

— Kirkus, The Keep of Ages

“Like O'Brien’s Birthmarked trilogy, this dystopian, sci-fi, psychological-thriller hybrid raises ethical and moral questions about science. This might have been a difficult story to pull off, given the environment, but with a likable narrator who is thoroughly unimpressed with herself, it works . . . this should have wide appeal.” 

— Booklist, The Vault of Dreamers

“A fast, satisfying psychological thriller.” 

— Kirkus, The Vault of Dreamers

“Magnificent. The Vault of Dreamers left me breathless.” 

       — Mary Pearson, author of the New York Times bestselling series The Remnant Chronicles

“O’Brien (the Birthmarked trilogy) mixes the appeal of a classic boarding school novel with modern concerns about surveillance and reality as performance art, while questioning how human perception creates that reality in the first place. “

— Publishers Weekly, The Vault of Dreamers

"[T]here's plenty of intrigue and---as the whole dream operation is explored---a solid sense of building tension." 

— Kirkus, The Rule of Mirrors

“An exciting, almost breakneck adventure… Readers who enjoy adventures with a strong heroine standing up to authority against the odds will enjoy this compelling tale.”

— School Library Journal, Birthmarked

“Reminiscent of both 1984 and a Brave New World, this gripping page-turner is a perfect intro to futuristic, dystopian fiction . . . Readers accompany the novel's inspiring heroine on an undertaking brimming with danger, intrigue, and romance.” 

— Education.com, Birthmarked

“O'Brien's . . . impulsive and spirited heroine . . . is the kind readers adore.” 

— Booklist, Birthmarked

“Well-written and fast-paced.” 

— VOYA, Birthmarked

About The Keep of Ages:

The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien

Book Three of The Vault of Dreamers series

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the fast-paced, high-stakes conclusion to Caragh M. O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy, Rosie travels to a derelict theme park to shut down dream mining once and for all.

Driven by fear when Dean Berg kidnaps her family, Rosie Sinclair strikes out across the country to rescue them. When an elusive trail leads her to Grisly Valley, the contaminated ruin of a horror theme park, Rosie has to consider that Berg may once again be manipulating her every move to make her fearful, priming her for a final, lethal dream mining procedure. As Rosie struggles to outmaneuver Berg, she unearths the ultimate vault of dreamers and the hint of a consciousness more powerful and dangerous than any she's imagined before. Faced with unspeakable suffering and otherworldly beauty, Rosie must discover how to trust her mind, her friends, and reality itself.

Propulsive and deeply speculative, The Keep of Ages concludes the Vault of Dreamers trilogy with stirring possibilities for what it means to be alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

Check out the series:

  

(Click on the covers for more information!)

My Reviews:

The Vault of Dreamers | The Rule of Mirrors | The Keep of Ages

The Giveaway:

Win a copy of The Keep of Ages! Courtesy of Media Masters Publicity. Open to USA residents only. Ends 08/18, 11:59 PM EST. You can see complete giveaway rules in the Rafflecopter or on my Giveaways page. Good luck!

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Review: The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien

The Keep of Ages by Caragh O'Brien

Book Three of The Vault of Dreamers series

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the fast-paced, high-stakes conclusion to Caragh M. O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy, Rosie travels to a derelict theme park to shut down dream mining once and for all.

Driven by fear when Dean Berg kidnaps her family, Rosie Sinclair strikes out across the country to rescue them. When an elusive trail leads her to Grisly Valley, the contaminated ruin of a horror theme park, Rosie has to consider that Berg may once again be manipulating her every move to make her fearful, priming her for a final, lethal dream mining procedure. As Rosie struggles to outmaneuver Berg, she unearths the ultimate vault of dreamers and the hint of a consciousness more powerful and dangerous than any she's imagined before. Faced with unspeakable suffering and otherworldly beauty, Rosie must discover how to trust her mind, her friends, and reality itself.

Propulsive and deeply speculative, The Keep of Ages concludes the Vault of Dreamers trilogy with stirring possibilities for what it means to be alive.

What I Liked:

This trilogy is hands-down one of the most bizarre and interesting series I've ever read. It's a futuristic science fiction thriller trilogy with an odd premise that people will either love or hate. I didn't love The Vault of Dreamers, but I really enjoyed The Rule of Mirrors and The Keep of Ages. This conclusion novel was intense, exciting, and nail-biting, and I couldn't get enough.

I will try not to spoil anything from this novel, but there will probably be plenty of spoilers from the first two books. Unavoidable, unfortunately!

Rosie is on the run, trying to go home to find her family before Sandy Berg does. But Berg finds them first, and kidnaps them. Rosie has no one and no idea where to look. Lucky clues lead her to Grisly Valley Theme Park, and old amusement park that was closed years ago. At Grisly, Rosie finds her sister - in a hidden vault of dreamers. Rescuing Dubbs comes with consequences, and Rosie must find her parents. It is up to her to find her parents, take down Berg, and free her consciousness from a strange voice in her head.

From the start, this book was filled with nonstop action. Rosie is on the run constantly, never stopping once she realizes that her family has been kidnapped by Berg. This book never had a dull moment. The abandoned theme park setting was very creepy and definitely a good setting for the vault of dreamers. I got chills, when Rosie first went into Grisly! So creepy.

The dream mining concept of the series is very much a large part of this book's plot, even if Rosie and Berg barely communicate. Rosie is terrified that her family is being mined. She herself gets caught in the vault and gets mined. The dream mining is creepy and takes on a very strange aspect in this story, about which I won't say too much.

Rosie is an easy character to follow and like. She is impulsive and quick to take action, so it's no surprise that she leaps into a trap, trying to get to her family. Sometimes Rosie's decision-making made me roll my eyes, because she is so impulsive and doesn't always think things through. But it's one of her better qualities too - she doesn't think, she just does. She stops at nothing to get her family back, which is very admirable. 

I'm so glad Linus plays a big role in this book. He is present from about a third of the book and onward. I adore Linus - he is so sweet and very smart. Burnham was also part of this story but not in a love-triangle-y type of way. Lavinia, a new character, is critical to the story. She is the mentor archetype, and I liked her a lot.

In terms of the romance, Linus and Rosie are cute together. At first they are a bit tentative, because Rosie is worried about the camera that was in Linus's eye (installed without his permission). But that is taken care of by the time she sees him next, and they hash things out. I like them together. Linus is so sweet and calm, compared to Rosie who is jumpy and impulsive. In many ways, Linus is too good for her. But I like them together. There were a few short, swoon-worthy scenes between them.

The main conflict of the book is finding Ma and Larry (Rosie's mother and stepfather), and being free of Berg. I won't spoil anything about the climax and the ending but let's just say that this book has a surprising plot to it, and the ending involves aspects that you wouldn't see coming. The ending is really good and most characters get a nice ending. I liked the ending.

Overall, I liked the book It was an excellent conclusion and a good read.

What I Did Not Like:

Honestly I thought Burnham was a waste of space and he didn't even need to be present in this story. He is one of those secondary characters who is more annoying than anything else.

I also kind of wanted an epilogue! Like, six months from the end of this book. Readers of this book will now why I specified that time frame. 

These are little things that didn't really detract from the story as a whole though!

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend the series in general if you're looking for futuristic science fiction to read! The series has a slow start, and it's definitely creepy and strange at times. Mining dreams is done without consent so there is that. But I was intrigued and fascinated by this series. This conclusion novel is definitely worth the read if you've read the previous book(s)!

Rating:

4 stars. I am so glad I stuck it out, with this series! It's a strange, interesting series that makes you want to look over your shoulder and check for cameras everywhere. I'm curious about what O'Brien will write about next!

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