Swoon Thursday (#108): Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- 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 Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam!

I stand on my tiptoe, and soon we're kissing, our lips moving in perfect unison. I drag my fingers lightly up and down his back and shoulders as the tip of his tongue touches mine. He cradles my face in one hand while the other grabs my waist, pulling me toward him so that every part of us is together. His mouth moves away from my lips and trails down my neck toward my collarbone. I arch my back, take the bottom of his T-shirt, and begin to pull it up.

- ARC, page 256

Author Website | Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Elusion review | Etherworld review


Check out my first Science in Fiction post, featuring Etherworld!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Welcome to the blog tour for A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab! I am honored to participate in this tour, and support this amazing book, author, and publisher! Haven't read the book yet? You can enter to win a copy at the bottom of the post! Trust me - you WANT to win this one! Check out my review HERE, if you want to be convinced :)

I'm representing White London!

Be sure to check out the website for A Darker Shade of Magic! Newly launched!

Aaaand, find out in which London you actually belong!

About the book:

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Book One of the A Darker Shade of Magic series

Publisher: Tor

Publication Date: February 24, 2015

Summary:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes, connected by one magical city.

There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, and with one mad king—George III. Red London, where life and magic are revered—and where Kell was raised alongside Rhy Maresh, the roguish heir to a flourishing empire. White London—a please where people fight to control magic and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London. But no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, ambassador of the Maresh empire, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. 

Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs into Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

V. E. SCHWAB's first adult novel, Vicious, debuted to critical praise and reader accolades. Schwab is the author of YA novels The Near Witch, The Archived, and The Unbound, and the Everyday Angel series for middle grade readers. 

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

A Darker Shade of Magic website | Buzzfeed quiz

Praise for A Darker Shade of Magic:

"While scrappy, pragmatic wannabe pirate Lila is a big draw, Kell and White London magician Holland round out a great cast. There is much more to explore in this amazing world from the acclaimed author of Vicious." 

–Library Journal, starred review

"Schwab (Vicious) creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches—a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine—bring exuberant  life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds."

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

I asked the author...

Alyssa: What's your favorite genre to read, versus your favorite genre to write? 

V.E. Schwab: Oh, this is a fascinating question, because as a writer and a reader, my tastes are in constant flux. The only real commonality in my writing is a supernatural element—I have no interest in writing a perfectly ordinary world, as I don’t believe those exist—but when it comes to reading, I love everything from non-fiction (especially psychology) to contemporary (and surrealism) to high fantasy.

Victoria discusses A Darker Shade of Magic:

The Giveaway:

Win a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic and a double-sided signed poster that features the US and UK covers! Open internationally!

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Waiting on Wednesday (#112): The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

"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 Devil You Know by Trish Doller

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Summary (from Goodreads):

Eighteen-year-old Arcadia wants adventure. Living in a tiny Florida town with her dad and four-year-old brother, Cadie spends most of her time working, going to school, and taking care of her family. So when she meets two handsome cousins at a campfire party, she finally has a chance for fun. They invite her and friend to join them on a road trip, and it's just the risk she's been craving-the opportunity to escape. But what starts out as a fun, sexy journey quickly becomes dangerous when she discovers that one of them is not at all who he claims to be. One of them has deadly intentions. 

A road trip fling turns terrifying in this contemporary story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Something Like Normal review | Where the Stars Still Shine review

As you can see from above, I've LOVED Doller's other two books! I know I'll love this one as well.

Review: It Started With A Scandal by Julie Anne Long

It Started With A Scandal by Julie Anne Long

Book Ten of the Pennyroyal Green series

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: March 31, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lord Philippe Lavay once took to the high seas armed with charm as lethal as his sword and a stone-cold conviction: he'll restore his family's fortune and honor, no matter the cost. Victory is at last within reach--when a brutal attack snatches it from his grasp and lands him in Pennyroyal Green.

An afternoon of bliss brings a cascade of consequences for Elise Fountain. Shunned by her family and ousted from a job she loves, survival means a plummet down the social ladder to a position no woman has yet been able to keep: housekeeper to a frighteningly formidable prince.

The bold and gentle Elise sees past his battered body into Philippe's barricaded heart...and her innate sensuality ignites his blood. Now a man who thought he could never love and a woman who thought she would never again trust must fight an incendiary passion that could be the ruin of them both.

What I Liked:

This is my first Julie Anne Long read, thanks to the book-pushing of Racquel (thank you, girl!). She and I both love historical romance novels, and recently, we swapped our favorite authors. I consider myself a bit more of a "newer" historical romance reader compared to Racquel, and when she got really excited about all things Julie Anne Long, I knew the author had to be some sort of awesome. So I requested this particular book from Edelweiss - I haven't read the other nine books in the series. But let me tell you: It Started With A Scandal is nothing short of wonderful, heartwarming, steamy, and entertaining.

Elise is a former teacher at an Academy. She was removed from her position for speaking out of turn. Years ago, her own family shunned her, because she got pregnant (unmarried), and the man left her. So Elise is now forced out of a job because she misspoke. She has a fake reference from the prestigious Redmond family (who owned someone a favor, and that someone used the favor for Elise). Elise secures a position as Lord Lavay's much-needed housekeeper. 

Lord Philippe Lavay was attacked and is injured. He does not seem to care much about the state of his house, because it's in terrible shape. The few servants are lazy and rarely clean anything. Lord Lavay is tormented by his lack of funds, his injuries, and his dwindling French family honor and name. Elise is determined to turn his house into a home, and in doing so, she finds her way into everyone's heart... including Lord Lavay's.

Gah! I love the love stories that involve a hate-to-love dynamic. Lord Lavay is rather grouchy and unapproachable in the beginning of this book - for most of the book, actually. Personally, I find that quite endearing... and Elise found it intriguing. She didn't hate or dislike him at first - in fact, she's always been curious about him, and wanted to help him. 

I love how kind and sweet Elise is - and yet, she is quite fiery and outspoken. She has to filter what she is thinking and says, and sometimes things slip through that filter. She lost her teaching position because she said something that could be taken rudely. But really, she's just very honest and direct. And nice. She has a big heart and a kind spirit.

And then there's Lord Lavay (Philippe), who is quiet and grouchy, irritable and menacing. He really isn't all that bad, but he certainly lets everyone think that he is. He doesn't let anyone in, doesn't communicate with his grandfather or sister anymore, since the attack. It's like he lost a bit of his pride, and not just money or honor.

Philippe and Elise together... fireworks. They dance around each other, clash at times, and keep the dance going. Elise never tries to stop helping Philippe, even if he is a grouch about things, like taking tea with pain relievers in them. I love their interactions. I love their dialogue. It's not love at first sight, and not quite lust at first sight either (Philippe had just thrown something). I love the development of their relationship - it's slow and gradual and beautiful. And the chemistry - the chemistry is sizzling hot in this book. You can feel the tension between Philippe and Elise.

There is so much to this book besides romance! Elise has a son, a "bastard", and the author focuses on Jack's growth sometimes as well. When Philippe finally meets Jack (this isn't until about halfway into the book), the author then has Philippe and Jack spending time together. This could be because the author wants to show that Philippe likes Elise, or because Philippe really likes Jack (or kids in general), or because the author wants to show Jack's growth. Either way, I actually really liked the sub-focus on the little boy. I liked Jack.

In general, overall, I really, really liked this book. It was near-perfect. I loved the story, the romance, the characters.

What I Did Not Like:

I soooo saw a certain decision made by Elise at the end of the book. Totally saw it coming - it HAD to happen. However, I felt like the ending in general was a bit quick, and then the final scene was not enough. I wanted a peek into the future, or something like that! I mean, we get a view into the future, but I think I just wanted a little more Philippe/Elise in the end, one-on-one, maybe. But anyway, small thing. I LOVED the ending, in general.

Would I Recommend It:

YES! I loved this book! I'll probably be shelving this one in my "Favorite Historical Romances of All Time" category. It's getting four stars (4.5, really), but it's definitely a favorite. If you're a historical romance fan, definitely give this book a chance! 

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I definitely want to go back and read the other nine books in the series (or as many as I can)! And I'll be keeping an eye out for future Pennyroyal Green books, and anything else by this author. Thank you for the recommendation, Racquel!

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

Review: Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Book Two of the Elusion series

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

In this sequel to Elusion, three teens fight a virtual reality program that threatens to destroy their minds. Dangerous secrets and lies add up to a thrilling futuristic fantasy with an Inception-inspired twist.

Elusion was hailed as an exciting leap in technology—until users began to disappear amid rumors of addiction. Regan’s search for the truth led her and her new love interest, Josh, to Etherworld. Etherworld is a dimension hidden deep beyond Elusion's firewall, where players can hide, and ultimately fight back. Regan's father and others are here working to destroy Etherworld, but the longer they stay the less likely they'll be able to return to the real world alive.

Escape means attacking Elusion from within the program. It's dangerous and it’s a puzzle. And even if they manage it, how will they be able to stop Orexis from distributing Elusion to the masses when the people who run it are corrupt?

What I Liked:

I really enjoyed this book! This duology was pretty amazing, if I may say so myself. I'm a huge fan of science fiction, high stakes, simple romance - and gorgeous book covers! So you could say that I personally hit the jackpot with this series. Also, I've met Cheryl Klam in September 2014 (she gave me a gorgeous signed ARC of this book!), and she's amazing! I have no doubt that Claudia is just as wonderful and kind. Anyway. On to the review!

Etherworld picks up where Elusion left off. Regan, Josh, Regan's father, and a group of teenagers are stuck in Etherworld, a type of safe place within Elusion in which users (of the Elusion app) can hide. Regan's father is currently in Etherworld and leads Regan and Josh there. With the group of teenagers (including Josh's sister Nora), Regan, Josh, and Regan's father try to take down Etherworld - and Elusion. 

But Etherworld is not so easy to destroy, and neither is Elusion. Regan is pulled from Etherworld when Patrick drags her out and wakes her up. Thinking she has nanopsychosis, he takes her to the hospital against her will. Regan will stop at nothing to get her father, Josh, and other users out of Etherworld, and destroy Elusion for good. But there are greater factors, more powerful players at work. Lives are at stakes in a virtual world that has its claws deeply entrenched in a futuristic society.

What a fascinating concept, virtual reality. Be sure to check out my "Science in Fiction" post for Etherworld - I discussed the pros and cons of virtual reality. In Elusion/Etherworld, the virtual world of Elusion is a tempting and scary one. It is paradise, because you can go to this magical wonderful place and seem and feel so happy. But people get addicted to the world, and there are serious health effects to using the app for a long time. The app wasn't meant to be used all the time, often, for long periods of time. 

Just like in Elusion, Etherworld moved rapidly. The beginning is a bit slow, but probably to me, because I didn't remember some specific things that happened in Elusion, so I had to drag through the beginning of this book, and things started returning. The authors did a great job of recapping events briefly and sporadically, so that feeble brains (such as my own) don't get confused. I appreciated that!

I really liked the characters in this book/series. Regan is a likable heroine, and it's easy to root for her. She's stuck in some difficult situations in this book, and I wanted to shake her for not trying harder to get out of the hospital (I mean, she definitely worked hard to get out, but from the start, not really). She's so loyal to her friends and family, and this is both a good thing and sometimes, a bad thing. She trusted Patrick with the information she found in Etherworld, and he turned around and took her to the hospital. So, loyal and trusting is a good and bad thing.

Josh is sweet and protective as always. Regan's father is overworked and stress as usual, but it scares Regan. When Regan comes back to the real world, she also starts looking for her father's body. Someone (Patrick's mother) is keeping her father alive, and trapped in Elusion (Etherworld, really). 

I always felt bad for Patrick, and I disliked him a bit in the first half of this book, but by the end of this book, I liked him. He's a product of loyalty and trust towards his family (like Regan), but unfortunately for him, his family was on the wrong side of things. Patrick grows significantly in this book, and makes his own decisions and stands for them. 

The romance is so sweet and lovely! No love triangle, as I mentioned in my review of Elusion. Josh and Regan have a tender relationship, but sparks definitely fly in this book. I kind of wanted more from the romance in this book, but at the same time, I liked the simplicity.

The end... the end of another series. I liked the end of this book a lot. It was a little bit cookie-cutter perfect, but I'd rather that than an everyone-dies-and-the-romance-is-ruined type of ending! 

What I Did Not Like:

I mentioned that I wanted more from the romance in this book! Not a huge deal, and definitely not a major dislike or anything, but I thought the story could benefit just a smidgen more from more scenes with just Regan and Josh. I feel like there was more romance in Elusion, which is fine, but I guess since they're officially together at the end of Elusion, there would be more romance in this book. But that's okay.

Would I Recommend It:

I really liked this book - and series! And it's a duology (versus trilogy or something more), so that's pretty nice, in terms of waiting. I love science fiction, and the concept of virtual reality is definitely a hotly debated one. It's nice to see authors bring these controversial scientific topics to Young Adult literature, in my opinion. Anyway. Yes, I would recommend this book. Series.

Rating:

4 stars. A wonderful conclusion to a thrilling and thought-provoking science fiction series! I'm so glad I read this series. And hey, an added benefit is the BEAUTIFUL covers!

Author Website | Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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

Check out my "Science in Fiction" post for Etherworld - I discussed virtual reality!

Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Welcome to the release week blitz for The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout! While I have not read any of the Covenant books, or this one, I do love this author, and I'm happy to support her and this publisher. So, check it out!

The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book One of the Titan series

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication Date: February 17, 2015

Official Summary:

The Fates are cackling their bony asses off... 

It's been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they've given him have been violent and bloody--which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He's got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet. 

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy's deal might be, but it's a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her. 

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all. 

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

I was a half-blood, but I was also the Apollyon, a child of a pure and a half, a union that had been forbidden for thousands of years because an Apollyon was more powerful than any pure or half could ever hope to be.

And I always got to the traitors’ hideouts before they did, so the Sentinels were usually left with the cleanup, which I was sure absolutely thrilled them.

The first to enter was a female half-blood dressed just as I was. Her black hair was pulled back in a neat little knot at the top of her head. She was older, probably in her mid-thirties. It was pretty rare for a Sentinel to live that long. Her dark skin paled as she stopped just inside the entrance. She clenched titanium daggers in her hands like she expected something vicious to pop out from under the bloody mess.

The female Sentinel tipped her chin up, and the overhead light sliced across her broad cheekbones. She bore a jagged scar under her right eye, the skin lighter in tone. She saw me and froze.

My smile widened.

Behind her, another Sentinel rushed in, almost mowing her over. He saw me and whispered, “Seth.”

He’d said my name like I was the monster under his bed, and I sort of liked that. Then another Sentinel and another rolled in. The fifth took one look at my interior design work and keeled over. Slamming his hands on his knees, he hurled up his dinner.

Nice.

Our society existed completely unknown to the average mortal and had operated under what was known as the Breed Order for thousands of years. The Order had been dismantled, which meant halfs were no longer forced to choose between becoming Sentinels—hunting down violent creatures, protecting pures, enforcing laws, and otherwise usually dying pretty damn quickly on the job—or servants, which was a job that really wasn't a job, but more like slavery. Since then, many pampered pures had signed on to be Sentinels, making up for the loss of the halfs who’d pretty much said “screw this shit, I’m out.”

This wasn't necessarily a good thing.

For example, the dumbass puking all over my blood-covered floor was a pure. When he straightened, his face a greenish hue, he backed away, shaking his head. “I can’t,” he gasped out. “I can’t do this.”

Then he turned and hauled ass out the doors.
I sighed. This was why we couldn't have nice things.

The Giveaway:

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Science in Fiction (#1): Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

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 Etherworld by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam!

Goodreads | Giveaway | Elusion review

This is the sequel to Elusion, and the conclusion to the duology. The Elusion series digs into the concept of virtual reality, and the dangers and consequences related to it. 

So today, I'm going to talk about virtual reality!

Let's define it, shall we?

Merriam-Webster:
an artificial world that consists of images and sounds created by a computer and that is affected by the actions of a person who is experiencing it.

Dictionary.com:
a realistic simulation of an environment, including three-dimensional graphics, by a computer system using interactive software and hardware.

NASA:
to have the effect of concrete existence without actually having concrete existence.


Virtual reality is a difficult concept to define. In Elusion, we're dealing with an app that was created for people to relax and be on a virtual vacation. The app Elusion is highly addictive, and people start to take drugs to allow their brains to keep them in Elusion for longer periods of time, which is extremely dangerous. It's like being stuck in your own video game - except it was a paradise, so no one really wanted to leave.

The concept of virtual reality isn't entirely new in Young Adult literature. One of my favorite series, the Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi, includes technology that isn't quite like Elusion, but deals with a virtual world. 

Virtual reality is rapidly developing. Oculus and Google have products that are basically virtual reality apps. So, virtual reality is becoming "a thing", right? Surely it can't (and won't) be that bad? Except that, like we can see in the Elusion series, it's possible to become addicted to virtual reality. It can become confusing to tell what is real and what is not. 

Here are dangers related to virtual reality:

- Time: syncing up time in real and virtual worlds isn't all that easy. In Elusion/Etherworld, Regan often marvels at how she is in Elusion for quite some time, but returns to the real world and an hour or less has passed. I imagine this would be highly confusing.

- A world built on algorithms: think about your computer - doesn't it malfunction sometimes? You can't connect to the Internet? The computer is loading slowly? The screen glitches? The sound isn't working, randomly? All these little errors are really inconsequential (unless there is a bigger problem at hand), and go away pretty quickly. But imagine placing yourself into a WORLD, built on technology and algorithms. The tiniest glitch in the system could mean anything. It could mean nothing. Or it could mean the system collapsing while you're in it. I'm not an expert on virtual reality, so I wouldn't know what happens after that...

- You're physically connecting your body and brain to something: virtual reality is all about using your senses to take you somewhere else, somewhere in your mind. It sounds great, but bottom line, you're letting something invade your mind. Willingly, but nonetheless. Perhaps the marketed goal of virtual reality is to provide an escape for people. But administrators of the program have access to your privacy, no? Personally, I imagine it's like the government spying on your phone conversations. Except it doesn't have to be the government. On that vein...

- Anyone can hack a program/app: has your Twitter been hacked? Your Facebook? You know of anyone who has had either of those hacked? I think Taylor Swift was a recent victim of hacking. I wouldn't want someone to hack into a program that syncs with my mind. My memories. My thoughts. This is pure extrapolation on my part, but with the way technology is going, it's not far from possible.

- All of the dangers already associated with video games: lack of physical social life/skills. Physiological addiction to dopamine, a chemical released in your brain that is often released after playing a video game. Loss of interest in real-life activities (as a basic example, think of how much time you spend on your computer or on your phone...)

(There are plenty more dangers/risks/consequences. Really, we could be here for a while. I've barely made a dent in the health effects.)


Why is virtual reality a good thing?

- Education: you could learn a language through virtual reality, I'm sure. People could use virtual reality programs to study new exercise routines. That sort of thing.

- It's fun: a new type of entertainment/recreation! What's not to like!

- You could try things you might not try in real life: if you can't die in a virtual world (I'm skeptical of this statement though), then why not try something you're afraid of? Go bungee jumping? Climb a small mountain! Swim across the English Channel!

- It's probably cheaper to do these things via virtual reality: granted, I'm sure getting the tech will be very expensive. But you could go on vacations to the beach in virtual reality, and not have to pay for airfare and whatnot. I imagine.

- It can be used in the medical field: a medical student could practice removing teeth or something, using virtual reality. No mistakes made to a real person!

- The time difference: in Elusion/Etherworld, you could spend hours in Elusion but minutes in the real world. That's pretty powerful. Waiting in line for a hamburger? Plug in and zone out for a few minutes - a few hours, really. 

(Like with the dangers/risks/consequences, there are plenty more positives/benefits to virtual reality.)


Moral of the story: virtual reality will probably be commercially used pretty soon - people will be getting their hands on "paradise" in the next generation or less, I surmise. Love it, hate it, fear it, can't wait for it, it's coming. There are plenty of dangers and risks associated with it (I haven't even scratched the surface), but there are great positive outcomes too.

Be sure to check out my review of Etherworld tomorrow! This duology is definitely worth reading, if just for the exposure to a fictional perspective on virtual reality.

To my readers: what is your opinion on virtual reality?