It's a Link - a Telepathic Link

~Linked~
Linked
Book 1
By Imogen Howson
Amazon ~ Powell's

When Elissa learns her telepathic twin is the subject of government experiments, the girls find themselves on the run with secrets worth killing for in this futuristic, romantic thriller.

Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. Now, all she has is nightmarish visions and unexplained bruises. Finally, she's promised a cure, and a surgery is scheduled. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the truth behind her visions: She's seeing the world through another girl's eyes. A world filled with pain and wires and weird machines. Elissa follows her visions, only to find a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl—Lin—who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. A twin she never knew existed.

Elissa helps Lin evade the government agents who are ruthlessly tracking her down, but they're struggling to avoid capture, and soon Elissa is forced to turn to the only person who can help: Cadan, her brother's infuriating, arrogant best friend, and new graduate of the SFI space flight academy. Cadan is their one chance at safety. But Lin is too valuable to let go, and Elissa has knowledge that is too dangerous. The government will stop at nothing to get them back.


This book has it all. Space battles, estranged twins coming together, psychic powers, love/hate relationships, government conspiracies, human rights activism... But, honestly, where the plot was full of action-packed things happening, I found it slightly lacking in substance.

Witness Anonymous Relocation Program

~The Reluctant Assassin~
W.A.R.P.
Book 1
By Eoin Colfer
Amazon ~ Powell's

Riley, a teen orphan boy living in Victorian London, has had the misfortune of being apprenticed to Albert Garrick, an illusionist who has fallen on difficult times and now uses his unique conjuring skills to gain access to victims' dwellings. On one such escapade, Garrick brings his reluctant apprentice along and urges him to commit his first killing. Riley is saved from having to commit the grisly act when the intended victim turns out to be a scientist from the future, part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (WARP) Riley is unwittingly transported via wormhole to modern day London, followed closely by Garrick.

In modern London, Riley is helped by Chevron Savano, a nineteen-year-old FBI agent sent to London as punishment after a disastrous undercover, anti-terrorist operation in Los Angeles. Together Riley and Chevie must evade Garrick, who has been fundamentally altered by his trip through the wormhole. Garrick is now not only evil, but he also possesses all of the scientist's knowledge. He is determined to track Riley down and use the timekey in Chevie's possession to make his way back to Victorian London where he can literally change the world.

Eoin Colfer is indeed back at it again. Upon the completion of his widely acclaimed Artemis Fowl series, I genuinely hoped he would come back with something equally as charming. He's always had this way of writing compelling characters. Whether they are serious or humorous, human or alien or demon or fae, they've always felt real; like you wanted to be their friend, or were relieved they were on the other side of the page. And sure enough, once again Colfer doesn't disappoint.

May You Find Who - And What - You Are Searching For

Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Search
By Gene Luen Yang & Gurihiru
in collaboration with Bryan Konietzko & Michael Dante DiMartino
Amazon ~ Powell's

For years, fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra have burned with one question - what happened to Fire Lord Zuko's mother? Finding a clue at last, Zuko enlists the aid of Team Avatar - and the most unlikely ally of all - to help uncover the biggest secret of his life.

Immediately following the Avatar's adventures chronicled in The Promise, this remarkable oversized hardcover collects parts 1-3 of The Search, from Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko! Featuring annotations by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and the artist team Gurihiru (Thor and The Warriors Four), and a brand-new sketchbook, this is a story that Avatar fans need in an edition they will love!


Once again I must lament over the decision not to put these stories into a fourth season. This story in particular was one that EVERYONE wanted to know, was teased in both the finale of Airbender, as well as in the premiere of Korra, and could have easily carried its own made-for-TV movie. But, as it stands, it still was an amazing story.

What Does It Take To Unwind The Unwanted?

~Unwind~
Unwind Dystology
Book 1
By Neal Shusterman
Amazon ~ Powell's

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape—and to survive.


I have no idea how I'd never heard of this book before. In the same vein as Ender's Game, this is a provocative and complex look at our society through the lens of a possible/probable future. And just like Ender's Game, I don't want to spoil too much of Unwind. It may have come out four years ago, but it is just as relevant and engaging now as it was then, and I truly think reading it is an experience that shouldn't be missed.

In the not-too-distant future, technology has enabled transplant surgery to have absolutely no failures. No rejection of foreign parts, no tissue decay, no problems. This means that nearly every medical malady, augmentation surgery, and accident-caused emergency can be solved by cutting out and replacing organs, limbs, and even parts of brains. But where do the replacements come from?

Why, unwanted children, of course.

Precious Blood Is Not Intended To Be A Holy Place

~Precious Blood~
The Blessed
Book 1
By Tonya Hurley
Amazon ~ Powell's

What if martyrs and saints lived among us? And what if you were told you were one of them?

Meet Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy. Three lost girls, each searching for something. But what they find is Beyond Belief.

Pulseit is running a pretty cool promotion this month. They're offering 31 different YA books, one per day, to read on their site for free. You can also enter a drawing for each book, as well as the entire pack of 31. They have some interesting books on the list, as well as some bestsellers including Rot & Ruin, Wither, Uglies, and Clockwork Angel, so you may want to check out the list and free up your schedule a bit this month.

Yesterday's offering was this little gem called Precious Blood, accompanied only by the cover, 2-line description, and video seen above. Not much going for it, but it was free, the cover didn't look bad, and I had the time so I dusted off my Kindle and booted up the site. To Pulseit's credit, the website software ran exceptionally well on my Kindle Fire, giving me only a couple hiccups when I tried to highlight or go full-screen. Still, word-size, bookmarking, and page turning operated exactly like a normal e-book would, so I look forward to reading more e-books there this month.

On the downside, I absolutely hated this book.