The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave #2)

                Hello happy readers to another Monday.  So this weekend wasn't as productive as I would have liked but it was good none the less and I was able to finish a book off my goal list to be prepared for the release of the final book tomorrow.  That's right I read The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey.  I read The 5th Wave (review) pretty much the day before/day of seeing the movie opening weekend and was super stoked to dive into this one but I also knew the next book wouldn't be out for a few months and decided to hold off until closer to that time.  Though once I found out about the signing event at my favorite place, Little Shop of Stories, I knew I had to read before then so A) I wouldn't be spoiled and B) I could discuss and ask questions.  So that said I'll be getting a copy of TheLast Star signed tomorrow for one lucky reader all the details will be at the bottom of this post.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                The Infinite Sea takes place where we left off in the 5th Wave.  Cassie has found her brother, and her old school crush who is now a surrogate type big brother to Sam, and his crew.  Her other boyfriend of sorts just risked everything to help and was going to blow the place up, hit the others where it hurts.  He promised he would find her again but with the explosion and all she isn't certain he made it out.  I know I was upset thinking the same thing.  The group is hold up trying to wait for Evan to keep his promise and find them but also to make another plan.  We focus this time on more POV's including Ringer, who had a large portion, and even some smaller sections from the silent Poundcake which were different.  We discover more the depths the others will sink to in order to eradicate humanity.  Many battles are fought with life and death, hope and despair, love and hate. 

                First let me say I really did enjoy this follow up and everything it had to offer.  I think for the most part it kept the pace and moved along while offering lots of action as well as psychological and emotional aspects.  There was a bit of slowness towards the beginning for me before it really kicked off but not enough that it really detracted.  I think the POV of Ringer was a bit off putting in the start.  I liked her and I enjoyed her sections for sure but I guess I was expecting to start off with Cassie again thinking her the main character of the series for me so starting with Ringer and not knowing it was her at first kind of threw me.  Ringer actually had a much larger POV than anyone else and the things she discovers and the emotion she brings into things was unique.  She comes off as a cold hard bitch but she has so much going on inside of her that to see this, having only see the outer shell before was refreshing.  With the vast majority of the population gone it is impossible to be unaffected by the world and what the others have done but her misery started before that.

                What I did really love was seeing the dynamic between all the characters.  So much of the last book was Cassie alone or her and Evan together then Ben and his unit.  To see them together and how personalities clash and people adjust is something fun.  When her brother was taken Sam was this small child who was scared and wanted his bear but now he's a soldier, a tiny one for sure, but he is more fierce than she is used to seeing him.  Also trying to explain Evan to the group is….hard.  He didn't make it easy by any means but yeah. 

                There is a lot happening as we discover more and more about the others and their plan for Earth.  It really does twist and turn and leaves you really messed up in the head by the end of it but in a good way.  There is A LOT happening.  It's hard to really explain but I did enjoy seeing it through Ringer's eyes. 

                That's all I can really share because it's an experience you have to experience for yourself.  I'd love to hear your thoughts and feels in the comments down below.  What did you think of the others plans?  Would you survive at this point?  Now for the giveaway I'm using a generic picture for the book because well I don't have the physical book in my hands yet and it won't be signed until tomorrow night ten I have a long drive home and work in the AM but I wanted to get this giveaway up and going early so as to get it to the winner that much sooner!  It is only open to the US only, sorry shipping is killer.  The giveaway will be open for 2 weeks (June 6th) so don't forget to keep getting in your entries!  Good luck!

Update: Picture of the giveaway goodies!  The book, a bag, and poster!

                Until next time… a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alienated- An Alien Love Story

                Hello!  First let me just say I have apparently given up on any type of normal sleep schedule what so ever while on this current nights rotation.  Every time I think I have it pinned down I have a fantastic day of no sleep for 48+ hours followed by a hard sleep and losing a day so yeah I give up.  I’ll take it where it comes.  That being said, I plan to read more when I can’t sleep so whoohoo staying positive on that front!  I’m also working on things to help improve my blog and make it more user/viewer friendly and FUN.  So let me know what you think of the changes as they happen over time so I can keep improving. 

                Today I wanted to talk about my thoughts and feels on Alienated by Melissa Landers.  This is the first book in a series, I’m not 100% sure if it’s a trilogy a duology or what.  There are currently two books out and a novella between them.  I have only read Alienated at this point but I really enjoyed it and I look forward to diving into the novella and sequel in the near future.  I mentioned some changes, I’m going to start giving my rating up front of the review so you know ahead of time my general feel of the book.  I’m also working on adding my very own rating system tab (what the stars mean for me).  I think this one is self-explanatory though ;)

Rating: 5 Stars

                Alienated is about aliens.  The L’eihr made contact with Earth two year ago and helped Earth out with a cure for cancer, showing they wanted peace.  Not everyone was on board with aliens being out there but both parties are working towards a treaty and to get things rolling they want to start a student exchange program, study abroad has a new meaning.  Basically the selected group of L’eihrs teens would spend the school year on Earth in different selected areas and then the host teen would spend the next year on L’eihr.  For Cara Sweeney it seems like a simple enough idea, share her home with an alien and get a free ride to her dream college and during the visit get a first-hand look at the L’eihrs and build her journalistic profile. 

               

                The L’eihrs are nearly identical to humans physically, other than they are all smoking HOT.  Not a bad trait if you ask me.  Still when Cara meets Aelyx (A-licks) her sexy alien exchange student, his differences seem clear as he seems aloof, cold, and for someone so brilliant also somewhat dense on basic ‘human’ emotions.  Things hit a snag as she starts to get to know him better as her town starts to jump on the anti-L’eihr bandwagon and school becomes downright hostile.  Police escorts, threatening notes, etc. 

               

                Cara realizes as time passes and she gets to know Aelyx more, understands him, that she likes him.  As a friend and maybe even something more.  But Aelyx has some serious secrets he’s been hiding, his reason for coming to Earth and more.  The violence continues to escalate as everything starts to unravel and Cara has to choose to fight for her planet and the boy she has come to love.

                I first saw this book on Book Tube at abookutopia’s channel, and I just realized as I typed this how many books I’ve read recently after hearing about them on her channel.  Anywho she was gushing about it and I loved the cover, such vivid colors and a girl lying on Early full of color looking up and a sexy guy lying on a much duller color looking down kind of mirroring one another was catching.  Plus, after reading Jennifer L. Armentrouts Lux series featuring aliens on Earth I was wanting more and thought the concept of them coming out and trying to start an exchange program was fun.    

                This story has a lot of elements working for it.  The alien aspect is a fun twist but really the story is about people; our nature and the connections we make.  Aelyx is completely different from Cara.  They are literally from two different planets.  Being around people different from yourself with different cultures, beliefs, tastes, and so on is going to lead to some hilarious moments.  Make those two personalities both stubborn and competitive and that just ups the ante.  Cara and Aelyx constantly banter back and forth and in a sense compete with one another, mostly Cara trying to prove she is smart even compared to his genies level brain.  Aelyx also struggles to understand human concepts and emotions like those used for a certain digital pet game.  They both start out unsure of the other but as the story builds and time passes they are able to get to know one another and they come to find that alien or human some things have no bounds and the connection grows.  I LOVED that this was not insta-love at all.  There was instant attraction for Aelyx of course he’s hot that’s natural but it took time to learn to even like one another but the chemistry and tension are there.  Plus learning about the differences between the worlds is rather fun.

                Also something you don’t see a ton of in YA books is a supporting and present family. Most YA something happens to the parents, they’re never around, or leave a lot to be desired.  Basically they are background characters we don’t learn much about unless it’s a huge plot point like paternity or family line or business type things.  Landers managed to create a nice little family for Cara that were both supportive and unique.  They had a story of their own that fit with the overall story nicely.  They made jokes and were there to help but most of all they are there in the actually main story.

                The real icing on the cake is that his book about aliens is very realistic.  The way that people can jump to one conclusion based on a prejudice and no amount of fact will tell them otherwise.  It’s almost scary how real this is. 

                Having a prejudice about one thing, in this case that aliens are evil creatures and need to leave Earth, and using any argument no matter how ill thought out or including any facts/research to shove your ideas onto people.  Then those whom dare to disagree are suddenly a traitor to Earth.  I was working on my review for this book originally back when my neck of the woods was dealing with a bit of chaos over a flag.  I won’t go into details, because I’ve stayed out of it online thus far, but as I had to take calls on the matter daily for over a month I had a front row seat.  People all over the US and some in other countries, yes we had some international callers, saw something on Facebook which must be 100% fact after all.  They felt they knew the whole story and felt justified to call and pass judgment.  Truth, not one person that called had all or even half the facts, only what was being sensationalized and warped by media.  Some of the L’eihrs have a bad opinion of us on Earth just as some humans have an issue with the L’eihrs, an inherent mistrust.  Only when the L’eihrs are on Earth and around people are they able to see the whole picture and not just some parts.  Yes there are good and bad to everyone.  No one is immune.  Nothing is 100% white or black.  I have witnessed people up in arms about something they believe in powerfully and I see both sides just like in the book you see the struggle and the increasing aggressive moods of everyone.  So bravo to Landers for capturing that realism while at the same time not dragging it down but keeping the overall mood light and enjoyable with the way the story is written.

                Overall I really enjoyed this book and rated it 5 stars.  I have not started the sequel just yet, so many books to read and so little time, but I look forward to delving into the novella then the Invaded in the near future.  Spread the love and share your thoughts in the comments below.  Have you read this series yet?  Would you volunteer or even accept an alien exchange student into your house? Let’s discuss!