Remake by Ilima Todd

I was privileged to read and review this book before it came out in October 2014. I left my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, but now that I have this new blog, I knew it NEEDED to be on here.

I tell everyone about this novel. It's different, it's beautiful, and I'm so in love with it. 

Remake is a YA Dystopian Romance. Actually, I'm not positive that it's "classified" as a romance, but I totally would call it one. And the coolest part about this book is how it's a dystopian and also a Christian novel. I love the mix of theses two genres that bring out this wonderful story about how important families are. 

Here's the blurb:

Nine is the ninth female born in her batch of ten females and ten males. By design, her life in Freedom Providence is without complications or consequences. However, such freedom comes with a price. The Prime Maker is determined to keep that price a secret from the new batches of citizens born, nurtured, and raised androgynously. 

But Nine isn't like every other batcher. She harbors indecision and worries about her upcoming Remake Day--her seventeenth birthday, the age when batchers fly to the Remake facility and have the freedom to choose who and what they'll be.

When nine discovers the truth about life outside of Freedom Province, including the secret plan of the Prime Maker, she is pulled between two worlds and two lives. Her decisions will test her courage, her heart, and her beliefs. Who can she trust? Who does she love? And most importantly, who will she decide to be?

Beautiful cover too.

Nine's world is different and seems to have all the freedoms anyone in the world could possibly want, but in order to do that, they give up having a family. No one has children. The children are instead made up in batches.

The characters had me with every word and moment. They are lifelike and lovable. Theron is actually my favorite character, and I can't wait until the next novel comes out--hopefully with more of him in it!  :)

The antagonists are complex, and the pages grab you, "Don't put me down. Read me. You don't need sleep...or to go to the bathroom...or food..." Yeah, it's a good thing I read this on a Sunday when my husband was home or I probably wouldn't have eaten anything (Plus, he focused on my toddler so I could read. He's so awesome). I could not put this one down. 

I'd much rather read this book than eat chocolate. Loved, loved, loved it!

Rynn

Paranoia by Jenn Johansson

I'll admit that I just read this book recently. I wanted to read this second novel in The Night Walker series soooo bad after Insomnia, that I nervously messaged Jenn to ask her when it would come out. And secretly I was hoping she'd let me read it before it came out.

Why in the world would anyone hand over their rough draft, a piece of their soul, to anyone they didn't know and trust? I didn't ask her, but the hope vanished when I remembered my sanity again. I had to wait a year like everyone else.

But when it came out a little over six months ago, I remembered how hard it was to wait, and knowing there's a third book, decided to do the waiting until then.

But I caved. Paranoia is amazing. I didn't read this novel in one sitting, but this time I have a toddler. Anyone else have, have had, or know a toddler? Yeah, you get me. However, despite my attention demanding, sweet bundle of energy for a son, I still managed to read it in one day.

It was that good.

Highlight the next two paragraphs only if you've read the first book! :) Here's the back:

In the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker's body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.

When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he'll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.

I loved it. This story provided a lot more answers to the many questions left in the first one. Jenn cleverly added conflict in ways I didn't expect that kept the pace up and made me, again, not want to put the book down. I didn't finish until 9:30pm! Okay, I know you're all, "Uh, that's not late." For me, it SO is. I'm in my third trimester with my second baby, and I'm more of a morning person. I know, weird people like me exist. Here's the best part: I'm dead exhausted by 8pm. Yep, you read that right. My two year old son and I go to sleep at the same time. Now, when my baby girl gets here and lets me sleep through the night, that will go back to between 9-10, but for now, it's 8. I need my sleep.

I love my sleep.

And I didn't even think about sleep until I finished this book.

Sigh. Jenn, you really need to stop doing this to me. ;) Just kidding. Please keep it up.

To get myself back on track, all the characters we loved in the first book are back. Finn has more great T-shirts that I wish I could buy. Seriously, the first shirt Finn wears had me laughing and then longing for it in a pajama size. I loved the relationships, and though I sometimes wanted to smack some characters, they never veered off from who they are. I also loved the more complex story that made guessing the end oh so much harder.

Okay, one more thing before I finally stop talking: Great bad guys. I'm talking the kind you root for, the kind where you don't know if you want to beat them to a bloody pulp or give them a hug because they are so troubled they just need one. I love complex antagonists. Don't get me wrong, there are ones you just want to beat up in this book, but the most important one for me was done the best. I love this bad guy.

Okay, I'm done. If I haven't convinced you to read the book, then maybe you don't like amazing YA thrillers. ;) Just teasing. Definitely would rather read this book than eat chocolate.

Rynn