The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan

I’m pressed for time with getting ready to go up to New Jersey this weekend, but I wanted to post this review, so I’m going to do something I never do except for Waiting on Wednesdays, and that is use the official summary instead of writing my own. (I’m also using the UK cover because it's so much more intriguing and awesome.) So here it is with my review below:

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth drew me in right from the start with its immediate jump into Mary’s life—and also possibly in part because it began with a desire to see the ocean (always a good thing). The characters were introduced quickly but not so fast that they were hard to tell apart, and Mary’s emotions were easy to identify with. The plot moved right along; in a couple parts my palms were sweating and I could hardly read fast enough to see what came next.
But towards the end it fell apart for me—maybe because I read so fast I couldn’t process the story, I don’t know. It seemed to me that there were a lot of plot threads introduced that weren’t taken anywhere, and questions that I wanted answers to but never got. Perhaps the sequel, The Dead-Tossed Waves, will offer explanations.
Aside from that, it was a *very* good debut novel; I think Carrie Ryan has a lot of promise and I will definitely want to read anything she publishes in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Walls Have Eyes by Clare Dunkle

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

The Walls Have Eyes
by Clare B. Dunkle
Sequel to: The Sky Inside
Released August 25th, 2009

Martin Glass may have seen his baby sister Cassie to safety at the end of The Sky Inside, but his problems are far from over. There’s a totalitarian regime in place, murderous game shows on the air, and a host of government agents on Martin’s tail. And Martin and his Alldog, Chip, get more than they bargained for when they go back to Martin’s old suburb and have to rescue Martin’s parents. But spending time in the wilderness with Mom and Dad isn’t the worst of it. Because Martin learns that Cassie is still in danger—and to keep her and the other Wonder Babies safe, he’s going to have to risk the thing he loves most. Clare Dunkle brings her signature sense of pacing an adventure to a new story of Martin, Chip, and the rest of her varied cast in a story that widens and deepens the fascinating and multifaceted world she presented in The Sky Inside.

Why I'm waiting:
All of Ms. Dunkle's previous books have been fabulous, from her Hollow Kingdom Trilogy to this book's prequel, The Sky Inside.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragon's Heart by Jane Yolen

"Waiting on" Wednesday was created by Jill of Breaking the Spine, and is a way for bloggers to share the upcoming books that they're longing for. This week I'm waiting on...

Dragon's Heart
The Pit Dragon Chronicles, Book 4
by Jane Yolen
Sequel to: Dragon's Blood, Heart's Blood, and A Sending of Dragons
Released May 4th 2009

Austar IV isn't the planet it once was, and when Jakkin and Akki finally return to the dragon nursery, their homecoming arouses mixed emotions. Together they've survived the insurmountable, and now they can weather the brutal conditions of Dark After and communicate with the dragons they love. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. What they've learned about survival could transform the planet--or, if entrusted to the wrong hands, bring about its destruction. Akki's insistence that she return to the Rokk to finish her training and begin new experiments drives a chasm between her and Jakkin. Suddenly she finds herself in the midst of a political battle that could claim her life. Only Jakkin can save her. If only he could reach her....

Why I'm waiting:
Because the first three books were very unusual and original and I want the ability to FINALLY read the rest of Jakkin and Akki's story! This book has been a looooong time in coming, and I'm very excited to see it being published for real instead of just rumored.

The Sky Inside

by Clare B. Dunkle

Martin’s birthday arrives along with signs of spring in the neighborhood; the speakers produce pleasant music that some of the older neighbors call “birdsong.” At thirteen, Martin feels he is too mature for the childish present his parents give him, an Alldog. Large or small, sleek or fuzzy—all the dogs you ever wanted rolled into one! Little does Martin know that his dog—christened “Chip”—will help him discover the mysteries that suddenly pop up. A strange packet is arriving at his father’s job, and Martin’s little sister, a Wonder Baby, is being sent off to a special school that Martin doesn’t get a good sense about.
But what can a young boy and his toy dog and do against the powerful adults and their highly sophisticated bots? But with Martin’s stubbornness and a dog that is a lot more than a toy, it might be a lot more than you think.

Somehow I was not at all apprehensive when I learned that Ms. Dunkle’s newest book would be sci-fi. I knew she could do it, and do it very well, and she did. Just as with her previous novels, The Sky Inside easily transports readers to another world, this is one that is both alien and familiar. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy or By These Ten Bones, I think just because this one was not quite as original a setting. With less romance and a bit more action than the author’s other books, The Sky Inside is appropriate and suited for younger children, but is very satisfying for older readers as well.

Look for the sequel coming in 2009, titled The Walls Have Eyes.

The Declaration

by Gemma Malley

The year is 2140, and the general population has decided that they want to live forever. The drug Longevity allows them to do just that. But since no one dies, there isn’t enough room or resources for any new babies to be born. Therefore, the Declaration is written and signed, outlawing the very existence of all children. Illegally born people (called “Surpluses”) are quickly taken away to live in institutions that train them for a life of manual work—they repay the sin of having been born with near slave labor. Surplus Anna has lived almost her entire life within the cold walls of Grange Hall; Surpluses aren’t allowed to go Outside, and why should she want to anyway? She doesn’t deserve to exist. Anna has only one goal, one point, and that is to be the most useful and obedient Surplus she can. But when Peter comes to stay at Grange Hall, everything is different. He tells Anna that he knows her parents, that they still love her and are longing for her to come home. At first Anna is skeptical and resentful, but still the news makes her curious. Through Peter, Anna finds her own rebellious spark and realizes that she has to run from Grange Hall. But can she and Peter escape the twisted headmistress, Mrs. Pincent? And if so, what will await Anna in the Outside?

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, but by no means was it shallow. If you like The Giver or Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Shadow Children series, you’ll like The Declaration. I’m greatly looking forward to the sequel, The Resistance, which will be available in September.

Terrific Sci-Fi

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