Review: Time Next (The Time Zero Trilogy, Book 2) by Carolyn Cohagan

Time Next (The Time Zero Trilogy, Book 2) by Carolyn Cohagan
Release Date: March 16, 2018
Publisher: Girls with Pens
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Source: eBook provided by publicist in exchange for an honest review
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Mina's adventure continues in this sequel to the award-winning Time Zero. In book one, Mina and her friends narrowly escaped fundamentalist-ruled Manhattan. Now, they've been taken in by the Unbound, a modern community that wants to shelter and care for them. Mina, however, becomes increasingly nervous as she and her friends are forced apart, and she's asked to alter her clothing, behavior, and even her faith. As she struggles to hold onto her identity, she also grapples with her secrets, even as the Unbound endeavor to discover each and every one.

Review:

Last year I read Time Zero, the prequel to Time Next. While it wasn't my favorite book in the world, I found it to be an enjoyable, eye opening read, and I was curious to see how the story would continue. 

As it turns out, Time Next blew Time Zero right out of the water! I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. The plot was enthralling and fast paced; the characters were interesting and well developed; and once again Carolyn Cohagan brought about a lot of important questions relating to women and society. 

Time Next picks up right where Time Zero leaves off. Mina has escaped Manhattan with her friends; however, instead of being free she's found herself in an entire new society, one filled with its own set of rules and beliefs. 

I had a hard time of remembering exactly what had happened in the first book, but as the story continued and Carolyn gave brief reminders of previous events, it became incredibly easy to follow along. 

In Time Next, Carolyn did an incredible job of of developing the new world. I was slightly worried about leaving Manhattan. I wondered if the new setting would be as interesting, but the Unbound territory was full of excitement, intrigue, and suspense. At first, it seemed a lot better than Manhattan. The rules weren't as strict, the people seemed happy, and the leader seemed young and willing to help; however, nothing was nearly as perfect as it seemed. My favorite part of the new world, however, was the surplus of food for thought it brought along with it. It was interesting to see how the Unbound found themselves to be "better" than the people of Manhattan, but in reality they did the same things they so strongly spoke out about only via different methods. It was also fascinating to see the world through Mina's eyes. In the first book, Mina's so convinced that the outside world will be so much better, but in Time Next she realizes that maybe there were good parts to her world, that maybe there never can be a perfect society. I appreciated that nothing was cut and dry, that Carolyn made Mina's journey three dimensional and perfectly imperfect. I feel that this series would be such a great book club pick. There's just so much to discuss, especially in today's climate. 

In the first book I wasn't the biggest fan of Mina; however, she truly grew on me this time around. I loved seeing her become more independent, more willing to risk everything to get what she wanted. She's a smart, resourceful girl, and it became incredibly evident in this. I also liked that Mina was willing to help others, that she tried to open herself up to new environments and new people, no matter how much they scared or intimidated her. I witnessed so much progress in this, and I couldn't have been prouder. I also enjoyed the new characters introduced. Carolyn truly had a unique bunch. Some were evil, some were nice, and some were unreadable; however, each brought something interesting to the table. The two Mina teams up with as the book continued, however, were my favorites. I look forward to seeing their dynamic evolve as the series continues. 

My only compliant? I wish there had been more romance; however, it wasn't the biggest problem in the world. 

Overall, Time Next was a fantastic follow-up. Full of action as well as suspense, Time Next offers up an enthralling adventure as well as a thought provoking story. I can't wait for book #3! 

4 stars!!

Review: Futura: A Novella by Jordan Phillips

Synopsis/Cover Image from Amazon: 

By the year 2050, Paris is a stark contrast from other large cities, which had long ago morphed into ultramodern metropolises, where every new building was practically a city within a city. Even in France, humans cannot escape the fact that the Invisibles have taken over. Some come in the form of microscopic chips that are embedded practically everywhere, while others are more visible because they power robots. Humans were suddenly underutilized, and they would be forever.

Past futurists had cried that this would be disorienting and depressing, but it turned out to be quite liberating. Human qualities—good and bad—are tolerated because they are authentic, and not artificially created. To err is to be human, and these days, to be human is to be beautiful.

Futura follows a single American woman named Ruby as she figures out how to thrive in a dramatically different cultural landscape. This utopian novella pushes back on the cynical views many hold today. Instead, author Jordan Phillips has imagined a bright future for the entire human race.

Review: 

Futura isn't my typical book; however, I make it a goal of mine every year to read a few books outside of my comfort zone. 

Futura is very different from any futuristic book I've read before. Jordan Phillips paints a fascinating, eye-opening look into the future - one I couldn't look away from. 

Jordan focuses on description rather than action. Over the 90 pages Futura dives into all the nitty gritty details. 

In 2050 Pairs there are the humans as well as the invisibles. I feel the best way to describe the invisibles is as robots, as they can't think but they can process and analyze data. Humans work alongside of them in a variety of positions, usually ones that the invisibles can't do themselves. It was interesting to learn more about this, especially since technology is becoming such a huge part of everyday life. Additionally, humans are offered several different paths. For instance, they can pursue a career and earn decent money or they can live off the government on a comfortable yet basic stipend. In the most extreme cases, they can decide to return back to nature, living a rustic life. I enjoyed seeing this different careers discussed, and I also appreciated that Jordan showed characters living in each. 

The one aspect that I didn't enjoy about Futura was the lack of character development. It was hard to like or dislike Ruby because I knew so little about her. Only the basic details were presented about her life - her work, her friends, and her desire to have a baby. 

Overall, Futura is an okay read. It wasn't my favorite nor my least favorite book. 

3 stars!! 

Futura is now out! 

Source: eARC provided by publicist for review 

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Review: The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger

Synopsis/Cover Image from Amazon:

Stand up.

When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she’s determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best assets are her eyes and ears. And if she’s brave enough, her voice.

Be heard.

Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader and in line to inherit his father’s business. But his growing feelings for Lark, the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might spark a change that flares across the universe.

Fight back.

Review: 

I've read a lot of books published by EntangledTeen over the course of 2017. Some I liked. Some I loved. As it turns out, however, I saved the greatest for last - The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger. Honestly, I think this may just be EntangledTeen's best book yet. 

I'll be honest here: it took me a while to warm up to Lark. 

In the beginning she's timid and spineless. She refuses to speak up for herself, and, instead, she consistently obsesses over her failings, wishing she could be brave but never acting on it. There's one pivotal moment in the first few chapters where she overhears some of the other girls talking trash about her, and I was so angry for her - the girls were incredibly out of line - but Lark does nothing. She just sits on the sidelines, convincing herself that they couldn't possibly be talking about her. I was disappointed in her - I wanted nothing more for her to stand up for herself and speak loud and proud - but it gave me hope that she'd learn to be brave.

Over the course of the book, Lark grows and prospers. She learns how to speak up for herself and others. She stands up for what she believes in no mater the consequences. She makes great friends and even starts up a romance. Most importantly, she becomes a vital part of her new community, finding a purpose and a home in a seemingly hopeless place. It was a rough journey - sometimes she would go too far with her actions or not think them through enough - but it was such an incredibly worthwhile one to witness. By the end, I was proud of her - I may of even shed a tear. She had come so far. 

On the other hand, I loved Kalen, Lark's love interest, from the start. Ladies and gentlemen, Kalen is prime book boyfriend material. My heart was swooning - full-out swooning! He's the perfect mix of sweet and spicy, and I loved how he always stuck up for Lark. When Kalen's first introduced, it's hard to tell if he's a good guy or a bad guy; however, soon it becomes clear as day: Kalen has a heart of gold. Like Lark, he also deals with his own challenges. He's torn between embracing the path his father has chosen for the company (slave-traders) or fighting against it, and I felt that the development regarding this was good. I felt for Kalen - it's hard to disappoint family but at the same time it's important to stand up for what you believe in, especially when it involves something as wrong as slave trading. 

The world building in The Vanishing Spark of Dusk was also fantastic. I thought Sara did such a wonderful job of creating the world of the Tavdorian. It was so easy to picture their planet, and better yet, I loved the level of detail and spice she gave to it - it wasn't the standard fantasy space world by any means. I do wish she would have given some more details into how the Tavdorians overtook Earth. I was curious as to when it all began, how did the government fall, etc. 

Additionally, the plot in The Vanishing Spark is full of action and romance. There's so much at play here - rebel groups, evil men, space journeys, and a divided family. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough! I just wanted to know everything! The romance was steamy. Lark and Kalen had such a great dynamic - I loved how they constantly would push at each other's buttons. Plus their ending was so adorable. 

There was one aspect, however, that brought this book down one star: it was slightly slow at times. I'm all for slow parts when they bring about essential character, world, and/or plot development, but that didn't always happen here, especially in the beginning. Thankfully, as the book continued the pacing got better.    


Lush, intricate, and thrilling, The Vanishing Spark of Dusk reminds me just how wonderful YA fantasy can be, how exciting it is to be transported to a world so unlike our own.  

So mark your calendars for January 8th. This is one you won't want to miss, especially if you love a mixture of fantasy and dystopian. 

4 stars!! 

The Vanishing Spark of Dusk will be released on January 8, 2018! 

Source: eARC provided by publisher for review 

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Review: Time Zero by Carolyn Cohagan

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Fifteen-year-old Mina Clark lives in a future Manhattan that is ruled by extremists. Girls aren't allowed to get an education, they need permission to speak to boys, and all marriages are negotiated by contract. But Mina's grandmother has secretly been teaching her to read, leading Mina down a path of rebellion, romance, and danger that not only threatens to destroy her family's reputation, it could get Mina killed.

Suspenseful and empowering, Time Zero is about what it's like to be powerless, underestimated, and manipulated and what it takes to go against society to assert who you actually want to be.

Review: 

I don't know about you guys, but I love a good YA dystopian, especially when it gives The Handmaid's Tale vibes. Therefore, when I caught wind of Carolyn Cohagan's Time Zero, I knew I had to read it! As it turns out, Time Zero was a compelling, fast paced, and thought provoking addition to YA lit, perfect for adults and teens alike. 

Time Zero begins the story of Mina Clark on the day of her offering, a day Mina has been steadily dreading. Her impending offering means her days of hanging out with her best friend, seeing her grandmother on a daily basis, and, worst of all, secretly learning to read with her grandmother are coming to a close. Soon she will be married to the highest bidder, a man who only views her as a baby maker, not as an equal. However, what's supposed to be a stereotypical offering day, turns into something else entirely. The day of her offering Mina's grandmother suffers a terrible fall, landing in the hospital. Mina knows she has to go retrieve her grandmother's primer, the magazine she has been teaching Mina to read from. On her mission, Mina makes a new alliance, one who changes her life in more ways than she could ever imagine, one that will have Mina test new limits and reach new heights. But will the impending chaos be worth the trouble? 

One of my favorite aspects of Time Zero was the world in which Carolyn Cohagan created within its pages. Time Zero takes place in a futuristic New York City, where the citizens of the city are living in an oppressive time. 

Woman are forced to cover their bodies and faces at all times so that they don't tempt a man. They aren't allowed to read or work. They aren't allowed to speak first to a man. Instead, they must wait for the man to speak to them. The rules go on and on. They were crazy and ridiculous yet frighteningly real - Carolyn based them on religious rules found throughout the world, even in the United States. 

My heart ached for Mina and the women of her world, especially when the worst of the cruelty was shown on the page. Part of me couldn't believe that this could happen, but another part of me, could believe it, because rules and punishments that Mina faced are rules women are facing at this exact moment. It was eye-opening and thought-provoking.  I fully applaud Carolyn for taking on this incredibly hard topic/world building. She did a fantastic job with it, and I hope that this read makes into the hands of girls around the world. 

Moving on, the plot of this continues a lot of mystery and suspense. At the start of the book, Mina believes she knows everything there is to know about her world and her grandmother, she thinks everything is black-and-white; however, as the story progresses, so many big revelations come out of the woodwork, ones that shake Mina's world. I was often glued to the pages, dying to know what would happen next. I wanted to know more about Mina's world and the secrets that lied within. Additionally, I wanted to know what was beyond the walls. 

The one part of this book that I had difficulty with was the characters. Don't get me wrong, I liked Mina...I felt for her...I rooted for her to find a way to get out of the terrible things that were coming her way. However, at the same time, I lacked a good connection with her, sometimes I just couldn't understand the things she was doing, the certain risks she was taking for people she barely knew. Also, her romance with Juda felt slightly forced...I didn't always feel the connection there, which again made it hard for me to connect with her character as well as his. I'm hoping, though, the sequel will be able to connect me more to Mina. 

Regardless of my slight issue, Time Zero is still a worthwhile read. I look forward to reading the sequel! 

Grade: B

Time Zero is now out!

Source: Publicist at WildBoundPR - thanks Julie!

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