The Beauty of Ridiculousness | Takeaways from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

5 Takeaways is a feature designed to exalt books that deserve more than just a review. You can see the other posts in this feature here. 

This feature is specifically for books when I decide that a review was kind of pointless. Almost everyone knows about the book and you don't need another person screaming at you to read this book (no matter how amazing it is). It is a given that my review would never do it justice. Instead of convincing you to read it, I want to discuss what I got out of it besides a five-star review.

The Hitchhiker's Guide is a renowned classic on multiple levels, but not on the dusty old level of Shakespeare and Dickens (which I say with the most love possible, as an English major). It is a cult classic that has greatly influenced science fiction, including one of my favorite shows of all time, Doctor Who. Even though it isn't an academic classic, there are still a bunch of takeaways worth discussing (in a fun way, not in an English class way, I promise).

Nothing like Novellas | Mini-Reviews of Books I Read to Catch Up with my Reading Goal

It is officially the time of year when I start freaking out about finishing all of my yearly goals, including but not limited to my Goodreads reading challenge. I always start out with the best intentions, getting ahead of myself, but it never lasts and I end up with three months to read more than I did in the past six months combined. 

Thankfully, I am not beneath using cheap tricks to achieve my goals. From now until the end of the year, I will be reading copious amounts of novellas, graphic novels, and short books in order to inflate my reading numbers. I am not proud of it, but I am going to do it anyway.

The good news is that if I read more books (even if they are shorter) that means more wonderful reviews like these for you to read. Really, I am doing this all for you.

The Difficulty of Seeing Space without a Telescope | The Raging Ones

The Raging Ones
By Krista Richie and Becca Ritchie
The Raging Ones #1
Published on August 14, 2018
Young Adult, Science Fiction






This book was provided to me from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds. 
Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday. 
Until the day she does. 
Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people that haunt him and the world that imprisoned him. 
Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny. 
With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought after spot in the newest mission to space. Against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do.

When video games meet Spartacus | Arena by Holly Jennings

Arena
By Holly Jennings
Arena #1
Published on April 5, 2016
336 Pages
Science Fiction, New Adult, Diverse



This book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She's died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...
The RAGE tournaments the Virtual Gaming League's elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a fight to the digital death. Every kill is broadcast to millions. Every player leads a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses. 
And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.
Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world until one of her teammates overdoses. Now she s stuck trying to work with a hostile new teammate who's far more distracting than he should be. 
Between internal tensions and external pressures, Kali is on the brink of breaking. To change her life, she ll need to change the game. And the only way to revolutionize an industry as shadowy as the VGL is to fight from the inside.

Questioning my entire existence, but in a good way | All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

All Our Wrong Todays
By Elan Mastai
Published on February 7, 2017
384 pages
Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel

You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we'd have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren's 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases, where avocados never go bad and punk rock never existed . . . because it wasn't necessary.
Except Tom just can't seem to find his place in this dazzling, idealistic world, and that's before his life gets turned upside down. Utterly blindsided by an accident of fate, Tom makes a rash decision that drastically changes not only his own life but the very fabric of the universe itself. In a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland.
But when he discovers wonderfully unexpected versions of his family, his career, and—maybe, just maybe—his soul mate, Tom has a decision to make. Does he fix the flow of history, bringing his utopian universe back into existence, or does he try to forge a new life in our messy, unpredictable reality? Tom’s search for the answer takes him across countries, continents, and timelines in a quest to figure out, finally, who he really is and what his future—our future—is supposed to be.

Genetically Engineered Humans, What Could Go Wrong? | The Ones by Daniel Sweren-Becker

The Ones 
By Daniel Sweren-Becker
The Ones #1 
Published September 6, 2016
304 Pages
Sci-Fi, YA

This book was provided to me from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Cody has always been proud of being a One. She and her boyfriend James were two of the lucky babies from the 1% of the U.S. population that were randomly selected to benefit from genetic engineering. Now, she and the rest of The Ones are excelling. They are healthy, beautiful, and talented. They aren't otherworldly, just perfect. And to some, that's not fair. The Equality Movement, capitalizing on the growing fear and jealousy, gains political traction and actually outlaws their existence. Society shows its darker side as The Ones are marginalized. The line between right and wrong blurs in the face of injustice and Cody becomes closer to a group of radical Ones intent on fighting back. James begins to fear just how far she is willing to go for the cause.

Sunday Street Team | Timekeeper by Tara Sim

The Sunday Street Team is a group of bloggers led by the marvelous Nori @ ReadWriteLove28 who aim to bring well-deserved attention to new and upcoming books and their authors. 

Timekeeper

By Tara Sim
Timekeeper #1
Released November 8, 2016
368 pages
Young Adult, Steampunk, Debut

This book was provided to me from ReadWriteLove28 in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.
And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.
But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.
The stunning first novel in a new trilogy by debut author Tara Sim, Timekeeper is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Victoria Schwab.

Top Ten Tuesday | Our Outer Space Favorites

Top Ten Tuesday is a list based meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday was open-ended, so we here at Crazy for YA decided to take it in a direction we find is rare in YA--to outer space! Because interplanetary exploration is slightly rare in YA novels these days, we may have recommended slightly fewer than 10 books this week, but all of our recommendations feature some of the most unique YA settings out there.

ARC Review | Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Beyond the Red 
By Ava Jae
Publication Date: March 1, 2016
352 pages

This book was provided to me from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

An alien queen, Kora, and a half-breed slave, Eros, have more in common than anyone would want to believe. Both are shunned and hated. Both just want to do what is right for their people. Both of their lives collide when they are forced to work together to save those that they love. 
They live on a planet on the verge of revolution from the plots to kick Kora from the throne in favor of her war-hungry brother and the threats of rebellious humans. The only way to hinder the constant criticism of her rule is to quickly find a mate to share the throne. But finding love in a revolution is harder than Kora thought.
Eros and his human people are constantly being hunted and killed for invading the alien planets. Only a few nomads are left, despite the alien army's efforts to eradicate the human species. Unfortunately, those few survivors might not stay survivors much longer.
The key to keeping their separate people alive is to bring them together, in defiance of the years of hatred and fear between their species. 

Review | Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae

By Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Illuminae Files #1
Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Published on October 20, 2015
559 Pages

Kady's universe is a lot different from ours. Actually, it is pretty much the same but they know a lot more about it due to the advancements in wormhole jumping, battle spaceships, and artificial intelligence. 

But Kady does not really care about that right now. All she cares about are the space ships dropping bombs on her planet and the fact that she has to plan an escape with the boy that broke her heart that morning.

As it turns out, just escaping is not enough.  

Kady also has to survive biological attacks in the form of mutating viruses, psychotic artificial intelligence, and a lethal spaceship bent on revenge that is quickly catching up to them. When the livelihood of the entire fleet is endangered, questions of morality, practicality, and probability complicate the already chaotic attempt to retreat.

They have the whole universe to run in, but nowhere to run to.

Review | Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline
Release Date: August 16, 2011
Pages: 374
Review by: Tessa

The world is a mess. Between global warming, economic devastation, world-wide poverty, energy famine, literal famine, pollution, and all of the world's other problems, no one wants to live in the real world anymore. Luckily, they do not have to.
Thanks to the genius, James Halliday, everyone has access to a free, virtual world. OASIS, like its name suggests, is mankind's refuge from itself. The intricately designed world is the most elaborate videogame ever created. People are fully emerged in whatever world they choose, everything from the classics like Pacman and Dungeons and Dragons to futuristic simulations. All you have to do is plug yourself in. 
Needless to say, Halliday made a fortune by creating his own world. And now that fortune is up for grabs since the old genius has experienced his final game-over. 
Staying true to his unorthodox roots, Halliday does not have a normal will. His multi-billion fortune, ownership of his company, and the rights to all of OASIS are not given to one person. Instead, the entire world has the chance to fight for it. Halliday has hidden clues in his vast virtual universe guarded by countless obscure 80's pop culture references and puzzles that would fool Einstein himself, and the first person to follow the trail and find the treasure gets to keep it. And one geeky, impoverished kid named Wade is willing to do anything to get it. 

Series Review | Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Steampunk is not normally one of my favorite genres, but the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld may have changed my mind. 

 In this steampuck version of the early 20th century, half of the world follows the science of genetic engineering and the other half is devoted to the creation of machines. These completely different philosophies fuel the fire of the war known as "The War to End All Wars."

At first glance, it seems like a simple war series. But underneath all of the stereotyping, Leviathan is about finding yourself, true friendship, following your passions, and the tedious balance of the world. 

*There will be spoilers for the later books in the series, so if you have not read any of the books just stick to reading the first review.*

Review | Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Flowers for Algernon

Author: Daniel Keyes

Release Date: 1959

Pages: 311

Review by: Cassia

Charlie has never been...the brightest being on earth. With an IQ of 68 and a big heart, he is taken advantage of by everyone, teased, and exiled by his own family. When the opportunity arises for him to have an operation that will increase his intelligence, he is eager to do it, despite the risks. As his intelligence increases, he remembers things about his childhood he never knew, learns about that world around him, and his morals become compromised, especially when he finds out that he’s been a laughing stock of society.

Review | Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2
Release Date:  February 5th, 2012
Pages: 452
Review by: Max




Scarlet is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that picks up where Cinder left off and includes the story of a new character, Scarlet, while continuing to tell Cinder's cyborg/alien tale.

If you're planning to read Cinder and haven't yet, I would avoid reading this review because of spoilers.

After the her complete disaster at the ball, Cinder has been incarcerated. Which makes it a bit difficult for her to convince Prince Kai she's not evil, stop the actually evil Queen Levana, and fulfill her role as secret alien princess.

Scarlet, Marissa Meyer's version of Little Red Riding Hood, fights her own set of problems in the novel involving aliens (of course) and her missing grandmother in France, with the help of another new character named Wolf. Together, Scarlet and Cinder tell the story of the Commonwealth and Earth in the future through their own separate tales.

Blog Tour and Review | The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders

Welcome to my tour stop for The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders. This is a YA science fiction published by Giant Squid Books. 

The tour runs March 2nd-13th with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule. 

About the Book:

The Burned Bridges Protocol 
by Abigail Borders
238 pages
Young adult, science fiction, dystopian

Seven hundred years ago, disaster forced humanity to abandon Earth. Life on the colony ship New Edinburgh is all sixteen-year-old Lilliane, the best programmer in her year at the Institute, has ever known. A week ago, Lilliane woke up in a life-pod. Its destination? Earth itself. Because it's time to rebuild. It's up to Lilliane and the four other survivors of the New Edinburgh to reclaim humanity's ancestral home. Today, the life pod arrived at Lady Diana--the lunar holding station that was once the luxury holiday destination for Earth’s super-rich. It’s supposed to be a good place. A safe place. Not anymore. Today, Lady Di is a battlefield. Because while Lilliane and her friends thought they they were the only humans left, somebody else got to Lady Di first. And he will stop at nothing to keep Lilliane from ever getting to Earth.

BBP on Giant Squid Books | Goodreads | Amazon | Indiebound

Review

*Disclaimer* 

I received this book from CBB Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating of the book.

The Burned Bridges Protocol was a interesting mix of science fiction, dystopian societies, and psychology. It explored so many different ideas, but everything was executed perfectly in the mere 200 pages. This was just a novella, but I would love if it was expanded into its own series (which I REALLY hope happens *hint hint*).

The New Edinburgh colony is stranded in space with a mission-- regain Earth. No one has set foot on the planet for hundreds of years, and it is up to Lilliane, Tomain, Cleo, and Becca to undo the mistakes of their ancestor and reclaim their home planet. But, as they approach their final pit stop before Earth, it becomes clear that someone does not want them achieving this goal. Together, they must fight selfishness, greed, and sassy computers to go home.

The characters were complex and the multiple perspectives, while hard to keep up with, portrayed every character in a unique way. Everyone (even the computer) had their own unique voice and role in the story. No one was left behind.

I loved the relationship between Lillane and Tomain. They have the playful humor of twins, but you could also tell that they really loved each other. They had their ups and downs, but at the end of the day, they stayed true to each other.

The relationships between the rest of the crew of the ship were also entertaining.

I also loved the subtle romance in the book. I mean, you really had to look for it sometimes, but it was still sweet and touching (and heartbreaking). Personally, I think that romance should not be the main focus in science fiction or dystopian novels, so this was perfect for me. 

The plot was quick and suspenseful and full of action. A lot of events happen in this book, but nothing felt rushed or glanced over, which is hard to achieve for such a short book. 

This was a quick read, but it will leave me thinking for a long time. The emotion, action, and suspense packed into this short novel is enough to keep me happy for a while.

I would recommend this book to fans of Across the Universe by Beth Revis, science fiction fans and any dystopian fans. 

I give The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders five stars.

About the Author: 

Abigail is fluent in three languages, grew up in Asia, studied History in the UK, and now calls sunny Southern California her home. When not working with flowers (and daydreaming about what a ranunculus flower fairy looks like) she sings about Winnie the Pooh while baking treats like pineapple tarts and sand dollar cookies for her son, El Kiddo. She has an-going love/hate relationship with all things chocolate, although coffee will always remain her first love. She also holds graduate degrees in International Management and Special Education. 

The Burned Bridges Protocol is Abigail’s first novella. Her first novel, Cyrion, is scheduled to be released by MuseItUp Publishing in spring 2015.

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

 Giveaway:

Five (5) digital copies of The Burned Bridges Protocol (INT) & a signed paperback copy (US)

Ends March 18th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Last List Blog Hop | Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig

Today, I am glad to be a part of the Last List Blog Hop to get the word out about the wonderful authors who are on Egmont's Last List. 

Sadly, Egmont USA, a popular publisher, has closed its doors. This has left its authors in a bad position. They will not have a marketing team to help get the word out about their books. So, Cuddlebuggery organized this blog hop to help these wonderful authors publicize their books. 

The book I am spotlighting is Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig, the second book in the Burn Out series. 

To find the full list of books being sponsored and the rest of the blogs on the hop, click here.

Book Blitz | Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt

Because You Exist
Series: Light in the Darkness #1
By: Tiffany Truitt
Release Date: 11/11/14
Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

Life is good for Logan Middleton. He’s quarterback of the Shepherd High football team, nephew of the town’s most successful lawyer, and boyfriend of Jenna Maples, a girl who has finally agreed to take their relationship to the next level. But nothing good lasts forever.
With only a few minutes of last period English left between him and a weekend alone with Jenna, 
Logan blacks out. When he awakens, he finds himself in a future where Shepherd High lies in 
ruins, nothing is what it seems, and everyone he loves is dead. Logan is a shifter. Chosen to travel through time, it’s up to him to figure out how to stop the terrible events that claimed his once perfect life.
Of course, all of this might be easier if he wasn’t paired with the one girl who’d rather see him dead than help him, Josephine. A girl he tormented during childhood. Strong-willed with biting wit, who lives in the shadows. Tough and dark, Jo is Shepherd High’s most notorious outcast and Logan’s opposite in every way. Together the two must overcome their many differences to figure out why they’ve been selected for such an overwhelming task, and who selected them in the first place.
Before it’s too late...

Buy Links

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Limitless Publishing

Excerpt

“How long did it take you to find me?” Carrie asked, pulling out one of her earplugs.

“What are you listening to?” I countered. I didn’t want to answer her question. I didn’t want

to explain how it took me four hours to find someone who knew anything about Scary Carrie

besides the fact that she loved hoodies and had zero friends. It involved one of those things

where you call a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend whose mom also works at the

public library. I used the JV football team as my slew of detectives. They were always eager to

please me.

Carrie laughed quietly to herself, no doubt fully aware of the fact that I was avoiding her

question. She turned her iPod so I could read the screen.

“Sia. Hmmm. Jenna likes her.”

“Wow,” she said shaking her head. “Why do you sound so surprised there, QB1? What were you

expecting to see?”

Um. I don’t know. Maybe some screamo, emo band singing songs about death or how the world

sucks, or maybe how conforming to nonconformity is rad. I mean if she was going to wear

the hoodie and play out the loner routine, she might as well really commit to the performance.

Soundtrack and all.

It was then I noticed how her hood was off her head. Her curly, red hair was pulled into a

ponytail that lay in front of her shoulder. Her face was flushed. She almost looked like breathing

wasn’t the most painful thing asked of her. She was almost...

Gross.

Don’t go there.

“Listen. Um. Can we talk?”

She laughed again. “Sort of late to ask me that, Mr. All-American. Since you know...we’re

already talking.”

“Right.”

Carrie didn’t wait for me to continue. Instead, she pushed her cart of books further down the

aisle and began to place the books on the self.

“So, I was thinking we could talk about...you know...that thing...that happened to us.”

“You want to talk about that thing that happened to us!” Carried exclaimed in a louder than

needed voice, waggling her eyebrows.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. “Very funny,” I muttered.

“Oh, calm down, Die Hard. It’s not like any of your friends spend their Saturday afternoons at

the public library.”

“Loving the nicknames,” I replied dryly.

She didn’t respond.

“So. Um. How long have you been working here at the library?”

Why was I so nervous?

I had talked to like a million girls before. Granted, never about the end of the world though.

“Don’t,” she warned.

“Don’t what?”

“Play the I want to get to know you act.”

“I wasn’t—”

“You were.”

Count to ten.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Why does she have to be such a bit...

She lifted a book from the cart, but I grabbed it out of her hand. “Enough.”

About the Author

Tiffany Truitt received her MA in literature from Old Dominion University. Her debut Chosen

Ones, first in the Lost Souls trilogy, is a searing look at what it means to be other and how we

define humanity, as well as a celebration of the dangerously wonderful feeling of falling in love.

Author Links:

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

YA Bound Book Tours

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Picture Courtesy of Goodreads

The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner
Series: The Maze Runner #1
Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Pages: 374
Review by: Tessa




"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

The only thing Thomas knows is his name and that he is so scared that he might need another pair of pants.
His memory is gone, but things are even worse when he stumbles out of the black pit he was in.

Welcome to the Maze.

For two years, boys have been sent to the Maze through the same box Thomas just escaped. All of them are stuck together until the Maze is solved.

We are not talking about a regular corn field maze here. Every night, the maze rearranges itself to a brand new source of torture. While the Maze is in its nightly construction, dangers run amok.

Without their memories to guide them, the boys rely on each other to live through every night, but everything changes when the first girl arrives.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The Fifth Wave #1
Release Date: May 7th, 2013
Pages: 480
Review by: Tessa




The 1st Wave: Light's Out
The 2nd Wave: Surf's Up
The 3rd Wave: Pestlience
The 4th Wave: Silencer
The 5th Wave.........

"But if I'm it, the last of my kind, the last page of human history, like hell I'm going to let the story end this way. I may be the last one, but I am the one still standing. I am the one turning to face the faceless hunter in the woods on an abandoned highway. I am the one not running but facing. Because if I am the last one, then I am humanity. And if this is humanity's last war, then I am the battlefield."

The aliens have come, but not in peace. The only thing that will be in pieces is the human race. 

Cassie has survived the first four waves. She is supposedly a member of the "lucky" humans who were not exterminated but the aliens....yet. Cassie knows there will be a 5th wave, and that the odds of her surviving it again are not very high. But Cassie made a promise, and nobody, not even ET's revenge-seeking family, will stop her from fulfilling it.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

These Broken Stars

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner
Series: Starbound #1
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Pages: 374
Review by: Max

Lilac LaRoux, heiress extraordinaire, and Tarver Merendsen, war hero extraordinaire, run into a bit of a problem when their spaceship decides to stop working and drops them off on an abandoned planet with no other survivors.

With no means to communicate, no information about they planet they've been stranded on, and some creepy things happening on the aforementioned planet, the only hope Lilac and Tarver have lies in each other.

This book tells the complicated tale of their adventures on the planet and struggle to get home, get along with each other, and survive in a harsh, harsh world, and I only have good things to say about it.