Infiltrated.

I received a galley for Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave from my library's book supplier. I was skeptical because I'm kind of tired of the "other" in YA books-- vampires, werewolves, and in this case, aliens. I just want to read about some actual humans, you know? However, I was pretty gripped by this book from the start because of the plausibility of the writing. If we were to be set upon by aliens, I think this is how it would go down. Also, Yancey assumes a very high level of alien intelligence, which I think is unique. I will try not to reveal any spoilers, so read on...
There have been four "waves" since the Others arrived-- loss of electricity, destruction of the coastal areas, plague, and the few remaining humans being hunted. Still alive in the fifth wave, Cassie Sullivan, a sixteen-year-old girl, carries an M-16 and shoots at anything. After being wounded by a "Silencer"-- basically an alien sniper-- she's discovered by dreamboat Evan and wakes up in his family's farmhouse. He says he'll help her find her young brother at the military base she assumes he's been taken to.
In a dual narrative, we learn what is going on at the military base through Ben, a former classmate of Cassie's. He's ended up at the base, being trained to take out the rest of the alien force. Descriptions of training and warfare are grim in this book since the "recruits" are about age 5 and up. It isn't clear how these kids will take out the aliens, but they're the last best hope for humanity.
Since I said I didn't want to spoil the ending, I will just say this-- I don't consider myself a sci-fi fan, but this was a gripping read. There are a lot of grey areas about who is good or bad, right or wrong. There are surprises. I bought this for the library but it immediately went out and is now on the New York Times bestseller list. It does require a sufficient suspension of disbelief, and I do have some qualms about some characterizations (specifically Evan, who is just too pretty), but I recommend it. Get it at your library if it's available.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Every Day was new.

I hope I mentioned somewhere in this blog that I love David Levithan. I finished his latest, Every Day, weeks ago but it was late and I didn't get to write about it until now. I made some notes immediately after reading it. Here they are: "Stunning and heartbreaking. Unfair. Mind existing without body. Time Traveler's Wife-ish. Cried. Cried after I already cried. Doomed to wander forever? Wanted to make it last. Read the last third of the ARC in one go."
Every Day is the story of A, who wakes up in a different body every day of his life. It's clear that (he? she?) is used to this as it has been happening since (he? she?) was born. I'll refer to A as "he" from now on because he's a he when we first meet him. A wakes up in the body of a guy named Justin and spends the day with his girlfriend Rihannon. A is connected to Rihannon but is never the same person twice, so how can he make it work? Levithan explores the idea of being connected on a cerebral level, no matter what. A wakes up in bodies of those similar in age to himself, but sometimes he's a girl or a boy, popular or a loner, pretty or ugly. He's able to "access" key information about who he is that day in order to make it through, but he has no home for his soul. After meeting Rihannon, though, A wants to get to know her. He does all he can to get back to her (he wakes up in roughly the same geographical area as long as the body he's in doesn't travel). He meets her in many of his different forms in hopes that their connection can transcend the physical. But will Rihannon feel the same?

It blew my mind. Go read it.

Ex libris,

Marissa