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avacado_clements's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
brightside_83's review against another edition
4.0
Oh I just adored this book. A bus full of kids, all different ages get hit with a hail storm that cause them to wreck inside of a superstore. Followed by one tragedy after another. 14 kids, each with their own set of personalities and issues, have to figure out how to survive along side one another. I just loved getting to know each character and seeing the development of each as they try to “Adult” so hard. It was a very refreshing read and most importantly shows how little kids and teenagers are so much more capable of handling things in crisis than are given credit for. Excited for book 2!
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
After a stunning first book, we get a second book in the series. This time told from the perspectives of 2 people. Alex and Dean.
Team 1 with Alex is going out to Denver, to try and get help for the ones that stayed behind. They have the school bus and are all packed and wrapped with masks to prevent air coming through.
Then we have team 2 with Dean. He and a few others stayed behind, because it would have been to dangerous. After all 3 bloodtype O is very dangerous and he doesn't want to kill people.
I loved how it switched between the characters, sometimes a bit annoying when we just got to a good part, but luckily the chapters aren't that big.
I didn't like Astrid much throughout the book. I can somehow imagine why she acts the way she does, but still. :\
Josie and what she did was quite a surprise for me, I didn't expect that too happen, though I guess the writer needed material for the next book. :)
I am just sad that I will probably have to wait for 1 or 2 years before the paperback of book 3 is released. Stupid long wait time for paperbacks. (and then they wonder why everyone is going for ebooks)
Anyway, this book was great, and I really would recommend it to everyone looking for a great series, or to those who have read book 1 and aren't sure about book 2. Read it!
Team 1 with Alex is going out to Denver, to try and get help for the ones that stayed behind. They have the school bus and are all packed and wrapped with masks to prevent air coming through.
Then we have team 2 with Dean. He and a few others stayed behind, because it would have been to dangerous. After all 3 bloodtype O is very dangerous and he doesn't want to kill people.
I loved how it switched between the characters, sometimes a bit annoying when we just got to a good part, but luckily the chapters aren't that big.
I didn't like Astrid much throughout the book. I can somehow imagine why she acts the way she does, but still. :\
Josie and what she did was quite a surprise for me, I didn't expect that too happen, though I guess the writer needed material for the next book. :)
I am just sad that I will probably have to wait for 1 or 2 years before the paperback of book 3 is released. Stupid long wait time for paperbacks. (and then they wonder why everyone is going for ebooks)
Anyway, this book was great, and I really would recommend it to everyone looking for a great series, or to those who have read book 1 and aren't sure about book 2. Read it!
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
First: I magically got this book, eventhough it shouldn't be out yet. 4-4-2013 is the date that is plastered all over the internet, even on the official site. But yesterday, quite unexpected, I got my copy of this book, and am currently reading it. :) Either someone made a mistake, or no one cared to update the release date.
Second: My rants about the books.
Hail, Earthquakes, Tsunami, Chemical disasters.. not going to happen I hear you say? Think again, in this world everything that possibly could have gone wrong, goes wrong.
If the hail didn't kill you, you will be killed by the Chemicals that are now floating in the air. Ok that is also totally depending on your bloodtype, but if you have some O's as your neighbours, I would suggest you hide and hope hard.
I am really happy with this male lead. Not that I knew he was male in the beginning, I thought he was a she. :) How he acted, how he reacted, everything just screamed: GIRL! to me. But a bit further we find out he is really a he. :)
Now that I have finished the book, I can say I really loved it. How it starts all good and fine, ofcourse panic and all. And slowly tips over to despair, death, murder.
Ofcourse it is no perfect book, there were some parts I didn't like. The Robbie/Appleton part. Especially Robbie, really what a sick dude that guy was.
Didn't like Sahalia and how she behaved and dressed. And some other stuff happening.
Something else that I didn't like: Grammar/Spelling and sentence construction. There were some sentences that I kept reading over and over, to find it if was me or the book. Sentences like: "I was sleepy was the thing." or "But now her eyes were lined with black and she had on very red lip gloss."
Can't wait for 2014 to come. Since that is probably when the paperback will be released. :( 1 whole year waiting for a book, waiting for a sequel that I really want to read.
Second: My rants about the books.
Hail, Earthquakes, Tsunami, Chemical disasters.. not going to happen I hear you say? Think again, in this world everything that possibly could have gone wrong, goes wrong.
If the hail didn't kill you, you will be killed by the Chemicals that are now floating in the air. Ok that is also totally depending on your bloodtype, but if you have some O's as your neighbours, I would suggest you hide and hope hard.
I am really happy with this male lead. Not that I knew he was male in the beginning, I thought he was a she. :) How he acted, how he reacted, everything just screamed: GIRL! to me. But a bit further we find out he is really a he. :)
Now that I have finished the book, I can say I really loved it. How it starts all good and fine, ofcourse panic and all. And slowly tips over to despair, death, murder.
Ofcourse it is no perfect book, there were some parts I didn't like. The Robbie/Appleton part. Especially Robbie, really what a sick dude that guy was.
Didn't like Sahalia and how she behaved and dressed. And some other stuff happening.
Something else that I didn't like: Grammar/Spelling and sentence construction. There were some sentences that I kept reading over and over, to find it if was me or the book. Sentences like: "I was sleepy was the thing." or "But now her eyes were lined with black and she had on very red lip gloss."
Can't wait for 2014 to come. Since that is probably when the paperback will be released. :( 1 whole year waiting for a book, waiting for a sequel that I really want to read.
jitka_c's review against another edition
3.0
Dobré to bylo :)
Je to dobře napsané, charaktery jsou fajn a líbila se mi celková atmosféra příběhu. I když si nejsem jistá, jestli by děti zavřené v obchoďáku uprostřed apokalypsy měly tolik času řešit vztahy.
Knize dávám 3* proto, že zatím to byla jen taková další variace na celkem ohrané téma, a přeci jen třeba Kingova Mlha se mi líbila víc. Ale těším se na další díly, vypadá to rozhodně zajímavě :)
Je to dobře napsané, charaktery jsou fajn a líbila se mi celková atmosféra příběhu. I když si nejsem jistá, jestli by děti zavřené v obchoďáku uprostřed apokalypsy měly tolik času řešit vztahy.
Knize dávám 3* proto, že zatím to byla jen taková další variace na celkem ohrané téma, a přeci jen třeba Kingova Mlha se mi líbila víc. Ale těším se na další díly, vypadá to rozhodně zajímavě :)
siddswift's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really good book that seemed extremely detailed in the circumstances of what could happen in the event of what they went through. It reminded me of one of Romero's zombie movies except there were no zombies. Only what could happen if the apocalypse for what town left the kids stranded in their local mall. I can't wait to read more from this author!
mxharriet's review against another edition
5.0
So unique and gripping, this novel takes you on an unforgettable ride. The cover illustrates the key idea of this novel, how the outside world is falling apart and their only route outside is the roof.
When hailstones the size of tennis balls pummel down from the sky on a normal school run, 14 kids are left to fend for themselves in the confines of a superstore. They are forced to get along and keep the younger kids happy, but of course tensions soon arise between the older kids. But petty arguments are the least of their worries, as poisonous gases affect certain blood types in different ways, from bursting blisters to raging anger they confine themselves to the safety of the superstore. However, as people begin to become impatient and ready to leave, can they really leave the safe zone of their community into the apocalypse happening outside their doors.
We are presented with a large variety of distinct characters, with large age differences, personalities and popularity. At the beginning, their popularity differences and wariness of one another is apparent, though some retain their 'I am the most popular, do not cross me' character most become friends and their positive personalities that they would't have otherwise seen come out. Obviously you have characters that you strongly dislike *cough* Brayden and Sahalia *cough*, however you also have those who truly brought this novel together like Josie and Dean.
The idea of blood types was absolute genius! The idea is so intriguing and mysterious, it instantly made the novel more realistic and nail-biting as you do not know how everyone will be affected.
"Max was also starting to blister up (type A). The McKinley twins were hiding from us - they clearly had the paranoia (type AB). Ulysses was chattering to himself in Spanish, a rapid-fire monologue that made me pretty sure he had the paranoia type - type AB - as well as the twins.
Batiste had type B, the blood type that exhibited no symptoms, as did Alex, Jake, and Sahalia (sterility and reproductive failure - hooray!)."
Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne
The plot of this novel was incredibly unique and realistic, events that occurred that could potentially happen but they were written in such a way that it felt as if you were there with them. Not to mention scary, I think nearly everyone has dreamt of what it would be like to be stuck in a supermarket with everything you could want, but this novel highlights the cracks and faults in everything.
This is a thrilling and scary adventure of 14 kids trying to survive alone, whist the apocalypse, something out of their control, is happening outside their doors.
belwood303's review against another edition
1.0
There was a lot about this book I did not like. But I liked Red Dawn when I was a kid so I tried not to be too judgmental about this book when I was discussing it with students. Still, the thing that bothered me the most (having lived in Colorado Springs and knowing Monument first hand) was that this New York author really didn't seem to have spent much time in the area.
ladyaylesworth's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoy YA but this was on the more juvenile end.
mira8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0