December 18, 2012

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

It’s been 60 days and Rachel’s father, Jared, still hasn’t returned from his latest courier mission into the Wasteland.  The Commander of the walled City-State of Baalboden declares Jared dead and announces Jared’s apprentice, Logan, as Rachel’s new Protector.  Growing up trained to fight and with a sense of independence, she is unlike any other female in Baalboden; she hardly believes she needs a Protector.  However, Rachel fully believes her father isn’t dead and sets a plan in motion to find him in the Wasteland.  Now all she must do is escape without drawing attention from the Commander. 

December 13, 2012

Rachel Cohn's Beta

Teenaged Elysia is an experimental clone, manufactured from a dead girl and predestined to be a slave for the wealthy.  After the destructive Water Wars, people (Read: the wealthy) wanted a stress-free, more luxurious life.  So they traveled to the idyllic island of Demesne (rhymes with Renesmee) where everything is controlled, including the water and air, to be euphoric.  To fill her college-aged daughter’s absence, the wife of Demesne’s Governor purchases Elysia to be a companion.  As a clone, Elysia is produced to be a soulless, emotionless being lacking in sensations in order to serve her owner better.  However, when Elysia can taste her dinner and realizes the visions she has are really her First’s memories she begins to feel frightened.  Elysia goes to great lengths to hide her emotions in fear she will be branded a Defect and sent back to the lab to be tortured.  The cliffhanger ending got me hooked but I didn’t understand or appreciate a sexually violent scene.  However, the story felt original and I’d still recommend it since I think Rachel Cohn is an amazing YA author.