The Healers
by Thomas Heric

Summary
In the very near future, Wesley Anderson graduates at the top of his UCLA medical class with the plan of joining his father’s medical practice.  However, in exchange for curing his father’s fatal heart disease and enough money to solve his family’s financial difficulties, Wesley agrees to join the Healers.  The Healers are a mysterious organization of doctors and researchers, owing allegiance to no country and accountable to no one.  Armed with sophisticated healing techniques and bleeding edge technology, the Healers are capable of curing almost every ill, but for a very steep price.  Blinded by the good that he could do, Wesley becomes a staunch advocate of the Healer’s goals, even to the point of alienating his family.  However, as he progresses through the Healer’s post-graduate training, Wesley becomes aware of the Healer’s sinister agendas.  Guided by his conscience, Wesley joins a group of dissident doctors determined to thwart the Healer’s global threat, and learns of the organization’s villainous beginnings.

Review
The Healers moves at a brisk pace, and the heavy use of medical terminology is written in a way non-med students can easily understand.  It’s easy to identify with the main character as he progresses from naïve grad student through staunch defender of the organization to reluctant hero trying to prevent global catastrophe.  The narrative is the best part of the book, as it extrapolates the world’s current trends in medical treatments.  World power is demonstrated in the Healer organization’s ability to cure sickness and disease, but only for outrageous sums of money.  With people willing to pay, the organization’s power and influence grows across all borders.   The book examines the ethical dilemmas of medical research and the application of cures to those who can pay under the guise of a tautly written medical/political thriller.  The unfolding of the plot, the political machinations within the organization and the characters’ drive and motivations compelled me to finish the book at a breathless pace.

Verdict
After a slow build-up, I found this book to be riveting.  The Healers could read as a non-fiction forecast of the future of medicine, with equal parts of alarm and hope.

*This book was provided for review by the Publisher.

Prodigy (Legend #2)

Summary
Picking up nine days after Legend left off, we find June and Day fleeing from the chaos created in the wake of their escape from the Republic. With no other options available, they head to the Colonies and turn to the Patriots for shelter. In exchange for the medical help Day so desperately needs, Day and June agree to work with the Patriots and assist them on their next mission. But the plan requires them to be separated, and as new information comes to light, both Day and June strive to uncover the truth and do the right thing before it’s too late to go back.

Review
Prodigy starts out slower than Legend, providing a lot of background info. on the war before the action really kicks off about half-way through the novel. Once again, Lu does a wonderful job of world-building, creating two distinct and believable societies in the Republic and the Colonies. As we learn more about each faction, it becomes difficult to discern if the military severity of the Republic is really so much worse than the corporate control of the Colonies. The lines between good and evil are blurred even further when it comes to the leaders of both sides. What originally seemed so black and white in the first book is thrown into question as both main characters struggle to determine who really has the best intentions.

While the story focused more on Day in the first book, June is really given the chance to shine in this installment as she attempts to work her way back into the Republic. As she becomes more deeply entrenched in her old life while still trying to remain true to Day, I found myself growing more and more sympathetic to her plight.  The secondary characters also change and grow considerably in Prodigy. Tess who was so supportive and sweet becomes bitter and distrusting, while Anden who originally seemed little more than a shallow pawn develops into one of the more interesting players on either side. An unpredictable ending steers the story towards a new and exciting direction for the final installment in the trilogy.

Verdict
While not quite as gripping and action packed as Legend, Prodigy answers many questions and progresses the story to an exciting new place. I look forward to the conclusion of Day and June’s story in the third book (which is rumoured to be titled Champion).

See my review of Legend the outstanding first book in the trilogy here.

I received this book for review from the Publisher.

If you’re looking for your next great read, be sure to check out any of these books from
My Top 10 Reads of 2012:

1. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
   The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written emotional journey that I never wanted to end. I will read whatever this debut author writes next!
2. Legend by Marie Lu
   I was really in need of a great “can’t put it down” book and Legend absolutely delivered! Even among the sea of popular dystopian fiction, the plot is original and unpredictable.
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
   John Green never fails to make me laugh, cry and fall in love with his characters and TIOS is no exception. Be forewarned though – this book will make you sad. It’s an amazing read you won’t want to put down, but plan something fun to do when you’re finished!
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
   I loved this book the first time around, and when Insurgent came out there was so much going on that I had to go back and re-read the 1st book in the series. I loved it even more the second time! If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and are looking for some really good dystopian fiction, I highly suggest giving Divergent a try.
   
5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
   An excellent follow-up to Divergent that builds on the first novel and moves the story forward beautifully. No sophomore slump here!
6. The Future of Us by Jay Asher
   The Future of Us is a quick, easy read that’s hard to put down. With an original concept and thought-provoking message, Josh and Emma’s story will appeal to readers both young and old.
7. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
   As a huge fan of Janet’s Stephanie Plum series (which spins this book off into its own series), I should have known I would love Wicked Appetite! Deisel is just as fun and sexy as he is in the Plum ‘Between the Numbers’ books and Lizzy is a lovable heroine.
8. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
   Love this series! It’s full of the humour, fun and great characters I’ve come to expect from Janet Evanovich, and I really like that each book continues on with the same overall mystery. Oh and let’s not forget Carl the Monkey who cracks me up! The books are pretty fluffy, but I’m OK with that.
9. Wither by Lauren Stefano
   I loved this book! I’ve been on a real dystopian fiction kick in 2012, and even though some of the world-building was rather implausible, I still devoured this book.
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    This still stands as one of my very favourite books. After seeing the movie I spent so much time discussing the book/movie differences, that I finally had to just read the book again. And I loved it just as much the second time around.

2012 – Reading by the Numbers (some quick stats):

• 21 Adult novels
• 34 YA
• 2 Non-fiction
• 3 Short stories
• 3 Re-reads
• 25 e-books

Here’s the complete list of books I read in 2012 following. Books are listed in the order they were read. An *e at the end of the title indicates that it was an e-book, books listed in bold were my favourites this year. Links are to reviews and discussions here on WAGB. For a quick opinion on any book on the list, see the Round-up post for that month.

2012 Reading List

55. The First Gift of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans (Dec. 17)

54. Rift (Nightshade 4) by Andrea Cremer (Dec 17)

53. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (Dec 4) *e - Full Review Here

52. Hana (Delirium 1.5) by Lauren Oliver (Nov 30) – Short, *e

51. The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan (Nov 29) *e

50. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu (Nov 17)

49. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (Nov 12)

48. Treachery (Nightshade 2.5) by Andrea Cremer (Nov 3) – Short, *e

47. Hunted (House of Night #5) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Nov 1) *e

46. Leaves by Michael Baron (Oct 25)

45. Ecoholic Body by Adrai Vasil (Oct 24)

44. Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver (Oct 16) *e

43. Sweet Trouble (Bakery Sisters #3) by Susan Mallery (Oct 8 ) *e

42. Sweet Spot (Bakery Sisters #2) by Susan Mallery (Oct 5) – Re-read, *e

41. Wicked Business (Wicked #2) by Janet Evanovich (Oct 2)

40. The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner (Sept. 29) *e

39. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (Southern Vampire 10.5) by Charlaine Harris (Sept.16)

38. Living With the Dead (Women of the Otherworld #9) by Kelley Armstrong (Sept 13)

37. The Inn at Rose Harbour by Debbie Macomber (Sept. 3)

36. Wicked Appetite (Wicked #1) by Janet Evanovich (Aug. 30) *e

35. Free Four (Divergent 2.5) by Veronica Roth (Aug. 27) – Short, *e

34. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Aug 27)  *e

33. A Hidden Witch (Modern Witch #2) by Debora Geary (Aug 23) *e

32. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (Aug 15) *e

31. Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer (Aug 12)

30. Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros (Aug 3)

29. Fever (Chemical Garden #2) by Laren DeStafano (July 31)

28. The Enchantress (Nicholas Flamel #6) by Michael Scott (July 27) *e

27. Deadlocked (Southern Vampire #12) by Charlaine Harris (July 14)

26. Max (Maximum Ride #5) by James Patterson (July 10)

25. The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong (July 7)

24. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (June 30)

23. Intangible by J. Meyers (June 25) *e

22. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (June 4) *e

21. Mini Shopaholic (Shopaholic #6) by Sophie Kinsella (May 28)

20. Under My Skin (Wildlings #1) by Charles de Lint (May 22)

19. Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth (May 5)

18. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth (Apr 30) – Re-read

17. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Apr 28 )

16. Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz (Apr 23)

15. Wither (The Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano (Apr 4)

14. The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins (Apr 1) – Re-read, *e

13. A Modern Witch by Debora Geary (Mar 28 ) *e

12. Untamed (House of Night #4) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Mar 23) *e

11. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (March 9) – Library, *e

10. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares (March 3) – Library, *e

9. Anything by Michael Baron (Feb 19)

8. Chosen (House of Night #3) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Feb 12) *e

7. Dead Reckoning (Southern Vampires #11) by Charlaine Harris (Feb 5)

6. The Future of Us by Jay Asher (Jan. 24)

5. Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles #1) by Suzanne Collins (Jan. 22) *e

4. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth (Jan. 18 )

3. The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff (Jan. 14)

2. Firelight (Firelight #1) by Sophie Jordan (Jan. 9) *e

1. The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan (Jan. 8 )

If there are any books on this list that you’d like to see reviewed or that you’d like to discuss, please leave  a note in the comments. We’re always happy to hear your thoughts and suggestions, and we always like to talk about books!

Here are my 2013 Reading Goals:

1. Read 50 books
2. Read more adult books than YA
3. Read 2 classics
4. Reduce TBR pile (currently 40 books)

I know that’s a really short list, and my goals aren’t very lofty but I’m trying to be realistic. Reading is supposed to be fun and if I’m forcing myself to try and accomplish unrealistic goals it stops being fun.

Did you make any goals for 2012? Did you meet them? What are your 2013 reading goals?

The Sea of Tranquility

Summary
All Nastya wants is to start over in a new place where no one knows her story. All Josh wants is to be left alone and not have deal with all the people who know his story. And though they won’t openly admit it, they both really want life to not hurt quite so much. Sensing a common ground, the pair are drawn to each other and a slowly develop a fragile bond while building a friendship that may just give them what they really need.

Review
I don’t know how to put into words how wonderful this book is. It’s a slow building, extremely emotional and heart wrenching story that exposes the raw and agonizing aspects of two teenager’s horrific secrets. The character development in The Sea of Tranquility is superb! As their secrets and innermost thoughts are gradually revealed, Nastya and Josh become so real that I felt like they were people who existed in my life. Even the secondary characters were perfectly written, each one unique and essential to the story. And while this may be listed as a YA romance, it’s not a story about teenagers (even though it is) or romance, but a story about loss, overcoming tragedy and the strength of the human soul.

Verdict
The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written emotional journey that I never wanted to end. I will read whatever this debut author writes next!

*I received this book for review from the Publisher via NetGalley.

I actually enjoyed both the short stories I read this month quite a bit, but the best book I read in November (and possibly all year) was Legend by a landslide.

November Reading List

47. Hunted  (House of Night #5) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Nov 1) *e
The gang is back together now and it’s nice to have everyone working together to fight Neferet and her evil demon. I enjoy these characters (or most of them) but the story was pretty weak in this installment.

48. Treachery (Nightshade 2.5) by Andrea Cremer (Nov 3) *e
This short story falls between books 2-3 of the Nightshade trilogy and gives Ansel’s perspective on the tragic events that befell him in book 2. I loved seeing things from his p.o.v. and learning what we missed while he was captive. A must read for fans of the series.

49. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (Nov 12)
The book is darker than the movie and tends to ramble at times, but it’s still a charming read with a magical touch.

50. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu (Nov 17) – See Full Review Here

51. The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan (Nov 29) *e
Not quite as gripping as the first two Heroes of Olympus stories, but it definitely set up the next two books for what is sure to be an impressive climax to the series. Also, I really like having Percy back in the mix!

52. Hana (Delirium 1.5) by Lauren Oliver (Nov 30) *e
This short story fills in some of the things we didn’t see while the girls weren’t talking, and provides an interesting look at Hana’s side of their falling out. While it’s not crucial to the series, an important reveal at the end makes this a worthwhile read.

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)

Legend 

Summary
What was once the United States of America is no longer. Now the partially flooded state of California is ruled by the Republic and they’re at war with the neighboring Colonies. 15 year old Day has been secretly surviving on the streets ever since he failed his Trail. But stealing from the rich to help the poor has made Day an enemy of the Republic and it’s getting harder to stay under the radar. June is a prodigy who scored prefect marks on her Trial, and is now on the fast-track to a prominent position in the Republic army. When fate forces their paths to cross Day and June end up in a battle of wits as they unknowingly attempt to thwart one another. But the truth changes everything, and now the stakes are so much higher than either of them originally thought.

Review
I was really in need of a great “can’t put it down” book and Legend absolutely delivered! Even among the sea of popular dystopian fiction, the plot is original and unpredictable and a few surprise twists left me stunned. I found Lu’s vision of society in the future to be much more believable than those in other dystopian novels because it wasn’t so drastically different from what we know today. More time spent on character building than world description means that the characters in Legend are fully fleshed out with both good and bad traits and distinct personalities. The story switches back and forth between Day and June’s point of view, and the strong voice of each character makes this is one of the most effective uses of this technique I’ve seen.  It’s so refreshing to find a YA novel that doesn’t overwhelm the story with sappy, all-consuming love, but still finds a way to bring a touch of romance to the story.

Verdict
One of the best books I’ve read this year, Legend had me flipping pages well into the night.  I can’t wait for Prodigy (book 2) to come out in January.

Leaves

Summary
Oldham, Connecticut is your classic New England tourist town. When the leaves begin their autumn display of colour, the ‘leaf-peepers’ come out in full force. The Sugar Maple Inn is one of Oldham’s most popular tourist destinations, and their annual Halloween party is always the highlight of the season.  But after the death of their parents, the Gold siblings have decided to sell the Inn and this year’s Halloween party will be their last.  With frayed nerves and sibling squabbles straining their relationship, the last month at the Inn isn’t as memorable as it should be for Maria, Maxwell, Deborah, Corrina, and Tyler. Leaves introduces readers to these 5 siblings, along with their families and community as they struggle with letting go, moving on and starting anew.

Review
Michael Baron always fills his novels with wonderful characters and Leaves is no exception.  The Gold siblings are unique and well-developed and their relationship is complex but realistic. The lush New England setting is described in rich detail, bringing the brilliant fall colours and pleasant small-town to life. Making this book a little different that his other novels, Michael Baron has added a touch of fantasy as each of the siblings experiences brief encounters with the paranormal. Despite being a big fan of the genre,  I felt that the supernatural elements brought me out of the story rather than adding to it. The story starts out a month before the party and counts down to the big day, chronicling the sibling’s lives as they move towards this significant event. The conclusion is left somewhat open-ended, ensuring readers will want to come back and find out where life will take each of the siblings.

Verdict
Though the story is a little slow-paced for my tastes, Leaves is an enjoyable fall read with likeable characters and a cozy, romantic setting.

*I received this book for review from the Publisher.

October Reading List

41. Wicked Business (Wicked #2) by Janet Evanovich (Oct 2)
Love, love, LOVE this series! It’s full of the humour, fun and great characters I’ve come to expect from Janet Evanovich, and I really like that each book continues on with the same overall mystery. Oh and let’s not forget Carl the Monkey who cracks me up! This time Lizzy & Diesel are after the Luxuria (aka lust) stone and of course hilarity ensues. The books are pretty fluffy, but I’m OK with that.

42. Sweet Spot (Bakery Sisters #2) by Susan Mallery (Oct 5) *e
When I got my new e-reader, I discovered that I had a few books in the old Sony .lrx format that couldn’t be transferred to my new device. (Making it evident that I need to get on that TBR pile!) and the Bakery Sisters Trilogy was one of them. I only had the 3^rd book left to read, and didn’t realize that I was actually RE-reading the 2^nd one until about half way through! I’m not really a big romance reader, but I enjoyed this one enough to read it twice!

43. Sweet Trouble (Bakery Sisters #3) by Susan Mallery (Oct 8 ) *e
This is the third and final installment in the story of 3 sisters who are rebuilding their fractured relationship as they navigate life and love. I didn’t quite enjoy this one as much as the first two books in the series, I found it obvious where the story was going and the characters lack of action was frustrating.

44. Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver (Oct 16) *e
I just can’t get enough of these dystopian series! While Delirium doesn’t really stand out among the crowd, I really liked the concept that love was a disease. When looking at some of the ‘symptoms’ in that light, it became obvious how love could be seen as something harmful and messy that’s better off avoided.  Thought I found it somewhat similar to the Matched series, there were still some surprising twists that made Delirium unique. I already have the next book in the series waiting.

45. Ecoholic Body by Adrai Vasil (Oct 24) – Full Review Here

46. Leaves by Michael Baron (Oct 25) – Full Review Coming Soon!
I’m working on a full review of this one, but just wanted to give it a quick shout-out. Fans of Debbie Macomber and other such “small-town chick-lit” series are sure to enjoy Leaves, which is the first in a new series by Michael Baron that focuses on life in the charming town of Oldham, CT.

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)