Unchanged by Jessica Brody

Unchanged by Jessica Brody
Unremembered #3
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on February 24, 2015

Summary: "After returning to the Diotech compound and receiving a successful memory transplant, Seraphina is now living a happy life with another synthetically engineered human like herself, with whom she is deeply in love. She has no recollection of Zen. But the nagging feeling that something is missing from her life continues to plague her. Diotech's newest product is about to be revealed—a line of genetic modifications that will allow people to live longer, fight disease, and change any unfavorable physical attribute they desire.

As more secrets are revealed, more enemies are uncovered, and the reality of a Diotech-controlled world grows closer every day, Sera and Zen must find a way to destroy the company that created her, or they’ll be separated forever."  --From Goodreads

What a stunning conclusion to this series!  I marathoned books 2 & 3, and I'm still in shock about the ending.  I loved Sera, and how she transformed from being this numb robot into becoming something more.  A person with her own memories and feelings.  I thought that the story behind her "birth" was sad and perfect all at the same time.  

Overall, this series is a series that I'm going to recommend to anyone who really likes science fiction.  Time travel is a large part of this series, along with genetic modification.  

Disclosure: I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Unforgotten by Jessica Brody

Unforgotten by Jessica Brody
Unremembered #2
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on February 25, 2014

Summary: "After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await Sera and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her. A weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect. And it won’t stay forgotten for long." --From Goodreads

It took me a bit to get back into this series.  When Sera and Zen were in 1609, it was more problematic to keep Sera's abilities hidden.  I felt that the story was slow during this time, mirroring Sera's problems to keep hidden.  She needed to become human, and that meant moving slower.  After Sera and Zen travel back to the future, that's when things move into high gear.

I was really disappointed when Sera met Kaelin.  I was really hoping to get through a series without another love triangle.  We'll see how their relationship develops in the third book.  The ending was sad, but I have a feeling that we'll see Zen again in the third book.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my library.

Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Confessions #2
Published by Little, Brown and Company on October 7, 2013

Summary: "Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree.

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?"  -- From Goodreads

I do like James Patterson's novels, but the endless twists and turns of this novel were a bit tiring.  It's hard to relax while reading this because you know there's going to be another twist in another 50 pages.  Overall, this story was entertaining.  I do enjoy Tandy's relationship with her "boyfriend".  This is a good series if you like murder, mystery, and suspense.  

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my library.

Confessions series

Confessions of a Murder Suspect

The Private School Murders

The Paris Mysteries

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Related Problems

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is book related problems I have.  I had a hard time coming up with ideas, and so I borrowed these lovely ideas from The Problems of a Book Nerd Tumblr.  They definitely describe all my problems!

Here we go!

I get invited out, and then I think..."Wow, I'd rather be at home reading".

Sequels I can think of right now?  Throne of Glass #4: Queen of Shadows!

I hated the ending of a semester because I really wanted to read.  But I was too tired from school to read.  Problems.

I very rarely re-read books because of this reason.  

I hate this so much.  Why can't you stick with just one design!!

I always bring one more book than I think I need.  Or I download a book to my phone.

My biggest book pet peeve.

YES. 

Does anyone know why publishers like that?  It really does make pages hard to turn!

This happens to me more than I'm willing to admit.

So what are your book related problems?  Share any of mine?  

Leave a list or link in the comments!

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki 
Illustrated by Mariko Tamaki
Published by First Second on May 6, 2014
Caldecott Honor 2015
Printz Honor 2015

Summary: "Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other."  -- From Goodreads

I picked this book up after I learned it had won a Caldecott Honor and a Printz Honor.  It's pretty extraordinary for a book to be able to be an Honor for both medals, so I knew I had to move this book to the top of my reading list.

The pictures are gorgeous.  The water scenes are layers and layers of purple with bubbles of white.  The water scenes alone could win many awards.  I felt something was lacking when it came to the writing of the story.  There were many things that felt unresolved to me.  I wanted Rose to find out more stuff about her mom and the boy from the convenience store.

Overall, definitely pick this book up for the illustrations.  They are stupendous.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my library.