{Review}: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Title: Incarceron
Author: Catherine Fisher  Website
Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books (May, 2007)
Paperback: 458 pages
ISBN: 9780340893609
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

My Rating: 4/5

Description from GoodReads:

Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...

My Review:
Incarceron has a very original plot. I have not read a book quite like it. It had mystery, magic, a fascinating world, interesting characters, and a plot that kept me eagerly turning pages. The first few chapters were a little difficult to get through because I was confused as to what was happening but as the plot developed I was engulfed by the mystery. I enjoyed solving the mystery along with Claudia and Finn.

Finn does not accept that he was born in Incarceron, a prison unlike any other you have read about before. Imagine trying to escape a prison that thinks, adapts and is always watching you. A "perfect" prison created to send away the worst prisoners because it is impossible to escape. Yeah, doesn't sound like fun. Even though Finn has seizures where he believes he sees a world outside the prison, he begins to doubt his origin until Claudia comes into his life. Claudia the daughter of the Warden wants to escape an unwanted marriage. When they come across a device that allows them to speak to each other they discover that they can help each other escape their prisons.

The adventure was wonderful, full of twists that kept me entertained. I would have liked more descriptions of the inside of Incarceron because I was unable to picture it clearly. The characters were also a little distant. I liked them but I did not love them. Maybe things will change in the next book.

I recommend this book if you can't get enough Fantasy mixed with adventure and spoonfuls of dystopian. I am looking forward to reading Sapphique.

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by The Story Siren, held usually on Sundays that encourages bloggers to share what they bought, borrowed, or begged for this week.

Title: Anathema (Cloud Prophet Trilogy, #1)
Author: Megg Jensen
Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: CreateSpace (March, 2011)
ISBN: 9781460905098
Source: Contest by Megg Jensen
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Description from GoodReads:

Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

Can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

Title: Sleepless

Author: Cyn Balog

Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Reader (July,2010)

ISBN:9780385738484

Source: Library

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Description from GoodReads:

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .
Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?

Title: Entwined
Author: Heather Dixon
Genre: YA Fiction, Fairy Tale
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (March, 2011)
ISBN: 9780062001030
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Description from GoodReads:

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.
The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.
Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.
But there is a cost.
The Keeper likes to keep things.
Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Title: Legacy

Author: Cayla Kulver

Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher: HarlequinTeen (June 21, 2011)

ISBN: 9780373210343

Source: NetGalley

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Description from GoodReads:

The first boy disappeared on the day of his birth, on a night when the pale yellow moon of the nighttime sky turned red and bathed the heavens in the ghastly color of blood, on the same night the Kingdom of Cokyri abruptly ceased its merciless attack.
Across the land of Hytanica, under the shadow of the crimson moon, infant boys continued to vanish. Not until the blood had faded from the sky did the disappearances stop and the bodies of the murdered infants were found outside the gates of the city, a final word from the greatest enemy Hytanica had ever known. For the next sixteen years, peace reigned, but one mystery remained unsolved. The Cokyrians had abducted forty-nine newborns, but returned only forty-eight bodies.
Now, as seventeen-year-old Princess Alera of Hytanica is besieged from all sides by suitors vying for the Throne, a teenage Cokyrian boy, Narian, is encountered within the walls of her Kingdom, a boy who will show Alera a world where women serve a purpose and not just a husband. As Narian helps Alera find her voice, she struggles against an arranged marriage that will shatter the life she has scarcely begun to live. And when Narian's shocking past is uncovered, and war with Cokyri looms once more, he must fight to defy a fate ordained at his birth.

What's in your Mailbox? 

Saturday Discussion (1): Do you judge a book by its cover?

YES!!! I cannot help but judge books by their covers. I was reading my favorite blogs and came across this discussion topic on Down the Rabbit Hole and decided to join.

I agree with Amber. What book lover hasn't walked around a bookstore and was captivated by the cover of a book. It might have been strange, beautiful, interesting but all in all it was what captured your attention and made you pick up the book. You might have read the blurb and decided it was not the book for you or wondered why you had never heard of this amazing sounding book and purchased it. Regardless, it was the cover that made you pick up the book and give it a chance.

Before I began blogging I would walk around bookstores searching for my next read and was usually drawn to a book because of their covers. I found many amazing books this way.

Examples:

I also admit there were a lot of great books that I almost missed because I did not like the cover. It wasn't until I starting reading fellow blogger reviews that I decided to give these books a chance.

Examples:

To me the covers are just as important as the blurb in selling a book.

If you wanted to read about angels and knew nothing about these books and came across them, wouldn't you pick them up because of their beautiful covers?

Do I rate a book based on its cover? No. The cover just helps when I am looking for books. I do not take it into account when I am deciding if I enjoyed the book or not. I will comment on my review that I love the cover but it does not affect my review. A good book is a good book regardless of its cover.

If I read great reviews about a book with a not so great cover would I pick it up? Of course. Thanks to reading reviews I have come across great book that I might not have read.

How about you, do you judge a book by its cover?

Follow Friday #9

Follow Friday! Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

This week featured blog is Backseat Reader.

Q: What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)

A: I am reading books about zombies. So far, I have only read The Cellar by A.J Whitten, so I am only prepared for Shakespeare knowing zombies. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks is on my TBR list, hopefully I can get to it before a zombie outbreak occurs.  I've also watched a few zombie movies and shows so I hope I learned a few pointers on what not to do. I recently downloaded Plant vs. Zombies on my phone but I doubt planting sunflowers on my lawn will help. Oh well, I am probably just going to end up dying.

Now, about Mel Gibson returning to the silver screen. I don't usually go to the theater so I should be fine. I hope.

Don't forget to enter the Divergent Giveaway.

If you are a new follower please leave a comment so that I can follow back. :) 

Have a great weekend!