Book Review: Shudder

Shudder

By:  Samantha Durante

Publish Date:  June 15, 2013

Format:  Paperback 335pgs, tradesize

Genre:  YA Science Fiction/Dystopian

Series:  2nd in Stitch series; 1st Book ~ Stitch

Recommendation:  To continue in an interesting and changing Young Adult Dystopian world.

Synopsis:
It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

First Sentence:
The General slammed his fist on the table, the noise reverberating through the large room.

Purchase At:
Amazon   /   Barnes & Nobles

**I read this for an honest review, from the author.

My Thoughts and Summary:
It's a cold and snowing winter as Alessa and Isaac work to survive outside of Paragon on their mission days after their dangerous escape.  Alessa and Isaac are searching the frozen, snow covered land for the right place for the Rebel's to take up command post.  A Base.  Something strange is following and watching Alessa and Isaac.  Alessa is also coming face to face with something new to her as well, glimpses of the past - other peoples pasts.  She can feel and see the last thoughts of those who have passed.  Alessa even comes to realize she can feel the creatures stalking them, emotions.  There are strange new things in the world, and where they are coming from, no one knows.

We start right where Stitch left off, but in a meeting of those who created this life structure.  There is more behind what they've done, a reason, but I don't know what that is yet.  We learn a great deal of their workings in this second book.  This book teaches a great deal about those who created Paragon, the Engineers, and why they are all here.

The last hundred pages are wonderful, and well connected with great leads from one point to the next.  Before that, I felt like there were abrupt lead ins that told us what was coming next and what was going to happen before it happened.  There could have been smoother transitions.  I do have one small pet peeve.  Many probably won't even buck at it.  Hyphens.  They are strongly used, overuse for me.  I would have used commas or created new sentences.  But that is just a pet peeve of my own.

I really enjoy the story idea and where Samantha takes what happens and changes things here to create her world.  I do get a feel of Hunger Games from some of it, but without the games part.  There are many things that are new to us in this book.  Alessa and her feelings are completely new in this book.  Along with the dangers of the stitch done to people.  And we learn of the history.

We learn a great many things of the world history.  The bombs, the impact of the bombs, the war, and the plague that infected almost all of the human race that lived through the bombs.  Even the stories of how our characters got to Paragon along with how Paragon was created.

We read from Alessa's and Isaac's point of views again.  We also get to hear from Nikhil and another female the Engineers (creators of Paragon) call Phoenix.  By doing this, boy do we learn a great deal.  And get a bit closer to Nikhil as well.