YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥

message 1: by Christina (last edited Feb 06, 2016 04:52AM) (new) - added it

Feb 05, 2016 04:28PM

Join TJ and me in reading Firstlife!

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message 2: by T.J. (last edited Apr 04, 2016 06:31AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 05, 2016 06:41PM

ONE CHOICE.

TWO REALMS.

NO SECOND CHANCE.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.

There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.

In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision…

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message 3: by T.J. (last edited Apr 30, 2016 05:13AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 05, 2016 06:43PM

Thanks for setting this up, Christina! I just took a brief look at this book and it sucked me right up! I can't wait to read and discuss it with you (and whoever else chooses to join us).

Here's my review for Firstlife: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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message 4: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 06, 2016 12:31PM

You can request Firstlife to review at Netgalley:
https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
For members in Australia:
https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

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message 5: by T.J. (last edited Apr 04, 2016 06:35AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 13, 2016 04:27PM

Within seconds, this book pulled me in. Within minutes I was engaged. I was immediately intrigued by the three main characters, Archer (Bow), Killian, and Tenley.

I find the premise refreshingly unusual and I want to know more...

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message 6: by T.J. (last edited Feb 14, 2016 09:45AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 13, 2016 06:39PM

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
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message 7: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 13, 2016 06:44PM

Chapter 3
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message 8: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 13, 2016 06:49PM

Chapter 3
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message 9: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 13, 2016 06:51PM

Chapter 3
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message 10: by T.J. (last edited Feb 14, 2016 09:45AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 14, 2016 07:23AM

Chapter 8

Full-fledged action, but with the right combination of character development and witty dialogue.
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message 11: by Christina (last edited Feb 15, 2016 01:05AM) (new) - added it

Feb 15, 2016 01:05AM

End of chapter 1
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message 12: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 15, 2016 03:36PM

Christina wrote: "End of chapter 1

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message 13: by T.J. (last edited Feb 16, 2016 04:30PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 15, 2016 04:19PM

Chapter 10
44% (p. 215 of my ARC)
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message 14: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 16, 2016 03:48PM

I'm joining in on the fun if you don't mind. (:

Chapter 1

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message 15: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 16, 2016 04:40PM

Carrianne wrote: "I'm joining in on the fun if you don't mind. (:"

Welcome, Carrianne! There's fun to be had here for sure... ;)

Chapter 1
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message 16: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 16, 2016 05:40PM

Chapter 11
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message 17: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 17, 2016 03:51PM

Chapter 12
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message 18: by T.J. (last edited Feb 17, 2016 04:15PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 17, 2016 04:03PM

Chapter 12

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message 19: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 17, 2016 04:49PM

Chapter 2

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message 20: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 17, 2016 04:51PM

TJ wrote: "Chapter 2

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I already forgot what a TL is. But I am thinking the same thing. How has she not suspected anything yet? I thought that was Bow talking about his TL trying to keep his identity under wraps.

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message 21: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 17, 2016 05:17PM

Carrianne wrote: "Chapter 2"
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message 22: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 10:54AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 09:49AM

Carrianne wrote: "Chapter 2"
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message 23: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 10:03AM

Ch. 3 & 4

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message 24: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 10:04AM

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message 25: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 10:26AM

Ch. 5-7????

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message 26: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 11:35AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 11:24AM

Carrianne wrote: "Ch. 3 & 4"
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message 27: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 11:38AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 11:37AM

Carrianne wrote: "Ch. 5-7????

I think we can ignore my chapter labeling now. I wasn't paying attention to where I was at. I'm on chapter 8. Oops.
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message 28: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 03:30PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 03:15PM

63% (p. 298)
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message 29: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 03:18PM

64% (p. 306)

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message 30: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 03:59PM

I'm catching up to you! ;)

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message 31: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 04:19PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 04:18PM

Carrianne wrote: "I'm catching up to you! ;)"

I've been stalling... Waiting for you and Christine... ;)
...and participating in 4 other buddy reads... :D

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message 32: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 04:21PM

Ch. Idk anymore. Im on page 291.

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message 33: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 04:26PM

Chapter 17
I like where this is going...
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message 34: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 04:48PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 04:40PM

I think you just started Chapter 15 (I'm reading on my iPhone right now, so I'm not sure):
Carrianne wrote: "Ch. Idk anymore. Im on page 291."
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If the answer to my question is no, don't read my next spoiler...
(view spoiler)

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message 35: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 04:51PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 04:50PM

Carrianne wrote: "Ch. Idk anymore. Im on page 291."

Okay, you can read my second spoiler above in message 34 -- I just added it...

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message 36: by T.J. (last edited Feb 21, 2016 05:07PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 05:06PM

Beginning of Chapter 18

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message 37: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 05:32PM

(view spoiler)

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message 38: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 06:43PM

TJ wrote: "Carrianne wrote: "I'm catching up to you! ;)"

I've been stalling... Waiting for you and Christine... ;)
...and participating in 4 other buddy reads... :D"

Works for me! I went from being like 10% done with the book to 75%. Lol

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message 39: by Carrianne (last edited Feb 22, 2016 01:23PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 07:46PM

Chapter 22

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message 40: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 21, 2016 08:23PM

Ch. 23-25

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message 41: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 22, 2016 01:10PM

Chapters 26-28

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message 42: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 22, 2016 01:20PM

TJ wrote:

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message 43: by T.J. (last edited Feb 22, 2016 05:10PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 22, 2016 05:09PM

I didn't get any further today so I'll comment on your posts up to the point that I am...
Carrianne wrote in Message 37:"
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message 44: by T.J. (last edited Feb 23, 2016 07:08AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 23, 2016 07:03AM

Finished
Well, first off I have to say I really liked it.
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I have mixed feelings, however, about the whole Troika/Myriad dichotomy thing, though. At the beginning they were presented (with slogans and such) as two viable options -- and not choosing seemed also to be a viable option.

But as the story progressed, and then climaxed, they certainly weren't all viable options -- Troika was by far the lesser of the three evils. Troika turned out to be all lovey-dovey and peaceful like, whereas Myriad was willing to publicly execute its own members, and stick then into kennels (not to mention what they did to the unsigned) -- not a good option. But both were willing to send their kids to be tortured -- which contradicts Troika's all lovey-dovey atmosphere, where punishment ("Exchange") only means putting yourself into someone else's shoes. And all Troika's talk about taking responsibility for one's actions that we heard toward the end contradicted to the fact that they were willing to use torture and other pressure tactics to get young people (teenagers!) to sign. Not cool.

The two realms ended up -- as I feared they might (see my comment in Message 13) -- more like Troika v. Myriad, good versus evil. But that may develop more to my liking in the next installment, because clearly Tenley is choosing the lesser of the two evils -- she knows that Troika needs reforming and she does not accept that unsigned kids should have to end up in Many Ends -- especially peace activists, who are working for Realm Harmony.

Many Ends is horrific -- and I cannot accept that the unsigned should land there. Spiritual Seekers, such as myself, who refuse to choose a religion, end up there. (Troika and Myriad are clearly religion-like -- or even cult-like).

The kids from HART (Humans Against Realm Turmoil) are the true heroes of this story. They are willing to risk their everlife to do what is right/good -- bring peace to the realms, end the war. They stick to their grounds, even though the consequence of doing so -- ending up in Many Ends -- is unthinkably horrific. But doing what is right/good is not always/usually easy and being a good person is not always rewarded in the first life -- but it's nice to hope that it will be rewarded in the "everlife." (Oh sorry, end of sermon... ;) ).

Well, I'm going to need some more time to mull this through...

Firstlife is clearly a book that makes me think -- and that is definitely my kind of book, even if I don't always agree with the characters' conclusions.
(hide spoiler)]

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message 45: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Feb 23, 2016 01:16PM

TJ wrote: "Finished
Well, first off I have to say I really liked it.

(view spoiler)

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message 46: by T.J. (last edited Mar 04, 2016 06:50AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Mar 03, 2016 02:55PM

Carrianne wrote: "Wow, your thoughts are so deep on the book whereas mine were not. lol"

Ha! Thanks! But your thoughts were equally deep -- you just dove deeper into a different aspect: the romance... :D
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Thanks for a great buddy read, Carrianne! I'd be happy to read the next installment with you!

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message 47: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Mar 03, 2016 02:56PM

Here's my review for Firstlife: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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message 48: by Carrianne (new) - rated it 4 stars

Mar 03, 2016 03:38PM

I'd love to read the next installment with you! :D

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message 49: by T.J. (new) - rated it 4 stars

Mar 04, 2016 06:58AM

Carrianne wrote: "I'd love to read the next installment with you! :D"

description

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message 50: by Abi (new)

Apr 28, 2016 01:35AM

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Reading from May 7th 2016

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YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion