ARC Review: The Well's End by Seth Fishman

Title: The Well's End
Author: Seth Fishman
Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Putnam Juvenile 
Hardcover (ebook/audio), 352 pages
Genre: 
Source: Publisher / Print ARC
Reading Level:  YA

A deadly virus and an impossible discovery unite in one enthralling can’t-miss read... 

Sixteen-year-old Mia Kish has always been afraid of the dark. After all, she’s baby Mia, the one who fell down a well. That was years ago, though the darkness still haunts her. But when her classmates and teachers at ritzy Westbrook Academy start dying of old age from a bizarre and frightening virus that ages its victims years in a matter of hours, Mia becomes haunted by a lot more than the dark. Their deaths are gruesome and Mia worries she and her friends may be next. In order to survive, Mia and her small crew must break quarantine and outrun armed soldiers in hazmat suits who shoot first and ask questions later.

And there’s only one place to go—the Cave, aka Fenton Electronics. Mia knows it’s somehow connected and hopes her dad, Director of Fenton Electronics, who has always been strangely secretive about his work, has the answers she needs, and more importantly a cure to save everyone before the whole town succumbs to the mysterious virus. Unfortunately, it’s not answers Mia discovers, but something far more treacherous and impossible than even the virus itself. 

A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart.

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  The Well's End was a totally unexpected fun and thrilling read. I went into the story knowing only want I read from the book's synopsis expecting much another average sci-fi novel but what I found was so much more! This half "End of The World", half  "suspenseful" science fiction novel hooked me from page one. I found myself speeding through the pages again and again to find out what would happening next.

Mia Kish is your average teenage girl...well with the exception that she kind is or was famous. Mia was the little baby many years ago who fell down the well. (side note: referencing Baby Jessica) Now grown up she is soon to be faced with a new problem, one that will change her life forever. Mia's Father is the Director of Fenton Electronics. Mia really doesn't know what her Father does but has had no need to question it until now. 
While Mia and her friends, Jo and Rob are in school something strange and confusing happens. The school alarm goes off presumed to be a ordinary drill but ends up being so much more. After a desperate and ominous warning comes from her Father soon after the schools alarm sounds, Mia comes to find out an virus outbreak has occurred in her school which rapidly ages adults and teens alike until the only thing left is death. Mia and her friends are terrified to find out this shocking revelation. Teachers, and their fellow peers are dying all about them. With nothing else to do Mia remember her Father's warning and know she needs to somehow leave and find  the CAVE aka Fenton Electronics. Mia and her friends, including a mysterious new guy named Brayden she only just meet need to find a way out. The problem is the school is heavily guarded by many "men in hazmat suits" who know a lot more than they are letting anyone onto. 

Mia knows something just is not right here and is not being told the whole truth about "what" really is going on. All the answers lie within the one man who Mia always thought she knew and trusted. Her Dad. And the one place she knows nothing about. The race in now ON! 

I tried really hard to not spoil anything (I hope I didn't) but at the same time give you the basic plot of the story. 

I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoy The Well's End. From start to finished I was totalled captivated by the story-line. There was so much suspense and action. I never knew what would be coming next or how a scene would be played out. There was never a dull moment, a real page turner for sure! 

I enjoyed Mia's character immensely. She was strong willed, knew how to take charge, and never gave up even though she was faced with many hardships and dangerous situations along the way. A few of which really tied into the "Baby Mia" fell down the well subplot. 

If there was one thing that was not ideal for me in the book it was the lack of feeling something I would see in Mia and her friends. I mean if my Dad or friend died right there before my eyes I would be beyond devastated. I wouldn't care about anything else. Yes, I do feel the reactions to the deaths were adequate but for me they lacked something. As I said I loved Mia and her friends but at the same thing I long to see more emotion.

The ending was fantastic; a really cliffhanger. I for one can't wait to see what happens next! 

The Well's End is a perfect read for anyone who loves a good thriller and some epic science fiction all wrap into one. Author Seth Fishman is one to watch, and his new book is one not to pass up! 

4.5 STARS - Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

About The Author: Seth Fishman

Find Seth @

Website | Facebook | Twitter | tumblr 

Seth Fishman is a native of Midland, Texas (think Friday Night Lights), and a graduate of Princeton University and the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. He spends his days as a literary agent at The Gernert Company and his nights (and mornings) writing. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is his first novel (that’s not in a drawer).

Review: Everything Breaks by Vicki Grove

Title: Everything Breaks
Author: Vicki Grove
Published: October 3rd 2013 by Putnam Juvenile
Hardcover, 256 pages
Source: Print ARC - Publisher
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal 

Tucker was supposed to be the designated driver. But there was something about the beauty of that last true summer night, that made him want to feel out-of-control just once. He drank so much and so quickly that he was instantly sick. That left Trey to drive. "I'll catch up to you later," were the last words Tucker would ever say to his friends as he heaved by the side of the road. It was the last time Tucker would ever see them alive.

Tucker’s grief and guilt are just about unbearable and he wonders how he can continue living himself. When he meets the Ferryman who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers that divide the world of the living from the world of the dead, Tucker gets a chance to decide: live or die. The temptation to join his three best friends on the other side may be too much for Tucker to overcome.  A gripping, haunting and emotional read.

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*sigh* I have been putting off doing this review for Everything Breaks for a couple different reasons. One, I can't make up my mind for a rating. I am on the fence between 2 stars and 3 stars. Also, I am having trouble finding the words to describe my feeling about the book, ones that are not negative but more constructive.

With that said I am going to begin with what I did like about the book.  Tucker the lead protagonist in the story was a strong and richly developed character. The author went into great detail about his life giving the reader a more in depth understanding about him and the choices he made. I feel more connected to Tucker than any other character throughout the story. 

I also really enjoyed the ending of the book, even as weird and confusing as it was. I liked seeing Tucker finally get some closure and peace.

Vicki Grove without a doubt is a beautiful writer. She really has a way with words. Very thorough and highly descriptive. 

Now, the not-so good....

I was bored, like really bored. The premise of the books sounds amazing. Tucker's friends end up getting killed in a car accident that he blames himself for. He's angry with himself for not driving and somehow preventing the accident. Now Tucker's friends have died and he is left alone. His grief, anger, and regret has consumed him whole. Tucker wishes he too had died that night or even could take his friends place. Later, MUCH later his does in fact meet a ferryman(girl) who offers him to join his friends on the other side. Sound pretty interesting, right?

Yeah, I thought so to. Almost the entire book was all about Tucker dealing with his grief, and rather large recap of his life before the accident.  How his friends meet, the things they did together and mostly just Tucker thinking back to the good times. That's all well and good, but I was bored by this. I wanted to so more about what happen after his friends died, and much more of a paranormal aspect that was described in the books blurb. Sadly, I felt  that I was mislead. I keep waiting and waiting for something even remotely interesting to happen. It wasn't until the last 30-40 pages the whole mythology aspect I was expecting throughout the book came into play. Once it did, sadly once again I was not thrilled by it and if anything I was more confused. 

The beginning and the end were pretty much the only parts I kind of liked. I feel the author went overboard with the  character development and showing the reader a more in depth look into Tucker and his friends past then sticking to what happened afterwards. I would have liked to have seen more of Tucker's journey to find the "city of death" than what was written.

All in all it was not a horrible book but just not at all what I expected. 

2.5 

Ah, it's okay. 

About The Author: Vicki Grove

Visit Vicki at her website.

Vicki Grove is a freelance writer with about 300 articles and short stories published in such magazines as VIRTUE, READER’S DIGEST, TWILIGHT ZONE, TEEN MAGAZINE, and AMERICAN GIRL.   She has written ten middle grade and young adult novels for Penguin Putnam, many of which have been on numerous state recommended reading lists.  Two of her books, Reaching Dustin and Starplace, were included as School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year. One of her books, Destiny, was chosen by the Society of Midland Writers as the year’s best novel for young people by a Midwestern Writer.    In 1998 she was inducted into the Missouri Writers’ Hall of Fame.  Her new YA novel, Everything Breaks, will be out in October, 2013.

“I think of my reader as someone with an open heart and an open mind who’s trying to live authentically and compassionately in this complicated but beautiful world.”

She lives deep in the woods of the Missouri Ozarks with her husband, Mike.