Messenger (The Giver #3) by Lois Lowry

Messenger (The Giver #3) by Lois Lowry-142 pages

This is the story of Matty and how we learn of his true name. It is set six years after the events of Gathering Blue and Matty has been in Village with Seer (Kira's father, Christopher) the entire time. Village has always been a welcoming haven for those who didn't fit in at their former villages (many of their former villages discouraged or disallowed emotions/feeling or were very flawed in some way). However, Village is changing for the worse and will soon be closed to outsiders. Matty must return to his old village and convince Kira to return with him to Village and Seer. We learn of Matty's true name at the end of the book, but there are clues throughout. I am eagerly anticipating the story's end in Son, which is the fourth and last book of The Giver Quartet.

Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Perfect Lies by Kiersten White, 232 pages
Book 2 in "Mind Games" series

The Keane Foundation had used and abused Fia and Annie's abilities for their own evil purposes for years. Fia has perfect instincts and Annie can see the future. To save her sister, Fia faked Annie's murder and returned to James Keane's arms to help bring down his father's wicked foundation from the inside. Meanwhile Annie is with a new organization also intent on freeing the trapped girls and destroying the Keane Foundation. Strangely enough, the sisters are finding their powers aren't as strong or reliable when they are apart. They will do whatever it takes to reunite and put the past firmly behind them. This book, like the first in the series, jumps around in time and from different perspectives. You feel almost as if you have a split personality. The chaos of the chapters adds to the intrigue of the story.

Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs

Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs, 385 pages
(Book 2 in Dark Heroine series)

I think all the built up anticipation for this book over the last year is likely the cause of so much disappointment. The story was well done, but lacked the attraction of the first book in the series. 15 year old seer Autumn Rose is one of the Dark Heroines we read about in the first book. I will admit after meeting her through the eyes of Violet Lee (the main character of the first book), I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about who she was. This book gives us a look into her life (how her grandmother died, what role she plays in the school/Sage/her world) and what part of the prophesy she fills --from her point of view. She is a sage, a duchess no less, who acts as guardian for her public school until the day the Sagean Prince Fallon shows up. Romance, mystery, murder, and secrets follow in the building of the story. The interaction between Prince Fallon and Autumn Rose is not as intense as it was between Voilet Lee and Kaspar... Likely that is because Fallon and Autumn are young teens, but I still think the author could have done more with their story.  I hope the next book in the series is much better than this one. (I had to drag myself through the last 10 chapters). I think I'll hold off on purchasing it until I've borrowed it first.

Elemental by Antony John

Elemental by Antony John - 326 pages

Thom has been ostracized his entire life as the only person in the colony that does not have an element (a gift controlling a type of element - water, wind, etc).  Now he has been sent off to the hurricane shelter in the face of a terrible storm with the other children of the colony.  When they emerge they find all the adults taken by pirates.  Now the children must figure out how to survive and rescue their families.
I picked up this book as I've heard the author Antony John speak twice in the past month.  He made his books sound absolutely fascinating.  I'm glad I chose to read it.  This book is a strange mix of dystopian, fantasy, romance and adventure all mixed up with the mystery of Roanoke colony.  I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.