Let's Talk is a weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

What do you consider to be the best (and worst) series endings?

I don't know about the rest of you, but a series is defined almost entirely by its ending for me these days. Perhaps it's because I'm hyper-critical of these worlds we're asked to become invested in, or perhaps it's because they require a commitment. Whatever it is though, if a series ends well, I love it. If it ends poorly though...I tend to think lesser of the whole series, unfortunately. I managed to whittle it down to just one of each, and that's saying something. It was HARD! But seriously, I do have one clear favourite and one book that just crushed my faith in the series.

In terms of Harry Potter, the reason the series worked so well for me is because we finally got to see a sense of resolution. Throughout the series, we become invested in Harry's plight, as well as his selflessness, his relationships with his peers and mentors and the character arcs which serve to make the story all the more powerful. In the end, there's a finality of it, that sums it up nicely, but leaves no real loose ends for us to gape over. I felt as though I wanted more because I was invested in the story (and that's the mark of a great series), but I understood the end. And I loved it.

The Shade of the Moon, however, fits the opposite end of the spectrum for me, unfortunately. I really loved the first book in the series, Life as We Knew it. It was powerful, strong and it really resonated with me. However, the series started to go downhill from there (in my humble opinion, of course). I loved the series enough to progress and keep giving it a chance to redeem itself, but this final installment strayed so far from what I once loved that it was nearly the final nail in the coffin for me. I couldn't deal with the lack of hope, the lack of true character and the lack of plausibility. So, in the end, the way this book ended for me just felt as though it betrayed the beginning.

What about you? What are your favourite (and least favourite) series endings?

Title: The Shade of the Moon
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer (Twitter)
Publisher: HMH BYR
Publish Date: August 13, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher

It's been more than two years since Jon Evans and his family left Pennsylvania, hoping to find a safe place to live, yet Jon remains haunted by the deaths of those he loved. His prowess on a soccer field has guaranteed him a home in a well-protected enclave.

But Jon is painfully aware that a missed goal, a careless word, even falling in love, can put his life and the lives of his mother, his sister Miranda, and her husband, Alex, in jeopardy. Can Jon risk doing what is right in a world gone so terribly wrong?

Four years ago, life for Jon and his family irreparably changed forever when the moon was knocked out of orbit, sending the world into a spiraling maze of chaos and confusion. In this broken world, Jon, his stepmother Lisa, and his little brother Gabriel manage to earn access to the enclave, where the world's most affluent hide out. They're not rich or talented enough to qualify, but they won their slips, leaving his sister Miranda, Alex and his mother on the outside in the grub. Life is easier in the enclave, but it's distinctly poorer in the grubs, and Jon watches the suffering every day. Can he do what is right, or will he fall in line within this new world order?

I started reading The Last Survivors books when I first started this blog almost four years ago, and I've been a fan ever since. After waiting for a very long time, I was thrilled to hear that veteran author, Susan Beth Pfeffer, was releasing a fourth installment which, I ultimately hoped would resolve the issues I had with the third book. The Shade of the Moon offers that insider's perspective into life years after the moon's orbit changed, and I was thrilled to know that there was life beyond the desolation of the third book. With vivid brush strokes and powerful imagery, the author paints the picture of a broken world that is so damaged, they can't see beyond their daily lives to entertain the fact that life as they knew it can go on...just differently.

I have to be completely honest when I start this review and state that I am completely on the fence about this book. So much of me wanted to love it because I really do like this series despite its flaws. A large part of me, however, felt somewhat cheated by this installment because of the plausibility of it all, as well as the utter lack of hope that I felt for much of the story. First and foremost though, let me state that The Shade of the Moon is a well-written book. The author has a way with words that makes it easy to feel the events as though you're actually a part of them, and that's an immensely strong skill to have. The story moves at a steady pace, building tension throughout, which breathes life into a somewhat hopeless tale, which made it easy to remain invested throughout. That said, I did have a couple of issues with The Shade of the Moon. As I mentioned before, I had issue with the plausibility of it all. This book takes four years after the moon's change. Four years, guys. Yet, in those four year, society basically reverted back to complete segregation, creating a distinct class split between the haves and have-nots, who are determined by their contributing abilities to society...and still, we see a teenage boy in Jon, who's earned access the the enclave through "slips," meaning they're safely inside, although not totally worthy. We've got the grubs outside the safety of the enclave, who basically live to serve "clavers." I could easily believe this societal shift if it took place 30 or 40 years later. Four years though? That's not even a generation gap. I found it very hard to believe that this distinct class separation evolved in just four years. Then, there was the massive onset of insta-love between Jon and Sarah, a "grub-lover." Now, remember...Jon's family is in the grubs, yet Jon buys into the ideal that these grubs are lesser than him and, therefore, easily engages in casual sex and demeaning of characters with these grub girls without any real thought as to the consequences. It irked me to no end. I will say that a redeeming quality of The Shade of the Moon is that Jon does evolve through the story, and this character growth and transition made it easier to stomach some of his more reprehensible actions. Plus, the fact that he was able to grow a set and actually stand up for what he knew deep down was right definitely made it more appealing.

Overall, there's a part of me that thinks this was a good fourth installment, and there's a larger part of me that felt a bit letdown by The Shade of the Moon. It's not a bad book by any means, and a lot of people will love it, but I felt like it didn't really encompass all I'd hoped it would. I give it a 2.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to fans of YA, especially fans of the Last Survivors series and dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for...

Title: The Shade of the Moon
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer (Twitter)
Publisher: Harcourt Children's
Publish Date: August 13, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 304

It's been more than two years since Jon Evans and his family left Pennsylvania, hoping to find a safe place to live, yet Jon remains haunted by the deaths of those he loved. His prowess on a soccer field has guaranteed him a home in a well-protected enclave.

But Jon is painfully aware that a missed goal, a careless word, even falling in love, can put his life and the lives of his mother, his sister Miranda, and her husband, Alex, in jeopardy. Can Jon risk doing what is right in a world gone so terribly wrong?

I'm either a glutton for punishment with my desperation to snag this one, or it might just exceed my expectations. I started this series right about the time I started blogging, and I absolutely loved the first installment. However, as books two and three rolled around, I found myself liking them less and less. They were hurried, rushed and slightly miserable. Okay, the third one was totally miserable. That said...I'm invested in this series, and I am still eager to see the world from Jon's point of view. Who knows? Maybe it's the change we need? Plus, let's be real, The Shade of the Moon has one hella gorgeous cover. I can haz? What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Title: Blood Wounds
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publisher: Harcourt Children's
Publish Date: September 12, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 256
Source: Publisher

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

Willa's memories begin with Jack, Alyssa and Brooke joining her family. Her memories begin with her mother and she learning to love three new family members. And her memories always include Brooke and Alyssa having more than she does because their wealthy mother provides for them. Willa's never quite fit in with it all, despite the facade of love and family, and when her birth father commits a brutal act of murder, she's forced to face a past she doesn't remember. Willa must face the wake of devastation caused by her own blood, mourn those lost and come to terms with her own inner turmoil or lose even the shred of a family she has forever.

Before I do my review, I should premise it by saying that the synopsis for Blood Wounds doesn't accurately describe the book. Yes, the book involves a brutal crime, but that's only a portion of the story. Susan Beth Pfeffer has done it again. Blending heart-wrenching emotion with pain, loss and turmoil, Blood Wounds is a powerful novel grappling with a plethora of difficult issues. Written from Willa's point of view, we're given a firsthand look into the mind of a scared, confused and lost teen who is desperate to understand her past so she can make sense of her future. Written with vivid, haunting descriptions, Blood Wounds makes the reader mourn for loss, hope for the future and want the very best for Willa.

I was actually surprised to find that Blood Wounds wasn't all about Willa's father coming after she and her mother. Honestly, I thought the whole thing was going to be them in hiding, but that was truly just the setup for the book, and I found that rich and intriguing. It threw me for a loop, and I was riveted as I watched Willa learn to step outside of the safe shell she'd learned to create around herself over the years. She began to assert herself as she felt the ties to a family she'd never really know pull at her heartstrings. She started to grow up, and it was powerful to watch. Occasionally, I felt her character's voice slipped a bit and became that of the author's but overall, she was superbly done. I also really loved the added twist of Jack's, Willa's stepfather's, dynamic in the familial relationship. Blood Wounds really delved into the psychology of broken homes and how people gravitate to certain dynamics, which was intriguing. I felt that, perhaps, Willa's stepsisters could have been fleshed out a bit more so their emotions rang as true, but overall, they worked as they were. I am a bit unsatisfied with the ending because I felt it was suddenly all nice and tied in bows, but I do like that it is a stand-alone, so I will give it that.

All in all, Blood Wounds was an intense, dark and moving read. Edging into the darker realm of YA fiction, I give it a very strong 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA and adult books, as well as those who enjoy dark stories. There are a few fairly graphic and violent scenes, so please bear that in mind.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW

Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard - (ARC - Thank you, HarperTeen)

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer - (ARC - Thank you, Harcourt)

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson - (ARC - Thank you, HarperTeen)

BOUGHT

The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for...

Title: Blood Wounds
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publisher: Harcourt Children's
Published: September 12, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 256

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

Ok, first of all, you might remember me saying once or twice how much I adored the book, Life As We Knew It. Second of all, you might remember me saying once or twice how much the final book of the series, This World We Live In, just left me hollow and disappointed. I remain, however, a devoted fan of the author, and I was SO excited to see a new title from her. I think Blood Wounds sounds harrowing, a bit scary and, frankly, incredibly powerful. Plus, that cover is eerie to the extreme. I definitely need this one in my hands! What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?