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.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a great way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten YA Book Series

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Seriously. I don't need to explain this one, do I? But, just because I love you all oh-so-dearly, I will. It doesn't really get much better than Harry Potter. I grew up with this series. And, though it began as a fun, adventurous tale of friends, we got more depth, more darkness and more drama as the series progressed. Seriously...it's perfection.

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - When I started blogging, I swore up and down that I'd never read this series. I said that I hated vampires, I hated insta-love and there was absolutely no way I would ever like this series. Then, Jenny told me I had to read it...as did everyone else...so I tried it, and I've been hooked since. Love me some Dmitri. 

3. Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan - Okay, technically this is probably leaning more towards MG, but I read YA, and I still loved it. A fellow blogger introduced me to it in my first few months of blogging, and I read every book within a month. They're fast-paced, they're witty, they're funny...and, and, and...I love it.

4. Redwall by Brian Jacques - So, sue me. This is the uber-nerd in me coming out. They're books with lil' cute fuzzy animals as the main characters, but they're every bit as human as you and me. Trust me. I grew up with these books, and I proudly display them on my shelves today! 

5. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman - This series is surrounded by controversy because if its supposed anti-religious undertones. Guys, I'm pretty dang religious, myself, but if you read a book for the sheer enjoyment of the prose and the story, it's better than analyzing those hidden messages. Plus, the world within these books is pretty freaking phenomenal. 

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth - Usually when a series is this surrounded by hype, I tend to steer clear of it. For some reason though, I really felt the need to read and become invested in this story, and boy did I ever. The author has created one heck of an adventure within these pages, and I'm completely enthralled with every installment.

7. The Last Survivors by Susan Beth Pfeffer - You guys might be surprised to see this one on my list because of how I said the second and third book were definitely not my favourites, while I adored the first book. However, I can't lie...the author has created one seriously bleak world, and it's very real and tangible, despite my feelings. And, let's be honest, I'm invested enough to read the upcoming fourth book despite my feelings toward the third book. That's saying something.

8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I have mixed feelings on this series. On one hand, I just love it. Is it the best written work out there? No. Is it a fantastic, dark, edgy story? Yes. Despite the fact that the series is now this over-hyped craze out there, I really like this series and I'm glad that, despite my initial reservations, I gave it a go. It's worth it. 

9. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - I didn't think I'd like this series when I first started. I didn't think I'd like a book with a male MC because I was pretty positive that I wouldn't be able to access the MCs emotions. I was really, really wrong. I introduced this series to just about anyone who would listen to a single word I had to say, simply because I love it that much.

10. The Jenna Fox Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson - I was late to the game with the first book. In fact, I passed it over many, many times at the bookstore, just because I thought it wouldn't capture me. I was definitely wrong, and I was lucky enough to have read it within about 6 months of the sequel being released, which was equally awesome. Read it and love it. You will.