Title: Altered
Author: Gennifer Albin (Twitter)
Publisher: FSG BYR
Publish Date: October 29, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Sci-Fi
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher

Life. Possibility. Choice. All taken from Adelice by the Guild—until she took them back.

But amid the splendid ruins of Earth, Adelice discovers how dangerous freedom can be. Hunted by soulless Remnants sent by Cormac Patton and the Guild, Adelice finds a world that’s far from deserted. Although allies are easy to find on Earth, knowing who to trust isn’t. Because everyone has secrets, especially those Adelice loves most. Secrets they would kill to protect. Secrets that will redefine each of them. Torn between two brothers and two worlds, Adelice must choose what to fight for.

In this thrilling sequel to Crewel, Adelice is about to learn how tangled up her past and future really are. Her parents ran to protect her, but nothing can save her from her destiny, and once she uncovers the truth, it will change everything.

Adelice's life has gone from bad to worse. Once forced to live a lie to save herself, she's now fated to run from those who seek to hunt her down. Though the Guild wants her back, Adelice knows she needs answers. She can't go back now. It's her turn to fight for what she believes in and what she knows is right. But the truth is often hidden by the best kept secrets - and the ones we trust aren't always the most trustworthy. Will she learn who and what to believe in time?

Crewel, the predecessor to Altered, made a big splash in the blogosphere about a year ago. Though I enjoyed it, I also had a few qualms with it, so I was hesitant to actually give this sophomore installment a try. Gennifer Albin, it seems, has seriously stepped up her game with this novel. Upping the ante tenfold, Altered whisks us into an already broken and corrupt society and gives us a heroine in impossible circumstances. Equal parts whodunit mystery, gentle love and raging action, this book has it all, and it will grip you from start to finish.

It isn't often that you'll hear me rave about the second novel in a planned series. Too often, books fall prey to the sophomore slump, so I generally don't invest my time and energy in them anymore. Altered, however, completely caught me off guard. When I reviewed Crewel, I remarked that the biggest flaw of the novel is that we're given this incredible setup to a broken society, but the world-building never really took off. In fact, I felt it took a back seat to the plot in book one, and it definitely bumped my review down. Altered, however, gives us everything we could want and more. We finally understand why the world is the way it is today, we can fully sense just how dangerous the society is in which Adelice lives, and we know why she needs to run. Because of this, I was able to find myself wholeheartedly invested in her journey and her plight. Adelice, too, becomes a more powerful female protagonist. She seems to be discovering her own strength as the story progresses, and it gives us this wonderful sense of satisfaction when we see her hold fast to her beliefs and refuse to back down when things get tough. In terms of the romance in book two, I was actually pleased to see that it too a bit of a back seat to the rest of the story elements. There is just so much happening throughout the novel that too much romance would probably actually remove us from the story. As it is, Altered commanded my attention from start to finish. Whereas my mind wandered a bit in the first book, I was riveted this time around, and I'm so excited to find a series in which I can truly become invested again.

Overall, I really just loved Altered. It is a fantastic follow-up, and it's such a strong story that even the most diehard against series will love it. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy dystopian and science fiction stories.

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.

Title: Crewel
Author: Gennifer Albin
Publisher: FSG BYR
Publish Date: October 16, 2012
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Fantasy
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls. Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power. Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

Adelice lives a careful lie. She always had, and she's been taught that she will probably always need to. She must always fake ignorance, feign normalcy and, without a doubt, never use her powerful ability to weave, or create the fabric of reality. To do so, for many, would mean endless riches, power and wealth, but for Adelice, it means entrapment. She'll be destined forever to play the hand of a god - determining the future for all, but never having her family and those she loves for herself. But one simple slip-up sets forth a chain reaction that ignites Adelice's destiny and giving her a chance to either save or end the world as they know it.

Ok, first off...what a seriously cool concept! I mean, I'm sure that I've heard touches of this storyline in fairytales and whatnot, but wow. I really love the utter originality of the mere idea behind it. So, you can understand my apprehension to read the book. What if it didn't live up? Can you imagine the letdown? Gennifer Albin skillfully meshed together a whirlwind plot, lovable characters, a heroine worth believing in and, most of all, a beautiful combination of internal and external struggles. With a deft hand, Crewel sweeps you up in its pages, guaranteeing one heck of an adventure.

There was so much that went right with Crewel and, for the most part, I really loved this book. The storyline was fantastic. Each plot point was carefully developed, thought-out and led directly to the next piece. Foreshadowing was light, but just enough to keep me on my toes. Adelice was a great heroine, and I found it incredibly simple to become invested in her plight. She was strong and brave, and I never found her too be cloying or too much, if that makes sense. Likewise, the love interest, Jost, was sweet and simple, just whetting my appetite but never actually giving me exactly what I wanted. In a world of YA fiction where insta-love dominates, this was wholly refreshing. I will say, however, that I did have a bit of an issue with the world-building of Crewel. We're given immense details with the power-players in the book, such as the Spinsters, but I felt that sometimes the world, itself, played second-fiddle to the story, and I would have loved to see the backdrop of this eerie dystopia been pronounced and developed just a bit more.

Overall, however, I found Crewel to be an extremely engaging and unique read, despite its flaws. I love the concept, and the ending left me wanting more, so I'm definitely excited for the next installment in the series. I give it a 3.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy dystopian and fantasy stories.

I received this book free of charge 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. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

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 fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Books On my 2012 Fall TBR List:

1. Crewel by Gennifer Albin - This one not only has a fantastic cover, but I love the uniqueness of the plot. A girl who really doesn't want to become a Spinster? A Spinster that's more than its name implies? Sign me up.

2. The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin - This has been on my TBR since this summer, and I just keep pushing it off because I'm afraid it would live up to my hopes. It sounds beautiful and a bit dark...the perfect combo!

3. Eve & Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant - There has been SO much hype surrounding this one. If it sucks, I'm going to be absolutely devastated. I think the spin the Biblical, plus the sci-fi twist could very well be amazing.

4. Fathomless by Jackson Pearce - I've yet to read a bad retelling from Ms. Pearce. Seriously, and this one is a twist on The Little Mermaid! I think that it could very well be my favourite yet!

5. Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols - I received this one a while back, but my review queue made it impossible for me to actually pick it up. I have heard the most amazing things about it though, so I can't wait to give it a go!

6. Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally - I was late to the game with Catching Jordan. Like really late to the game...but I loved it. I heard this one doesn't disappoint either, so I'm hoping for another contemporary treat.

7. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Confession. I've read it. Second confession...it's mind-blowingly awesome. Last confession? I need to read it again before I review it, but holy hell. Epic.

8. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - Ok, this one's a bit off the beaten path for me because I don't review adult books, but guys...it's J.K. freaking Rowling! I'm a bit scared and a bit excited to see what her first adult fiction is like.

9. Live Through This by Mindi Scott - This author has a take on contemporary that makes me actually kind of like it! It's issue-based, but not too much so...romantic, but never cloying. It's like the best of all worlds.

10. Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor - Guys, I loved Daughter of Smoke & Bone. Like LOVED it. Needless to say, I need to love the sequel, like yesterday. I can't wait to see what happens next.