DEATH SENTENCE
Escape From Furnace #3
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (August 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0374324948
ISBN-13: 978-0374324940

Alex’s second attempt to break out of Furnace Penitentiary has failed. This time his punishment will be much worse than before. Because in the hidden, bloodstained laboratories beneath the prison, he will be made into a monster. As the warden pumps something evil into his veins–a sinisterly dark nectar–Alex becomes what he most fears . . . a superhuman minion of Furnace. How can he escape when the darkness is inside him? How can he lead the way to freedom if he is lost to himself? 

Just when I thought Alex had no hope or strength left inside of him, the author renewed my hope in this story.  When we last saw Alex he was burning in the incinerator.  He had been pulled from the flames by the Black Suits and taken to the lab — a lab that holds even more evil than we have seen so far.  The Warden has decided to make Alex into one of them.  The Alex of old will be nothing but a memory and a new but stronger Alex will emerge. 


I finally understood the meaning of remembering your name when captured by the Black Suits.  It actually does make sense once you get to book three.  What Alex is turned into is a stronger and darker side of his true self.  We also learn about how Alfred Furnace invented the Nectar and his reasoning in creating Furnace Penitentiary.  Involving WWII and Nazi history within the horrors of Furnace Hell, plots are revealed and surprises are around every corner.  I loved the return of previous characters and the mental strength that Alex realizes he has had.  Has Furnace created their perfect monster, or have they created their own terror they can’t control?


An amazing addition to the series that is quickly gaining attention from readers everywhere!  I can’t wait for the next book in the series that features Alex as a fugitive on the run from Alfred Furnace!

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

SOLITARY
Escape From Furnace #2
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Square Fish (July 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312674767
ISBN-13: 978-0312674762

Alex tried to escape.
He had a perfect plan.
He was almost free. Even felt the cool, clean air on his face.
Then the dogs came.
Now he’s locked in a place so gruesome—so hellish—that escape doesn’t even matter.
He just wants to survive.

Just when I thought this series could not only get any better, it does.  Just when I though Alex had been through enough already, it gets worse.  Just when you think its over, it’s not.  In Solitary, we continue with Alex on his journey to escape Furnace prison.  


While I was thrilled to jump into Solitary, I feel this book wasn’t as great as the first book.  Don’t get me wrong!  I really enjoyed this book as well in the series, but it just didn’t have the impact as the first one had.  Maybe it was because I came to expect what the prison is capable of.  All I know is that after reading Lockdown, you think Alex is going to catch a break and you have your hope built up just like him.  Then, everything comes crashing down and Alex is thrown into ‘The Hole’.  Within a coffin sized hole, Alex starts to lose control of his mind and loses all hope of escape.  What he doesn’t expect is a rescue in the form of monsters.  Are they there to help him, or are they there to tear him apart?  Or could they be a figment of his imagination that is working overtime in his solitude.


Again, while this one wasn’t as great as the first one, it still ranks pretty high in horror, suspense and thrills.  If you enjoyed Lockdown, continue the journey from Hell to escape.

LOCKDOWN
Escape From Furnace #1
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Square Fish; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312611935
ISBN-13: 978-0312611934

Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace.

Furnace Penitentiary: An underground hellhole. A place of pure evil with walls soaked in blood. Murderous gangs and vicious guards rule the darkness. Horrific creatures steal people away in the dead of night. And the impossible – escape – is the only hope. 

Holy hot streak!  When I was sent this series for review, I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like it.  I thought it was going to be geared more for the male readers — and in a way it is — but nothing prepared me for what unfolded between the covers of this book!


Alex is a normal teenage boy, but he has a dark side of thievery and bullying.  When Alex and his friend Toby gets a tip about a family being away, they decide to break in and steal what they can in hopes of scoring some quick cash.  While in the process of the burglary, they quickly realize it was a set up and the ‘black suits’ come in and catch them in the act.  When they shoot Toby in front of Alex, he realizes this is just the beginning.  When he is caught, the suits have already framed him for the murder.  The judge sentences him to Furnace Penitentiary.  Furnace is not your ordinary jail though and it gives a whole new meaning to the word Hell.


Imagine Hell in your mind from everything you heard growing up.  Now expand that with the references you have heard from Dante’s Inferno in the meaning of different levels of Hell within the Furnace walls.  Then take it one step further and throw in Freddy Krueger nightmares made of evil.  That should give you some imagery of Furnace Penitentiary.  The author did not hold back in the details of the gruesome acts and scene set ups in this book.  There were many times I was gagging from the disgusting and atrocious things Alex had to experience.  There were also times of bravery and friendships that would be on the other end of the spectrum. 


Even with all of the things Alex suffers through, I still cheered him on.  I wanted Alex to be free and escape.  Then the author leaves you on the edge of a cliff — literally — at the end of the book.  Thankfully, I had the next book in the series to start immediately following this one.  If you are brave enough to make the journey into Furnace with Alex, consider having the next book around to keep the journey going.  

“Beneath Heaven is hell, boys, and beneath hell is Furnace.  I hope you enjoy your stay.”

–page 59

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

YOU AGAINST ME
Author: Jenny Downham
Source: Amazon Vine
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: David Fickling Books (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385751605
ISBN-13: 978-0385751605

If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother’s accused of a terrible crime but says he didn’t do it, you defend him, don’t you? 

When Mikey’s sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie’s brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of Before I Die. It’s a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it’s a book about love.

When I first received this book for review, everyone was telling me how wonderful this book was.  I fell hard into the hype of You Against Me, but it didn’t have the same impact to me that it had to others.  While the summary was fascinating and the cover was beautifully done, the story wasn’t something that kept me interested like it should have.


The story is told from alternating points of view between Ellie and Mikey.  While I could understand the pain that each character was feeling, I just couldn’t stay interested in the story enough to care about the romance.  It was bland and stale from my point of view in the feelings department for each other.  I wanted so much more that never seemed to unfold.  


While the story will appeal to others as a wonderful and angst filled read, I just felt it was a mediocre book that could have been so much more.  If you are a fan of the authors previous book, then give this one a try and see for yourself.