Friday, May 2, 2014

Blog Tour (Review): Scan by Walter Jury & Sarah Fine


Scan Tour Schedule



Title: Scan (Scan #1)
Authors:
Walter Jury & Sarah Fine
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin)
Acquired Via: JKS Communications
Release Date: May 1, 2014

Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush his school, killing his father and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans.

All Tate knows—like how to make weapons out of oranges and lighter fluid—may not be enough to save him as he’s plunged into a secret interspecies conflict that’s been going on for centuries. Aided only by his girlfriend and his estranged mother, with powerful enemies closing in on all sides, Tate races to puzzle out the secret behind his father’s invention and why so many are willing to kill for it.

A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.


My Review

Okay, YA writers, the line has been drawn in the sand. If you're going to write about aliens, Scan by Walter Jury and Sarah Fine is what you're going to need to aspire to. Holy shit, is this book a wild ride! I literally stayed up all night reading it because it wouldn't let me go. Seriously. There's no stepping away from it, so be sure you don't have to feed your kids or anything. (Put food on the bottom shelves of the refrigerator or scatter cereal on the floor if so. Whichever.)

Scan gives us a little bit of character development in the beginning. Teens will think Tate's dad is an overbearing prick. Adults, we'll know that Tate is a petulant brat who is getting a little too big for his britches. No matter, he'll have to grow up pretty fast because the ride starts early in the book. (You better go use the bathroom before he takes the scanner to school unless you don't mind taking a book with you.) Of course, Tate is going to do exactly what Dad really doesn't want him to do. Then Hell breaks loose. Oh, by the way, the bad guys are mixed in with everyone else, they don't know they're bad, and maybe they aren't bad after all. Are you confused yet? Good, so is Tate.

On the back of my ARC (advance reader copy), it says:
MACGYVER MEETS WAR OF THE WORLDS IN THIS EXHILARATING ADVENTURE

That pretty much sums it up. Tate can do All The Things because his dad was seemingly über-paranoid and had Tate on an intense training schedule since forever. Unfortunately, those things aren't the hugest help in the world when you don't know where the heck you should go. It sucks when you don't have that wise, elderly character with all the answers ready to show the way, doesn't it?

You obviously have nothing better to do if you're reading my review. Got a few extra dollars? Go buy Scan, and stop reading the damn review. You'll thank me later. Now excuse me while I see who I need to schmooze to get my hands on the sequel.

- 4.5/5 Stars -

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond



About the Authors

Walter Jury

Walter Jury was born in London, has a background in the film industry, is a big fan of the New York Giants, and enthusiast of Jamba Juice’s Protein Berry Workout smoothie only with soy, never whey. Scan is his first book for teens. Oh, and under his real name, he’s a producer of one of 2014’s biggest blockbusters. Let’s just say he “diverges” in his career from film to literature quite well.


Find Walter Online
Twitter | Tumblr

Sarah Fine


Sarah Fine was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author (as Sarah Fine) of several young adult books, and when she's not writing, she’s working as a child psychologist. No, she is not psychoanalyzing you right now.


Find Sarah Online
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Tour Schedule

April 27
Movie Casting and Trailer Discussion of Scan if it were made into a movie at The Book Cellar

April 28 – May 4
Giveaway at The Celebrity Cafe

April 29
Spotlight Feature at YA Highway

April 30
Review at Books, Bones, Buffy

May 1
Book Feature at The Cover Contessa
Review at Thoughts and Roses

May 2
Review at Bookshelf Sophisticate
Review at Bibliophilia, Please

May 3
Q&A and Giveaway at Sash & Em

May 4
Review at The Happy Booker

May 5
Review at Oops! I Read a Book Again

May 6
Review at My Bookish Ways

May 7
Review at Literary Rambles
Review at Book Witch

May 8
Spotlight Feature at Good Choice Reading

May 9
Review at Amaterasu Reads
(and don’t forget to check out her Giveaway Hop on May 3rd, including 1 copy of SCAN)

May 10
Review at Mundie Moms

To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book for reviewing purposes through JKS Communications in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.

1 comment:

You are going to put words in my box?! *squeezes you* Now I shall stalk YOUR blog!