Member Reviews
P.C. and Kristin cast are back!
And this time they are making story time magic of the X-Men -request variety.
With their first book in what looks to be a very promising high action, paranormal, YA
The Dyasters is the perfect read for those who love takes of good against evil.
A race to find your genetically engineered, element controlling, and in most cases totally unaware tribe.
While discovering who you are as a powerful and unique individual.
And for some...
Even managing to fall in love in the process.
Meet Foster and Tate. The first pair of "wonder twins". Who meet under what can only be described as disastrous circumstances. Which cost them both the people that mean most to them.
And brings them and the world face to face with both their power as air elementals, and those who hunt them.
Topping the list of things to get excited about.
The fact that all of the "wonder twins" are 18+.
Yes...
They are indeed young adults.
Giving this book and it's series a chance to get where it's going without awkward adolescent transitions when members of the cast "grow up."
The 18+ age factor also makes quite the difference when one takes into account the 30+ adults making up the team sent out by their mad scientist creator to find them.
Not so lovingly referred to within the story as the Fucktastic Four. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Eve are the first generation of elementals produced by the mad Dr. Rick.
And to say that their power is causing them a few unwanted "issues" would be the height of oversimplification.
Between Eve's gemstone tumors, and her brothers' element related mental issues.
It is no wonder that their "at any cost" hunt for the "wonder twins" is as compelling as it is.
Even if the elder statesmen of this read do come off as a bit too trusting and naive at times.
The character incorporation within this tale spider webs out from Tate and Foster like a degree of separation chart. With each new addition bringing a very readable backstory with them. As they merge into the ever-expanding collective.
This book is very fast paced. Easily read in one sitting.
There is just the right amount of action, suspense, emotionality, and even romance; to keep pages turning.
This is definitely a book that one can "get lost in".
With a plot that keeps one reading just as much for the who's, why's, and where's of the puzzle it presents. As for the myriad of supporting elements of the story.
Reviewer's Note.
This book is the first book of a series. Due to the fact that it is written to be continuous, however. It is highly suggested that it be read as part of its intended series.
To be entirely honest, I wasn’t a massive fan of this introduction to their newest series. It took me ages to get into, and wasn’t very interesting. After reading their House of Night novels, I fully expected more from the Cast’s in this book. I think it was quite possibly mostly the writing style of this installation. It just didn’t seem up to the same standard of HoN. Or maybe the blandness of Foster and Tate? They were boring and the only redeeming quality for each was their relationships with secondary characters. And there were also SO MANY people to keep up with in this series. You have Foster and Tate, obviously, then the FUCKTASTIC FOUR (totally my favorite phrase from the book) and their maker who are chasing them, the caretaker of Strawberry Fields and his partner, then at least seven others. It’s a lot for a first novel.
I also disliked the lack of background information and I know with a setting of the USA they don’t have to do much world building, but more building would have been helpful. Like we don’t find out much about their powers until at least halfway through the story, and I felt that would have really shed some light early on for a few scenes, as well as add to the interest level. I felt lost for a lot of the novel… and what I did understand didn’t really keep me interested. I’m not sure if I care enough to continue the series… Charlotte and Bastien, though, might tempt me. They seem WAY more intriguing than Foster and Tate.
I have loved P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast’s work ever since the first House of Night book. I was so excited that this duo has another series.
This series is superhero teens meets Avatar the Last Airbender. There is a mad scientist who’s messing with embryos to infuses them with the different chemicals, which results in kids who are able to control the elements. The first experiments didn’t go so well. Those kids are now adults and are suffering from the side effects of their power that is turning them insane. So the scientist decided to change his experiment and create others.
I cannot wait to see how Foster, Tate, Charlotte and Bowen’s powers grow. It would give us an insight into just what magic is possible in this world. I’m interested to see how the other two pairs get mixed up in the storyline.
The narrative is told in multiple perspectives. These includes Foster, Tate, Charlotte and Bowen, the elemental pairs, along with two of the bad guys. I enjoy seeing the story from the antagonists’ point of view as well. It helps to give their characters’ depth and moves them into the morally grey territory rather than just being evil.
This book does include some diverse characters, which is always amazing to see. Charlotte, one of the elemental teens, is a trans character. What I love about her is that her storyline doesn’t revolve solely about being a trans woman. It wasn’t until halfway through her first chapter that we discover she is trans.
Interspersed through the book are drawings of the characters. This really helps to give the story that comic book vibe. However, the images were awkwardly formatted on the eBook edition. I’m interested to see how that changes with the physical copy.
Not a super big fan of how the romance plays out between Foster and Tate. They move too quickly from Foster disliking Tate and thinking he’s some dumb jock to them dating. I wish they hadn’t got together in this book but rather the next one.
The Dysasters is a great start to a new series and had me engaged from the opening line. I’m looking forward to the next book! Need to know what happens next.
Foster Stewart is an 18 years girl who had her DNA genetically modified with oxygen during embryonic development, which gives her the ability to control the element of air. Tate Foster is her 18 year old male counterpart. They are both orphaned after tornadoes ravaged a small town in Missouri thanks to a combination of their powers as well as those of the Core Four.
Foster and Tate embark on a journey to discover the truth about their abilities while trying to stay hidden from the Core Four, the four elemental children created by the evil geneticist Dr. Rick Stewart who was responsible for altering their DNA. It is also up to them to track down the other three pairs of elemental siblings that were created just like they were.
I really enjoyed the character development of both Foster and Tate, as well as how they grew together to operate as a team. Foster definitely hated Tate since he’s the typical jock archetype, but as they band together to save the universe, their slow-burn romance begins to sizzle.
The plot was slow and disjointed at first, but I think it was executed well because it highlighted the chaos and confusion that both Foster and Tate were growing through. Once I powered through that, I couldn’t stop reading to see what happened next as more tidbits of the plot was revealed.
My only gripe with this book was that vernacular. It is definitely written in a more common dialogue, so the amount of teen angst (especially from Foster) got a bit old at some points. Again, I think that the authors perfectly captured what it’s like to be around teenagers 24/7, but that was the only thing that I was not such a fan of.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next adventure that awaits Foster and Tate.
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press) for providing an eARC of this book. This did not bias my review, and all opinions are my own.
Rating: 4 stars
I’m just going to dive right in here: I enjoyed this book. A lot.
I said it. I’m not taking it back. Deal with it.
I read the House of Night series like everyone else and jumped at the chance to pick up the first book in a new series by this incredible mother/daughter writing duo. Even if we forget about who wrote this book, the synopsis for Dysasters alone is so intriguing, how could you not want to pick it up? Teenagers who can control the elements? The mad scientist who wants to use them to take over the world? Minions? Hell yes, I wanted to read this book! I didn’t even care that I’m probably too old to read it now. I shamelessly devoured this and was left wanting more. So much more.
The thing I love about Dysasters is that it should appeal to more than one age category and not a lot of books can do that. Is this a book that is aimed more towards the younger crowd? Absolutely. It is a YOUNG ADULT book. There are so many cheesy moments, especially when it comes to Tate and Foster, that it should come with a mirror so you can see your cringe-face while you read. Most of the conversations are on the juvenile side and the overwhelmingly universal acceptance of all the crazy happenings is almost laughable. Here’s the thing though…these are all common traits in YA books. If you can read this and keep that in mind, it is such a fun read. I mean really fun and really, really interesting.
Let’s talk about the language for a minute. Not the every day language but the sheer amount of profanity the Casts have used in this book. I know there are goin to be so many people complaining about the use of “foul language” in a Young Adult book but…come on! These are teenagers. Damn near adults, to be honest. I challenge you to show me just one 14-18 year old (probably younger actually but I’m not going to get into THAT argument) that doesn’t ramble off an entire slew of curse words on a regular basis? Just one. I’ll wait. If you honestly think your teenager couldn’t teach you a few new words, then you’re either incredible gullible or lying to yourself. ALL teenagers swear. I’m sure teenagers who just had their entire universes flipped upside down swear even more. To me, that mage the book a lot more relatable and I loved it. Curse away!
I wasn’t overly attached to any of the characters but I think that they might grow on me over time. Especially Tate. I don’t know who’s idea it was to make him a football player but he is definitely NOT a football player. Out of everyone, I think I like him the most because he has surprised me the most. I think his acceptance of how life is playing out for him is a little on the “out-there” side of things, but I have to admit….I’m getting a soft spot for the guy. He has great taste in books, a soft heart and he knows what a Planeteer is. I could adopt him. All the other characters, however, will take me some time. I liked seeing Foster’s softer side when making her wind orchestra but she is really a pretty abrasive girl so I think I still need to give her some time.
The big issue I have with Dysasters is the Core Four (or the Fucktastic Four….whichever you prefer). They just don’t make sense to me. I understand that they all have issues….big, BIG issues but these are grown ass adults. Not even younger adults, but established 30 year old adults and they all act like they are 15. This is more than likely the effect of their upbringing, but it just didn’t sit well with me.
Well, this went on a whole lot longer than I had originally anticipated but there were a few points I had wanted to bring up and I think I made them. I was thrilled to read this book and I will be looking forward to continuing with the series.
I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Thanks to NetGalley and ST. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and provide my honest opinion.
I can't even remember the last time I read the House of Night series and I remembered it being kind of exciting and intriguing. Needless to say, when I heard these same authors are coming up with a new book this year, I was interested in reading it.
The one thing that intrigued me with "The Dysasters" was its premise and the images that came along in the book. However, I noticed that the images had seemingly nothing to do with some of the scenes I've been reading in the story. I think it would've been beneficial if the images contained color because one of the main characters has red hair and it would've also been easy to identify said character. But for the most part, I wished it illustrated what I was reading at that moment in that chapter.
Additionally, there had been a lot of meaningless dialogue in the beginning and I thought it was unnecessary for the story. I felt that I was just thrown in their world with no introduction, just straight to the dialogue. If there had been sort of a short introduction (which I did not noticed), it had not been enough to keep my attention in the story. I wished that the conversations were dialed down a little and more descriptions were placed on the characters or the setting of the story. I felt that this book lacked description in the beginning, hence I found it difficult to get into this book.
I think I would've enjoyed this installment more if I were still a 12 or 13 year old but it is just not the case anymore. "The Dysasters" was definitely a juvenile story with angst, excitement, and teen drama to be enjoyed by both teens and pre-teens. Needless to say, I couldn't finish this book and I struggled getting into the story.
The Dysasters takes disasters and make them fun, if that's at all possible.
Foster is a girl who has been on the run from some bad guys (which include her biological dad) for about a year now. When they attend a football game, they meet up with Tate, and disaster happens. Tornadoes strike down during the game and change their lives forever. Now Tate and Foster are on the run from the bad guys, they discover they have magical powers, and they realize that there are other people who might be the next targets of these bad guys.
In a lot of circumstances, this could become a very dark story. There's death and destruction everywhere. P.C. and Kristin Cast make this story more lighthearted than it otherwise might be. There are fun pop culture references, the characters have attitude, and they tend to have quirky little personality traits (Foster compares the Percheron horses that are in the story to dinosaurs). Tate's G-pa is quite a funny and likeable character.
The Dysasters has a diverse cast (including one transgender character). There's a little bit of romance, but it's not heavy in that department.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would consider reading the next book in the series.
Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
P.C. Cast can never go wrong in my eyes. I became obsessed with her and her daughter after reading the Marked series and I have devoured everything they’ve wrote since.
This book is about Foster who lives with her foster mom Cora and is constantly moving around. Homeschooled and an introvert, Foster is not looking forward to attending a football game that Cora is dragging her to. It doesn’t help that the first person Foster meets is who she believes to be a typical football playing douchebag named Tate who she instantly dislikes. When a massive tornado hits the football field and people start getting hurt Foster and Tate realize there’s something special about the two of them, something they’ve both questioned and almost can’t believe. When they both lose their parents in the storm they realize there’s more to their powers and more people that are like them, but they’re not all good.
I love how P.C. Cast incorporated people that have affinities for the elects just like she did in her Marked series. Normally I’m not huge on fantasy and sci-fi novels but the way she writes them I enjoy them and never get tired of reading her intricate stories. I loved all the characters in this book and I loved the relationship between Foster and Tate. They both were from completely different backgrounds and their lives came together with their powers and they figured out how to use them together to help people.
Another thing I loved about this novel was the storyline. Like I said before I love anything P.C. Cast write and this was such a fun fast read. I love how her books are different from anything I’ve read before and I love that. The way she explains scenes in the story and the detail she goes into almost makes it seem like you’re watching a movie as the book goes on, it’s that vivid and detailed.
Thank you so much to P.C. Cast for writing such an amazing book and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read it. Definitely one of my favorite books of 2019 and I can’t wait for this new series of hers. The ending killed me but I know there’s more amazing work to come!
Foster Stewart and her adoptive mother have been on the run for the past year. From what Foster’s not exactly sure, but she knows it’s probably linked to the abilities that she’s been slowly developing recently: subtly manipulating the clouds, influencing flowers to grow, using her “Jedi mind trick” as she calls it.
Foster has become used to the unpredictability of constantly moving from one place to another. Then, on her eighteenth birthday, everything changes.
When a tornado touches down during a local high school football game, Foster and one of the players are miraculously able to divert the trajectory of the tornado, thus discovering they both have the power to control the element of air.
Foster and the boy, Tate Taylor, don’t have long to ruminate on this, however, before they’re being pursued by people who are clearly interested in using their powers for some kind of nefarious purposes. While on the run, Foster and Tate begin to understand the affinity they have with air, but they also come to the realization that where there’s air, there’s also water, earth, and fire. Foster and Tate will have to work quickly to find the other elements before those pursuing them do.
As is the case with any book you read, there are always things that work for you, as the reader, and things that don’t.
I was kind of irked about the lack of information that our characters receive. Specifically, the idea that Foster’s adoptive mother basically told her zero about what they were on the run from, prepared her in no substantial way for the future, and when circumstances dictate that Foster and Tate are on their own, they have to follow close-to-indecipherable clues. I will say that Foster is at least a bit more aware of the situation than Tate, but when Tate tries to garner any crumbs of information Foster is quick to shut him down. I don’t know about you, but I’d be asking questions too. Don’t leave me hanging in the dark and then get pissy when I try to figure out what’s going on.
Which leads me to my next problem: the characterization. There was an abruptness to the way the relationships formed and proceeded that I felt changed as quickly as from one page to the next. Foster’s treatment of Tate doesn’t get much better from the above example, yet almost as quickly they both begin to fall for one another. I felt like there wasn’t enough development for me as a reader to even begin to like and/or understand Foster enough to get past her original treatment of Tate. I can only hope this is something that will even out with more books and as we get used to these characters.
Regardless, the story itself has a really strong premise and it’s clear that the development of the elemental powers is the main focus. We see these powers from two perspectives. The people pursuing Foster and Tate—a group of adults who each have an ability—and Foster and Tate plus the as-yet-unknown other elementals. The way the Kristin and P.C. Cast chose to show the manipulation of the elements along with some unforeseen consequences in using the power was really cool and paired nicely with the idea of a kind of omniscience where the elements themselves are concerned. I’m very interested to find out how these aspects apply to the remaining elements that have yet to be introduced.
What The Dysasters does in regards to how it deals with the elemental powers, it does really well. Enough so that I can easily overlook some wobbly characterization. If you’re looking for a well-handled subject matter with the future potential of its characters, you can look no further.
This book was quick from start to finish. The beginning of the story throws you right into the action and really doesn't stop. At times it felt a little overwhelming without any rest to breath. Even with the fast pace there was still a wonderfully exciting story behind all the adventure. I really enjoyed this read.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Dysasters to read and honestly review. Reading this ARC saved me two hours of driving and buying a book that I wouldn’t have liked. I planned to go to the book signing for this book in a few weeks and now I’m definitely not going. I had such high hopes for The Dysasters because I’ve loved some other books by these authors but this was just an all-around disappointment.
I didn’t like most of the characters. Foster and Tate were annoying. I didn’t really care about them at all. I think they were immature and rude to each other until all of a sudden, they’re making out and going on dates instead of trying to find the others like them. I think they were both not well developed and almost seemed like they were trying too hard. I’m not sure if Foster was supposed to be an unlikable main character, but I certainly didn’t like her. Tate was the opposite. I think he tried too hard to be a likable character (name dropping certain authors when talking about his five favorite books). It was overkill and make me not like him. They also don’t seem to be actively trying to figure out their abilities which really annoyed me. Charlotte and Bastien were not really present enough in the story for us to know, but I think they might be the only reason I attempt the next book. The only character I genuinely enjoyed was G-pa. Tate’s grandfather was smart and funny and didn’t take anyone’s shit. He made me laugh out loud.
Additionally, the writing could have been better. It almost seemed like it was meant for a younger audience because it was simpler except for the fact that half the characters cursed like sailors. There were a few times where it changed from telling the story in third person and then jumped to first person which was very jarring and just didn’t make sense. Then there were all the different POVs. There were too many perspective changes. And it didn’t make any sense when they changed. We saw the two characters with water powers for like one chapter a third of the way into the book and then didn’t see them again until over 60% of the way into the story. Then there were the changes between Foster/Tate and the villains. The villain’s chapters almost make it seem like we should sympathize with them, but I just didn’t care enough at all.
Overall, I would have DNF’d this book if it hadn’t been an ARC. The concept of the story is super cool but it was not well done at all. I didn’t really care about any of the characters. Everything seemed rushed, but also felt like nothing was happening at the same time. I think this could have been a five-star book, but something went wrong during the writing process. I really wanted to like this book. It was one of my anticipated released for 2019, but I am very sad to say that I didn’t enjoy it very much. To end this review on a more positive note, there were a few things that I did like. I liked the concept of the story as I said, so maybe they will get better as the series goes on. I loved the diversity. There are all kinds of people represented in this story and I think that was done well. I also liked the pictures. There were pictures here and there throughout the book and I think they definitely added to the story. Despite these few good things, I expected more from this story.
This is a great start to a new fantasy series.
P.C. and Kristin Cast have been huge fantasy writers for years, but I haven’t read one of their books before. I loved this one! It was very detailed and fast paced. It was never a dull moment while reading this story!
There were lots of characters that were introduced throughout the story. There are the two main characters, Foster and Tate, who have special powers that control the air. There are also Foster’s adoptive siblings, Mark, Matthew, Luke, and Eve. Later in the story, two more main characters are introduced, named Charlotte and Bastien. There were loads of other important characters as well.
I felt like there were so many characters, that we were barely introduced to some of them. I’m not sure how long this series is going to be, but this seemed like a brief introduction, even though it was a full book. The ending was really a huge climax in the story! I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Dysasters, the first book in a series of the same name, is a great introduction to the world it’s set in. The plot moves in a bit of a fast pace, but accompanied by what at times feels like unpolished dialogue, it manages to capture the atmosphere of the situations the characters find themselves in just perfectly. I enjoyed finding out more about the world along with the characters, a lot of their development was accompanied by them learning about their powers and how to use them which was satisfying throughout.
There isn’t a lot needed to be said about the writing style. P.C. and Kristin Cast aren’t new to the game - they have proven themselves with their writing many times before.
This book offers well-developed, intriguing characters with fun abilities while doing a good job at setting up the foundation for the further development of the story and the world. I’m excited to see what follows in the series.
First off, a huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this. They were kind enough to send me a physical ARC which, as a small Canadian book blogger, I can't tell you how much that means to me. My first one ever! Second, I accepted the opportunity out of sheer curiosity. Like many others, I was swept up in the vampire craze during high school, and The House of Night series was one of those I devoured. So I owed it to the authors to check out their newest endeavour.
A disclaimer: this book is dramatic as hell. I mean, slow your roll there for just a second. Tornados are touching down left and right like it's nobody's business, people are dying like it's a normal thing, and teens are losing their tempers and falling in love with little to no warning. I mean, the writing in this book is by no means going to win any awards. It's over the top, at times both cringey and eye-roll and inducing, and could definitely use a good, tightening edit. Basically what I remember of The House of Night series.
But once you get past all of that craziness, it's actually kind of fun!
The elemental abilities introduced are really neat. In this book, we only get to dive into the air manipulation Tate and Foster can do, with a tiny taste of water from another character that will feature largely in the next books. Some of it seemed a bit too ... easy — like how on earth did you figure that out so quick and without effort? — but it sets up an interesting premise going forward. In regards to the deeper mystery of the plot, I'm definitely intrigued to learn more. I feel like we barely scratched the surface on some relationships, motives and history. The book doesn't quite end on a cliffhanger, but I am left wondering what happens next?
Every so often, a surprise in the form of a graphic illustration will show up, giving life to the characters and the story. A few of them were a little creepy to look at closely, but most of them were really cool.
The Dysasters by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
(Review may contain spoilers)
"When she looks at me like that she makes me feel as if I could do anything; I will do anything, to keep her looking at me like that."
How do I even write this review? I loved this book, I loved that it is the first book in a four book series. P.C Cast & Kristin Cast are back! *insert music*
BLURB (from Good reads)
Foster Stewart knows she's different. Her life has never been "normal." Talking to plants and controlling cloud formations aren't things most seventeen year olds are into. Tate "Nighthawk" Taylor is perfect. Star quarterback and all around dreamy boy next door he never thought about his "extra" abilities. What quarterback wouldn't want night vision? That's not weird, right? It's cool!
But on the night of their first meeting a deadly tornado brings them together and awakens their true abilities - the power to control the element air. Unbeknown to Tate and Foster, they are the first in a group of teens that were genetically manipulated before birth to bond with the elements. Which truly sucks for Foster, as she has to face the fact that Dr. Rick Stewart, her beloved scientist father, betrayed her and now wants to use her and the others for his own nefarious world domination plot.
Foster and Tate must stop Dr. Stewart and his minions before he destroys their lives and the world.
THIS BOOK!
THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC!
5/5 stars!
What I Enjoyed about this story is that it is for all ages, whether you are a young adult, a full adult which ever age you are this is perfect for everyone.
Okay, here's the list of things to remember.
Water, Fire, Earth and Air.
Four couples, that's 8 young adults.
Foster & Tate (Air)
Charlotte & Bastien (Water)
?? We do NOT know who the other couples are.
The Core 4 (Fucktastic Four)
Mark (Water)
Eve (Earth)
Luke (Fire)
Matthew (Air)
Dr Stewart, the crazy scientist! Who created them all and has a really bad addiction to Eve.
Cora (deceased)
and G-Pa, a wealthy old man, who is fit as a fiddle and who his Tate's grandparent.
I know that is a lot to remember but it the first book to a series, and I think the authors did us a solid and didn't really make it that confusing. I must be in the minority of reviewers who loved this book.
The main Characters in this first book are Foster who controls air, and Tate who also controls air so this makes them a pair. We start this adventure with Foster and her adopted mother Cora, who has taken her to Missouri (Misery) to find someone, but we don't know who. They end up at a high school football game, and that is where we meet Tate. A storm begins, and this storm turns out to be a full blown tornado, while this is happening Cora's heart gives out, and leaves Foster with little information to get out of there, but with Tate. Who is the person they were looking for. They are immediately drawn together, and he also watches his parents die in the storm that has being going on around them. Obviously more happens here but what you think is true is not, I really appreciate the story moving as fast as it did.
Now they are on the run, and know they are in danger. Before Cora died, she told Foster to take Tate and go to Sauvie Island. This is where they find out what they really are and that Cora had a safe place made for them all to live and hide of the grid.
To be honest I took so many notes reading this book, like 6 pages of notes to remind me when I wrote this review what is what and how I felt. Now looking at my notes, I can tell you thing... I LOVED this book. and that I have messy writing and can not even decipher some of my own writing to save my life.
Dr Stewart is bad, and so are some of the core four who are doing to old mans dirty work for him and trying to catch all the couples. I love that they are all going to be pairs, this is for such an important reason. So you see the good old doctor had "fertility clinics" where rich men paid him and he continued his experiments and research, until he faked his own death. Cora was his wife and he kept all this a secret from her. Until she figured things out and took Foster and went into hiding. The Dr mutated and changed the DNA in all the children.And they the core fucktastic four came out wrong or turned out wrong, they all have issues because they can not control there elements properly. But the pairs like Foster and Tate who will work together they have complete control.Although when the Dr made them all he knew then what he had done wrong I guess and did it this way. He is literally a sick SOB! He says he cares but he does not.
When they all turn 18, that is when the manifest with full blown powers. But what Cora didn't know and also the rest of the core four (her brothers) is that she is actually the bio daughter of the Dr and Cora! because he store her eggs and grew a child !!!
Straight up, I thought Foster was a bitch and it took me a little while to like her, she has some issues. I loved Tate, hes just so confused until they both learn to trust each other and learn more about there powers. I really love the dynamics with all the couples and characters, I really believe this is going to be such a fun series to re visit all the time. Maybe for me because of the nostalgic feeling. This was all my own thoughts and feelings, even with being given gifted arcs.
Which can I just say how much I really loved all the CAPTAIN PLANET vibes! That show was my life when I was growing up in the 90's. Even like just Xmen, Super powers with comic like art work... just was giving me life!
I loved everything about this book, the characters, the art art work that is throughout the book. Man the art work is visually stunning and brings so much more to the story.
So much more happens in this book, that I highly recommend. When they arrive at the Island and meet Finn and his girlfriend Sabine. I love that they are forming there own family, could they be the other couple? I am not sure. But it would be awesome.
I loved Tate and Foster together, the friendship and romance was too cute. The sinning moments, and them floating flying together... All the feels!
"The most important thing a women can give is her trust. Earn that first and then you'll earn a love that will last. Trust is based on respect. And if you don't treat her with respect, you have no business being with her."
OMG and the coolest thing is the rep we have in this new series is a young male, transitioning from male to female. I am so excited to see more of this throughout the series. Yes the book is told in alternating POV but it tells you who is who and you don't get lost, so not only do we get Tate and Fosters voices we get Eve, Mark and some of Charlotte and Bastien.
Key characters that I don't like a lot is Eve she is a nasty as her father and her brothers, I reckon Mark is the nicest and just so confused. I hope we see him come to the captain planet team. lol Seriously the core four are all in there 30's and don't give a shit about anything or anyone apart from themselves and maybe each other.
I do not like Luke, and obliviously the Dr. Now back to him, he is literally a druggy, Eve can manifest crystals on her body of all kinds and with them each having a certain quality to them, and the fine old doctor siphoned's them into his body while getting off on it. I was shook when I read them scenes. Sometimes I would think Eve is nice, but she really isn't and I that I don't like her. She is the keeper of earth.
100 pages in and I knew at this point it would be close to a 5 star read for me, and it was. I loved the writing and the setting it was in. The characters were fantastic, I think this mother and daughter due are back doing what they love doing together.
Yes this ends with a cliff hanger, but come on how could it not. This is going to be one EPIC new series and I am here for it all. I can not wait for book 2!
I cannot wait to meet the rest of the cast, I can definitely see this becoming a favourite new series for me to love and love. The one thing I did find odd though, is how quick or lack of grieving the two kids had for there parents all dying at the beginning. But in saying that they book moved so quickly, they really didn't have time to with all the danger they are facing or faced throughout the book.
Can we just say again, Captain Planet and the Planeteers VIBES!!! I squealed when there was an actual reference!
The Dysasters is the first novel in a new series by P.C. Cast and her daughter, Kristin Cast. Together they have created a world that’s full of wonder and more than its fair share of chaos.
The series has a lot to offer, a scientist is playing god, teenagers with special abilities, drama, arguments, and even some fantasy elements as well. Oh, and did I mention the music references? There’s more of that that you might expect.
The novel also includes a fair number of drawings to go along with some of the events occurring. A lot of them include drawings of the characters, which people will probably either love or hate, depending on their preference for picturing the characters on their own. I enjoyed seeing the characters as the authors pictured them, though I’ll confess I continued to picture them differently in my head. I couldn’t help it.
The Dysasters wasn’t the novel I was expecting, but I still found it to be a fascinating read. It was the cover that originally caught my attention for the series and my fondness for P.C. Cast’s works that convinced me that it would be worth reading.
The novel wasted no time throwing us right into the thick of things. I personally enjoy that, because I’m usually pretty anxious to see what the plot is about. Some fans may not enjoy that element quite as much though.
It took me a while to start getting to know the characters in any real way. Yes, of course, I felt for the characters as their worst nightmares occurred, but I didn’t feel it in the same way I would have, had it happened later in the novel. I did grow to like the two main perspectives, in their own way. They’re stubborn and don’t listen well to anybody, but then again, teenagers aren’t exactly well known for that.
The musical scenes in this novel are both highly amusing, and maybe just a touch bit embarrassing. You know when you’re reading, and you cringe when the character you love is about to do something silly, and you’re actively embarrassed for them? That’s how I felt during these scenes. But they were also kind of cute, and I have to give the kids credit for their music choices.
I absolutely loved the concept behind their abilities. It had this real mad scientist vibe to it, which I loved. In this case, the mad scientist also had a bunch of thugs willing to do his bidding, but that worked too. It gave the main characters something to interact with directly while saving the true antagonist for another time. It was clever.
There was something about this novel that really reminded me of I Am Number Four. Perhaps it was the tone? Or maybe it was the fact that the main characters were forced to learn about themselves and their abilities, in the same way, that the main character in I Am Number Four was forced to do. Still, I think if you loved the movie, you’ll enjoy this novel.
I’ll confess that I didn’t like this novel quite as much as I would have expected, though I still maintain that I’m glad I read it. The core concept has so much potential, and I honestly can’t wait to see more about the antagonist himself. I wonder if the next novel will have the same four perspectives? I imagine we will.
Blog tour post running on my blog 2/26/19:
The Dysasters is the first book in a new paranormal fantasy series by P.C. and Kristin Cast, authors of the popular House of Night series.
Foster Stewart and Tate Taylor are not typical teenagers. Foster's adoptive father, a scientist, genetically modified the teens before birth giving them special powers to bond with elements. Foster discovers that her father plans to use them, and other modified teens, as part of a plot to take over the world. Foster and Tate have to learn to harness their powers to manipulate air to defeat Dr. Stewart before he can fulfill his evil plans.
THE DYSASTERS
P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Wednesday Books
On Sale: February 26, 2019
Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio formats
Buy Links:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Google Play
iBooks
IndieBound
Kobo
(Review coming soon....)
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Separate review posted to Goodreads. Not posting review to my blog, as I DNF'd the book about halfway through..
Text of review:
I really wanted to like this book. I love superheroes, action stories, good vs evil....I had high expectations for this story about teens with the ability to manipulate the elements.
But I'm going to be honest -- I didn't like this book. I DNF'd this story about halfway through. For me, the book seemed like a failed attempt by adults to write a book for teenagers. It tries too hard and comes off as contrived.
Teenagers can be angsty, whiny, and disrespectful. So this story overuses those traits, making the main characters almost completely unlikable. Teenagers curse. So, this book overuses curse words, sprinkling them in at the wrong time and not using them at the right time. For example, the main characters call each other names or tell each other to shut the F up constantly, but when Foster accidentally calls up a tornado and realizes she can manipulate weather, she says...."thank you"?? If I accidentally called up a tornado, you can bet your sweet bippy I would be saying WTF and most likely several other choice curse words out of complete shock and surprise. Other terms like Fucktastic Four, douchehawk, nightdouche, etc can be a great joke...once. Maybe even twice. But after multiple uses, it just gets old. Just too much....bleck.
I asked my 14 year old to read a couple chapters of this book to see what he thought. He said the same thing....adults trying too hard to write teenage characters and failing.
I struggled through half of this story, and stopped. This book is not for me.
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martins Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
DNF I couldn't get past the first chapter because the dialogue felt so strained and the characters so stereotypical. Also I had a hard time figuring out what was supposed to be going on. So basically, it completely failed to convince me it was worth continuing, unfortunately.
***ARC received through NetGalley for review, much appreciated***
1. 5 out of 5 stars
This book has the possibilities to be good. There is an interesting backstory regarding messing with genetics of embryos that create people that have control of the elements. It just never pans out into what it has the potential to be and that happens for a variety of reasons, in fact at the beginning of the book I thought I may have picked up the second book in a series in error.
This comes down mainly to the characters. We are introduced to Foster and her adopted mother Cora as they show up in a small town in Missouri or Misery as Foster so cleverly refers to it, cause thats what Foster is. That clever special above everything cause everything is beneath her. She is rude, selfish and no, shes not an introvert shes a jerk. Especially to Tate, she constantly belittles him laughing at his public education and his compassionate attitude. He witnesses so much and when he expresses pain or wants to go back and help Foster blows up at him. . She gets moderately better as the book goes along but only moderately and not by much.
For all the possibilities there isn't much creativity in this. Although it is a diverse set of characters even if they are the secondary characters are a little one noted or straight up stereotypes. Suspend your believes cause what you think should happen, doesn't. This is common throughout the entire book and it is so frustrating how frustratingly stupid all the characters.
A solid pass from start to finish and I have no interest in seeing where the characters go.
The Dysasters was a really cool mix of YA fantasy & superheroes. I gave this book 3.5 stars as I enjoyed many elements of it (no pun intended) and did not like other elements at all. Overall it was engaging, really easy to read and had a very cool premise behind it. It’s a little bit like a mix between X-Men and Avatar: The Last Airbender, both of which I love immensely. This book is interesting too because it has written text and has illustrations of certain scenes throughout.
We follow quite a few characters in this book, the main ones are Foster and Tate. They have just turned 18 and are linked with the ability to control air. After a devastating event at a football game, Foster and Tate are forced on the run from men and women who want to control their abilities and experiment on them. Foster and Tate spend time learning to control their abilities and they also try to unravel the mystery behind it all, as they did not know until their birthdays that they could control an element.
I know this book is to be one of many in a series, so I can understand that a majority of this book was spent setting up the plot and getting the history of the characters. It was good to get this history and plot building as it helped my understanding of the characters and the overarching storyline. At times I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with the characters. They made me laugh with witty one liners, but then also said really stupid and mean things to each other which made me dislike them a lot. Tate’s grandpa was hilarious and the real hero of this book. The one thing I really disliked was him getting called ‘g-pa’. It was very distracting.
Towards the end we meet some new characters that will play a big role in the story and it was really nice to see them so differently to Foster and Tate. All of the characters in this book were quite unique and I loved that they all had their own quirks.
The Dysasters was fast paced and I was never bored. I could imagine myself in their world and I felt like I understood the characters. This book is good for those who enjoy a fast paced superhero story with coming of age themes. If you like X-Men and YA you’ll most likely enjoy this book. I will pick up the next book to see how the story continues.
(Side note: note sure this book can be called YA with some scenes with serious adult content in it)