The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

Release Date: February 1, 2012
Publisher: Usborne (UK) / Marshall Cavendish (US)
Series: The Other Life, Book 1
Rated: YA 13+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers.

But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?

To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of the dystopian trend. Sure, once in a while there'll be an absolutely amazing book which will grab everyone's attention, but others? It seems like the same repeated idea over and over and over again.
The Other Life I will say though, was pretty original in terms of contributing to the dystopian genre. It actually had a pretty different premise, even though it seemed like it spawned off of previous ideas, but I got sucked into the action, and the story was fast-paced and action-packed. I've had the eGalley for ages, and only now, when it's been removed from NetGalley did I actually venture into reading it.

Of course, as I do with most heroines, I found Sherry a great character. Just like many other dystopian leads, she's definitely got that strong-determination, and you could really empathise with her. The only thing I didn't like was how whiny she kind of was at the start. Counting down the days doesn't make it any better and being the oldest child (speaking as an oldest child!) you have to put your younger siblings before you– this was the reason why I pretty much loved her brother. He's so willing to watch The Little Mermaid with his younger sister despite the fact they've seen it so many times before. He wants to help his dad. Despite his mood swings, he really does want to take care of the family as well.
Speaking of the little sister, Mia was super adorable. I just love little kids in YA, don't you? And then of course, we have Joshua! It was so frustrating that they didn't get together sooner– I felt like screaming at them to just kiss already. But all in good time, all in good time...

One problem I had with the book was that it was just too short. It seriously went by super quickly! There was also the fact that it focused too much on both rescuing her father as well as the move to the safe house. I just thought there should have been more plot present there. Otherwise, I thought that the snippets of memories that Sherry has– it's interesting to see life before being locked in the basement for so long, and what actually lead up to it. There was also a fabulous twist at the end which totally left me wanting more, so I can't wait to get my hands on The Life Beyond!

Overall, I thought that while it had it's downsides, this was a great novel with lots of promise for exciting twists and shocking turns. Susanne Winnacker has definitely grabbed my attention with The Other Life and I'll be looking for more from her in the future.

If you like this, try...

• Glitch by Heather Anastasiu ● Goodreads
• Memento Nora by Angie Smibert ● Goodreads

Imposter Blog Tour: This or That by Susanne Winnacker

Susanne Winnacker

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog that looks like a sheep and three bunnies that have destroyed every piece of furniture she's ever owned in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals. When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.

She blogs for The League of Extraordinary Writers.

You can find her on Twitter and on facebook.

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This or That

by Susanne Winnacker

Standalone or Series?

There's no easy answer to that. I've read books that I loved and yet I didn't feel the need to read the other books in the series, simply because I was happy with the first book as it was (of course that doesn't work with cliffhangers). And then there are books that are standalones but I didn't want it to end. I wanted to read more. I guess it really depends on the book. But generally I prefer a series IF I loved a book.

Happy Endings or Cliffhangers?

I don't mind cliffhangers for a first or middle book of a series. They make me want to buy the next book faster. If a book has a happy ending, I often don't feel the need to keep reading. Of course a cliffhanger as the end of a series would make me livid, but I've never read a book that had one.

Coffee or Tea?

First thing in the morning: coffee. During the day: tea (Earl Grey or Matcha).

Early Bird or Night Owl?

Night owl. I never go to bed before midnight.

Time Machine: travel to the past or the future?

The future. I love adventures and travelling into the future would be the ultimate adventure.

Beaches or Mountains?

Beaches, no doubt. I love the ocean – its smell, its sound, everything. If I could choose, I'd have a house at the beach.

Bad Boys or Good Guys?

Well, I usually prefer the bad boys, but to be honest most bad boys in books or movies have so many redeeming qualities that you can't really call them bad. They aren't true villains. So I guess, I like characters who aren't perfect. A character that's too good is boring to me.

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Team Jacob. I've only read the first two books and the end of book 2 convinced me that I wouldn't get what I wanted.

Typing or Handwriting?

Typing. I use my laptop for writing my books and pretty much everything else. The only thing I'm still writing per hand are to-do lists and sometimes ideas if I'm not at home and don't have my laptop with me.

Sweet or Sour?

I guess, sour. I like sweet things, but I don't like it too sweet. Especially drinks. And fruit.

Dramas or Comedies?

Comedies. I'm not a big fan of emotional movies or TV series. Life provides enough drama.

Movies or TV?

Movies. I don't watch TV. The husband and I have a huge collection of DVDs and we don't mind watching a movie many times. Most of the time it's much better than what's on TV.

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs. I LOVE dogs (and bunnies, and animals in general). I've had dogs pretty much all my life. I can't imagine living without a dog. Right now we have a Komondor (a Hungarian livestock guardian dog).

A life without writing or a life without reading?

I think you can't be a writer if you don't read. But if I had to choose, I'd probably choose a life without reading. That would be a sad life though.

(I agree!)

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Thank you so much to Susanne Winnacker for answering all those This or That questions with absolutely fabulous answers! I can't wait to get my paws, err, hands on her book, Imposter! Here's a little bit more about it:

Goodreads

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. 

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

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