Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

"He replayed those last moments, after he'd followed her in the club, when he'd watched as she'd listened to her friend's flirtatious banter. He recognize the moment immediately, it would have been impossible not to notice it; her eyes going wide, her voice trembling, her conviction shattered.

She wasn't strong as she wanted to be.

He worried for her, even though she was sage for now-probably at home, probably with her family, asleep in her own bed.

Unaware of the torment she'd already unleashed in him.

pg. 62, The Pledge - Kimberly Derting.

-So far I haven't been really impressed with this book. I really hope that it picks up soon because I really want to like it.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Release Date: January 2nd 2012, hardcover
Publisher: Poppy

Group: Young Adult Literature

Rating:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was a very fun and light read. It starts off with the main character, Hadley, running late to the airport. She is going to her father's wedding in London, which she is less than excited about. While she is at the airport waiting for her flight, she meets a cute boy named Oliver.

I have been excited to read this book ever since I first saw it on goodreads. I feared that it might have been one of those cheesy, predictable, chick-lit love stories. However, I can happily say that I enjoyed reading this book very much. It wasn't predictable or cheesy at all! This just isn’t a love story, but also about family and life.

It was a very short read and was able to finish in one afternoon. I wasn't able to put it down. Hadley and Oliver were completely awesome characters to read about! I also liked how the author made the characters realistic. Hadley and Oliver was just your average teenagers stuck at an airport. I loved everything about them. I was not expecting that twist about Oliver at all. I really enjoyed that.

Overall, the Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a wonderful read if you are looking for something light that has an underlining meaning. The ending was absolutely adorable between Oliver and Hadley, which is why the title of this book makes much more sense now. I totally recommend this book!
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Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday Finds (5)

A Witch in Winter
- Ruth Warburton
Release Date:
January 5th, 2012

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

Although a perfect fit for the paranormal romance genre, A WITCH IN WINTER avoids fangs, excessive body hair and submissive female leads, and tells the heart-wrenching story of a couple meant to be together, but being forced apart. Seth is utterly irresistible and Anna is an empowered, proactive young woman with unimaginable magic inside her. This is fast-paced, sensuous writing with believable incantations inspired by Warburton's research into witchcraft legend and old English.

My thoughts: This book looks so good! I can't believe that I just did find out about it this week. I can tell this is going to be one amazing book. I love stuff about witches and legends about wichcraft so this book will probably be one of my favorites. Already requested it at the library!

52 Reasons to Hate My Father
- Jessica Brody
Release Date:
July 3rd, 2012

Famous teen heiress, Lexington Larrabee, has never had to work a day in her life. But all of that changes on her eighteenth birthday when her ever-absent, mogul father decides to take a more proactive approach to her life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast food restaurant employee, it’s the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her. Readers of all ages are sure to fall in love with Jessica Brody’s delightful riches to rags comedy.

My thoughts: Love the cover to this one! I have yet to read anything by Jessica Brody but this one will defintley be high on my list when July comes around. It looks hilarious! I love the title too!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: September 27th, 2011, hardcover
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.
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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer starts out very interesting and intriguing. Mara and her three friends, Rachel, Claire, and Jude go to a haunted asylum in the middle night. Mara then wakes up in a hospital bed to realize everybody died when the building collapsed and that she was the only person who survives it. The story then starts to talk about her new life and to understand these hallucinations she starts to have, meanwhile she meets the ultimate bad boy Noah Shaw.

I was sadly disappointed with this book. I have heard nothing else but people talk about how awesome this book is! The hype is crazy and the way people talk about Noah reminds me of the next Edward Cullen. I felt like my expectations for this book were pretty high. I expected it to be amazing and I would be obsessing about the characters just like everybody else, but if anything I am hugely annoyed at this book.

The mystery in this story is pretty predictable. There wasn't anything scary about it at all. I was able to understand what was happening right when we got to meet her first victim in Miami (the dog owner). The mysteriousness of the novel just fell absolutely flat. I also don't feel like Mara's condition was thoroughly explained enough. Hopefully that will be addressed in the next book. Paranormal horror stories do not scare me, which is why I was hoping it was a real life condition she was having.

The major problem I had with this book was Noah. There wasn't anything epic about their relationship. It was the typical YA couple hook up that I have read in about every other book. It was so cheesy and unoriginal. This whole book surrounds about Noah and why he is attractive to Mara. I was more interested in why these people were dropping dead around Mara, rather than trying to figure if Noah had slept with every girl in the senior and junior class.

I do have to give credit to Michelle Hodkin for that lovely twisted ending. I totally didn't see that coming. Kudos to Hodkin, that is why I gave this book three stars instead of two. I really hope that will be a huge part of the next book, instead of Mara and Noah flirting on every other page.

I can see why people love this book. I wish that I could love it too. I might have if I had read a few years ago, before I read amazing books like (TMI, Hunger Games, Divergent, etc...). This book just fell flat for me. I am also confused with the prologue? The letter that she writes telling the reader that her real name isn't Mara Dyer? I felt like the book didn't even explain that. Could someone please explain why that letter was the prologue? I feel bad for writing such a negative review, but there wasn't that much that I liked about it. I just hope that the next book will be a lot better and the plot won't be so thick with romance.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


Girl of Nightmares, (Anna #2)
- Kendare Blake
Release Date: August 7th, 2012

In this follow-up to Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas begins seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he’s asleep, and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong. These aren’t just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor.

My thoughts: I just checked out Anna Dressed in Blood at the library last week and so excited to read it. I have heard a lot of good reviews about this series and can't wait to read it! The covers are so wickedly awesome! (:

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

"We pass another enormous structure, the one like the ruins of a medieval castle. "God, there's history everywhere," I say. "What is that place? Can we go in?"

"It's a museum, and sure. But not tonight. I believe it's closed," he adds.

"Oh. Yeah, of course." I try not to let my disappointment show.
St. Claire is amused. "It's only the first week of school. We have all the time in the world to visit your museum."

pg. 80, Anna and the French Kiss by: Stephanie Perkins.


-This book has been fun to read so far. Can't wait to read more to understand why everyone loves this book! I will finish it sometime this week, so expect a review up soon! Hope everyone is having a fabulous Tuesday!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Everneath - Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Release Date: January 24th, 2012, hardcover
Publisher: Harper Collins
Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.
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Everneath was not as good as I was expecting. It started out very promising. Nikki and Cole have just returned from the Everneath after the feed. She only has six months before she has to return. Nikki tries to make it right with her family, her friend Jules, and her old boyfriend Jack. While at the same time, knows that she must choose to live with Cole in the Everneath or simply disappear in the tunnels forever.

I was lucky enough to win this book off of Goodreads. Thank you Goodreads for letting me read this book ahead of the publication date. I was super excited to read it, not only for that reason, but I heard fairly good reviews over it. However, I am kind of disappointed with this story. Before I started this book, I knew that it would consist of a retelling of Persephone and Hades with a twist, and that there was a love triangle.

My first biggest problem was the love triangle. I don't understand what was so great about Jack and Nikki's relationship? It seemed just like your average high school couple to me. I know that they were in love, but really, what was so wonderful about it? I felt like it would have been better if there was more romance stuff between Nikki and Cole. There wasn't even that much of a love triangle. Cole does love Nikki, but she doesn't even go around him. There wasn't that much interaction between them at all or if there was, it was all about Jack.

The reason that Nikki went with Cole to the Everneath is just completely ridiculous. She went because she thought that Jack cheated on her? Seriously... There is bigger stuff in life to be upset about than something like that. I know that Nikki might not have known the consequences of her actions, but it seemed crazy to go off with Cole just when you assumed what happened. I might not have thought this if I liked Jack and Nikki together, but like I said, there wasn't anything epic about them together at all. I didn't see what was so great about Nikki for Jack to be that in love with her. She was an alright main character, but there wasn't anything that screamed the awesome factor to me. So that is my two cents on this love triangle mess.

My next biggest issue with this book was how it switched to the present to the past way too much. I would get so confused if the book was being told in the present or a flashback. When I first started the book, I felt like I was missing out on something. The story of why she went to the Everneath and what happened with her and Cole during the feed should have been told first, before she returned for the six months. I would be confused at times to what necessary was happening. It does become clearer through flashbacks, but that just annoyed me. I would have liked if the book could have been told in two different parts. The first part told before the feed, and the second part told after the feed during the six months. The reason why I say this is because this book is roughly around 400 pages and the first 200 has absolutely no action at all, it is mostly told in flashbacks. Then the second half tells the action.

The ending was just a little too cliché for me. I am interested to see what the next book will be like. I am fan of Cole, it seems like he might actually have his chance. If it wasn't for Cole, I'm not sure if I would even have liked this book that well. I know that some people will be big fans of this book and love the story, but it just wasn't for me sadly. I wanted so badly to love this book, but the love triangle just pissed me off too bad to love the stuff about the Greek Mythology. I hope that the next book will be better.


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Sunday, January 22, 2012

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren.


Bought:


From the Library:


-I got a lot of awesome books this week! I already finished The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight yesterday, and really liked it! I am currently reading Anna and the French Kiss so I can finally get on the bandwagon with all the hype surronding these books! What did you get in your mailbox this week? (:

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chain Reaction - Simone Elkeles

Title: Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Release Date: August 16th, 2011, hardcover
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?
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I loved this! It could possibly be my favorite book out of this series. That is how much I loved this book. I have read that so many people were disappointed with this book, but I don’t see what was disappointing about it. If I had to pick who my favorite Fuentes brother was, it would definitely be Luis. I never thought that I would like anyone more than Alex, but there was something about Luis I just liked a whole lot more. I loved Luis! He was definitely what made the story for me!

One of my favorite things about this was that Alex & Carlos actually have big roles in this book! At the very beginning, Luis is at Alex and Britney’s wedding! How amazing was that???!! We also got to see Paco when he was a baby. It was adorable. I also like that we got to see Carlos ask Kiara to marry him. That was really sweet. So that was awesome to have those old characters back and see what was going on in their lives.

The beginning of this book is a little slow. I didn’t start to get interested until Luis meets Nikki at the wedding. That scene was just hilarious. I can’t even tell you how many times I laughed out loud. I couldn’t get enough of these two characters. I read that a lot people thought that Nikki was annoying and hated her, but I am the complete opposite! I actually really liked her a lot. I thought she was a good main character. I couldn’t even imagine what she went through. I loved how she had trust issues, but finally let them down to be with Luis. That was so sweet.

I couldn’t stop reading this book. All during my English class at College, I couldn’t get this story out of my mind and as soon as class was over, I ran right into the Student Lounge and went right to reading. It was complete torture in that class! Lol. The teacher asked me a question, and all my mind could think about what would happen with Luis being in the Latino Blood?! Ahhhh! HAHA! :) So yeah, that just shows how addicted I was to this book.

I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. Yes, it was cheesy. But it was the kind of cheesiness that I loved! I really hope that the author writes more in this series. I wouldn’t mind her writing books about all the children! The first book starting off with Paco! That would be totally awesome!
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Friday, January 20, 2012

Top 10 Favorite Fictional Crushes

Today I thought that I would do a post talking about my favorite fictional crushes. This was a lot of fun to do. This is not done any particular order.

1. Jace Wayland - The Mortal Instrument Series.
- Yes. Of course I would talk about Jace first. I think everybody can agree with this. I don't know of a single person who doesn't like Jace. I will admit, I wasn't the biggest fan of his in the first book. I thought he was too cocky, but then I realized he was just confident. Which is very hot (; Cassandra Clare just released the Greenhouse scene from City of Bones in Jace's POV. Was it possible that made me love Jace even more? I didn't think that could happen.

2. Four - The Divergent Series.
- Oh, Four.... When I first started reading Divergent, I didn't like Four at all. I actually didn't even realize that he would be Tris' love interest until the Ferris Wheel scene. That is my favorite scene in the whole book! Love it! Sometimes Four was a little creepy at the beginning, but now that I look back it was all because he liked Tris. Awwww! (:

3. Will Herondale - The Infernal Devices Series.
- Yep, I had to put Will in this post. I will be the first one to say that in Clockwork Prince, I was torn between Will and Jem. However, the more I thought about it the more I am a Will fan. I feel sorry for Jem, I really do. I just can't help but like Will more. There must be something about the boys in the Herondale family that makes every girl fall in love with them.

4. Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games Series.
-Yes, I always loved Peeta in the the Hunger Games. I know that some people liked Gale more, but I never really understood why. Gale would never be able to understand Katniss like Peeta would. That is just my opinion though. If you are team Gale, please leave a comment and let me know why! Anyways, I remember reading the last book and getting so upset cause of what the Capitol did to Peeta. I am happy with how the books ended though.

5. Ash - The Iron Fey Series.
-I am not even going to attempt to remember his full name or spell it. So I am just going to put him as Ash. Haha. I believe everybody loves Ash, but I know that a lot of people love Puck also. I have yet to read the Iron Knight. I am putting it off because I don't want this series to end! The scene that made me love Ash so much was when he became Meghan's Knight in the Iron Queen.

6. Dimitri Belikov - The Vampire Academy Series.
- In the Vampire Academy series, I was always a fan of Dimitri but I also loved Adrian too. Even for awhile, I was a fan of Adrian more than Dimitri. But the last book totally won me over. Dimitri is just awesome. Him and Rose is one fierce couple and they are prefect each other. I am happy with how this series end.

7. Adrian Ivashkov - The Bloodlines Series.
- Since I talked about Dimitri I thought that I would put Adrian into the mix. Oh gosh, does Adrian get all my nerves and he is also a huge PAIN but I love him anyways. Sydney and Adrian's relationship is just too wonderful. I loved the ending in Bloodlines when Adrian said that Sydney had beautiful eyes. I can't wait too see what will happen in the next book.  I also wonder if there will be a love triangle in the mix for these two characters. Really looking forward to the Golden Lily!

8. Cole St. Clair & Sam Roth - The Wolves of Mercy Falls.
- I couldn't pick between Cole and Sam for this series, so I decided to do them both. We don't meet Cole until the second book, Linger, but OMG. Cole and Isabel is just too perfect for each other. I might love them more than Sam and Grace. I love both boys. I was a little upset with how Forever ended, with the story of Isabel and Cole but I would like to believe that wasn't the end for them. However, I loved the ending for Sam and Grace. That was a huge twist that I loved. I didn't expect to love these books as much I did. I recommend this series! I know that you will love them!

9. Catcher - The Dark and Hollow Places.
- Okay, so hear me out about why Catcher is in my top ten. When I first read, The Dead-Tossed Waves, I did not like Catcher at all. I was more of an Elias fan, but when I read The Dark and Hollow Places that all changed. When we first meet Annah, she isn't that easy to warm up too or relate too, but once you got to understand her I ended up loving Annah and Catcher'r relationship. They were just too wonderful. They brought out the best in each other.

10. Edward Cullen - The Twilight Saga.
- I know, I know -- just hear me out about why I put Edward on this list. I have to give credit to the Twilight Saga, if it wasn't for it I wouldn't have discovered all of these wonderful books like The Mortal Instruemnts, Vampire Academy, House of Night. The Twilight Saga got me into reading, so I have to give Twilight a lot of credit. I know that this series has it flaws, but I take it for what it is. I love Edward, and I don't care what people say about his character. There was just something about him that is old fashion and so romantic that made me love him. Say what you want to say, but the Twilight saga got a lot of people into reading. So you can't fool me, I know it (:

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)
- Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: February 21st, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

My thoughts: I have yet to read the first book Wither, but I did pick it up last week. I plan on reading it sometime soon so that I can pick up the second one close to when it comes out. Hopefully I like this series. It doesn't seem like something I would like, but there has been a lot of good raving reviews over the first book. I plan on giving this series a chance. Has anybody read the first book? Is it good? Are you excited for Fever to come out?

Monday, January 16, 2012

The Hidden - Jessica Verday

Title: The Hidden
Author: Jessica Verday
Release Date: September 6th, 2011, hardcover
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:

A love that knows no bounds.

Abbey knows that Caspian is her destiny. Theirs is a bond that transcends even death. But as Abbey finally learns the full truth about the dark fate that links her to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, she suddenly has some very hard choices to make. Caspian may be the love of her life, but is that love worth dying for?

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I am really sad to see this series end. I have been following these books since the very first novel, The Hollow, came out and have not stopped thinking about this series since. All of the books in this series is wonderful and a very beautiful story. While, it does have its flaws and problems; I am able to overlook those with how truly creative the story of Abbey and Caspian is. I have truly never read or heard of anything quite like it. We finally get some answers in this book, but that only leaves you with more questions. I am happy to say, that in the end of this book all my questions were answered and I came to understand everything about Caspian and why he drawled to Sleepy Hollow.

The story takes place right after, The Haunted, left off at. This book is mostly about Abbey trying to stay away from Vincent, having the Revenants help her, and Abbey being friends with Ben, Beth and the new girl at school named Cyn. There is also a bunch of drama that goes on with Caspian, with him not being able to touch or move objects and going into deep sleeps and not waking up for days. Of course, Abbey worries about what will happen and if she can complete Caspian once she dies.

There was many, many, many plot twists that I did not see coming. There isn't that much action in the story until the last sixty pages, which is sad. I found myself becoming majorly bored with the plot halfway through the book. I felt like there isn't any progression and the same things are just repeated over and over. We know that Abbey and Caspian are in love, but it seemed like the author just kept talking about how they couldn't wait to be with each other. That was okay for a while, but I was more curious as to why Vincent was after her and what was up with this whole system and why is everything even going on? Those questions aren't even answered until the last couple chapters. I felt like there was some unnecessary stuff that happened, like the whole story about her aunt and her husband. That was a sad story, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the plot of the book. There was also a few other things that happened like that.

Abbey was a great character to read from. However, I felt like she was kind of mean to her mother. She was actually a huge brat to her mom. I could tell that her mother just cared about her and wanted to help her anyway possible and Abbey just didn't seem like she wanted anything to do with her mom. This wasn't a huge thing that happened in the book, but in the small parts that it did happen was hugely annoying. Anyways, I did love all of Abbey's friends and all of the revenants! My favorites were Uri and Cacey! They were super awesome!

I had no idea where this author was going to be taking this book or the ending of the series. I was kept guessing until the last twenty pages of the book. Can I just say that the ending was PERFECT! I couldn't be happier with anything else. It was a great way for this story to end. I like that her best friend, Kirsten, was actually in this book. I feel like she would have been a great person, if we have got to know her. My favorite part was the epilogue! I am happy with the way this whole story has flowed together. I love the ending with Caspian and Abbey. It was true perfection!
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Saturday, January 14, 2012

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 3rd, 2011, hardcover
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.
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I haven't read a book that made me had these feelings in forever. I have noticed some kind of pattern with me when it comes to certain YA books. For example, The Mortal Instruments - I just did read them this past winter, but have been reading books in the YA world two years before that. The reason why it took me so long to read it was because; A). The hype surrounding the books put me into the mood of not wanting to read it. B). When the cover + the summary of the book doesn't capture my attention at all. This also happened to me with The Hunger Games. I actually had to force myself down and read the first couple of chapters before I realize what everybody was raving about, and surprisingly enough, I became one of those wild fans that have an obsession that is never filled.

Divergent is just yet again, another example. I honestly didn't want to read it. The cover just didn't look like some kind of book that I would like. I was afraid that I wouldn't like it. I actually had to read the summary of this book a couple of times before I actually got a little idea of what to expect from reading it. I didn't want to be one of those odd/weird/crazy people that didn't like this book when GOODREADS named it the book of 2011. Another thing that lead me into not wanting to read this was the length of the book. It is almost 500 pages, and didn't feel up to the challenge to take this novel on. However, I can happily say that this book is one of those beautiful books to me that have ended up in the Hunger Games & Mortal Instruments series. While, all of these books (including Divergent) have their own unique spin and style, I could notice a lot of similarities between this book and The Hunger Games.

Now, don't kill me or roll your eyes - hear me out. I hate those kind of people who compare books to other books, you just can't compare didn't characters with different plot lines and details. *cough-twilight/harry potter-cough* There was just something about this world that Tris lived in that had a very HG feel to it. Also, Tris felt a little bit how Katniss would be, but my opinion started to change once she got involved with Four. Divergent stands completely out on its own. I couldn't put this book down. I actually read it in day! A DAY! Like I said, this book is almost 500 pages! I tried to put it down to go do something else so my eyes wouldn't be constantly strained from reading so much - but no. I went to sit down for dinner and all my mind could think of was: "DAUNTLESS. DAUNTLESS. FACTIONS. ABNEGATION. DIVERGENCE. TRIS. TRIS. FOUR IS HOT. FOUR. FOUR. FOUR. I LOVE THIS BOOK!" I think you get the concept of how I feel about this book.

Veronica Roth creates this world that really makes your brain think. There are so many good quotes to pick out from the story and the concept behind all five fractions. I did get a little confused at the beginning and had to keep trying to remember what all the different fractions consisted of, but when I finally got that down and once Tris finally gets to her decided fraction; it was awesome. I loved all the different characters that we got to meet. The two main characters are definitely Tris and Four, but I loved the minor characters like Christina, Will, Caleb, etc. The inanition that Tris has to go through is crazy. I loved the Fear Landscape. Oh how I loved Tris sixth fear in the fear landscape. That was just down right hilarious. It was nice to have some comical relief to this very serious story. Although, Tris does have a lot of witty lines.

All in all, if I could give this book more than five stars I would. It was beautiful and epic. There was a lot of plot turns and twist that I didn't see coming. As you can see, I don't think this story was predictable at all. That ending left me speechless. Is it May, yet? Everybody, seriously, just go pick up this book - don't be like me and wait forever to read it, trust me.

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