Review: Deviation by Christine Manzari

Book: Deviation by Christine Manzari

Series: The Sophisticates #1

Released: August 9, 2013

Publisher:CreateSpace

Pages:  430 (Paperback)

Stars: 4.25

Goodreads

**I received this book from the author in exchange for an open and honest review.**

From Goodreads

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom.

Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.

When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.

Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?

I quite enjoyed this book. It's an interesting take on the dystopian genre where there are a select few who develop super powers. There's also some fabulous code names (more on those in a minute), and I rather enjoyed the love interest (and the fact that there was not a love triangle to be found).

Clementine "Cleo" Dracone is a normal Sophisticate. At least until she makes her room explode. I liked Cleo. She's super smart, and capable of more than she gives herself credit for. She gets thrown into a situation that she wasn't prepared to handle (5 mile run every morning? No thanks). And due to her crazy intelligence, she's also a hacker, which I thought was a nice touch.

Cleo has some awesome friends. Her friend Cassie is the first one we're introduced to in the book. While she doesn't play a huge role in the first book, other than to help with some plot points, she's set up for a rather major role in book 2, and I look forward to learning more about her.

When Cleo arrives at her new school, she is immediately introduced to Sterling. My "love interest" radar started going off, and you'll just have to read the book to see if I'm right or not. ;) But Sterling is great. He's snarky, which is one of my favorite character traits. His snarkiness comes out even more when talking to Arabella. Arabella packs a lot of character in a tiny little package. She might be one of my favorite people in the entire book. She is FEISTY.

And then there's Ozzy. It was hard for me to get a read on Ozzy. I read such conflicting accounts of him from the other characters, which piqued my interest. And Cleo's too apparently.

Of course, not everyone is great in Cleo's world. Quinnie is rather evil. She has the power to electrocute people, and uses it to her advantage.

The Sophisticate Program was created approximately 30 years prior to the time period occurring in the book. The Sophisticates were created by the government to be faster, stronger, and smarter than the "normal" population. They receive special privileges and all the best jobs. The only downside? They're property of the government. They have very little freedom. The Sophisticates are divided in to two groups: the Vanguards a/k/a "the brains" and the Mandates a/k/a "the brawn."

The book starts off with Cleo and her best friend Cassie at University. Cleo gets super upset and incinerates her room. With no warning, no reason given, and much to Cleo's surprise, she is sent to St. Ignatius, which is the training school for Mandates. Cleo should have been a Mandate. She'd been training for it for most of her life, plus she's brilliant. It's here that Cleo learns the truth about herself, and that there's others like her. Namely, the Deviant Dozen (I love this name). The Deviant Dozen have totally awesome code names: a few are Archerfish, Hummingbird, Electric Eel, Tiger Moth, Horror Frog, and my personal favorite, Indonesian Mimic Octopus.

I really appreciated that there was no insta-love or even a love-triangle, even though it could have been very easy to go that direction. I really enjoyed Cleo's relationship with her guy (and no, I'm not telling you which one). They challenge each other and don't let the other one have the easy way out. The development of the relationship felt organic and real, never forced.

One of my favorite things in books is a strong friendship between the female MC and her best friend. We get to experience two such relationships in this book, with Cleo and Cassie, and the developing one between Cleo and Arabella. I'll be interested to see if there's a change in dynamic in the 2nd book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who liked paranormal books such as the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi and Pivot Point & Split Second by Kasie West. There are some similar aspects to each one, without being the exact same.

 I approve.

Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Book: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Released: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 320 (Kindle)

Rating: 3.5

Goodreads

**I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an open and honest review**

From Goodreads:

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

So this book. It's part Hunger Games. Part Survivor. And part The Amazing Race. All things that I enjoy. While there are definitely some similarities to the above mentioned movie & TV shows, there are some twists that make this book unique. Did it redefine the genre? No, but what really would at this point? Did I enjoy this book? Yes, yes I did. Sadly, there was no Jeff Probst though.

Come on in, guys

While there are some qualities of The Hunger Games to this book, ie: you have to fight to the death to win the prize, that's pretty much where it ended, and even so it's not necessary to kill everyone in order to win. There are people of all ages participating in the Brimstone Bleed (which, by the way, is a totally awesome name. I dig the alliteration). They are all there to win The Cure to saved a loved one.

That's what this whole Brimstone Bleed is all about. The winner will received The Cure, which will save their loved one who is sick and dying back at home. But to win, they must compete in 4 different landscapes: the jungle, the desert, the ocean and the mountains. In this book we only see the jungle and the desert, and boy are they brutal. In the jungle it rains all the time. In the desert it's oppressively hot during the day, and freezing at night. In addition to the environment, there are other threats, namely the other competitors and mysterious jungle men. The goal of each round is to find the blue flags which will lead them to the base camp... and safety.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The main character of our story is Tella. She's enters the Brimstone Bleed to save her older brother. Without knowing what she's getting herself in to, she leaves her home in Montana and drives to Lincoln, Nebraska. There she picks out an egg, which will be her Pandora. The Pandoras will help each Contender through their journey. I like the Pandoras, especially when you find out what they are, and what they can do. Tella's in particular is pretty awesome. 

In Lincoln is where Tella first encounters Guy. He then continues to make random appearances in the first half of the book, before staying for good. He's pretty rough around the edges and hard to figure out, that's for sure. Little by little information about him is given throughout the book. I liked the slow flow of information, it seemed more realistic that way.

Is it the clumpy way he walks? Or the grumpy way he talks?

There's a group of Contenders that Tella meets up with, and they each have their own story about why they are there. Some are revealed quickly, and some at the end. Each one serves a purpose in Tella's development as a person, and helps her to survive. While Harper comes off as prickly at first, I ended up rather liking her as a person. 

Then there's Titus, a/k/a the bad guy. He sucks and I don't like him. He's pretty much evil and reminded me of The Darkling from The Grisha Trilogy (except that The Darkling is not totally evil? Maybe?) in that he wanted Tella to join him for REASONS that I can't go into because SPOILERS sweetie.

I liked that there was so much action & adventure throughout the entire book. There's so twists and turns, and there were a few instances where it did manage to surprise me and keep me on my toes.

But there is one major thing that I most definitely did NOT like. There is some animal cruelty, which is one of my biggest book turn offs. I get that it was used as a plot device to show just how evil some of the Contenders are, but yeah, I was so not a fan. Even more so when it was a mandated act as part of the Brimstone Bleed. Not cool at all. 

But other than that, I really did enjoy this book. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series. I'd recommend it to people who like survival stories, and who don't mind conflict, adventure, and people being dirty. :)

Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

Book: Pawn by Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1

Released: November 26, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 304 (Kindle)

Rating: 5+

Goodreads 

*Pets the pretty cover*

From Goodreads:

YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

 Yeah, so this book. I love it. It's one I'll be reading again. I know a lot of people are dystopia-d out, but I am not. Honestly, it's one of my favorite things to read. I love entering a world different than our own, in any way shape or form (including space!). 

To be honest, there wasn't really anything I didn't enjoy about this book. There were so many unexpected twists and turns, which kept the story fresh and interesting. While it didn't reinvent the dystopain genre, it still felt new to me.

The story takes place in Washington DC. There is a caste system with numbers (much like in The Selection by Kiera Cass), and students are given a test when they turn 17 (much like Divergent), but that's where the similarities end, at least for those two books. Based upon your test score, you are then sorted into a class, with 1 being the worst, and 7 (only reserved for the Hart family who rules) the highest. 

Kitty Doe, an orphan abandoned by her parents because they could only keep one child (hence the last name Doe), takes her test, and receives a 3. And is assigned to do really crappy work. Literally. But instead of moving to Denver, she decides to become a prostitute. When she decides that's her plan, she leaves behind her boyfriend and the only mother she's ever known. 

On her first night in the brothel, she's purchased for a lot of money. The buyer? None other than the ruler himself, Daxton Hart. Turns out he needs someone to replace his niece Lila, who he, uh, had offed. Kitty's eyes are a perfect match to Lila's, and eyes are the one thing masking can't change. So what would be in it for Kitty other than not dying? Well her 3 will turn in to a 7. Her life will be perfect. She just has to do everything Daxton and his diabolical mother Augusta tell her to do. Which includes putting down the rebellion Lila was supporting. And marrying Knox, Lila's fiance. Sounds like a delightful family, yes?

This family is a hot mess. So much deception. So much backstabbing. SO many great plot points. I honestly couldn't keep track of who was screwing over who. There were so many twists, turns and unexpected happenings to keep me on my toes.

Plotting. Evil plotting.

Also, Elsewhere. ELSEWHERE. Holy crap guys. There's no way to describe what happens there. You'll just have to read it for yourself.

The characters in this story are so fantastically complex. Just when you think you have someone figured out, they go and do something that blows you out of the water and changes your opinion. This happens again and again and again. Kitty is a wonderful heroine. She's smart (despite what her test score showed), strong, intuitive, cunning and just all around awesome. Definitely a great character to build your story around. So much depends on her, and she doesn't disappoint. The supporting cast of characters doesn't let you down either. Benjy is a devoted boyfriend, who is also super intelligent. I wish there had been more development for his character, but I'm hoping it'll happen in the rest of the series. Knox, Celia, Daxton, and the real Lila are all equally fascinating in their own right. Each person has their own motivations, and it's a difficult task to decide who you really want to come out on top. 

And can I just talk about Augusta for a minute? The matriarch of the family is crazy diabolical you guys. What a great villain. She is unpredictable and that makes her super scary. 

I totally pictured Ursula in my head.

There are so many revelations throughout the book I couldn't even keep track of all of them. But WOW. Carter does a great job of making each twist mean something. They are all there for a reason, and they work. Oh how they work.

SO... yeah. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. It's wonderfully grim, gritty, and complex.

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Book: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Series: Shatter Me #3

Released: February 4, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 352 (Kindle)

Rating: 5++ {So much flailing}

Goodreads

From Goodreads:

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

As with all books in a series, while I won't give any spoilers for this book, plots points from the first two books will be mentioned in passing. You've been warned. And if for some reason you haven't heard of these books, let alone read them, go now and get them. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Okay. Now that I got that out of the way. YOU GUYS. THIS BOOK. It was everything I wanted it to be. I don't even think I'll be as coherent as usual during this review. I'm that worked up over this book.

I'm STILL in a glass case of emotion

As I mentioned in my review for Into the Still Blue, I have been a little weary of series enders ever since I read Allegiant. I am most happy to say this did not disappoint. Not even a little bit. I loved every. single. minute. of it. So much so that I started reading it at approximately midnight last night, and stayed up until 2:30 to finish it (yes, I read that fast). 

The story picks up right where Unravel Me left off. I love when books do this. I am not a fan of gaps between stories. I get enough of that on TV (*side-eyes Sherlock*). I want to know everything that happens. Luckily for me, Mafi delivers. 

I love being inside Juliette's head. Girl is fascinating. She has so many different thoughts running through her head at one time. One of my favorite things about this series, is that through Mafi's unique writing style, you can really see the growth in Juliette as a person. She started off as completely broken and basically came across as insane in Shatter Me. By the end of Ignite Me, she is a completely different, and amazing, person. I loved seeing her change and develop throughout the series. She really comes in to her own, and develops and OWNS her strength. Just like I'd been wanting her to do.

Speaking of character growth and changes, can I just take a minute to discuss Warner? *sigh* I was pretty much Team Warner, even in Shatter Me. I ensconced myself firmly in his camp after reading Destroy Me. Unravel Me kept me there, and Fracture Me just made me really dislike Adam. So yeah, I've always been a fan of Warner. He is such a complex character, and I was more than happy to get to know him even more through the course of Ignite Me. Also, this happens:

And I'm jealous of the size of his closet.

Oh. And Chapter 55. Better than Chapter 62 from Shatter Me. Hot.

One of the biggest questions for the end of the series was who Juliette would end up with. While I won't say whether I was happy or not (thus giving away who she picks), I was at least glad, as Juliette puts it, she wasn't with anyone "by default."

Also making an appearance? Our boy Kenji. If she ever decides to continue this series, or do companion novels, or basically anything, I hope Kenji gets to be the focus. I love his character so much. And his friendship with Juliette is absolutely fantastic. It reminds me so much of the friendship between Roar and Aria from the Under the Never Sky series. Right down the the quips and nicknames. I actually laughed out loud a couple of times, I enjoyed them together so much. I love how they are always there for each other, willing to back the other up, and also willing to tell the other when they're being an idiot. Seeing healthy relationships and friendships make me happy.

Plus there's lots of great James moments. I love that kid. His interactions with Warner are priceless.

I will say there is not a lot of action in this book. At all. It's mostly build up and relationships building between characters, which is totally fine by me. The action that you're expecting, honestly doesn't even happen until you're 90% of the way through the book. Then BAM! It's there. And it goes fast. And then.

THEN it's over. I was so ridiculously sad to finish this book. I didn't want it to end. I felt like there could be so much more to this story. I hope one day Tahereh Mafi will want to revisit this world. I love these characters so much (except for maybe Adam...).

There's so much more I could say. And want to say. But really, I just want you all to read these books. They're so wonderful and I love them. I hope you will too.

Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Book: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Series: Under the Never Sky #3

Released: January 28, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 400 (Kindle)

Rating: 5+

 

Goodreads 

 

 

From Goodreads:

The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

 

First and foremost, if you have not read the first two book in this series, Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night, you should get thee to a bookstore, Amazon, or wherever you like to buy books right now and buy this series. As with all books in series, there will be mentions of plot points from the first two books. 

 

You tell 'em Snape.

So up until a few months ago, I had never been worried about how some of my favorite series would end. Was I totally happy with Mockingjay? Eh, not so much, but it was still good. I loved the end to The Bitter Kingdom. But all of my dreams of HEA were shattered, SHATTERED I TELL YOU, when I read Allegiant (my review of which is here). Since then I've been so much more cautious and let's just say scared, to read series enders. I was much more optimistic when early reviews started coming in and some of my favorite reviewers said good things about this book. I am thrilled to say that Ms. Rossi most definitely did not disappoint.

 

On to the review. 

 

The story picks up 4 days after Through the Ever Night Leaves Off. Aria is suffering from being shot. Perry is trying to figure out how to save the Tides, Roar is shrouded in grief, the Dwellers are sick, and poor Cinder is still captured by Hess and Sable (who is so SO incredibly evil). Basically everyone needs to find the Still Blue. The aether is now almost constant, and has turned red-something that last happened before the Pods were created. 

One of the best things about this book was all of the action. I loved every minute of it. Our heroes are under constant threats from all different directions. They're facing the aether storms, Hess, Sable, discord between the Tides and the Dwellers. It never stops. Even when you *think* they are going to get a reprieve, something else pops up.

But mixed in with all of that action there are some wonderfully swoon-worthy moments between Perry and Aria. What I love so much about their relationship in this book in particular is how much they open up and actually TALK to each other. Communication people. It works! But my favorite moments from the entire book is when they are discussing how Perry doesn't have a nickname for her (while Roar, on the other hand has TONS for her).

Seriously. How DO you find a nickname to encompass all of that?

Another one of my favorite aspects of this series has always been the friendships. Aria and Roar have to been one of my favorite book-friendships EVER. I love those two together. They fully understand one another in a completely platonic relationship. They maintain that close connection throughout the turmoil that has occurred (and does occur) during this series. While Aria and Roar maintain their friendship, Roar and Perry are definitely at odds during this book. It hurt my feels to see these two former best friends hardly even tolerate one another.

There were definitely a few surprising characters this go round. Soren quickly became one of my favorite people in this book. He's snarky, intelligent and damaged. I enjoyed his developing friendship with the Tides. Which leads me to Brooke. I couldn't stand her in the first two books, but she definitely came into her own in this book. And then there's Sable. Dude is every villain you've ever read about and wanted to throttle rolled all in to one. We only got a small glimpse of his evilness in Through the Ever Night when he killed Liv. He takes it to a whole other level in Into the Still Blue. 

I'm not really going to go into the plot points, because you really just need to read this for yourself. There's so much that happens and I think it's best read if you have no idea what you're getting into. Just know that it's full of awesomeness.

 

One last thing that I thoroughly enjoyed about this book: it's realistic (within the realm of this world anyway!). There are lots of schemes. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. I appreciated that Rossi didn't make everything easy for them just because they're our heroes.  

 

I love these characters. I didn't want them to go away. EVER. I didn't want this series to end. I'd be more than happy to continue living in this world-maybe some more stories involving Roar perhaps?

I'll leave you with my favorite quote from the story:

Smart girl, Aria.

Review: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Book: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Series: The Internment Chronicles #1

Released: October 1, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pages: 369 (Kindle)

Rating:4.5

Goodreads

From Goodreads:
On the floating city of Internment, you can be anything you dream, unless you approach the edge. Morgan Stockhour knows getting too close can lead to madness, like her older brother Len, a Jumper. She takes solace in her best friend Pen, and in Basil, the boy she’s engaged to marry. When she investigates the first murder in a generation, she meets Judas. The suspect was betrothed to the victim, but Morgan believes he is innocent. Nothing can prepare Morgan for the secrets she will find – or whom she will lose.

Quick Summary: First I was like ugh, then I was like what? Then I was like Huh? And finally I was like Nooooo. Or this (No major spoilers, but  there are a couple of comments that discuss parts of the book):

I really didn't know a whole lot about this book other than what the synopsis told me, plus that it had great reviews from some of the bloggers I trust. It definitely did not disappoint. While it had a couple minor things I didn't like (which I'll address in a minute), overall I really loved it. 

The world-building DeStefano does is great. The world she creates on the floating island (I guess? I don't really know what else to call it) of Internment is wonderfully deep and complex, but it never felt too complicated and was still easy to understand. The entire city could be circled by a train in 2 hours, so it's small or "roughly the size of the king's fist." Which yeah, it's ruled by a king who is a little crazy. 

So quickly to the parts I didn't enjoy as much. In order to control the population the king has done a few things I HATE. (1) Citizens are only given a certain amount of time to live, roughly 80 years. And (2) People basically have to sign up to have kids YEARS in advance-and here's the part I really hated, I mean, really, really hated: if they get pregnant without permission they are forced to have a "procedure" to abort the baby. HATE HATE HATE. Did I get my point across on that one?

We hates it. Much like Gollum hates the nasty hobbitses

The other thing I didn't enjoy as much was the main character, Morgan. She fell a little flat for me, at least for the majority of the book. She was just kinda blah. I did like her best friend Pen, the mysterious Amy, and her brother Lex, as well as Lex's wife Alice. Lex, in particular, I wanted to learn more about. 

While some people aren't fans of the fact that people are betrothed from birth, I didn't have a problem with it. Especially since Morgan and Basil legitimately liked each other. It seems like they made the best of the situation, and I appreciated that. The concept actually worked for me. 

I also wasn't sure what Morgan's relationship with Judas was supposed to be... just friends? Or is it supposed to be a love-triangle thing that never really developed? Not sure, but it did just seem like they were just going to be friends.

On to more things I loved. There is mystery around the murder and we get to unravel it along with the characters. Which I totally dig, as I love to speculate and make wild theories about what things are happening (why I loved Lost, you guys, so much). 

The characters get more complex as the story goes on. They develop more and become much more complicated and show growth. Always the sign of a good book. Even Morgan who was rather bland at the start becomes rather fabulous by the end. Growth people!

So to sum up, while the first 200 pages or so were kinda slow (but not unbearably so, at least for me), the book really picks up the last 150-ish pages. So much action and THINGS happen. THINGS that I liked. THINGS that made the book and the characters so much more interesting. And sadly, THINGS that I can't talk about because they'd be too spoilery. So you'll just have to read it yourself. :)

BUT THE ENDING IS AMAZING AND CLIFF-HANGERY. AND I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW.

Do you hear that DeStefano?! NOWWWWWWW!

Review: The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu

Books: Legend, Prodigy and Champion by Marie Lu

Series: The Legend Trilogy (obviously)

Released: November 29, 2011; January 29, 2013; and November 5, 2013, respectively

Publisher: Putnam Juvenille

Pages: 320 Hardcover (Legend), 371 Hardcover (Prodigy), 384 Hardcover (Champion)

Rating: Whoa. Wow. Like. Love. Give Me More. Basically 5+ Stars

Goodreads (Marie Lu's Profile)

Individual titles will be linked below

 

 

 

 I know I gush over books a lot. It's one of my favorite past times. I can't resist telling friends (and occasional strangers) about my favorite books. This series is most definitely being added to my suggest to friends and make them all read it list. It's a thing. I promise. I am desperately trying to figure out why I took so long to read this series (Other than the fact I found out about it in October of last year). I binge-read this series. Or did the best I could considering I have an extremely active 3 1/2 year old.

Since I read all three together, I'm just going to review them together, instead of posting separate reviews for each one. I'll just be giving some highlights from each book, because a lot of the details run together and I don't want to inadvertently spoil it for anyone.

 

 

Legend:  

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

 

 

 Series would never happen if the first book wasn't fantastic. I was hooked from the very beginning of this book. The world building in this series is absolutely amazing (See Ross City in Champion). The balance between action and character development is stunning. Lu does such a fantastic job making you invested in the main characters (not to mention a few of the secondary ones as well). 

Book 1 Highlights:

About 15% in, Lu surprises you with the first major event happening-the murder of June's brother Metias (not a spoiler-it's in the synopsis. NOT THAT I KNEW THAT WHEN I STARTED READING IT. I was totally caught off guard, especially based on the circumstances of his death). 

June going under cover was maybe my favorite part of this book. I loved it. And her.

The developing relationship between Day and June. Love. Hate. Love. Complicated.

Big surprising thing that happens? Saw it coming. I'm awesome.

 

 The ending of Legend is magnificent. I am actually thankful I binge-read this series. I don't know if I could have waited to find out what happened next.

I'm with Hermione

 

Prodigy:

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

 

Occasionally second books, like second movies, have a slump. I was happy to discover this was not the case for Prodigy. While I didn't absolutely LOVE it as much as I loved Legend (and then Champion), it was still great.

 

Book 2 Highlights:

 

My hometown (Amarillo) is mentioned. This makes me furiously happy.

 

The "love-quadrangle" between Day-June-Anden-Tess starts. I'm not okay with this. 

 

I totally like Anden. He seems like a great guy with a huge weight on his shoulders. Not the same kind of Elector as his father was.

 

THE ENDING. This is what I posted on Goodreads:

Read in to that what you will. And be prepared.

Twists, turns, who to trust? That seems to be the main focus of this book. I dig it.

The rare Sherlock confused face. It doesn't happen often.

 

 

Champion: 

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion

 

 

AHHHH. This is what the final book in the trilogy should be like (side-eyes Allegiant). There were so many things I enjoyed about Champion.

 

Book 3 Highlights:

Ross City in Antarctica is a place I would love to visit. I was extremely curious to learn more about the point system. It actually reminded me of the Sims. It would be a fascinating experience for sure.

 

The "love-quadrangle." While I firmly rooted for Day and June's relationship to make it through the ups and downs, twists and turns, I was also super interested in June's relationship with Anden. While I didn't necessarily want them to date, I did enjoy their relationship. They matched in a different way than June and Day. Now the relationship between Day and Tess? I could not get on board with Tess. I never really liked her after the first book. I suppose I liked her slightly more at the end of the series, but that's about all I can say.

Eden. I love that little boy. He's such a bright spot in an otherwise dreary world. You want him to be happy. And safe.

 

Suck it Commander Jameson.

The end. It reminded me of the series finale of Chuck. Which may or may not be a spoiler. Haha.

Sigh. I want a Chuck movie. Someone get on kickstarter.

 This is one of the better series I've read. If you're a fan of The Hunger Games and The Divergent Trilogy, then I think you'd love this series.

Review & Discussion: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Book: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Series: Divergent #3

Released: October 29, 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books

Pages: 526 pages (Hardcover)

Rating: 2.5 of 5

Goodreads

This is the 3rd book in a series. If you have not read Divergent and Insurgent, then you may want to come back after you've read them.

From Goodreads: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Where to start... I have LOTS of thoughts on this book, most of which involve spoilers. I'll get to those in a minute, but for now I'll start with the things I can discuss without giving anything away for those that haven't read it yet. I'll also mention here that I absolutely ADORED the first two books. I mean, seriously loved them and recommended them to everyone.

I pre-ordered the book so when it was delivered to my kindle early that morning I couldn't wait to read it. (In fact, I read it in one day, I was so excited about it).

Me, when Allegiant appeared in my kindle library

This book picks up almost directly where Insurgent leaves off. I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of time set between the books that needed a lot of explanation. It's pretty straight forward. All the main (and most of the secondary) characters are there, no one is missing from the action. I actually really enjoyed the beginning of the book. But once they get outside of the fence is when the whole thing started to fall apart to me. I don't really know what else to say here that won't give anything away. So if you haven't read this book yet, now would be the time to stop reading. For those that have, continue on.



*****SPOILERS BELOW*****DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THIS BOOK*****

***SERIOUSLY. DON'T READ ANY MORE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY READ THIS BOOK***

****I'M NOT KIDDING. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO REMAIN UNSPOILED****

Okay then. Here it goes. I'll start with the 3 nice things I liked about the book.

A) Tris and Tobias actually talk to each other. He tells her about the secret meeting, which I didn't expect him to do. I really figured he'd do what he always does and keep it from Tris. Tris leaves the message with Caleb before she dies, at least she was considerate when leaving him. They definitely showed some growth at least in that aspect.

B) the epilogue-even though I didn't agree with the ending. I'm glad Tobias faced his fears-particularly his fear of heights when he went zip-lining off the building.

C) good or bad, this book made me feel something. I didn't quite lose it when Tris died. But when Tobias found out? I cried. A Lot. I don't often cry at books, so well done by Ms. Roth for moving me to tears. Great writing in that scene in particular.

And now for the things I didn't like about the book:

1. Let me start by saying I didn't hate the ending. I get it. Roth was going for the shock factor (I guess?) and she got it. I understand why she killed Tris. But to survive the death serum an then to get shot? Seemed a little ridiculous. To further make this point: I read this on BookRiot and it summed up exactly why I didn't like HOW she died: Think about Lord of the Rings. What if Frodo makes it past Shelob, gets caught by the orcs, rescued by Sam, makes it to Mount Doom, changes his mind about giving up the ring, survives the attack from Gollum, only to get shot and killed by an arrow from an Orc? Really?? That's how your hero dies? Not okay. Dies sacrificing himself to get rid of the ring-totally fine. Arrow from an orc-sucks. It wasn't that Tris died, it was the HOW, at least for me.

Plus I feel Caleb needed the redemption. I would have much rather seen the aftermath of her decision to let him go and how it may alter future relationships (including the one with Tobias).

2. The entire resolution between Evelyn and Tobias was a major WTF moment. She makes decisions throughout the other books where she leaves her son, uses him for her own means, etc. and then all of the sudden he's gives this ultimatum and she takes it! Huh?!? Where in her character from the previous books was that ever shown?!? I don't get it. But I guess it was a way to resolve the issue with the Allegiant.

Me, after Evelyn agreeing to Tobias' plan

3. The entire GD and GP plot. that was something that needed to be introduced in the final book? I also didn't really like that that was what being divergent was. I expected more. All being divergent was, was basically being normal? Okaaaaay then. Way to build something up for 2 books only for it to basically become a non-entity.

4. Tobias. He ended up joining a revolution without really knowing the entire reason. For someone who always looked out for himself (and Tris) he certainly followed Nita blindly. His entire character became convoluted and his personality seemed to change a lot during this last book. He has always been one of my favorite book boys based on the first two books, but after this one, not so much.

5. I felt the whole world that Roth built inside the fence was completely disregarded in the final book. It was hardly even mentioned. Once they leave (which was WAY too easy, even though Tori died. Evelyn sends no one after them? Really?!) it's hardly mentioned. It was weird.

6. The secondary characters. People that we'd come to know seemed ignored. Uriah is hardly mentioned until he's put in a coma. Tori is shot really quickly and just left. It just felt so "off" from why happened in the first 2 books, with minor characters being developed.

7. The whole Bureau/Government stuff. If they'd previously helped removed a few divergent people, when why let them try to mass-kill all of them? And if Tris' mom knew Tris was divergent and in danger-then why didn't she try to get Tris out? None of the Bureau and government issues felt fully fleshed out to me.

8. Dual points of view. While it was interesting to read both sides, their "voices" often sounded the same and blended together. A few times I had to go back to the start to the chapter to see who was narrating.

9. The pacing. The first half felt off. I felt not enough time was given to the trials of traitors, forming of the Allegiant, and then their escape. It went super fast. And then once they got outside the fence I felt it dragged on. So slow. Had to remind myself to keep reading on a few occasions. And then once the action started it definitely picked up and held its pace until the end.

10. The Allegiant. Based on the fact that the book is named "Allegiant," I expected more out of the group. Other than helping Tris, Tobias and the other escape, and apparently fighting against Evelyn (even though we don't really read anything about it...), that's all they are there for. I just think it was a strange title for the book. Something like "Resurgent" would've been better, but oh well.

Me, upon finishing the series

Sidenote: I heart David Tennant. So glad he was on my TV Saturday for the Doctor Who 50th

So basically, I was hugely disappointed with this book. I expected a lot more. I know that Roth doesn't necessarily owe the readers anything, but after the amazing job she did in the first two books, this is not at all what I wanted for the end of this series. There just seemed to be such a huge disconnect between the first two and this one. It almost felt like a different author wrote Allegiant. I'd be curious to know what you all think, so leave me a comment and let me know!