Book Review: Taken by Erin Bowman

Title:  Taken
Author:  Erin Bowman
Genre: YA dystopian
Series:  Taken #1
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Pages:  360, hardcover
Acquired via:  BEA 2013

Rating:   

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.  They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.
Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

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I really, really wanted to love Taken.  There had been so much hype surrounding it before it actually came out, and then when I got it at BEA, I was so psyched to finally read it.  I didn't actually end up reading it until December, and I'm sorry to say I just didn't love it.

That doesn't mean I hated it.  It had a great premise.  I thought the characters were well-developed, and the descriptions of the settings were beautiful and realistic.  And it was a fast-paced, action-filled read.  Overall though, it was just okay.

One of my big problems with this book was the melodrama.  It felt like every two seconds something new and big was happening to Gray, each one more dramatic and shocking than the last.  The whole book came across as very soap-opera-ish.  And then there was Gray himself.  He's a stubborn, reckless jerk most of the time.  It was kind of hard to sympathize with him.

But worst of all was the stupid romance.  I don't mind love triangles, when they're written well.  The one in this book (sorry if this is a spoiler) just stinks.  First of all, the original girl Gray's into, Emma, is really not that great.  I couldn't understand why he was so into her.  They get separated, and the first girl Gray meets afterwards, he's suddenly totally lusting over while still adamantly saying he's in love with Emma.  I mean, I like the second girl better, but the way everything comes together in the end seemed ridiculous.

I may still pick up the second book because I honestly liked some of the secondary characters way more than Gray, but it won't be a disappointment if I don't.

A Week at the Movies

So this past week I saw three movies, and loved 2 out of 3.  All three movies I saw - Frozen, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - are all based on books/stories, but each one handled the retelling of book-to-movie very differently.

Let's start with Frozen.  I love this movie so much that I've already seen it twice in the theater, with only a week between each showing.  It's a funny and sweet adventure with great songs and lots of laughs.  I just felt so good after seeing this movie because it's such a happy and fun story.  It was even better seeing it the second time, because it was great listening to other people enjoying the movie or getting surprised by the plot twists.

Of course, the story it's inspired by - The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson - is nowhere near as happy as this adaptation.  But honestly, no one ever expects Disney to stick to the original fairy tales.  Their movies would be a whole lot darker if they did.  And we wouldn't come away with awesome songs like "Fixer Upper" and "In Summer."

The next movie I saw was The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  This was such a great movie.  It's got romance and action and adventure and intrigue.  The script and the acting are both really good.  And the new characters are great additions to the story.  I originally didn't think I'd like Sam Claflin in the role of Finnick, but he was perfect.  Second movies in a trilogy/series can suffer sometimes, because it feels like a filler or stepping stone, but this one was just as good as the first movie.

And as for how well it stuck to the book... these Hunger Games movies are the perfect example of how to adapt a book into a movie.  The plot stays close to the book, and the changes made are minor.  Most of the changes were made for the sake of time, and I believe that since Suzanne Collins is involved with the making of the movies that she's helped keep the movies on track with her books.  I left the theater excited for the next movie and satisfied with how well the movie did justice to the book.

Which leaves us with the last movie I saw and the one I did not love - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  Let me start with what I did like, because that's a considerably shorter list.  Smaug was amazing.  He's the absolute best part of the whole movie.  Also the part where Gandalf leaves to face the Necromancer is really cool as well.  And that's it for what I liked.  Even my fan-girl love for Richard Armitage and Lee Pace could not make me love this movie.

Now I saw this movie with my brother and sister who each had different reactions to the movie.  My sister who hasn't read the book and doesn't really care about changes from book to movie did not like the movie.  She thought it just wasn't a well-made movie.  One of the biggest problems (that bothered my brother too) is the 3D effects issue.  When you see a movie that has a 3D version, you always hope that there aren't going to be a lot of 3D gimmicks that don't work when seen in 2D.  The Hobbit: DoS has plenty.  I mean, they're not gimmicky per say, like bouncy balls flying at your face (bad call, Journey to the Center of the Earth), but there were lots of moments in fight scenes (especially the scene with the spiders) where it was obvious that stuff was supposed to be popping out at our faces.  Which looks stupid when you're watching it in 2D.

Another big problem is that there just isn't enough to fill a whole three movies so this movie felt like it had a lot of filler.  The battles went on forever; whenever you thought they were over, they'd just keep going.  They jumped from one thing to another in such rapid succession, and it was so overly melodramatic.  I think the biggest problem is that they're just trying to get from the first movie (which set the stage) to the third movie (which has all the big final battles) so this movie is simply a stepping stone, and like most middle books & movies, suffers for it.

And then there were my pet peeves - the huge major changes and additions to the story.  I seriously tried to separate this movie from the book, to tell myself not to compare the two, but I have such an emotional attachment to that story that it just killed me watching how they mangled everything.  I don't want to give anything away, in case you still haven't seen it and want to, but there were just so many differences, so many drastic changes that I wondered if I was even watching The Hobbit anymore.

So that was my past week at the movies.  Feel free to comment if you agree or disagree with anything.  I know plenty of people who would completely disagree with me about some things, and plenty of others that share my opinions.  I'd love to hear where you stand.

Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title:  Under the Never Sky
Author:  Veronica Rossi
Series:  Under the Never Sky #1
Genre:  YA dystopian romance
Pages:  376

Rating:  A+

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent energy storms will. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must come together to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

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Goosebumps.  That's what this book gave me - goosebumps.  I was swept into this beautiful romance that I never wanted to end.  And when it was over...

Yeah, that picture pretty much sums up how I felt when I finished Under the Never Sky.

The book is primarily a romance in a sci-fi/dystopian setting.  I mean, the post-apocalyptic storyline was interesting and well-written/developed, but the real center of this book is the relationship that develops between Aria and Perry.  At least that's how it felt to me, and I loved it.

Aria and Perry are great primary characters.  Their strengths and weaknesses work together to make them real, relatable, flawed characters.  The story is told from both their perspectives, so we get to see each of their personalities develop throughout the book, fleshing them out into characters with depth.  Their growth from enemies to allies to friends to lovers is slow and believable.  No ridiculous insta-love here.  Their romance is beautiful.  And for all those people arguing between Perry and his best friend Roar... please.  Perry is by far the more interesting and smexy of the two.  Don't misunderstand me - I do think Roar is awesome too.  But I'm Team Perry all the way.  Roar has a lighter, fun personality, and he's handsome in a conventional way.  But Perry is just so intense, so passionate, and he's rugged and strong.  Yeah, I'm definitely all about Perry.  :)

I love how Rossi handled the world-building throughout the novel.  Instead of spending chapters explaining the ins and outs of her post-apocalyptic Earth, she builds it during the story.  She uses the action and the characters to introduce each aspect of her world, developing it a little at a time until you got the big picture.  This was perfect, because it kept the book from getting bogged down with long-winded descriptions.  The book stayed fast-paced, but I never felt like I was missing something, like I needed something better explained.

I kept putting off reading Under the Never Sky because I kept hearing how good it was, and I was "saving the best for last".  I'm so glad I didn't keep waiting to read it.  It was exactly the kind of book I needed - satisfying, beautiful, and no cliffhangers.  I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book, Through the Ever Night (which I got autographed at BEA).  It's sitting on my desk, waiting for me to finish my library books so I can see what happens to Aria and Perry next.  A+

Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title:  Insurgent
Author:  Veronica Roth
Series:  Divergent #2
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  525

Rating:  A+

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  One choice can transform you, or destroy you. Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

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OMG!  I just finished this ten minutes ago and loved it!  I just had to write my review immediately (even though I have other reviews and posts I should be doing).

Insurgent is the second book of the Divergent trilogy, and it is a really awesome middle book.  Tris and Four are still one of my favorite book couples, despite the tension in their relationship.  I feel like both of them have even more character development in this book.  They have so much more depth in their emotions and personalities.  Of course their relationship goes through some stress and strain, but what relationship doesn't?  The secondary characters didn't get as much attention as they did in the first book, but I think that was because this book had so much more action and a faster pace.

I definitely enjoyed the fast pace of this book.  There wasn't ever a time to take a breath.  I was just on the edge the whole time, needing to see what happened on the next page.  Which is really good for a trilogy's middle book.  So often that second book is just kind of... blah.  But I did not feel that way at all this time.  The story was so exciting and action-driven.

Besides having great characters and a lot of action, Insurgent is full of unexpected twists that I never saw coming.  Sometimes books will have one or two big twists to throw off the readers, but this book had quite a few more, and every time one would come up, it would just suck me into the story more.  And the ending was the biggest twist of all.  As soon as I finished the book, I literally ran out of the room to find someone to tell how much that ending threw me.

Insurgent is a great book, and I'm so mad that the copy I read is a library book because that means I have to return it.  I'm now anxiously waiting for October, when the final book, Allegiant, is released.  A+

Book Review: Once by Anna Carey

Title:  Once
Author:  Anna Carey
Series:  Eve #2
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  354

Rating:  A-

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  In the second book of this thrilling dystopian adventure, Eve will come face to face with the king who has been ruthlessly hunting her and learn the shocking truth about who she really is.

Having managed to evade the soldiers hunting her, Eve finally reached Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the King of New America. However, Eve's freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems she sets out once again in the hopes of being with Caleb only to fall into a trap that sends her to the City of Sand and directly into the hands of the King. 

Once at the stronghold of the King, Eve will uncover the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb inside the city walls, Eve will risk everything to be with him.

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Once is an emotionally draining book.  It's riveting and romantic, but the ending is just so heartbreaking.  As soon as I finished reading it, I just wanted to read something lighthearted and fun.

Eve is a much stronger character in Once.  I like how her character has progressed from a naive and bossy know-it-all to a strong, confident, and compassionate heroine.  And if you didn't fall in love with Caleb in the first book, you definitely will now.  He's such a great love interest; his idealism, his convictions, and his passion all contribute to his growth as a character.  Eve and Caleb's relationship is passionate and intense, making the ending (which I won't spoil) all the more emotional.

The story itself is interesting, especially since it continues to build the world Carey created.  Besides the school and the wild, the book also shows what life is like in Califia and the City of Sand.  There are new characters too - Charles, Clara, the King - and each added something new to the story.  The king presents a very conflicted character.  Part of me hates him for all of the things he's done to re-establish New America, but another part of me sees how much he struggles with his position, his actions, and his place with Eve.  And you can see how Eve feels the same way about him.

Once is a great second book to a trilogy.  It has its own unique storyline, introduces some new and interesting characters, and provides non-stop action that kept me glued to the book.  Just be ready for an ending that will break your heart and leave you feeling drained.  A-

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title:  Scarlet
Author:  Marissa Meyer
Series:  Lunar Chronicles #2
Genre:  YA dystopian/Fairy-tale retelling
Pages:  452

Rating:  A+

Synopsis (goodreads.com):  The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...  Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

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Aaaa!!  I don't know even know where to begin!  Scarlet is a phenomenal book; I only put it down once and that was only because it was my dad's birthday.  I really enjoyed the first book of the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder, but I think Scarlet is so much better.  That could be primarily due to the addition of Wolf, and I'm not ashamed to admit that, but there was just so much more action and drama and romance and everything!  I just feel the need to gush about this book.

The action is fast-paced and almost non-stop in Scarlet.  I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  And I never felt like the story got jumbled or confusing, even though there were several new characters' storylines being interwoven with the original characters'.  The introduction of new people was one of my favorite parts of the book.  Cinder and Kai are both great characters, but Scarlet and Wolf added a lot more depth and layers to the story.  And "Captain" Thorne provided some much-needed humor to break the tension in this gripping book.  I especially enjoyed the way each person's unique personality and background worked and blended together, or even better, the way they sometimes clashed.

If only last week's Top Ten Tuesday topic (favorite fictional crushes) had been for this week instead.  I would totally have bent the rules and added an eleventh entry for Wolf.  Loves him!  Another blogger mentioned that his personality reminded her a little of Wolf from The 10th Kingdom, and I definitely see where she got that.  They share so many character traits, but Wolf (from Scarlet) is so much more intense.

Overall, I think Scarlet is an incredible sequel.  I loved how it used the Red Riding Hood fairy-tale with Scarlet's red hoodie and her grandmother being missing.  And the continuation of Cinder and Kai's story was also really interesting too, although I preferred Scarlet and Wolf's.  I also loved that the book left me breathless at points from all of the excitement and danger.  Any time a book grips me like this, where I don't want to put it down unless I absolutely have to, it's a success in my eyes.  If the rest of the series is like Scarlet, then the Lunar Chronicles will be one of my favorite series ever.  A+

Book Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Title:  Eve
Author:  Anna Carey
Series:  Eve #1
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  336

Rating:  A+

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her. 

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

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So much love!  I absolutely loved Eve.  I've been seeing it all over other people's blogs and decided to check it out, and I'm so glad I did.  It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic.  I couldn't put it down.

The characters and storyline are fantastic.  I was a little concerned at first because Eve starts out kind of bossy, but fortunately she grows out of that and lost some of her annoying traits.  I ended up really liking her as a heroine and main character by the end of the book.  Her naive outlook on life and the world led to some amusing conversations and situations too.  Her friend Arden also starts out as an annoying character, for entirely different reasons, but ends up being a really cool secondary character.

The romance is beautiful.  Caleb is the perfect match for Eve.  He's just amazing in general.  His strength of character, his quiet helpfulness, and his selflessness make him such an incredible love interest.  I love him and Eve together.  And Eve's thoughts as she reconciles her feelings for Caleb with what she was taught in school (they're taught to fear men and emotional attachments to them) are both hilarious and endearing.

Carey's dystopian America and plot are gritty and believable.  One of the coolest aspects of the book is when the characters interact with something that's an ordinary part of our lives now but to them is something new and exciting or completely unheard of.  The references to books, movies, and locations help the realism of the story.  I really enjoyed the interesting twists in the book as well.  There were some things that I definitely didn't expect to happen.  And that ending is gut-wrenching.  I just wanted to cry.  I think that's one of the things most of these dystopian authors have been doing really well.  They've been writing some of the most heartbreaking, stomach-twisting endings lately.

Eve is a great start to a series with a fast-paced story, a sweet romance, and a great cliffhanger ending.  As soon as I finished it, I ordered the next book, Once.  And the third and final book of the trilogy, Rise, just came out last Tuesday, so I'm psyched to see what's ahead for Eve, Caleb, and New America.  A+

Book Review: Pure by Julianna Baggott

Title:  Pure

Author:  Julianna Baggott

Series:  Pure trilogy #1

Genre:  Dystopian

Pages:  431

Rating:  C-

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

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I really wanted to like this book more than I did.  It had an interesting (if not original) concept, an exciting plot, and pretty good characters.  But it was just too... icky.  There were several moments/descriptions throughout the book that made my stomach do somersaults.  I actually had to force myself to finish the book, skimming over the gross stuff as much as possible.  It's making me sick just thinking about it now.

The story takes place in post-Apocalyptic America, where the privileged few that escaped the nuclear radiation are living in the Dome, and the survivors live as wretches outside.  Most of the survivors have fused to the things they were near or holding when the bombs went off, which is where most of the grossness arises.  The descriptions of the human-animal, human-human, or human-object fusings are intense and meant to disturb.  Also, some of the creatures have become very zombie-like, and I already don't like the zombie craze, so that certainly didn't help with my opinion of the book.

Which is a pity because if the ick had just been toned down, I would have loved Pure.  The characters were easy to connect to, and they drew me in to the story.  Pressia is a great main character.  She's an atypical heroine in that she's very honest about her feelings and how much she's tempted by the comforts the "bad guys" provide.  She's not some untouchable creature who doesn't feel the slightest pull towards the opposite side.  She's gruff and independent but also scared out of her wits.  Her love interest, Bradwell, is pretty cool too, if a little stereotypical.  He's the loner conspiracy theorist, living in a basement surrounded by papers proving his theories.  The other main character of the story, Partridge, is a little wooden in the beginning, but his character developed a lot during his adventures.  I actually enjoyed his story more than Pressia's.

Overall, Pure had so much potential, but it lost me with all the creepy imagery.  C-

Book Review: Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien

Title:  Promised
Author:  Caragh M. O'Brien
Series:  Birthmarked trilogy #3
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  304

Rating:  B

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  After defying the ruthless Enclave, surviving the wasteland, and upending the rigid matriarchy of Sylum, Gaia Stone now faces her biggest challenge ever.  She must lead the people of Sylum back to the Enclave and persuade the Protectorat to grant them refuge from the wasteland.  In Gaia's absence, the Enclave has grown more cruel, more desperate to experiment on mothers from outside the wall, and now the stakes of cooperating or rebelling have never been higher.  Is Gaia ready, as a leader, to sacrifice what--or whom--she loves most?

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I was both anticipating and dreading this final book of the Birthmarked trilogy.  Part of me was so excited to see where Leon and Gaia's romance would lead, while another part of me was reluctant to have the series end.  And even though Leon & Gaia's romance is awesome in this book, overall Promised disappointed me.

As soon as I picked up Promised and saw how much thinner it was than the previous two books, I was nervous.  Usually a series' final book is bigger than the previous ones because there's so much to include, so many ends to tie up.  O'Brien's finale seemed so short and choppy and rushed.  The beginning half of the book felt like it was building up to something more dramatic, but then it felt like the author ran out of ideas and threw together an ending.  It was just too abrupt.

The characters, rather than the plot, were the real draw to the story.  Gaia's brother Jack returns, and their other brother "Pyrho" is introduced.  It was really nice seeing them as a family unit.  Gaia frustrated me at times though.  She just made some of the worst decisions, and sometimes she acted like a spoiled little girl.  She seemed to have forgotten how to be a good leader.  Her relationship with Leon was perhaps the one thing that kept me connecting with her.  It was pretty much the only part of the book that I really enjoyed wholeheartedly.  (Mostly because I love Leon!)  But the way the author handled how things ended between Peter and Will and Gaia was such a cop-out.

I also thought that the addition of the "baby factory" plot-line could have provided tons of interesting story ideas, but it fell flat.  The synopsis led me to believe that it was a huge deal to the story, but it was nowhere near as dramatic or as integral to the plot as it originally sounded.

As the final book of a trilogy, Promised should have been way more climactic, with more action, intrigue, and drama.  The only thing it really delivered on was the romance.  And even though I did enjoy reading the book, of the three books in the series, this is my least favorite.  B

Top Ten Tuesday #12

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's topic is top ten characters in X genre.  But which genre to choose?  I'm very sure I can think of way more than 10 characters for fantasy.  And part of me wishes that I read more contemporary YA just because I want to talk about Augustus Waters!  But instead, I'm going to go with my new favorite genre- Dystopian.

Top Ten Characters from the Dystopian genre

1. Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)  -  Team Peeta!  Honestly, he's half the reason I read the trilogy.  Strong, supportive, and sweet, he's the perfect balance to Katniss's hard-edged personality.
2. America Singer (The Selection)  -  I love America because she's straightforward and honest and independent.  She's also very compassionate and thinks of those around her first, even during scary situations.
3. Leon Grey (Birthmarked)  -  I'm so in love with Leon!  He's strong, confident, and sexy, as well as a little rough around the edges.  Plus, he sacrifices his freedom to help Gaia, and then goes through hell just to be with her again.  Super romantic!
4. Gaia Stone (Birthmarked)  -  Gaia is a great character because she's not afraid to stand up for her beliefs or for her family.  At one point, she seems to lose her way for a bit, but she eventually finds herself again and grows more as a character.
5. Four/Tobias Eaton (Divergent)  -  I think I love Tobias for almost all the same reasons that I love Leon, with the added advantage of having sexy knife-throwing skills.
6. Tris Prior (Divergent)  -  At first, I didn't really like Tris, but as her character grew in the book, I started to like her more and more.  You can see both her strength and her vulnerability as she adjusts to a completely new lifestyle.  And she's great for Tobias because she's strong where he's weak, and vice-versa.
7. Day/Daniel Altan Wing (Legend)  -  My main reason for loving Day is his obvious love for his family and friends.  He's willing to go to extreme lengths, practically killing himself in the process, to protect his little brother and his traveling companion.
8. Nick, Cas, Trev, & Sam (Altered)  -  So I really love these characters as a unit, rather than individually (although each one is pretty awesome on his own too).  Each guy has a unique personality and set of skills that they bring to their group, and their differences balance each other out and make them a great team.
9. Ky Markham (Matched)  -  Ky is so intriguing I can't blame Cassia for being drawn to him.  He's sweet, dependable, and completely trustworthy.  He has all the qualities of the boy-next-door with some quiet mysterious thrown in.
10. Guy Montag (Fahrenheit 451)  -  Guy's emotional journey and personal growth make an amazing read.  You can feel his inner conflict as he struggles with the book-burning society he's a part of.

Book Review: Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Title:  Prized
Author:  Caragh M. O'Brien
Series:  Birthmarked trilogy #2
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  400

Rating:  A-

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime.  In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

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Well, I finally did it.  I made myself pick up Prized, the second book of the Birthmarked trilogy, after putting it off forever.  I'm so glad I read it, but now I'm almost done with this trilogy, and I don't want it to be over.

First, the romance!  I'm so head-over-heels in love with Leon!  I don't know how Gaia could have resisted him.  I mean, he crossed a wasteland and endured prison to be with her.  Seriously, Gaia, what more could you want from the man?  In the beginning of the book, I admit Leon wasn't the nicest guy, but I honestly couldn't blame him, since he was just reacting to how Gaia had handled their situation.  And he wasn't too thrilled with the whole love-square going on.  Brothers Will and Peter both want Gaia, and they're both pretty awesome too.  But I'd still pick Leon.

I also thought the new setting/Dystopian society of Sylum was really interesting.  A society ruled by women in a population that's mostly male, that's dying off due to the sheer lack of females.  The hierarchies of this new society were a big contrast from the Enclave of the first book, and those differences created some good storylines and conflict, especially between Gaia and the ruling Matrarc.

One of the things I didn't particularly enjoy in the book was Gaia's wavering on her principles (even if I don't agree with them).  Eventually she figures out how to be strong and to stand up for what she believes in, but not before having the fight kicked out of her for a while.

Now I need to start the final book, Promised, and I'm dreading it, simply because it's the final book.  I'm hoping it's as good as, if not better than, Prized, because I really loved this book.  A-

Book Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title:  Prodigy
Author:  Marie Lu
Series:  Legend #2
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  384

Rating:  A

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.  But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

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Why are these authors doing this to me?  First, it was Aimee Carter's Goddess Interrupted, and now it's Prodigy by Marie Lu.  These authors are killing me with their cliffhangers!

I didn't love this book as much as the first, but I still loved it.  I think the biggest reason I didn't love it quite as much as Legend was because of Tess and Day.  Tess's character in the first book is great; she's sweet and innocent, and you can see how much Day cares about her.  Now that's she's a little older and has been separated from Day for a while, she's grown a little bitter, especially about June.  I just don't like her at all in this book.

Besides that one complaint, I really enjoyed Prodigy.  The plot had plenty of action and some unexpected twists that I didn't see coming.  And of course, I love that the story switches narration between June and Day, each with their own font.  Like the last book, Day's writing matches the cover so this time it's blue, instead of yellow.  And it was really exciting to see more of Lu's dystopian America.  This story took place outside of Los Angeles, so you get to see how other parts of the country have changed.

Honestly, I thought a lot of the material in this book was the kind of stuff you'd find in the final book of a series, not the second.  I'm really intrigued to see where Lu is going to go with the final book, Champion.  Based on the ending, I know a big part of it is going to be about Day & June's relationship.

And about that ending?  Unbelievable.  I don't want to wait a whole year for Champion.  I need to know what's going to happen between Day and June now.  A

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title:  Divergent
Author:  Veronica Roth
Series:  Divergent #1
Genre:  YA dystopian
Pages:  487

Rating:  A+

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten 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 cannot believe it took me this long to finally read Divergent.  This book was so amazing; it is an incredible young-adult dystopian novel that I would place on the same level as The Hunger Games.

I loved the plot and the concept.  The idea of society being split into five factions based on personality preferences was creative, and it got me to thinking - "Where would I end up?"  The five factions are Dauntless (bravery), Amity (love/peacefulness), Abnegation (selflessness), Erudite (knowledge), and Candor (honesty).  When a teenager turns sixteen, they take an aptitude test to discover where the tests say their paths lie.  Someone who has a strong passion for learning would be told they're an Erudite, or someone who's very brave would be a Dauntless.  But the teenagers don't have to follow the test results; they're allowed to choose whichever path they want.  Tris grew up in Abnegation, where she's taught to put others first before herself, but she realizes that she wants to be somewhere else.  And it's when factions transfer that the tensions begin to start.  It definitely makes me wonder where I would be.

The best part of the book is the characters.  The main character, Tris, is believable as a girl struggling to find her place in this factioned society.  When she learns that she's different, a Divergent, she still chooses the path she intended to, but constantly lives in fear of being discovered.  Her fight to be accepted in her new home and to earn her place among her peers is gritty and real.  I was a little nervous at first, because I wasn't sure if I liked Tris in the beginning.  But as her character grew more and more comfortable with her surroundings, I started to like her more.  Her mentor, Four, is a great character as well.  He's strong and hard and proud of being part of the Dauntless faction, but he still holds onto his ideals and his vision of bravery and selflessness.  There are so many secondary characters; my favorites were Uriah, Will, and Christina.  Because there are a lot of characters, I was worried the secondary ones would seem flat, but each one gets enough character development and personality to make them seem as real as Tris and Four.

The romance in this book was awesome, because it wasn't insta-love.  It built slowly and believably over time.  Tris and Four are my new favorite dystopian couple since Katniss and Peeta.  

The setting of dystopian Chicago was brilliant.  I've never been to Chicago, but I really felt like I was there.  I could picture the Sears Tower, or the Hub as they called it, and the surrounding suburbs.  I'm really intrigued to read more about it in the next books since the story takes place in only a few parts of Chicago.

I think that Divergent is one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read.  With great characters, an incredible setting, and an intricate plot, this book was an extremely satisfying read that left me wanting more.  Now I just cannot wait to get the sequel and see what happens to Tris and Four next.  A+

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Title:  Legend
Author:  Marie Lu
Series:  Legend series #1
Genre:  YA Dystopian
Pages:  305

Rating:  A+

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  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.

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So much love for Legend!  From the opening line, "My mother thinks I'm dead" to the last sentence, I didn't want to put this book down.  I actually had to ask my mom to hide the book so that I wouldn't stay up late to finish it.

One of my favorite things was that the story was told by both the main characters- June & Day.  The book switched between both of them each chapter.  And to make each voice seem even more distinct, the fonts were different for the two characters.  June, the military agent, has a standard black font, neat and sharp.  Day, the rebel, gets a rounded yellow font.  It helped separate the voices, and it also added an extra little touch to their personalities.

The story has everything - romance, corrupt governments, fighting, plagues, friendship, family, secrets, rebellions, betrayal.  All of it was there, and all worked together to make an exciting story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

And the best part of all - the sequel, Prodigy, comes out on Tuesday!  A+

Book Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Title:  Altered
Author:  Jennifer Rush
Genre:  YA Dystopian/Science fiction
Pages:  336

Rating:  A

Synopsis from goodreads.com:  Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

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Thank you, Jennifer Rush, for writing this awesome book!  From the minute I picked it up to the second I put it down, I was on the edge of my seat... well, edge of my bed in this case.  I started it so late last night because I got distracted by my iPod (I'm addicted to the Bejeweled Blitz app), and I only intended to read a few chapters before going to sleep.  Obviously that didn't happen.  The story is engaging and addicting.  There are so many twists and turns and revelations that I didn't want to stop reading until I'd discovered them all.

Altered has an incredible plot and amazing characters.  Every single one of them had a distinct personality, and each had a chance to shine.  Even the secondary characters never seemed flat.  I would have loved a little more development in the character's backgrounds, but since they don't even remember their pasts, I figured that it would be unlikely to happen.  

Cas is probably my favorite character because he's lighthearted and fun, and he helps break the tension during rapid-pace action.  And I do love the relationships that develop between Anna and the boys, whether it's friendship, romance, or animosity.  Just as each boy has a very different personality, they also each play a different role in Anna's life.

I love a book that's unpredictable, and Altered fits that description.  The plot is original and heart-stopping.  And I never knew what was going to happen next.  Every time I thought I'd figured it out, the book went in the complete opposite direction.  So exhilarating!  I cannot wait for the next book to see where things go from here.  A

New cover art!

I'm so psyched for the upcoming book Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson.  And they just released the cover art, which I had to share.

New plot summary (from ew.com):

There are no heroes.

Every single person who manifested powers—we call them Epics—turned out to be evil.

Here, in the city once known as Chicago, an extraordinarily powerful Epic declared himself Emperor. Steelheart has the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, no explosion can burn him. He is invincible.

It has been ten years. We live our lives as best we can. Nobody fights back . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans who spend their lives studying powerful Epics, finding their weaknesses, then assassinating them.

My name is David Charleston. I’m not one of the Reckoners, but I intend to join them. I have something they need. Something precious, something incredible. Not an object, but an experience. I know his secret.

I’ve seen Steelheart bleed.

The Rise of the Dystopian

Ever since The Hunger Games gained popularity, the genre of dystopian literature, especially dystopian romance/love triangles, has become the number one genre everyone's reading.  Just as Harry Potter boosted the fantasy genre and Twilight the vampire genre, The Hunger Games has opened the market for so many new dystopian novels and trilogies, possibly the biggest boost this type of literature has had since 1984 or Brave New World.  And I've discovered that so far, I really like this genre.  Lately, besides fantasy and sci-fi, it's the number one type of book I read.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer is both dystopian and sci-fi.  Centered in New Beijing after World War IV, the story tells of Cinder, a cyborg mechanic, who lives with her stepmother and two step-sisters.  But this is not your classic Cinderella tale.  Cinder isn't a helpless maid who needs a fairy godmother to save her; she's the heroine who needs to save the prince.  With awesome descriptions of a world broken down by war and filth, this book feels so real.  And the cliffhanger is just killer too.  I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens next.  Rating:  A-


Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien has some similarities to The Hunger Games.  In this dystopian world, there are the wealthy and privileged people living within the Enclave, and then there are the workers, the farmers, the under-privileged living outside its walls and supporting it.  The main character of this story is Gaia, a sixteen-year-old midwife outside the walls, who must hand over a quota of the babies she delivers to the Enclave.  After her parents are taken, Gaia must learn why and how to get them back.  Very adventurous with plenty of unexpected twists, Birthmarked is a great read whether you like dystopian novels or not.  Also the first book of a trilogy, I look forward to the next books, which I'm hoping might also have a little more romance in them.  Rating: A-

Matched by Ally Condie is another first book of a trilogy, and like The Hunger Games features a love triangle.  Cassia lives in a dystopian world, a pretty nice one actually, where the Society does all the thinking for you.  They decide where you live, what you do for an occupation, and most important in Cassia's mind, whom you marry.  On the day of her matching ceremony, instead of one, two matches are presented to her.  The Society tells her it's just a glitch and to ignore the second match, but now Cassia must decide whether she'll just follow the will of the Society or defy them and meet this other match.  Almost entirely a romance, the story also has its exciting moments.  And although the writing isn't amazing, it's definitely still worth reading.  Rating:  B+


The Selection by Kiera Cass is very similar to Matched.  A love triangle, a dystopian world that isn't really all that terrible, and almost entirely a romance.  America (a girl, not the country) enters a competition to be the next queen, not really because she wants to, but because she knows it will make her mother happy and she has no fear of being selected.  However, she is chosen as one of the possible brides and travels to the castle, where she and the prince begin a friendship.  There's a little action and adventure, but for the most part, the book is focusing on the relationship between America and the prince, as well as her feelings for the boyfriend she left behind.  America is also a great character because she's both independent and compassionate, and she's definitely not afraid to pull punches.  Despite having a good concept and a great main character, the story does drag a little at points, but I still really liked the book.  Rating: B+

While I know this isn't a new book, I did read it recently and thought it belonged here with the rest of the dystopian books.  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is a very strange read to say the least.  The main character of the story, Rick Deckard, is essentially a bounty hunter, but instead of hunting criminals, he's tracking and destroying androids.  The androids that were created as helpers for the Mars colony are not allowed on Earth, but they often find a way to sneak back there anyway.  While hunting them down, Deckard meets a new kind of android who causes him to question his job and his concept of morality.  The movie version, Blade Runner, tried to give the story a happy ending, but I think if you've read the book, you'd understand why it just wouldn't work.  Like most of Dick's work, the book is strange and sometimes seems very disjointed, but overall it  was a good story and worth reading once.  Rating:  B-

Title:  The Hunger Games
Genre:  Dystopian/Science-fiction
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens

My rating:  A+ 

Synopsis (from imdb.com):  In a dystopian future, the totalitarian nation of Panem is divided between 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal retribution for a past rebellion, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors while the citizens of Panem are required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

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Thrilling, intelligent, and exceptionally filmed, I was completely impressed with The Hunger Games.  Having fallen in love with the book series, I was a little worried about whether I was going to be disappointed or happy when leaving the theater, but this movie was incredible, beginning to end.

First, the casting was perfect.  Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks-- they all did an amazing job bringing their characters to life.  I still can't believe how many people thought Jennifer Lawrence shouldn't play Katniss because she was too curvy.  Who cares if she has hips if she can act?  I'd much rather have a curvy actress than some skinny girl who can barely change the tone of her voice, let alone act.  *cough* Kristen Stewart *cough*.  Hutcherson, as Peeta Mellark, also did a great job at portraying his character's openness and quiet strength.

The filmography was brilliantly done.  They decided to go with the shaky, handheld camera for many of the more intense and violent moments in the film, which added to the realism.  The filmmakers worked hard to achieve realism and believability during the film, and I think they were successful.  The sets and the costumes were neither too simple nor too ridiculous (except the Capitol citizens, but their clothing was supposed to be ridiculous).  I also loved the use of color throughout the film.  In District Twelve, everything is gray or tinged with gray, and the images are sharp and stark.  But as soon as Peeta & Katniss board the Capitol train, the color' s become vivid but overwhelmingly so, like it's oppressive.  When they finally enter the arena for the Games, the colors are lush, but everything seems to sharpen again.

The violence that was to be expected in a story about kids killing each other in a gladiator-like event is there but a little subdued.  The books were written for a younger audience after all, and they didn't want to alienate a large part of their audience.  It still doesn't mean that it wasn't intense, especially when you remember that you're not watching two adults fighting, but two kids.  It was especially hard to watch whenever it was a 12-year-old, because they're so little and young.

There were changes between the book and the movie of course, which I will discuss further in an upcoming Book Vs. Movie entry.  What I will say is that the changes weren't huge or plot-changing.  There was only one that really irked me, but I think it's because they're going to address it in the second movie.  So I'm definitely not disappointed with this adaptation.

Even if I'd never read the books, I would have enjoyed this movie.  It had all the right components for a great movie-- action, adventure, romance, interesting plots and subplots.  And because I didn't see it on opening weekend, I got to watch it without a lot of screaming tween fan-girls.  Major bonus.  A+

The Hunger Games trilogy

Series:  The Hunger Games
Author:  Suzanne Collins
Titles:  The Hunger Games (1), Catching Fire (2), Mockingjay (3)
Format:  Hardcover
Genre:  Dystopian/Science fiction

Rating:  A+++++

Background information (from Wikipedia):  The Hunger Games trilogy takes place in an unidentified future time period after the destruction of the current nations of North America, in a nation known as "Panem". Panem consists of a rich Capitol, located in what used to be Rocky Mountains, and twelve (formerly thirteen) surrounding, poorer districts which are under the hegemony of the Capitol. As punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol wherein twelve of the districts were defeated and the thirteenth destroyed, every year one boy and one girl from each of the remaining twelve districts, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, are selected by lottery and forced to participate in the "Hunger Games". The Games are a televised event where the participants, called "tributes", must fight to the death in a dangerous outdoor arena until only one remains. The winning tribute and his/her corresponding district is then rewarded handsomely with food and plenty, seeing as the lower districts are starving.

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 It is going to be so hard to write this review without giving anything away, but I will try.

First, let me start off by saying I LOVED THESE BOOKS!  Passionate, well-written, and thrilling, this trilogy had me hooked from the beginning.  As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.  I read The Hunger Games over a weekend.  Originally I had avoided the series simply because of the hype, but with the movie gaining even more attention, and my commitment to Read It 1st, I thought I'd give the books a try.  And now I'm so glad I did. 

The books tell the story of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from District Twelve who's chosen to be the female tribute during the 74th Hunger Games.  She's determined, somewhat hard, but also frightened and confused, emotional and loving.  Her inner monologues further develop her character and the reader's connection with her.  Her pain and turmoil are believable and real.  Collins did an amazing job with her character development throughout the series.

The descriptions of the Games themselves are harrowing and lifelike.  The suspense and tension kept me reading.  Warning- there's a lot of violence, and if reading about kids killing each other, sometimes brutally, upsets you... do NOT read these books.  Besides the violence, character development, and suspense, the books also contain romance.  In this case it's a love triangle.  Katniss is torn between her best friend Gale, a hardened coal miner who wishes to defy the Capitol but must support his widowed mother and his younger siblings, and the baker's son Peeta, a strong and artistic baker with a heart of gold who is chosen to be the male tribute for District 12.  Personally, I'm Team Peeta all the way, and in the end, Katniss picks... Well, you'll just have to read to find out.

It's so hard to really do justice to these books without including spoilers, so even though this review is kind of lame, please know that the books are definitely not.  If you love action, adventure, romance, suspense, science-fiction, dystopian literature, or David-versus-Goliath stories, you should absolutely read these books.  A+