The Death Cure

The Death Cure by James Dashner
Published: 10-11-2011 by Delacorte

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.
The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

My opinion of this series is a little strange. I thought the 1st book, The Maze Runner, was just ok. The 2nd book, The Scorch Trials, was action packed and awesome. This book was a big letdown for me, which sucks, but that's just my opinion.

• Cranks - The scenes with Cranks in the deteriorating city were intense. These scenes were probably my favorite parts of the book. The subplot of one of the group being infected and slowly going insane was, to me, more interesting than what was going on with WICKED. It was also an emotional punch in the gut.
• Brenda - I love how Brenda, and really most of the girls in these books, are not afraid to embrace the butt-kicking that comes with being somehow connected to WICKED. Brenda is not the most fleshed-out character, but I like her. She's smart and not dead weight in the face of danger. I can't remember much of what went on in the Scorch Trials with Brenda, so maybe she is more of a developed character and I just don't remember the details.

• short chapters - The chapters in this book are way too short. They average about 5 pages each, although I am completely guessing - this isn't mathematical at all. It was horribly distracting for there to be a new chapter so often. There are 73 chapters in this book! I just...why? In most books I read, I barely notice the chapters because they are normal length, and I like not noticing the chapters.
• epic conclusion? - I thought this book was a big step down action-wise from The Scorch Trials. There's a lot of description of people being shot with weapons, and other action-y things, but it doesn't feel like action. There's not a lot of dialogue either. Thomas does a lot of thinking and warring with himself.
• indecision - Is WICKED bad? Is WICKED good? What do we do in either of these situations? It's still unclear if the villain is really the villain. This doesn't bother me, but Thomas thinking about it constantly was annoying after awhile. Stop thinking and do something! Also, there was very minimal recap from the 2nd book, which I read a long time ago, so I would have liked a refresher on what happened.
• the group - In The Maze Runner there was clearly a tight-knit group. They had to work together to survive and to escape. In The Scorch Trials, the group expanded a bit, but was also called into question. In this book, Thomas and a few others were separated from everyone else. Basically, the core group was really small and I forgot where some of those characters came from, and I missed some of the other characters I was familiar with.

2 robots

Not the action-packed satisfyingly epic conclusion that I was looking forward to

Acquired: bought

Wither

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Published: 3.22.2011 by Simon & Schuster

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. 

A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted on day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape - before her time runs out?

You guys. ALL THE FEELS. I had to stop reading this book in public because it messed with my emotions so much. It's like a a roller coaster of emotions...in a tornado of emotions. Everything from the plot to the characters to the twists and turns had me sucked in and completely emotionally invested. SPOILER FREE REVIEW!

• world building - This is the 1st dystopian that I've read that truly sent shivers down my spine. The world felt so utterly real. It was entrancing and terrifying - every little bit of it. Each detail was important, and Rhine's emotions were so raw and understandable. Seeing this world through her eyes was intensely realistic. 
• characters - Each and every character was so complicated. I felt like I understood and sympathized with even the nastiest characters at some point during the book. Jenna, Cecily, Linden...I got everyone's motivations, even if I despised the person most of the time.
• plot twists - The eerie and tense atmosphere is a slow simmer in this book. Each new discovery is a layer that blurs your picture of who each character is and how this world operates. Every time I thought I had a handle on the direction the story was going, something else would happen to throw me off.
• more emotions - Everything was so intense and tangled that I can't even describe it properly. Every chapter reached out and punched me in the gut, but I loved every second of it. 

• Rhine's flaws - I thought Rhine was a great character. But so much time was spent either getting to know her through flashbacks, or getting introduced to her new world and her thoughts that I feel her flaws were left out. Does Rhine have any flaws? Something that can be seen in both flashbacks and the present? She doesn't seem to have any kind of character defect, while everyone else in the story clearly does.

• I wonder what would happen if I ran - if Gabriel or one of the others would stop me. But ultimately it's my fear of what my new husband might do that keeps me in place, because surely if I ran, I wouldn't make it far before I was caught. And then - what? I'd be locked in my room again, probably, forever marred as the one who can't be trusted.          - Rhine  pg. 50  (ARC version)
• I could tell him right now. I could tell him that Jenna's sisters were executed in that van, and that the last thing I'd ever wanted to be was a bride. But would be believe me? And if he believed me, would he let me go?           - Rhine   pg. 222-223   (ARC version)

5 robots!

Whenever I start thinking about this book I just can't stop - it's so tense and creepily beautiful. Highly recommended!

Acquired: swapped for on swap.com

Outside In

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Published: February 15, 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Me? A leader?

Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world.

Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside.

And something from Outside wants In.

       I love Maria V. Snyder's two other series, the Study series and the Glass series. (Check out my review of Spy Glass, the 3rd Glass book, here) This one for some reason I think is just alright. I don't know if it's because it's aimed towards teens or because it's dystopian rather than just fantasy, or maybe neither of these things. Overall I felt this sequel was pretty good, it just could have been mind blowing but wasn't. I enjoy a series where every single book is amazing and not just setting up for the next book. 

Why I love this book:

• Riley - I like Riley because he's not a perfect love interest. He gets mad at Trella for being all heroic and not asking for help (which is a trait I think I'll call Harry Potter Syndrome).
• bombings - There's an Insider bombing vital areas of Inside. Who would do this? Do they want an unknown entity to take over? The stakes to figure out who is sabotaging Inside couldn't be higher. 
• mystery - What will the Insiders find when they reach their destination? Where were the Outsiders hiding/living? Why were the Outsiders exiled and why are they so touchy about it? 

Huh, what?:

• plot - I liked Inside Out, but I just couldn't get myself engaged in this one. I didn't care enough about the subplot with who Trella's real mom is, or Bubba Boom, Ann-Jade, or Jacy.
• the Outsiders - They're human but they speak like foreigners. I know most of Snyder's books have torture in them but I was really put off by it in this book when the Outsiders did it.
• resolution - Trella and (most of) the Insiders are attempting to revolutionize the way the entire population of Inside lives. Shouldn't there be a bit more struggle? The higher the risk the higher the reward, right? 

Favorite quotes:

• As I rushed to clean up, redlights came on. I skidded to a stop. Redlights? That was new. And creepy. I'd never seen it before or even heard stories from the old-timers. In Inside, bluelights stayed on for sleeping or in temporarily unoccupied areas. Daylights brightened occupied rooms and work places. Darkness stayed in places like the Gap between levels, and closed rooms.                 -  pg. 26
• Finally Bubba Boom told me to cut the wire I had traced for him. I placed the wire in the cutters and drew in a deep breath. "Stop!" Riley yelled. He argued with Bubba Boom. "Trell, you need to cut that wire and the one on the other end at the exact same time," he said. I found the other wire. "This one?"  "Yes," Riley said.  "No," Bubba Boom said. "He's wrong. Cut only the wire I told you."  "No, don't. I'm right, Trell. He's going to get us all killed."               -  pg. 138-139

3 Robots
Not my favorite Snyder series. I'm hoping for a better 3rd book. 

Acquired: bought

Beauty Queens

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Published: May 24, 2011 by Scholastic


The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.
What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program-or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan-or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Libba Bray is a genius. Her books are all over the map: A Great and Terrible Beauty could not be any more different than this book. Beauty Queens is absolutely absurd in the best and most hilarious ways. I really enjoyed reading it.

Why I love this book:

• footnotes - Every single footnote about a product from The Corporation was brilliant! You don't see many footnotes in YA fiction, but don't be scared - these are awesome footnotes, which may be a new thing. They helped show how outrageously staged the pageant was meant to be, and how crazy The Corporation really was.
• plot - First of all, if someone told me that changing one ingredient in a beauty product could it into an explosive, I would probably believe them - there are some crazy chemicals in the stuff we are willing to put on our faces for the sake of beauty. The whole premise of this book is absurd, but Libba Bray manages to work a lot of social commentary into the story in a way that makes you laugh.
• fake pirates - Yes. This book is so cool that it has fake pirates. And their explanations for how they came to be on the island are hilarious!
• bio pages + commercial breaks - More genius! These pages are so funny and show the influence of The Corporation on the girls in the pageant while helping us get to know the girls better.
• cover - This cover immediately drew my attention to this book. The lipsticks instead of bullets is so cool.

Huh, what?:

• problems - I know this book is meant to be crazy and it's awesome that way, but some things required more suspension of disbelief than others. Tons of people die in the plane crash, which is definitely realistic. But the girls are stuck on an island and not one of them has a health problem. Miss New Mexico has an airplane tray stuck in her forehead and the only ill effect is that she has a headache for a day. It would have been intense to see some attempts to fix that, or some wounds or something.
• ending scene - The ending was way too chick-flick cheesy for my taste. A dance party on a boat with virtual freeze frames highlighting each girl's future? It's great that everything worked out ok for them getting home, but this just puts it over the top into everything's hunky-dory for the rest of their lives, they all achieve their dreams kind of cheesy.

Favorite quotes:

• "I came to Miss Teen Dream via a new program for at-risk girls that takes them from juvie to pageants, or as I like to call it, from one correctional facility to another.*     *Pageant officials didn't think this was funny. Pageant officials not big on the jokes."             - Jennifer (Miss Michigan)  pg. 60
• "The Corporation would like to apologize for the preceding pages. Of course, it's not all right for girls to behave this way. Sexuality is not meant to be this way - an honest, consensual expression in which a girl might take an active role when she feels good and ready and not one minute before. No. Sexual desire is meant to sell soap. And cars. And beer."           - pg. 178

4 Robots
A wild, fun, and smart story that's absurd to the last drop

Acquired: swap.com

The Dead-Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
(The Forest of Hands and Teeth #2)
Published: March 9, 2010 by Delacorte Books


Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She's content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry's mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother's past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

Read my review of The Forest of Hands and Teeth here. 

       I had a lot of issues with The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but before I even read it I had The Dead-Tossed Waves from a swap. I figured it was a zombie apocalypse series so where could it go wrong? I am having a really hard time embracing the cheese factor here because it actually takes itself very seriously. I know a lot of people love these books, but I'm a fan of The Walking Dead and want my zombie books gory or at least way more action-packed than I am finding this series to be. This review is going to be full of SPOILERS, so I will try to warn you when a big one comes up!

Reasons I love this book:

• Elias - I can't help but like the guy. He was so dedicated to righting the wrongs of his past - and he knew how to fight. He ended up on the path due to sense of responsibility, while Gabry was following her sense of guilt.
• Gabry - I liked Gabry better than Mary. Even though both of them were in sappy love triangles, I felt like Gabry was just a little less pathetic about hers.
• the sonnets - I really liked the way that the Shakespeare sonnets were connected to the story. It made me think that maybe Mary learned a little something after all, and I thought it was extremely clever. 
• writing - I do enjoy the descriptions in these books, as you'll see in the favorite quotes section. Some of them are so dark and just really add to the creepy atmosphere of the forest. 

Huh, what?:

• Gabry's mom - SPOILERS! The big reveal that Mary wasn't really Gabry's mom rocked Gabry's world. Uh...ok then. From the second the book said Mary had a daughter I was wondering who Mary had slept with. Her 2 "loves" were left behind by the time she reached the ocean, so is Gabry's dad the random guy Mary met at the lighthouse? If you mother was from the other side of the forest, wouldn't you wonder where you factored in?
• Catcher - MORE SPOILERS! First of all, you live in a tiny village walled in against the ocean to protect you from the undead - and you can't tell a girl you have a crush on her? Man up dude! And when Catcher gets infected, he turns out to be the only known person who is immune? That's a huge honking coincidence. I would have rather he died so this wouldn't be another love triangle.
• Gabry - OH HECK, THERE ARE PROBABLY SPOILERS HERE TOO! Oh Gabry. Why can't you get it through your thick skull that the guy you've only kissed once is now a walking Petri dish fro the infection that could kill you in a matter of hours? He is the one who convinced you to leave the village and you are so lucky you even survived that. I think it'd help everybody if you sucked it up and helped protect Catcher from the Recruiters instead of making the poor guy's "life" even harder. Gabry screams at her mother at one point to kill a washed up zombie, but she spends the rest of the book trying to kiss a guy who could turn her into a zombie. Error, does not compute.
• Mary - Mary hasn't learned a dang thing since her trek through the forest. She's disappointed with herself for leaving her friends in the forest. So instead she leaves Gabry alone while she ventures back into the forest for her own selfish reasons. Abandoning another person kinda cancels out your quest to right abandoning those other people Mary!
• the twist - Uh, way too confusing for me, but that may be because it was revealed near the end and I'd already given up hope. I just wasn't interested anymore.

Favorite quotes:

• I fall, my face slapping against a wave, my knee scraping the sand. I scream into the water. The salt scratches at my eyes as I lunge for the surface. He grabs my arm and pulls and I try to fight. I kick and claw and thrash against him. I scream again, choking as a wave crashes on my face. I swing wildly, my fists connecting with flesh.         - pg. 82
• The simmer of panic explodes. "Go!" I shout. "Run!" The old bridge sways under our weight and pounding feet as we sprint across it. In the gaps between the wooden planks the waterfall churns and roars, racing into the black emptiness below. I can almost feel the flames of the torches behind us as we reach the other side of the bridge, as Elias slams against the gate and struggles with the latch.         - pg. 225

2 Robots

Too much sappy love triangle and not enough action. This series is just not for me. Zombie book recommendations anyone?

Acquired: swap.com

   

Sapphique

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Published: December 28, 2010 by Dial
(Sequel to Incarceron) 


In the dark Prison of Incarceron, the prisoners tell tales of a legendary man – Sapphique, the only inmate ever to escape. There are hundreds of tales of his exploits, but are any of them true? Did he even exist?

Attia and Keiro certainly think so, and when they hear that a crazy magician called Rix is using Sapphique’s lost Glove in his magical act, they’re determined to steal it. Meanwhile, out in the Realm, Finn is not finding being a Prince easy, and he’s tormented by doubts about his own identity.

       I enjoyed Sapphique more than Incarceron, so if you thought Incarceron was just alright you should give this one a shot. While Incarceron shifted between Finn's desperation to escape the prison and Claudia's attempt to find the prison, Sapphique brings more of the main characters together which makes their stories much more interesting. These books are light on romance and heavy on adventure and imagination. 

Reasons I love this book:

• worldbuilding- I continue to be impressed with the descriptions of the widely varied parts of Incarceron, especially since it never seems like there's a paragraph of description - it's worked in seamlessly with the story
• Attia- I find Attia's journey through the prison much more interesting than the drama with Finn and Keiro's life and journey in the 1st book
• failure of Protocol- when Protocol outside the prison started to crumble I started to pay more attention to the Claudia/Finn plot. It just showed how intricate the deception of Protocol was and got me thinking on how wild it would be if all the sudden you knew that things you had physically touched weren't actually there at all and never had been
• Sapphique- what an awesome name. Anyways, who is Sapphique? This book had me starting to think I knew, then it would throw me for a loop and I'd be convinced it was someone else. I'm still not sure I know. Will the real Sapphique be in the prison or Outside? He's real right?

Huh, what?:

• Claudia- she's growing on me, but she is still so selfish! She wants Finn to be a prince so she can use him to end Protocol, but she doesn't want him to a prince because she doesn't trust him. In other words, she thinks Finn's life and future revolve around her.
• capitalization- capitalizing common words is something that just bugs me in any book. It makes my brain stop reading and go now why does that word look different than usual? I get that Finn Escaped and that Protocol is bad, but those things would be just as significant in lowercase
• Steel Wolves- I don't really see where they fit in. All they seem to do is threaten people who are actually on their side while the Queen just goes along with her business
• Jared- uh, did I miss something in the 1st book? I totally thought Jared was wise old Alec Guiness Obi Wan, but then it said he was in his 30s, so he might actually be cute young Ewan McGregor Obi Wan? 

Which is it? I'm so confused!

Favorite quotes:

• Lightning spat; from overhead the low, heavy grumble of thunder rolled down the sky. For a moment Finn knew it was the voice of Incarceron he heard, its terrible, cruel mockery, knew he had never Escaped at all.      - pg.  191
• They had become ghosts, Claudia thought, or shadows. Cloaked in black like outlaws, they fled the Court, and behind them there would be uproar, the Queen furious, the Pretender vengeful, the servants panicked, the army being ordered out.     - pg.  310

4 robots

Great sequel with adventure, suspense, and interesting characters

Acquired: Bought

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Published: March 10, 2009 by Delacorte 

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future- between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

       I like zombies. With this book I was expecting a lot of action and zombies, with a little romance thrown in. But Mary is obsessed with Travis. The only thing she thinks about more is the ocean, which gets a little annoying. It sounds like such an ominous, epic story, but it was just another love triangle with a whiny, somewhat unlikeable main character. My main problem with this book is that there is an intense zombie apocalypse going on here, yet Mary takes every restful second she has to whine about how her life isn't fair. And when she isn't whining, she's sappy and overemotional. It's just too much whine and not enough zombie apocalypse!

Reasons I love this book:

• zombies!- No matter what goes on in Mary's life, the zombies never stop coming.
• Jed- he's very much like Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting- he's a major jerk until it's revealed why he's so bitter, but he's very dedicated to those he loves
• the paths- the path that seemed a miraculous way out of a bad situation is not simply a straight shot to a safe place, but holds its own dangers and complications
• Harry- I didn't much care for him at the beginning, but Harry certainly proves himself to be of more use than Travis

Huh, what?:

• Mary- I don't like her. She's a little unpredictable. One minute she's slashing the undead in her obsessive quest to reach the ocean. Then she's all whiny and sappy over Travis, but does nothing about it. 
• the Sisters- clearly we're supposed to detest them but they are rarely mentioned once Mary leaves her village and never are we told what their ultimate fate is
• Travis- he's an odd guy. It's hard to describe why I dislike him, but I think it's his inaction. He does nothing to help his friends, but Harry does.
• sappy lines- Ok. I've told you that Mary is whiny and sappy. That alone is just a minor annoyance, but this book had a few lines that stopped me dead in my tracks while my brain went Um, really? For example, I pull him tighter into my lap, wanting to squeeze the infection from his body, to clean his blood with my love.    That last part makes me want to gag. Which might be alright in a zombie book, but definitely not for this reason.

Favorite quotes:

• I wonder how I could have ever believed there was a place untouched by the Return. A world alive outside the Forest.          -  pg. 289
• Is there fear in the Unconsecrated? Is there loss and love and pain and longing? Wouldn't a life without so much agony be easier?       -  pg. 51

3 Robots

If this book didn't have zombies, it would be a lame love triangle. Try it if you don't mind being inside Mary's head most of the time.

Acquired: Bought

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Published: May 3, 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books

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

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. 

       This is a highly anticipated new dystopian book, the start of a trilogy, that definitely lives up to all the hype surrounding it. It's great to see so much interest in a debut author, especially when she's only 22 (! don't I feel like a slacker now...) and being published by an indie company. And despite her age and the way everyone seems to be comparing every single dystopian book ever written to The Hunger Games, Veronica Roth delivers an intense story that has me wanting more. There's not much I didn't like about this book. The pacing and mix of action and introspection was pretty much perfect. *Minor spoilers ahead*- it's not really a secret or a surprise which faction Beatrice chooses, but if you don't wanna know, don't read the spoilers. 

Reasons I love this book:

• Tris- She's a strong character- I mean, how could she not be with everything she has to face? SPOILER! When she chose Dauntless she didn't know how intense her initiation would be, but she knew they jumped from moving trains. So she had guts choosing them, plus she is crazy curious about everything. END SPOILER!
• Four- I really love his character- from the way he opposes Eric in how he feels the initiates should be trained, to his struggle to return Dauntless to the honorable faction it once was- plus he's sweet but a little dangerous, which is sexy
• world setup- the setup in this book is great and it lends itself to a lot of moral conflicts, which are starting to become evident as the faction system begins to break down
• initiation- I wouldn't want to go through it- it's brutal physically, mentally, and emotionally, just as the Dauntless leader intended- it makes for a lot of twists and turns and is crazy exciting to read about
• Tris' mom- you'll have to read the book to fully understand this, but from the beginning you get the feeling that she will support whatever decisions her children make, even if it means they must leave her

Huh, what?

• Eric- he's a jerk and a traitor, plus the complete opposite of Four- I know we're supposed to hate him, but he's sadistic and bloodthirsty
• Peter- the person he manages to manipulate into betraying Tris made me sad. The lengths he goes to just to up his ranking shows what a despicable coward he is.
• Jeanine- the Erudite leader, obviously the factions' pursuits were meant to be strong suits, but she is taking advantage of her faction's responsibilities in order to advance Erudite and lessen the other factions
• weird names- I'm not someone who has a problem with odd names, except when it distracts me from what I'm reading. Beatrice is old fashioned, Four is a little odd, and Tobias? That just makes me think of this:     

(Tobias from Arrested Development)

The boyfriend factor:

• He liked it, but didn't love it and commented that the faction names were unoriginal and that he would've gone nuts it Beatrice has chosen any other faction.

Favorite quotes:

• I hold my breath as her turns the last knife in his hand. I see a glint in his eyes as he pulls his arm back and lets the knife fly. It comes straight at me, spinning, blade over handle. My body goes rigid. This time, when it hits the board, my ear stings, and blood tickles my skin. I touch my ear. He nicked it. And judging by the look he gives me, he did it on purpose.    - Tris  pg. 164
• "But what..." Peter yawns through is words. "What does firing a gun have to do with...bravery?" Four flips the gun in his hand, presses the barrel to Peter's forehead, and clicks a bullet into place. Peter freezes with his lips parted, the yawn dead in his mouth. "Wake. Up," Four snaps. "You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it."     - pg. 77

5 Robots

A book with action and intrigue. I'm looking forward to more!

Acquired: Bought

Drought

Drought by Pam Bachorz

Published: January 25, 2011 by Egmont USA

 Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from the backbreaking work of gathering Water. Escape from living as if it is still 1812, the year they were all enslaved. 

When Ruby meets Ford- an irresistible, kind, forbidden new Overseer- she longs to run away with him to the modern world, where she could live a normal teenage live. Escape with Ford would be so simple.

But if Ruby leaves, her community is condemned to certain death. She, alone, possess the secret ingredient that makes the Water so special- her blood- and it's the one thing that the Congregation cannot live without.

Drought is the haunting story of one community’s thirst for life, and the dangerous struggle of the only girl who can grant it.

       This is a book that I loved, but had a hard time reviewing. I was so emotionally invested in this story and was outraged at the Congregants whenever Ruby was, but I have so many unanswered questions! Plus, when I read a book, I tend to like the characters I am meant to like and dislike the ones I am meant to dislike. BUT, Pam Bachorz doesn't make it that easy, and I'd like to believe she does so intentionally. I thought I knew what I thought about this book when I finished reading, but a couple days later and I was questioning why I liked this character, why I disliked this part of the book, etc. This book was also so radically different from Pam Bachorz' first book, Candor, yet they both hold some of the same themes of control.

Reasons I love this book:

• Ruby- even though she knows the risks, Ruby knows there's a possibility that she can escape from her horrible existence and she's smart and gutsy enough to take that chance, unlike the older and "wiser" Congregants
• Ford- he is amazingly real- he's conflicted and caring, he's willing to suffer for those he loves and risks everything to see Ruby and try to help her escape
• control- the overall feel of this story to me was who has the right to decide Ruby's life? Ruby's mother and the Congregants (who are all older than Ruby) are relentless in their opinion that they know best (seriously they will stop at nothing!). Ruby feels like she understands something that they don't, but her opinion doesn't matter because she's young (even though they've all been living 100s of years supposedly...), so what could she possibly know right? Who is really in control of how the rest of Ruby's life plays out? It's her choice to obey or rebel, but her blood is the key to the Congregants' long lives... would you want so many deaths on your conscious? 

Huh, what?:

• Ford- he seems like a decent person, but he's an Overseer. He's also selfish- he thinks he and Ruby can have a relationship like they live in the normal world he's used to, but he risks her life every time he's near her. He also took her out one night, away from her mother who was badly injured. A question my boyfriend brought up: If Ruby hadn't returned Ford's feelings how helpful would he have been? 
• all my unanswered questions! I have a feeling some (if not all) of these things were left up in the air purposely, but I like closure.
• the Visitor- he's creepy- how is he literally sniffing Ruby out? Who is this guy? 
• Otto- does Otto exist? Does he know there's a cult group of slaves worshipping him? Does he care?
• long life- why are they living for 100s of years? There's an explanation as to how but none for why. What is the point of their longevity? 
• the Congregants- they are all so blind and readily willing to kill to keep things as they are even though they are captives. They all insisted that their great and mighty Otto wanted them to suffer and endure, yet not make any attempts, no matter how small, to better their situation. And this made me want to punch something. 

The boyfriend factor:

• My boyfriend didn't trust Ford, as shown clearly by his question above. If Ruby hadn't like Ford, would he have cared if she escaped her life as a slave? Would he have helped? 

Favorite quotes:

• "Would your mother be proud of you?" I ask, loud enough to make sure he can hear me. I can't tell for sure, but I think Ford shakes his head. His back is turned to me and he's looking up at the cisterns. No. I won't let him ignore me. I walk close to him. "What won't you do?" I ask. "Is there anything you wouldn't do to keep your mother alive?"           - Ruby  pg. 209
• "There's nothing you need to tell us," Mother says. "I've told them everything." She's told them everything she wants them to know. But what of my side? Words tumble over my lips. I sound frantic, but I don't care. They have to listen. "I want to explain. I want to tell you why I didn't leave. I want to tell you about Ford-"  "Don't say his name," Hope says, her voice gravelly.   - Ruby  pg. 331

4 Robots

This is a book that'll make you think. I really enjoyed both Drought, and Pam Bachorz' first book Candor (which never got much attention in my opinion). 

Acquired: Gifted

Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Published: February 1, 2011 by HarperCollins

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

       I love dystopian books: the Chaos Walking trilogy, the Scorch Trials books, the Hunger Games...all some of my all-time favorites. Now, if you think that this thing about love being a disease is cheesy, give it a shot anyways because that's exactly what I thought before I read it. When I finished this book I had teared up and had to Google if there would be a sequel even though it was after 2 AM. I do not cry in books or movies (well, ok, I can count on one hand how many times I have) so this is a big deal. 

Reasons I love this book:

• Lena- she infuriated me pretty often and I had to keep telling myself that she acted the way she did because it's a dystopian society and that's all she's ever been told about love. So, she ticked me off, but I respect authors who make me care that much about characters I don't instantly love. 
• the plot- it's awesomely executed, and to me the idea of love being a disease sounded C-H-E-ES-Y, but I read Oliver's Before I Fall and going through disliking the main character and then rooting for her anyway made me trust Lauren Oliver to deliver with this idea- it was great
• Alex- I'm in love with this boy- from how he and Lena meet (my favorite part) to his backstory, he's a great character
• I really like the little chapter intros from the official book about why love is bad and its effects. They're pretty funny and they really help set up the society this story takes place in.

Huh, what?:

• there's not a lot of dialogue in this book and I found my attention waning sometimes because Lena was in her own head and not interacting with anyone
• once Lena had fallen for Alex there was a part of the book where everything was going well for them- it felt like your typical chick flick montage where the stars are making kissy faces at each other- I could have skipped that part and still loved the book
• Alex's secret- it was a little obvious and too easy to guess for me, mainly because there's only one option set up to be something he could be hiding that would be frowned upon
• the cover under the jacket...have you seen it? It's horrifying. I never read hardbacks without taking the dust jacket off- but I took one look at that cover and put it right back on. I don't know what it is about it, but I find it to be really creepy. 

Look away!

Is this the end?:

• Thankfully no because this book ends on one MAJOR cliffhanger. As I mentioned, I had to immediately check to see if there was a sequel. It will be a trilogy, with the next book, Pandemonium expected in February of 2012. Of course by then I will have forgotten what happened to make me so desperate for the sequel!

Favorite quotes:

• He's been hanging back, standing a few feet behind us, and ever since we came up the hill he hasn't said a word. Which is why I nearly jump out of my skin when he leans forward and directs a single word into my ear: "Gray."         - pg. 67
• Best friends for more than ten years and in the end it all comes down to the edge of a scalpel, to the motion of a laser beam through the brain and a flashing surgical knife. All that history and its importance gets detached, floats away like a severed balloon. In two years- in two months- Hana and I will pass each other on the streets with nothing more than a nod...          - pg. 190    

5 robots

An awesome read with a lot of depth and a promising start to a series.

Acquired: Bought

Monsters of Men

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

(Chaos Walking Trilogy: Book 3)

Published: September 28, 2010 by Candlewick

"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge.

Read my review of the 1st book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, here.

Read my review of the 2nd book, The Ask and The Answer, over here.

        This is officially one of the most epic book series I have ever read. I keep trying to find new words to describe these books and I can't get away from that word *EPIC* because it just sums it up so well. This book is so full of action but it tackles some seriously deep issues at the same time and keeps you guessing the whole time. Patrick Ness is made of awesome and so are his books. GO READ THIS SERIES NOW *ahem* Sorry, got a little carried away there. 

Reasons I love this book:

• no holds barred action- the actions starts right away with a war against the Spackle and a war for the support of the settlers between the Mayor and Mistress Coyle. As I've said before, I have such admiration for authors who get their hands dirty and aren't afraid to hurt or kill off characters (not that I'm saying that happens but you definitely get the feeling that no one is safe here)
• narration- even faster swap-offs between Viola and Todd, each of which ends on a cliffhanger. This is very cool because it gives you 2 views on the war at hand and covers the same times (i.e. Todd sees a bomb go off and kill some Spackle, Viola hears the same bomb go off and hopes it didn't kill Todd once you switch to her view)
• stakes are high- true of any war, but really driven home here as we follow a group of people who are possibly the only humans on the planet and are fighting the native species right as settlers begin to land....whoa. 
• Wilf + Lee- 2 characters I already loved prove themselves again- I wish we saw more of them
• SPOILER!
• Viola's armband- I know this part sucks for Viola and Todd but the drama of the band slowly killing her and how she put it on to get to Todd is palpable
• END SPOILER!

Huh, what?:

• MINOR SPOILERS!
• 1017's POV- learning how to understand the Spackle noise took me a little while, but this is something that helps you realize how high the stakes are for everybody in this war
• random Spackle is gay- 1017 is a random Spackle when we meet him in book 2. I mean, yeah he's angrier than the others, but still just 1 of thousands. It doesn't actually matter to the story that he's gay (yes, he's out for revenge of his one in particular but he would be whether his one was male or female) I don't know guys, it just felt a little like an afterthought to add some diversity, and while I'm a fan of diversity I wish it felt more intentional (Unrelated: Did anybody think Dumbledore was gay before JK said so? Because when I read them I could have sworn he had something going on with McGonagall in the early books)
• Todd's quiet Noise- 1st Todd learns how to block his Noise from others, including Viola. Then he learns how to control people with it...just like the Mayor
• the ending(!)- I do not like this ending! I'm usually a fan of ambiguous endings, but after all Todd and Viola went through I wanted to see this end on a high note
• END MINOR SPOILERS!

The boyfriend factor:

• So once again, my boyfriend is in love with this series and kept bugging me to read faster so he could flip out to someone about everything that happened.

Is this the end?:

• Yes. *tear*

Favorite quotes:

• "Stop!" I shout, whirling round to see who fired, but all I see are confused faces among the women and men with guns-                                                                                                                 And Wilf standing over next to Lee.                                                                                                        And Lee with a rifle in his hands.                                                                                                           "Did I get him?" Lee says. "Wilf aimed for me."                                                                                       - Viola  pg. 527  (you won't know until you read the book why I found this funny)            
• ...but it's been obvious since the beginning that wars make no sense. You kill people to tell them you want to stop killing them.                                                                                                                Monsters of men, I think. And women.                                                                                                   -Viola  pg. 287

5 robots

Go read this series- you won't be disappointed!

Acquired: Bought