Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

Review: I guess because I’ve seen so many positive reviews of this book I didn’t think I’d like it. I wasn’t sure it’d live up to the hype. I was wrong! I totally enjoyed this book and was sucked in from the beginning and had a hard time putting it down.

I liked Anna and Etienne a lot. They are really cute together and have great chemistry. I really liked that their relationship moved at a believable pace. I liked that it wasn’t this “insta-love” that seems to be happening a lot in YA fiction, but they were friends first. I loved that we were a part of their relationship, we were there for their dates and conversations, it wasn’t just a given that they spent time together, we actually get to experience it. And because of that I totally fell for Etienne as well!

What kept me from giving this a higher rating was the fact that Etienne has a girlfriend. I don’t care for cheating stories, and most would probably say that Etienne and Anna never cheated. However, somewhere along the way their friendship became more and at that point he should have ended things with his girlfriend. I would have had a lot more respect for him if he had done that. I’m sure it was used as a plot device to keep Anna and Etienne apart, but it ends up taking away from the charm of their relationship. Another reason for the low rating is because of some crude stuff scattered here and there, drinking and for some bad language.

Aside from those things, I really enjoyed the story and relationship between Anna and Etienne and probably would have given it a five star rating.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Birthmarked by Caragh M O'Brien

Synopsis: In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.


Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this dystopian novel. I thought the story was original and enjoyed the setting. I also thought the premise was believable, something that I could see happening. I mean, don’t we currently have CPS, a government agency that steps in and takes kids away from their family if they feel the child is being abused/neglected. Is it really that farfetched to see the way a system like that could spiral out of control?


Anyway, I liked our main character Gaia a lot. While she was somewhat ignorant of what was going on around her at first, she was intelligent and was quick to see the flaws in the system. Not only that but she saw the flaws and wanted to make a change. I like that she doesn’t give up, no matter what situation she finds herself in. She’s a fighter. I admit, I was a little disappointed on the romance front. It was really subtle and I’m still not sure what motivated our leading man. I would have liked more time with them together and even though they are in some pretty serious situations maybe a little more light-heartedness. They were both so serious, it was hard to feel them falling in love, if that’s even what happened.


Definitely a fun read, I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I hope Gaia is able to find her brothers!

Reading Order:
Book One: Birthmarked
Book 1.5: Tortured
Book Two: Prized
Book Three: Promised

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.



Review: I was skimming through all the positive reviews of this book and kept wondering if I read the same book. I loved the cover, it totally drew me to the book and even though I thought the premise sounded a little silly I wanted to read it.

I think guys should be guys and girls should be girls. I’m all for girl’s being strong, independent, playing sports, etc. But, I think girls should also be feminine, should be respected and treated like ladies.


I wish I could have liked Jordan more, which is one of the reasons I kept reading. Jordan was just such a boy. Not a tomboy, but a boy. She acted like a guy, cussed like a guy, and did just about everything like a guy. Sure, when hot Ty comes around she wants to be a little more girly, and even makes a couple girl friends, but at the end of the day she was still pretty boyish. I was really disappointed that she started sleeping with Ty. Her attitude (and everyone else’s) about sex was WAY too casual. It was kind of gross actually. What I also thought was sad was that no one actually respected Jordan. Yes, they appreciated her football skills and treated her like one of the guys. Which was part of my problem; they treated her like a guy not a girl. They didn’t treat her with respect, course they didn’t treat any girl with respect, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

In fact, I didn’t care for any of the guys in this book. Her brother’s friend Jake was a creep; there is NO WAY my brothers would EVER let a guy talk to me the way Jake talked to Jordan. Even if he was just kidding. Ty was okay, but I never really felt like I got to know him. Once they hooked up he kind of disappears from the story, even though they were still sleeping together…I mean dating. I know Henry was supposed to be our hero, but I thought he was a creep to. To help sooth his broken heart he sleeps with every girl that looks his way. Are we supposed to feel bad for him in his unrequited love and so it’s okay if he uses girls he has no feelings for? Whatever.

I thought the writing was okay. I liked that there was more conversation than inner dialog, even if the dialog felt unnatural at times. I liked that Jordan had a goal and was doing all she could to achieve it. Leave out all the swearing and sex and I probably would have given this a 4 star rating.

I’m just left wondering what the moral of the story is. Is it to be a strong girl you have to give up all feminine qualities and act like a guy? Is it that it’s okay to sleep around and it’s not a big deal? I’m sure the author meant it to be something about achieving goals or whatever, but at what cost?


Content: LOTS of swearing. Lots of casual sex (although no details).


Bookworm Rating: 1

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Synopsis: To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone. Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?


Review: I think I may have enjoyed this one more than the first. I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go and there were a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I thought, because of the cover, there would be more of a focus on Tamra in this one, but there wasn't. I’m not sure what to think of our main character Jacinda. While I really like her, I’m also frustrated with her. She sure makes some hasty decisions that end up causing a lot of problems, but deep down I think she’s just trying to do the right thing. Anyway, this story of course contains a love-triangle. I have to say, I am really torn on this one, I keep going back and forth, normally I can chose a “team” and stick with it. I really really like Cassian, I find myself leaning towards him, but then I really like Will and suspect that in the end Jacinda will end up with Will, so Cassian is there just to provide some nice tension. Which is probably why I don’t like love-triangles. I also like Tamra. I wish we could get to know her more, I don’t think her character is used enough. I want to see her happy. I think the last book I wanted Tamra and Cassian to somehow end up together, but, I don’t think Cassian deserves Tamra. She deserves to be someone’s first choice.

One thing that I’ve had a hard time doing is picturing these characters in their dragon forms. I keep picturing BIG dragons, but then the descriptions don’t make them out to be all that bigger than their human forms. I would love a sketch or something of what they look like so I could imagine it a little better.

The book ends on a pretty big cliff hanger and I’m excited for the next book, Hidden.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong


Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. Until now. Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.


Review: I enjoyed Armstrong’s Darkest Powers trilogy (Summoning, Awakening, and Reckoning) and really looked forward to this spinoff Darkness Rising trilogy. A part of me wishes I had re-read Darkest Powers so I could refresh myself on characters and history, but another part is glad that I went into the Gathering somewhat fresh.


While I totally enjoyed the story, I was also a little disappointed. Not much happened and Maya took FOREVER to figure out what was going on. Since I could guess at least a little of what was going to happen from the beginning, I was frustrated that it was taking so long for the characters to catch up. I did like Maya. She was a good lead, very independent, strong and yet pretty nice too. I liked her relationship with her parents. It was refreshing to see a healthy family unit for a change. I also really liked Maya’s best friend Daniel. In fact I think I’m on Team Daniel, even though they didn’t have any romantic chemistry together, I was hoping he’d win out. I liked Rafe too actually, I thought he had good chemistry with Maya, but I just didn’t like him as much as Daniel. It was actually nice that there wasn’t the typical love-triangle going on. Maya knew her feelings and wasn’t leading anyone on, such a refreshing change! By the end though, I felt like nothing was answered and the cliffhanger was kind of lackluster. It felt more like an end to a chapter, not the end of a book.


I guess I felt like the book was kind of filler, we got to know the characters (which I liked), the setting (which I liked) and a tiny bit of Maya’s history. There wasn’t enough mystery/action, and if I hadn’t read the first trilogy I wouldn’t have enjoyed The Gathering as much as I did. I still really look forward to the next book, I love the story and writing and I know I’ll probably end up liking this trilogy as much as the first.


Content: A little swearing, underage drinking, and a bit of making out.

Monday, December 19, 2011

The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp

Synopsis: Breaking up with someone is a major pain—-unless you can hire someone else to do it for you! And Amelia demands top dollar for her professional break-up services. Everything's business as usual until David, one of the boys she's been hired to dump, throws her for a loop. Now she must decide if David's intentions are genuine, or if there's something sinister behind his flirting.


Review: This is probably more like a four star read, if you don’t overanalyze it like I did.

Overall, it’s a cute story. I liked our heroine Amelia. To earn a little extra college money she helps girls breakup with their boyfriends. Because of her “profession” she doesn’t have any friends, mainly because she changes personality depending on who she is breaking up with. She goes through multiple hair colors, clothes and names to get the job done and keep her identity a secret. Then one day she stumbles upon a guy who just may be onto her little secret. Which brings us to David, who seems to be the perfect guy for Amelia. He was a likable lead, although by the end I still felt like I knew very little about him. I also thought that their feelings for each other moved WAY too fast to be believable. His change from being “out-to-get-her” to “I’m-so-in-love” was too quick. I thought it was fun to see Amelia at work. Amelia goes through a lot of changes and starts to really want a normal high school life. So, if you just want a quick escape and not dwell too much on the details then this is a fun read. I look forward to seeing what Shannen Crane Camp comes up with next!



If you want to read my over-analyzed review (contains spoilers), then read below.

I guess I had a hard time buying Amelia’s job. People would recognize her, even if she changes hair/clothes and schools frequently. Sure, if there are 2000+ kids in the student body most wouldn’t notice, but the kids she takes daily classes with totally would. If her teachers can see past her daily changes then of course her fellow classmates would. Also, if she is as pretty as she claims why aren’t more guys talking to her? It’s hard to believe that the only guys who are interested in her are the one’s she approaches to breakup with. I have a hard time buying that she is so pretty guys are willing to dumb their girlfriends after one meeting, but not pretty enough that no one will talk to her and no other guy is hitting on her.

I like David, but I felt he somehow got lost along the way. He was so against her job at the beginning, claiming that some of his friends had been hurt (I would have liked Amelia to acknowledge them, like “oh, yeah, I remember dumping him”). But, by the end he was on Team Amelia and wanting to be her accomplice. I liked him when he was wanting people to fight their own battles and wanting Amelia to stop and have a normal life. My other problem with the David storyline is how he was writing an article about her and nothing came of it. Amelia finds it and after reading only half (yeah right, like anyone would stop reading after half) decides to still beg him to forgive her and not even bring it up? I wanted a confrontation! He wrote some pretty mean stuff and I think she let him off the hook way to easily. In fact, I think it may have been a better story if he had published an article about her in the school paper and then had them hash things out, fight a bit and eventually get a HEA after he then got to know her, IMO.

Amelia has a LOT of inner dialog. I would have liked more conversations to propel the story. The general idea is interesting, but a lot of the time I just didn’t think things made sense. Why was her mom willing to move around all the time so Amelia could go to different school? Anyway, David lost a lot of his appeal once he became Amelia’s puppy and I wanted a big event for Amelia to open her eyes and see how she’d closed herself off and really want to make a change. But, she doesn’t and instead is going to keep doing what she’s doing, only this time David will do a “background check” to make sure her victims are worthy of their girlfriends cowardly breakups. Would he really be okay with her flirting with other guys? Changing her hair, name and personality constantly? Wouldn’t he want her to finally take the time to figure out who she is?

There were just too many things that didn’t make sense for me to love this story. Again, if I just read it without thinking then I really did think it was fun. I liked the idea and the writing was well done, I do look forward to seeing what else Shannen Crane Camp will come up with next.


Bookworm Rating: 3

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis: umans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.


Review: The good thing about getting a book early is you get to read it early (obviously), but the bad thing is that now I have to wait extra long before the next book comes out! I really enjoyed this book! I wasn’t sure I’d like it, I mean a cyborg Cinderella? But, Cinder really won me over. I actually really liked her character. I wasn’t sure how the whole love-affair would play out with a human and a cyborg, but it worked. I actually thought more of her as a human than then anything else. I liked Cinders personality and spunk. I also liked Prince Kai (Kaito), especially when he was around Cinder. I wish there had been a few more interactions between them. But mostly I loved how original the story was, yet at the same time kept to the traditional Cinderella storyline. It definitely has a sci-fy feel to it, but was also really charming. I loved some of the side characters, like Dr. XXX, Peony and especially the endearing android Iko. The book does end on a cliffhanger, I kind of wish there had been a little more resolution, but it was still a good ending.

There will be three more books in the series (yay!), and I hear they will incorporate other fairy tales like Repunzel, Red Riding Hood and Snow White. I’m definitely curious to see where this series will go.

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Welcome to Salt Lake City by Sheralyn Pratt

Synopsis: Deciding to go "off grid" for a while, Rhea Jensen can think of no better place to disappear than Utah. She settles into a quiet Mormon lifestyle—unless you count the skydiving, racecar driving, mountain climbing, and overly obsessive workouts. But when her best friend, Kay, tips her off to a stalking case, Rhea takes the job out of sheer boredom. Only then does Rhea realize two things—first, being good is hard; and second, she knows way too much to get out of the PI game. Everyone's favorite private investigator is back in this second installment of the Rhea Jensen Series by Sheralyn Pratt. Packed full of new mysteries, new relationships, and all of Rhea's old habits, Stalk Lake City will hold you hostage from the very first page.


Review: This is the second book in the Rhea Jensen series. While I still loved the book, I don’t know if I liked it as much as the first. I think I want a tad more romance. Other than that, it was great. Pratt writes a fun, engaging mystery. I liked that it was about stalkers (which is what my thesis was on in college). I thought Pratt did a good job in that regard, very realistic. I liked Rhea a lot, she is a great heroine. I didn’t fall for her new love interest right way, but he really grew on me. I would have liked a little more interaction between the two. I’m not sure I bought their ending, there needed to be a little more time spent with the two characters to build up more chemistry, IMO. I want to know more about how they met and what their relationship was like before the story picks up in the book (why was Rhea in a bar if she is a new convert? Why did he kiss her? Why did he decide to stop drinking and sleeping around?). I was just left with too many questions when it came to him.


I'm glad in this book that we find out a lot more about Ben, I like how things were handled, but at the same time would have liked Rhea to be a little more upset about their situation. She was too understanding. I would have been pretty mad and hurt if I had been in her place and I wanted to see more of that. Maybe she wasn’t mad because she wasn’t as in love with him as she thought? Anyway, the story moves along well, the culprit isn’t who I thought it would be. Actually, I wanted a little more explanation where that went. More of a motivation, how they got some of their information, etc. There are at least two more books in the series and I can’t wait to jump in!

City Limits by Sheralyn Pratt

Synopsis: In the third installment of the Rhea Jensen series, Rhea's best friend Kay McCoy moves to Salt Lake City to keep a closer eye on Rhea, and Rhea worries that Kay wants things to go back to the way they were in Los Angeles - clubbing, dancing, and men. But when Rhea agrees to do a simple, harmless favor for Kay, she unwittingly sets off a series of events that ends up with a secret society appearing right at her door. The stakes are higher than ever - solving the case means more than just collecting her weekly paycheck. This time, it's a matter of life and death.


Review: I really enjoy this series. I really like Rhea and Kay. I like that they help each other out and enjoy their close friendship. This installment has plenty of action and not a dull moment. It moves along quickly and you have to keep turning the pages to find out what will happen next. I do wish we had a little more background on Rhea. The first couple of books she’s just a cool PI, but this time around she is like a Super-PI. Maybe her background will be brought up in the next book, but at times I felt a little lost in this one. The bad guy seemed to come out of the blue and seems it will take the series in a totally different angle than just a cool PI solving mysteries. So, while I totally enjoyed the story and will keep reading the series I’m only giving this one three stars because I was just a little lost in this one. Besides not knowing more about Rhea’s past, there are a couple other reasons holding me back from really loving this one.


First, the relationship with Ty and Rhea, I just don’t buy it. I don’t really know who Ty is and what purpose he has besides being Rhea’s “trophy-boy” who looks good and is there occasionally to lend moral support. I think their relationship is just too private. I didn’t get to be there for when they first met, or the three months leading up to them dating. I missed the four weeks they are dating and any important conversations they might have had. I think Ty’s past is brushed over too much and it’s too easily accepted that he’s “changed”. I don’t really know what he was like before and I just have a vague idea of who he is now. In my mind, they don’t know each other near well enough (or long enough) to be making the kind of commitments they are talking about making. And, he just seems kind of useless compared to Rhea, almost pathetic. Like he’s the old-fashioned wife who is told to stay at home while the “man” takes care of business. I’m all for a kick-butt heroine that is smart and can take care of herself. But, at the same time I’m kind of traditional and like my men to be men and women to be feminine. I wouldn’t mind Rhea being a little more feminine and actually have Ty be more manly and maybe help her out a bit more, instead of being the obedient and disapear into the background when trouble comes knocking.


Secondly, the first couple of books there is a nice side story of Rhea joining the LDS church. I was a little lost in this book, and I guess so was Rhea. I was left wondering why she even bothered to join? It seems like she is kind of negative about the church and even the members, especially poor Andy (why are they so mean to Andy? Making fun of his clothes, car, etc. They think he is judgmental, but really I think Ty, Kay and Rhea are the ones being judgmental). There wasn’t as much of the church stuff in this book, it seems like it was just pushed to the back burner. I’m left wondering why she joined if she is going to be so blasé about it and not really commit.

The Rhea Jensen Series:
Book One: City of Angels
Book Two: Welcome to Salt Lake City
Book Three: City Limits
Book Four: Kay'sVille

Sunday, December 4, 2011

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter


Bookworm Rating: 4


Synopsis: Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact. But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy. Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?


Review: This is the first book I’ve read by Denise Hunter, and it won’t be the last. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed reading Travis & Shay’s story. Travis ditched Shay on their wedding day, and now fourteen years later he shows up wanting to win her back. I admit, sometimes I was pretty mad at Travis. Why are guys so dense? But, he really won me over. I thought he and Shay had great chemistry together. I could totally understand why Shay had some pretty thick walls up and I’m glad she made Travis work for it. This has two of my favorite kinds of plots, lost-love and marriage-of-convenience, what could be better? I thought the accidental wedding storyline was very believable. I really enjoyed how everything played out.

I didn’t realize that there had been a book before this, A Cowboy’s Touch, about Wade and Abigail who show up in this story. The Accidental Bride stands on its own, but I’m excited to go back and read Wade and Abigail’s story.

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Legend by Marie Lu

Synopsis: Born into the slums of Los Angeles, fifteen-year old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family's door with an X--the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it. Born to an elite family in Los Angeles' wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic's most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country's highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country--until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital. Only one person could be responsible. Day. And now it's June's mission to hunt him down. The truth they'll uncover will become legend


Review: I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. I enjoy dystopia novels and thought Lu did a good job with this one. I liked that she mixes in places from our time (like Las Angeles and Vegas), but the story is in the future and our way of living is almost a myth. But, mostly I really liked June and Day. They are great characters and I really enjoyed that the story was told from both their perspectives. While there is still a lot of inner-dialog, this not overdone and its doesn’t feel slow like some of the other dystopian books I’ve read lately. There is plenty of action and the story moves along quickly. I downloaded the sample for my Kindle and by time I finished I had to buy the book to see what would happen next. I’m really curious to see where the story goes and I can’t wait to read more about June and Day! A really fun read!

Crossed by Ally Condie

Synopsis: In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.


Review: It’s been awhile since I read the first book and I found that while I remembered a lot, I also forgot a lot. I really like Ky and Cassia.I wonder about Xander, for those who know me you know I’m not a big fan of love-triangles, but I think it has been well done here. It seems like it more up in the air of who Cassia will end up with, I’m on Team Ky this time around (I think I was leaning towards Xander the first book), so I’m curious to see what will happen in the next book. Ky really won me over this time around. I like the world and I like the story. To be honest, I was a little disappointed in this one. It just moves a little too slowly for me, I just kept expecting something to happen. There are a lot of little things that happen, but not a lot of action. I guess that’s how the series is though, more of a story and less action. I think it’s a good series and I look forward to the next book.

Reading Order:
Book One: Matched
Book Two: Crossed
Book Three:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Synopsis: Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.


Review: I really enjoy a good dystopian novel and Divergent was definitely that. I love the world that Roth has created, with the five different factions and how differently they are and how they interact with each other. I liked our heroine Tris, for the most part. It did seem like she was trying really hard to be a Dauntless and I would have liked to see her try and hang out to her Abnegation background…just a little bit. I liked that she was tough and could control her fears and the situations around her. I liked Four as well, and their relationship. I normally complain when a relationship moves too quickly, but theirs moved a little slowly for me. I would have liked to see a little more bonding. Overall, a very fun dystopian novel. I got sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I liked the characters and setting and am very curious to see what happens next.