Book Review: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Release Date: 18th December 2012

Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 488
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 RC and 2014 SSC

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living."

Review:

It's been quite some time since I read this, which makes writing this review so much harder. So, let's keep this short and snappy.

• I rather enjoyed our plot and the world in which it took place. Tragic, but pretty cool, and very well done.
• I rather liked out lead character's. Ruby is great, just because her back story is pretty dame tragic. Suzume was another fave of mine, but so was Liam, and Chubs as well. Actually, I liked the entire gang. 
• Bracken did something interesting in there with a love triangle, which actually managed to surprise me. I wouldn't mind this being explored in the sequels.
• The ending was a bit emotional, and I'm not an emotional reader, so that's saying something!
• Overall, whilst I did enjoy this, I was waiting with baited breathe for something amazing to happen because I've heard so much about how everyone loves this book. But, I was never completely blown away.

To conclude this extremely short review - this was pretty darn good, and I'll definitely continue on with the series. Definitely worth the read.

Book Review: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: 14th February 2014

Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: eBook
Pages: 295
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 SSC and 2014 EBC

Summary from Goodreads:

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

Review:
** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Words cannot even begin to describe how I feel about this book. Whilst it may have had some issues, this was the most fitting end to a series that snuck up on me to become one of my fave series.

- Pros -

• Juliette, and her amazing character growth. In Shatter Me, we met the very fragile Juliette, a girl who was afraid of her own shadow. Shatter Me, told from Juliette's perspective, was filled with crossed out words that she was afraid to speak or even allow herself to think. In Ignite Me, Juliette is completely different. She is no longer that afraid girl; she is sure of herself, and her wants and desires. There are no more crossed out words - she is completely sure of her thoughts and actions. It's a real treat to watch a character grow so much.
• Warner. Never have I ever done such a 180 on my feelings for a character. Warner was depicted as this despicable, psychotic person when we first met him. But now, almost everything he did has a valid and (sometimes) honourable reasoning behind it. Possibly the biggest revelation (for me at least) was learning that Warner never intended to us Juliette as a weapon. He found her whilst trying to find help for his mother, who's own touch was killing her. Warner still admits that he's done some terrible things, but he doesn't want to be like that any more. Ignite Me shows us that he was a product of his upbringing and circumstance - he was living his life the only way he knew how. But now, with Juliette, he's reaching for something more. 
• Warner and Juliette together. I was so sure that Juliette would end up with Adam, not because I wanted her to, but because in most books with a love triangle, the chooser ends up with whoever they fell for first, or the good guy. Surprisingly, that didn't happen here. Juliette even realised that she probably wasn't really in love with Adam, which pleases me to no end because I always thought their relationship was only due to circumstance. Warner and Juliette fit so much better together, which becomes abundantly clear in Ignite Me. Where Adam wants the meek, fragile girl Juliette used to be, Warner wants the passionate, powerful girl that Juliette's become. They just work so well together, and I am so glad that they've ended up together. 
• Speaking of Juliette, I loved all that romance. We spent the majority of our time focusing on the relationship between Juliette and Warner; Her realisation that he's not the despicable person she believed, and her final acceptance of her feelings and there getting together. And boy, do they get together. It's great to read. 
• Kenji. The hilarious best friend. Any time I laughed out loud whilst reading this was because of him. He's the much needed comic relief.

- Cons -

• There's virtually no dystopia. I was expecting an ending with a full blown war, a fight to the death, with Juliette eventually claiming her rightful place. And we did get that, but it was so short. It started, and then it finished quickly after. It seemed a bit too easy for Juliette and her band of superheroes to seize control of Sector 45. And with this being the finale to a dystopian series, you'd think there'd be a bit less focus on the romance and a little more time dedicated to the war. 
• What the hell happened to Adam. Adam was Juliette's knight in shining armour in Shatter Me. Now he's become an entitled, self-absorbed, bitter person. When presented with the new and improved Juliette, he flips out because she's no longer the quiet, scared girl he preferrs. Instead of giving Juliette a chance to explain, he just gets angry with her. He's so bitter that he even made Juliette touch Kenji, knowing full well that her touch could kill him. Adam's another character who's done a 180, and I'd be surprised if anyone out there still likes him, or wants him with Juliette. 
• I think we needed an epilogue. We ended after the swift and easy takeover of Sector 45, with Juliette's aim to eventually take over the world (or at least America). I think an epilogue, just a little into the future, were they've taken some other Sector's and are building there army would have ended the story nicely. And, of course, knowing that the gang are still all together and that Juliette and Warner are doing well would have satisfied a lot of readers. 

So whilst I had major issues with the lack of dystopia, I just loved the romance so much that it didn't end up bothering me all that much. There was still enough tension to get me flipping furiously through those pages. And even though the ending was a bit short for my liking, it still had my heart racing. This series overall was a treat to read, and I really think everyone ought to give it a try. 

Book Review: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

Release Date: 6th October 2009

Publisher: Random House
Format: eBook
Pages: 307
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2014 EBC, 2014 RC and 2014 SSC 

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade-a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up-the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."

Review:

** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**

Ever since I became aware that this was being turned into a movie, to be released later this year, well, I just had to read it. And may I say, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie now, because I quite enjoyed this.

I was a bit apprehensive going into this because back in the day, this used to be on the required reading list for many highschoolers in my area. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with required reading - I always found that of the 5 or so books I was given to read for English class, there was only ever 1 I actually enjoyed reading, and there was at least one I loathed. So knowing this was required reading for some firming pushed this off my radar, until I started blogging and saw the love the blogosphere had for this series. And I'm glad to say that it's well deserved.

I'm struggling majorly right now to pinpoint exactly what it was that I enjoyed about this novel. I liked the plot and setting, which were sound, albeit a little predictable. I think we all knew that the maze was unsolvable, and I wasn't at all surprised that they'd have to escape through the Griever hole thingymabob.  Up until the last couple of chapters, everything plodded along how I expected it to, in an interesting and enthralling way. Even though I thought I knew what was going to happen, it was still enjoyable to read, probably because I was so damn curious about those Creators and what Tom and Teresa had to do with it all. All those mysteries, they can't help but draw you in.

I think what ultimately sold me on this was the last couple of chapters, because that's when things started happening that you weren't expecting. First off, Gally reappears, to test just one last variable, which results in CHUCK DYING. WHY?!? I am so curious to find out what they were actually testing there, although I'm expecting it has something to do with Tom. And then we hit that epilogue. That epilogue man, it's so damn creepy. Just when I was starting to fall into the trap of thinking that they actually had been rescued, they throw that at me, and I realise just how crazy the whole things actually is; how they're using and manipulating children to find a way to solve their problem. I don't know why exactly I didn't realise that earlier. But, damn, that epilogue. 

Overall, I'd recommend it.

Book Review: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: 5th February 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: eBook
Pages: 348
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 EBC, 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Goodreads:

"tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life"

Review:

Usually I give myself longer to process a book before writing a review. But, 2 days after finishing this one, I need to get this review up to stay up to date with the schedule I wrote myself for the Christmas break, so here goes nothing. Unravel Me was amazing. Simply amazing. 

It's been well over a year since I read Shatter Me, but Unravel Me transported me back to that world instantly. With the unique writing style that Mafi has employed in these books, how could it not? Merely pages into the book I'm asking myself Why did I wait so long to read this? Seriously, I don't understand why this wasn't at the top of my TBR, because Ignite Me definitely is. I just love how Mafi has employed this pseudo stream of conciousness for Juliet. You really get to understand Juliet better as a character because of it. You hear everything she's thinking, feel everything she's feeling through the poetic nature of the prose, understand the thoughts she's ashamed of having as they've been crossed out. It's nothing short of genius on Mafi's part. Everything is intensified, which makes this one of those books you struggle to put down. 

Let's talk a bit about Warner, because he's one of my favourite characters by far. We learn a lot more about Warner in this novel. You get to see a lot more of the good, rather than the bad. He's very much a tortured soul - it's obvious that years of mistreatments have shaped him into who he is; there's a back story there just waiting to be told. I believe a lot more in Juliet and Warner's relationship than I do in Juliet and Adam's. Juliet and Adam always felt a bit instalovey for me; it seemed that the main reason Juliet was ever interested in him was because he was somehow immune to her touch. I think her relationship with Warner, on the other hand, shows a much more natural progression - he has to work a bit harder to win her over, so I'm much more inclined to want Warner with Juliet. Plus, that bedroom scene - lordy lordy bee. 

Overall, Unravel Me was a very solid follow up to Shatter Me. This has a strong, action filled plot, a love triangle that I didn't hate, and a lot of new and interesting personalities were introduced. Plus Kenji; lets not forget about the awesomeness that is the witty, inappropriately acting yet serious when needed Kenji. And after that intense ending, I cannot wait to get my hands on Ignite Me early next year. 

Book Review: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon
Release Date: 20th August 2013

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 452
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Goodreads:

"It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army."

Review:

For the past couple of days, I've struggled to write this review, because I'm not entirely sure what my feelings for The Bone Season are. On the one hand, the storyline is brilliant, the detail of this new world is amazing, and I loved our main characters. But on the other hand, there's just something that feels a bit off, and I think it comes down to the fact that I didn't feel immersed in this world - I felt like an outsider looking it.

But isn't that what we do with every book? Well, yes, but this is different. With most stories, I feel like I'm there with the protagonists. I'm invested in the storyline, I care about our protagonists futures. A book may be set in a completely new and foreign world to me, but I believe it and I'm there with the characters - I'm completely immersed in the story. But with this, I didn't get that. It wasn't until well into the second half of the novel or so that I finally began to feel invested in these people and this new world. Up until that point though, I felt like an outsider looking in, and overall, it made me struggle to get into the book.

That being said, this is an amazing read. The storyline is so new and interesting, the new world established is so messed up, and the Rephaim are a real treat to read about. There's just enough mystery to keep you intrigued, enough action to keep you on edge, and plenty of romance. I don't know what it was that wasn't allowing me to get invested in the beginning, because I was well invested in the end, and will undoubtedly be continuing on with this series. I would definitely check this one out for a new twist on the supernatural and dystopian genres. 

Book Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth
Release Date: 23rd October 2013

Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 536
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Goodreads:

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

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

Review:
** Spoiler Alert: Read at your own risk**
**Like seriously, SPOILERS**

I don't really know where to start with this one. Because, whilst this was a good wrap up to the series and explained everything well, there were some glaring problems.

Let's start with the characters. The character's are the same character's you still know and love. With the dual perspective split between Tris and Tobias, we get a new insight into Tobias, even if he sounds exactly the same as Tris. There's problem number one - when reading Tobias' chapters, I usually forgot it wasn't Tris, then got super confused and had to refer back to the beginning of the chapter to see that I wasn't actually reading from Tris' perspective. I understand why the dual perspective is there, but I think it could have been done better. Back to the characters - what I appreciate is that Tris stays true to herself, to her character that has been established in the previous books. Roth was very brave to write the ending as she did, and I appreciate the guts it took to go through with that, even though it was obvious that some people would be annoyed. But, honestly, that ending couldn't have gone any other way. Tris is the brave, self sacrificing girl who would die for her loved ones - she would not let her brother Caleb, no matter what he did to her, do to his death - she just wouldn't. So props to Roth for staying true to the characters and writing the ending the way you did. However, I didn't like how Tris' big plan to save everyone was to wipe everyone's memories - Tris is supposed to be the moral compass, I don't see her ever thinking that this is a good idea. 

Moving on, something that obviously needed to be addressed in this novel was all the mysteries surrounding Divergence, and the factions system, and Edith Prior's video at the end of Insurgent. And, we did get those answers, although they were a bit lacklustre. The whole explanation and reasoning made sense, but I think we were all hoping that it was going to be something more, something less obvious maybe? I'm not entirely sure, I just know that when I read the explanation, I was like..Yeah no that makes sense. I wasn't like...OH MY LORD THAT'S WHY!?! Which is kinda how I wanted to be. Also, something else that irked me...we never got a full, detailed explanation as to why Caleb sold Tris out to Jeanine. I was so pumped for a explanation for that, and I read in an article that Roth said we'd be getting some answers, but we actually didn't get anything. I wanted that explained, and considering how long the novel was, a paragraph or two to explain Caleb's actions could have been thrown in (of could have even replaced something else).

Now let's get to the plot and the writing. This is where the most glaring issues were. The timing of this novel wasn't right. We begin quite strong, our little group ventures out beyond the fence, they reach their destination quite quickly, and then we get an info dump. The explanation for pretty much everything (Divergence, the factions set-up, what it's aiming to correct, etc etc) is thrown at us in one big dump, and within the space of a chapter or two. And then, for about 300 pages or so, next to nothing happens. Between the first couple of chapters and the big finale, it's just dead space. There are scenes in there that serve no purpose, and the action that's been present in Divergent and Insurgent is lacking. People are making stupid decisions and doing things that serve no purpose to the main plot. And then, at around the 400 page mark, with Tris' declaration to erase everyone's memories, everything picks up. We get the action, we get some movement, things are happening, and then Tris dies, we slow down a bit, everything gets resolved, and the book is over. And then we have the beautiful epilogue that makes you wonder if it can save the entire book. But it can't, it just can't.

That 300 page dead space could have been condensed to under 100 pages and then the book would have been the perfect length, and the story would be progressing along at pretty much the perfect speed. Considering that Roth has had the book planned since the very beginning, I'm surprised that she wasn't able to completely pull it off. However, it did give me the answers that I wanted, and beginning and ending of the book were strong. So, should you read this? If you've been reading the series, then how could you not give this a go after the ending of Insurgent? If you're wondering whether to start the series, I'm almost tempted to tell you not to, but if you think you can push through some bad writing in the final book, then give it a go. 

Book Review: Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu
Release Date: 29th November 2012

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 308
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Goodreads:

"What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbours. 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."

Review:

To be honest, I thought I'd like this a lot more than I did. I don't know what it was - maybe I had set my expectations too high because of all the hype - but I just wasn't wowed by this. But, I think this has done just enough to get me interested in reading book 2...at some point in time. 

Legend conforms to everything that's the rage at the moment - set in a dystopian future, we follow a boy and a girl from two vastly different upbringings on their quest for the truth. As the blurb says, Day is the country's most wanted criminal, June is the country's biggest success story. Each are searching for answers, and for both, one wrong move would mean certain death. Legend has the premise, and it even pulls it off - this is a well done book with a great, fast moving plot, with plenty of twists and turns.

And the characters are great too. Day and June are just the right mix of fight and vulnerability. Tess and John seem like lovely people, although my feelings for either of them weren't particularly strong. Thomas intrigued me - he's a ruthless soldier, following his orders no matter what they may be, but his pursuit of June reminds us that he is human. And Commander Jameson is brilliant - the complete opposite of June, her antithesis. If June had followed her orders exactly and never stopped to think, she could have ended up just like Commander Jameson, and boy, are we glad that she didn't.

Maybe I'm just a bit over the dystopian genre at the moment, because I just can't seem to pinpoint anything in particular that I disliked. I liked everything, but just not enough. It's probable that I will read Prodigy, but maybe I'll take a look at some reviews first. 

Book Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth
Release Date: 1st May 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 525
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"Fighting for survival in a shattered world...the truth is her only hope. The thrillingly dark sequel to New York Times bestseller, DIVERGENT. I have done bad things. I can't take them back, and they are part of who I am. Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future. Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever...because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead."

Review:
*Pre-Warning: There are some spoilers in this review for the prequel Divergent. They're pretty small and I've kept them to a minimum, but I felt the need to warn you, just in case*

This was just as good as its predecessor. I pretty much loved everything about this book. We see a different side of Tris, who is struggling after having killed her friend, and her best friends boyfriend, Will; Tris and Four/Tobias have some issues in their relationship; and, something I particularly liked reading about, you learn a bit more about what it means to be Divergent. Tris, who has aptitude for Dauntless, Abnegation and Erudite, has the innate ability to be selfless, fearless, and knowledgeable. The combination of these traits make her, in my opinion, one of the only people who is able to take effective action in this series. She can go into battle and fight fearlessly, but can also think logically and therefore is able to spot problems and solve them, and she's selfless enough to sacrifice herself on more than one occasion. For me, I got to understand a bit more what divergence meant in this world, and why some might be threatened by it.

I also think the plot was particularly good. The story picks up quite literally where we left it in Divergent, so you haven't missed any of the action. We've seen the Abnegation and Dauntless factions in Divergent, and little tidbits from other factions, but we get to see more of Amity, Candor and Erudite, up close and personal. Instead of merely hearing about what life is like in these factions, you get to actually see it as our protagonist spends periods of time at each faction compound at some point in the book. I particularly enjoyed seeing how different factions lived, from how the people acted to something as trivial as the clothing they wore. I liked expanding my knowledge of the factions by having all 5 factions showcased at some point in time in this novel, probably because I'm stockpiling information on all the factions for when it comes time to read the final book in the trilogy, Allegiant, when it's released later this year. 

And I particularly enjoyed the twists in this book - who would have guessed that Tris would get betrayed by someone close to her, and helped by someone she hated. And then, that ending. My word, it is going to be hard to wait for Allegiant's release in October (6 months seems soooo long) and I need to know what happens next!!! Seriously, get your hands on this series if you haven't yet, because it's a must read. 

Book Review: The Host (The Host #1) by Stephenie Meyer

The Host (The Host #1) by Stephenie Meyer
Release Date: 6th May 2006

Publisher: Little Brown Books 
Format: eBook
Pages: 619
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 EBC and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:
"Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. 

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Wanderer, the invading "soul" who occupies Melanie's body, finds its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Soon Wanderer and Melanie-reluctant allies-set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human."

Review:
Today I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. Put simply, I really, really enjoyed this book - waaaaay more than I expected I would (I think we can put that down to the stigma surrounding Stephenie Meyer these days). I loved almost everything about this book - the premise especially drew me it. Aliens invade earth to use humans as host bodies - what doesn't sound interesting about that?

Before starting this book, the only characters I really knew about were Melanie and Jared. I didn't know, or expect, that the story would be told from Wanda's point of view - but I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to read about how Wanda saw our world, how her opinions changed over time. Same thing with Melanie - it was interesting to have her as the complete opposite of Wanda in the beginning, and then see how she changes as the story progresses. 

One thing I feel like I need to stress is that THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Don't be fooled by the blurbs claim, there is no love triangle, so don't decide not to read this book soley based on this reason. Also, I've heard that the movie isn't that great either. So if you were thinking of reading the book but then changed your mind after seeing the movie, reconsider - the book is always better than the movie!

Book Review: Uglies (Uglies #1) by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies (Uglies #1) by Scott Westerfeld 
Release Date: 1st January 2006

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: eBook 
Pages: 432
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 EBC and 2013 BSR

Summary from Goodreads:
"Tally Youngblood is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait for the operation that turns everyone from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to party. But new friend Shay would rather hoverboard to "the Smoke" and be free. Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The "Special Circumstances" authority Dr Cable offers Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever."

Review:
Its been a couple of days since I finished this book, and I'm still not entirely sure what I think about it. I've spent the past couple of days trying to decide what rating to give it, and I've actually found it really hard. In the end, I have to go for 3.5/5 - this book wasn't particularly good, but isn't wasn't particularly bad either - it was an interesting read, but it was also predictable and there were no standout moments for me. 

Don't get me wrong, this book was very interesting. Its an interesting world that's presented, and at first I wasn't entirely happy with it. Obviously, that is the point - this is a dystopian world that we are supposed to identify as wrong in some way. But, the way the 'Rusties' were described at the beginning of the book - I just really didn't like it. The Rusties, a pet-name used to describe what I assumed was 21st century society, were seen as basically barbaric by Tally, and that just really rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know why though - what with Tally being told this her entire life, it's perfectly normal for her to think that why - but I just really, really didn't like it. 

Moving forward, the plot to this story is pretty predictable. You know what Tally's going to have to do when Shay runs away, and what will happen when Tally does reach the Smoke. I have to admit, I wasn't entirely sure what the ending was going to be, but when I found out, it made complete sense - I think it was the perfect way to end the book and clearly sets up what's going to happen in the sequel. Overall, this was an interesting read and I will continue on with the series at some point, but it won't be until some point in the distant future. 

UPDATE: Of course I figure out what else bothered me about the book just after I put up the review - the characters. A lot of these characters were annoying. Tally at the beginning, with her hopes and dreams of becoming pretty, was annoying. Shay, throughout the entire story, annoyed me - whilst she was supposed to be especially annoying at the end, I found her the most annoying at the Smoke, after a certain someone gave Tally a certain something (if you've read the book, you'll know what I mean). And Peris - I thought he was going to be much more involved in the story, but then he just faded into the background. Honestly, some of these characters..

Book Review: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: 5th Feb 2013

Publisher: Puffin Books
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 452
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 ODY, 2013 GVR and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"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."

Review:

This was a fitting sequel to Meyer's debut novel, Cinder. To be honest, I was worried that the introduction of new main characters might interfere with what was already set up in book one, but it all worked out really well.

What I love about this series is that each book incorporates a retelling of an old fairytale. Cinder, if you can't tell based from the name, was based on Cinderella, and Scarlet has been based on Red Riding Hood. I was worried a bit when I found this out, because I wondered how Meyer was going to effectively incorporate a new story and new characters, whilst also continuing on the story she began in Cinder. But, Meyer was very clever with how she used the characters of Scarlet (little red riding hood), Wolf (that one's pretty self explanatory) and Scarlet's grandmother Michelle, so that they had significance to the continuing storyline from Cinder. 

Overall, Meyer continued the fascinating story of Cinder in the second novel in the Lunar Chronicles, and I'm really excited to see where the next novel takes us. 

Book Review: Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1) by Lauren Destefano

Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1) by Lauren Destefano
Release Date: 6th December 2011

Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 358
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 GVR and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years--leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek 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 sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet 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 one day and feared the next; and Rhine has no way to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive.

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?"

Review:

I really liked the premise for this story. The dystopian future that the book was set in was really interesting to me, mostly because I thought that the future it presented could (at a stretch) become a reality. What with developments in medicine and scientific advancement, its not entirely crazy to think that one day, all the worlds health problems could be obliterated. But, of course, something goes wrong and now the children of the 'perfect race' are dying young - women die at age 20, men at 25 - of some unknown virus.

Enter Rhine, a 16 year old who has been forced to marry a rich 21 year old man. I didn't mind Rhine as a character, and I liked where her story took her, but I also found it a little predictable. Of course there has to be some sort of relationship with a servant, when really she should just be focusing on getting out of this forced marriage and getting back to her brother. Besides this, I did like her character development, especially in regards to her feelings about Linden (a bit of Stockholm syndrome going on there).

I've seen in some other reviews that Rhine has been criticised for not taking action, for taking too long to actually escape. Granted, it did take her about a year or so to actually get away, but there was a reason for this. She realised that in order to have a good chance of getting away, she needed to build trust first. She needed to find a way to be allowed off the wives floor, the only level in the house she was allowed on; then Linden needed to trust her enough to actually take her outside the compound, so she could get some sort of idea of where the gate, her only exit, was; and then she needed to figure out a way to get from the house to the gate without raising suspicions. It wasn't simply a matter of jumping out a window and running for it (disregard what happened during the tornado), because she would be captured and she would not have the chance to escape again. Rhine knew she only had one chance, she had to get it right. And in this respect, her plan of escape was a pretty solid plan.

When I came to end of the book, I felt like the story was pretty much resolved - I don't really feel the need to continue on with this series. Overall, I liked the majority of the characters, the setting, and the plot (albeit a bit predictable) - it was a good story, but I think it could have done better.

Book Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Release Date: 1st April 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins 
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 487
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 GVR and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"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."

Review:
I am honestly finding it so hard to write this review right now, simply because I can't think how to put into words how awesome this book was. I can't believe that I let this sit on my shelf for so long.

Just everything about this book was amazing. This dystopian future world that you are fully immersed in from the beginning, is just so interesting to read about. The idea of society being split into different factions, and the thought that you have to conform wholly to one faction  - it's really interesting to think about. Especially when your choices are Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Erudite (knowledge), Candor (honesty) and Amity (peace). I don't know about you, but the thought of having to live in just one of these factions for my entire life (or at least one for the first 16 years of my life, and then another for the rest), just messes with my mind. I can't fathom living in Candor and having to tell the truth all the time, or Dauntless, where I literally wouldn't survive a day. This whole world that Roth has set up is so different and distinctive and so interesting to read about. 

And the characters. Oh my god. I loved our narrator Tris and I loved Four and l loved the two of them together. I loved Christina, Will and Uriah, I thought they were great friends for Tris. I liked Caleb, and then I didn't like him, but then I liked him again. Went through the same thing with Tris' parents. I loved to hate Peter, Molly and Drew. I also loved to hate Eric and Jeanine. For me, all of the characters were just perfect.

There were some things that annoyed me in this book, the main thing involved Tris and Will. I can't say what it is because it would be a spoiler, but I just logically thought that it could have played out in a different way. I thought Tris had other options, besides the option that she took (which I really wish she hadn't). I can tell that this going to annoy me for some time.

Overall, this book is a must read. It's sold as a book that fans of the Hunger Games will enjoy, and whilst they definitely will, I wouldn't get confused with thinking that Divergent is similar to the Hunger Games. Yes, they are both set is dystopian futures where shit goes down, but, Divergent is a completely different storyline. Same themes, same moral messages, yes indeed, but completely different. Please just go and read this book, I can't stress enough how amazing it was. 

Book Review: Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: 15th November 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: eBook
Pages: 352
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.  

Review:
I've actually found this review really hard to write, which is why it's taken me a week to post this (sorry about that :/). The problem I have is that I don't know what to say besides the following: 
This. book. was. AMAZING. I loved everything about this book - the plot, the setting, the characters, the writing style - almost everything about this book was brilliant.
There were only a couple of little cons in this book. 1. There is a pretty intensive love story in this book, with some sexual content (only kissing). But hey, this part didn't really bother me that much. 2. What did bother me though, was the fact that Juliette's feelings for Adam seemed a bit convenient, what with him being that only person she has met in her life whom she can actually touch. But honestly, these are minor, minor points that you hardly notice whilst reading the book.
Overall, this is a definite must read. If you're not convinced, check out the book trailer below: