Book Review: Ashes

Author: Ilsa Bick
Series: Ashes Trilogy #1
Publisher: Egmont USA
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Pages: 465
Read it in: 3 days
Source: Won in Zombie Craze Giveaway 2012 from the Bookish Brunette! :)

Summary: It could happen tomorrow...

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human. Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

LC's Take:

"So far this book is AWESOME-- just don't read it and eat at the same time."

(my first Goodreads update)

So, have you ever come across a book and your first reaction to it is: "UGH! No WAY am I ever reading that one!" But then... something about it intrigues you, and you sorta can't stop thinking about it, so eventually you're just like, "OK, what the hell, I'll give it a shot."

Yeah, that was me with Ashes. The cover quite frankly scared the living daylights out of me, but for some reason, I was still interested in it-- then I won it in a giveaway, so at that point it was like, well now I have to read it-- and I'm really glad that I did. I mean, where do I EVEN begin?? This book was gory, intense, horrific, and FREAKING SWEET. It gave me chills, it grossed me out, and it had me on the edge of my seat for pretty much the entire time I was reading it!

A brief synopsis: Alex is in the woods when it happens-- the "Zap"-- the shock that sends everyone into a terrifying Post-apocalyptic world where teens Alex's age start to go crazy... and cannibalistic. But Alex is no stranger to near-death experiences and fighting to survive, because with a giant brain tumor slowly eating away at her, Alex has always felt like it's only a matter of time before the silent "monster" defeats her... but while so many others are either dead or eating the dead, the Zap has actually given Alex the superhuman ability to sense, or more specifically smell, when danger is around or when people's emotions change. Most importantly, she can tell the difference between who's still human and who has changed and gone berserk...

Alright so first of all, Alex was such a kick-ass main character. Strong, independent, and armed with an arsenal of survival skills and a dry sense of humor, she was one of those characters who you just LOVE to read about. I could relate to her, I became invested in her story, and so I was pretty much hanging on every word. Not to mention the fact that the girl has a brain tumor that is slowly killing her, and yet she doesn't have any major self-pity or cynicism to make her unlikable. She goes through some of the most horrific and painful experiences and yet there is no whining from her-- this was a YA character who I completely respected and was thrilled to be reading about!

Ellie and Tom, the two main supporting characters who Alex meets in the woods, were equally as intriguing. For example, when Alex first meets 8-year Ellie on the mountain, I couldn't stand her. She was a whiny little brat who caused about 50 million problems for Alex and was ungrateful that Alex saved her life a bunch of times. However, around chapter 12, Ellie decides to stop being a major pain in the rear and then she actually becomes a very endearing character. And Tom worked well as far as a love interest goes because his interactions with Alex were so interesting, and because the romance that builds between them was very gradual and not forced.

My only *one* caveat with Ashes was that I felt the story slightly lost its momentum in the latter part of the book. For the first part of the story, I got so deeply involved with the three main characters, and how they interacted together-- Ellie, Tom and Alex were interesting themselves, and I was loving seeing how their relationships played out. PLUS the first part of the story was so freaking scary and suspenseful, and I loved that feeling like just around the next page could be something else truly horrific. But then... the plot takes a turn, and Alex, Ellie and Tom get split up-- Alex winds up in a small town called Rule, where she becomes stuck in their strict society and religious fanaticism, and at this point I kind of felt like the plot lost some of its original intensity. It's not that the story got to be boring, but I did somewhat lose interest in it and I wasn't as invested in the new characters. However, then there was the MAJOR cliffhanger at the end-- OMG the ending!!

So even though Ashes was not even a book I had originally planned on reading, I am so glad that I made the decision to give it a shot-- it was an action-packed thriller filled with heart-stopping scenes, horrific and gory descriptions that gave me the chills, and complex characters that I couldn't help but become attached to. Not to mention, the writing was amazing. This one definitely stands way out from a lot of other YA, and if you love a great story, great characters, and aren't too squeamish, I would absolutely recommend that you give this one a chance as well!

~Cover Talk~

Let's not beat around the bush-- this cover scares the living bejeezus out of me. In fact, the cover art on this book is so insanely creeptastic and disturbing that I had to take the book jacket off the book while I was reading it just so I wouldn't have nightmares. No, I'm not joking. But let me also say that it was BECAUSE of the fright-level of the cover art that I eventually came around to reading this one-- it's just one of those images that you can't really forget once you've seen it.

I'm also a huge fan because it appeals not just to girls or YA-lovers-- don't get me wrong, I love covers with the pretty models in pretty dresses, but those books are really being put in a box and are limited in their appeal to a wider reading audience. The cover of Ashes however is awesome because it is not only extremely eye-catching; it crosses over to many different reader groups.

Find it!

LC's Rating:

Don't let the cover fool you-- Ashes was more than just a horror story. It had interesting and complex characters, awesome writing, and tons of plot turns to keep you guessing what will happen next. This is one book that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat!

Book Review: Cold Fury

Author: T.M. Goeglein
Series: Cold Fury #1
Publisher: Putnam
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Pages: 313
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

LC's Take:

Cold Fury was a book that I was really interested in reading because it sounded pretty much like nothing I had ever read before-- and let's be honest, it isn't very often that you see the Mafia coming up as a genre in YA fiction! So I knew that I had to give this one a try, especially since it looked like it was going to be an action-packed thriller that would be keeping me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end...

Now, don't get me wrong-- I did enjoy reading this one. However, I can't say that it turned out to be *quite* the crazy adrenaline-rush that I had been hoping for. It was still a really great book, but I had some issues with it-- which is unfortunate, since Cold Fury did have many really good things going for it too.

First of all, I definitely liked Sara Jane as the main character. I thought she was a tough, kick-butt kind of character and she managed to have this great assertiveness about her without coming across as being cocky or overly aggressive. I loved that she was a boxer and knew how to fight but that she also had this whole girly thing going on too with her crush on Max. So points have to be given out to the main character in this book-- I thought she was strong, brave, and totally rocked.

Another thing about Cold Fury that I loved was that a lot of the writing was incredibly good-- case in point:

"The recesses of a troubled brain at rest are terrible places because they have no boundaries-- no backward or forward or beginning or end. They are timeless, bottomless pits where a sleeping soul goes to sort out its worries and woes...  The subconscious spins like an awful, haunted buzz saw. It turns faster and faster, ripping through the day's events, shredding forgotten memories, and slicing to bits all hope for the future."  p. 128-9

Some of the more reflective and descriptive writing in Cold Fury was amazing, and a lot of the action scenes were just as well done. T.M. Goeglein is one super-talented writer who stands out against many other YA authors I've read lately, so I have to gush a little about the awesome writing style in this book. The back of the cover described it as being "cinematic" and I absolutely have to agree-- you felt like you were right in the middle of a Mob movie during certain scenes!

So... when it comes down to it, my main issue with Cold Fury was the pacing-- it just did not work for me. The beginning was filled with lots of flashbacks and memories, then around page 100 some present-day action starts to take place, but then we're thrown a bunch of family history and super-lengthy explanations about the Mob, and it just really threw me off. I felt like things were all over the place-- we have Sara Jane on this hunt to find her family while being chased by this crazy Ski Mask guy, then there's a sub-plot going on at Sara's school with her crush Max and her outcast suicidal friend Doug, and then there's all of these flashbacks about boxing and backtracking to Sara's childhood... not to mention, the whole long-winded chapter explaining the Chicago Outfit-- AKA The Mafia-- and to be honest, some of it just seemed to drag a bit, pulling me away from the main action. So with the pacing, it seemed to start slow, then sped up, then it slows way down with tons of explanation, and then slams you back into the action again-- it just didn't flow very well in my opinion.

Cold Fury was one of those books that I have a hard time putting a rating on, because there were aspects to it that I really liked and others that fell flat for me. On one hand, I loved the main character, the writing was really great, and I thought that the plot that centered on a girl from a Mafia family was really unique. Unfortunately, I also felt like there was just way too much back-tracking, Mafia history, and explanations-- and not enough action. It's not that I didn't find these things interesting, but they majorly slowed the plot down to a crawl in some spots and made it really difficult for me to stay invested in what was going on. The ending was still really good, and I would say give this one a shot if you want a genre that's really different-- and even if you do like action, I think this series has great potential to step it up in the next book and get really good!

~Cover Talk~

This is SUCH a kick-ass cover, and I absolutely love how it looks like a movie poster. Once again though, and not to beat a dead horse, but the cover for me turned out to be slightly misleading, because I looked at it and figured this was going to be an all-out adrenaline-fest kind of story with tons of action and a super fast-paced plot. The story didn't quite live up to my expectations in the end, but the cinematic cover is still pretty awesome.

LC's Rating:

The writing was really great and the main character was one tough chick-- I only wish that the pacing hadn't been so sporadic and the plot less choppy! I would have liked this one more if there had been more action and less explanation/back-tracking.

Book Review: Goliath

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series: Leviathan #3
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Pages: 543
Read it in: 3 days
Source: The library

Summary: Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

LC's Take:

What else can I really say about this series that I haven't said already? It is absolutely-- incredible. It's one of those series that you just can't put into words how good it is, so all you can really say to your fellow readers is: "PLEASE!! Go out and get these books, you will love them!!

In this last installment, Deryn and Alek are sailing on the Leviathan towards Siberia, where they meet the famous inventor, Nicola Tesla. In this alternate history, Tesla turns out to be a maniacal genius who has created a weapon of mass destruction called "Goliath," which he plans on using-- hopefully only as a scare tactic-- to stop the war. But in the meantime, the Leviathan has to bring Mr. Tesla back to New York City in order to end once and for all the Great War, begun by Alec's own noble family. And so the last piece of the Leviathan's whirlwind adventure begins...

Deryn is probably one of the most endearing characters I have ever read about. You just can't help but love her. Disguised as a boy so that she can join the Air Service and go off to fight in the war, Deryn is all spirit, strength and heart, with a quick-witted tongue and dare-devilish attitude. A girl who was born to be an airman and a soldier, Deryn has overcome all odds to save lives and stop revolutions, while secretly falling in love with her comrade on Leviathan, Alek, heir to the Astro-Hungarian throne.

The world -building of Goliath, like the other two books before it, is both flawless and effortless. I mean it is just so well-done that you start thinking the world must be real, because there is nothing fake or forced about it. Everything is wonderfully imaginative and complete, down to the last detail.

Another thing I love about this series, and that I noticed especially in this book, is that the airship itself has become a character-- this is truly a testament to what an amazing author Scott Westerfeld is, that he can take inanimate objects and create them into characters, that you actually know you are going to miss when you leave them behind. Think about how J.K. Rowling created Hogwarts to be like a character, and you'll get the idea.

This is one of those series that I fell in love with in the first few chapters, and never wanted it to end. I know that I will look forward to reading them again one day, and am positive that I will love them just as much!

~Cover Talk~

I absolutely LOVE the cover for Goliath. I mean, I've liked pretty much all the covers in this series, but I really love being able to see Alek and Deryn's characters in real-life-- and when I look at this cover, I think to myself, yeah that probably is how they look! The artwork in this series is incredible, and I can't say enough good things about Kent Thomas and his illustrations. This cover, like the one for Leviathan and Behemoth before it, really do the story justice in my opinion!

LC's Rating:

I could only give this final book in an amazing series 5 stars, and it totally deserves it! I would absolutely recommend these books to pretty much anyone who loves to read-- they will take you away to another world and not let you go until the very last page, only to leave you wanting more!

Book Review: Behemoth

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 25, 2010
Pages: 496
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

LC's Take: 

What can I say? Scott Westerfeld has me totally hooked. I LOVE this series! The first book, Leviathan, was amazing, and Behemoth, its sequel, does not disappoint. In fact, if anything, I liked Behemoth even more, since I already knew the characters and the back-story to the plot. Sometimes it's difficult to get into the first book of a series because there's so much explanation and things to remember, but with Behemoth, I could easily get right into the action-packed story.

The year is 1914 and WWI has begun: British and Russian "Darwinists" against German and Austro-Hungarian "Clankers." The Darwinists have their fabricated creatures while the Clankers fight with their iron machinery. In the midst of the Great War, two friends from opposite sides are brought together by fate: Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy to fight for the British Air Service, and Alek, son of the murdered Archduke Franz Ferdinand and heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire...

OK, so first of all, I love Deryn and Alek, the two main characters. They're both great by themselves, but put them together and their personalities compliment and play off of one another perfectly. Deryn is sharp-witted, and fearless with a tough exterior, while Alek is slightly haughty and sheltered but compassionate and always ready to take on his new role as future-emperor. You could really see their friendship grow  in this book, with Alek becoming more of an active leader in the war, and Deryn having to struggle with whether or not to tell Alek that she's actually a girl-- that was very interesting to follow!

Westerfeld's inventions and world-building are pure genius, and the illustrations by Keith Thompson, once again, are absolutely stunning and add so much to this book. I really can't believe how talented both the author and the illustrator are, or how closely their imaginations line up to create a completely fantastic yet believable world.

Also-- I said the same thing about Leviathan, but I'll say it again-- if you aren't the type of reader who usually goes for books about wars and guns and machines, don't get scared away by the plot summaries for this series. Honestly, when I started Leviathan I thought I'd either hate it or be bored to tears, because WWI doesn't interest me at all. But Westerfeld is such an incredibly talented writer that I was pretty much dragged into the story before I knew what was happening! Now I'm practically devouring these books.

I really can't say how much I loved this book, and this series. It was just so much fun, and so easy to read-- the characters, the witty dialogue that made me laugh out loud, and the crazy action-packed plot all made Behemoth such an awesome book. If you haven't ever read anything by Scott Westerfeld, I would highly recommend giving him a shot. This series in particular has far exceeded any expectations I had for it, and I can't wait to get into Goliath!

LC's Rating:

Westerfeld's effortless ability to create vivid worlds and unforgettable characters had me hooked from beginning to end. I loved this book!

Book Review: Leviathan

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Pages: 440
Read it in: 4 days

Summary: It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way... taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change their lives forever.

LC's Take: 

I am really surprised by how much I loved this book. When I first read the summary, I wasn't terribly enthralled-- WWI has never interested me in the slightest and to be honest, it just sounded too much like a "boy's book." But I thought, well, I will give this a shot, and see if it surprises me. In any case, I like challenging myself to read something completely different from what I am used to. In this case, I am really glad I did because this book was totally badass. 

Leviathan was an action-packed adventure from the first chapter-- I'm talking guns, battles, machines, escapes-- the whole bit. Scott Westerfeld is such an awesome writer that I was able to get completely caught up in the story. WWI tactics and diplomacy were mixed in with Steampunk machinery and an awesome range of memorable characters. I loved Alek, the 15-year old heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was in that awkward phase between being a boy and a man, but his courage and heart shone through. And Deryn? OMG she was THE BEST! Finally, here is a strong female heroine where the author shows you her strength, bravery, humor and charisma. Incorrigible and independent, Deryn disguises herself as a boy to enter the British Air Service. She has a spirit and style all her own, and this has made her one of my new favorite characters! Dr. Barlow, the female Darwin scientist who is the crux of the Leviathan's mission was also a great character-- smart though somewhat annoying and bossy, she is another example of amazing characterization.

The world-building in Leviathan was incredible. Whether it was being on board the giant living Darwinist airship made out of a huge living whale and other "beasties," floating thousands of feet in the air, or inside the "Clanker" Stormwalker made of iron-- Westerfeld paints his Steampunk inventions and creations with words. And as an added bonus, this book had illustrations! How cool is that? These were amazing, and they added that much more to the story being told. (The one to the right is a pic of the Leviathan airship!)

Because Leviathan is a Steampunk novel, it is also an alternate history, telling a story based on historical fact but changing things around by asking the question "What if so-and-so had happened?" What if Darwin had discovered DNA and science was advanced enough to fabricate new creatures? What if technology was far enough along to build walking machines? As Scott says in his Afterword, "That is the nature of Steampunk-- blending future and past." I for one, loved it.

If you are looking for a good action-adventure with incredible world-building, unforgettable characters and humor sprinkled throughout, I would totally recommend you read this book! Don't let the synopsis scare you away-- even if it doesn't sound like a plot you would normally be interested in, I would give it a chance anyways-- I am so happy that I did!

LC's Rating:

Leviathan was a smart, fast-paced Steampunk adventure that left me wanting more-- Scott Westerfeld is such an amazing writer, and I can't wait to read the other books in this series!

Book Review: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: July 3, 2010
Pages: 384
Read it in: 4 days

Summary: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.

LC's Take: 

I know, I know, I'm like the last person to read this book, but I finally got a hold of it! Honestly, this is a really hard book to review because there has already been so much said about it-- I don't plan on adding anything incredibly insightful that hundreds of other people haven't already mentioned about its sheer awesomeness, but here is what I thought...

Unlike a lot of other books I read, I went into The Hunger Games with an expectation that it was going to be incredible. I try not to start a book with any preconceived notions, but in this case I really couldn't help it after hearing so many people raving about it. All in all, I definitely was not disappointed! THG kept me in suspense from beginning to end, wondering what would happen next at every turn in this ultimate fight for survival.

Probably one of the things I liked most about this book was the unforgettable characters. Katniss, the female protagonist, was both believable and likable. She had flaws and struggled with things from her past, and this made her very human and very easy to relate to. I loved the fact that she was strong and independent, but she could be very vulnerable as well. As the heroine, Katniss not only fights tooth-and-nail for her life, she also fights against the oppressive regime that forces the Hunger Games on society. This fight for a higher purpose along with her unbreakable spirit brings deeper meaning to the story and makes you even more invested in the fate of the main character.

Peeta was a thoroughly likable character as well, even though he remained a mystery until about halfway through the story. It's hard to tell what his motives are right away. Does he really like Katniss or is he just playing The Game? I thought that the relationship between him and Katniss developed in a very natural way-- it wasn't at all forced. Here is one instance of a "love triangle" that was not contrived or just thrown in as a plot device to make things more "interesting." I really loved Peeta and can't wait to see how his character develops in the later books.

And can I just say? I loved Rue! **sniffle** I think that it is only a very talented writer who can make their secondary characters as memorable as the main ones, and this book had many! Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Prim-- all of them, even though they played more minor roles in the story, had their own identity and added something to the plot. Gale was a little more difficult-- we don't really learn much about him in this book, so it was kind of hard to follow Katniss' dilemma about whether she liked Peeta or Gale more, but I'm guessing that we'll learn more about him in the next book of the Trilogy.

The action-adventure aspect of this book was AMAZING. This probably isn't too surprising, considering that the plot revolves around a fight to the death in order to keep yourself alive, but it was one of those books where the end of each chapter is just begging you to continue to the next! The Game itself was exciting and suspenseful, and didn't rely too heavily on shock-value to keep you interested.

I think that the ending was slightly predictable, but once again, I think this has more to do with the fact that I've already heard "snippets" from other people, and unless I lived under a rock, it would be hard to not have some idea about what was going to happen. The ending was still satisfying enough that I was fully engrossed in the story up until the last pages.

The only dilemma that I had with THG was at the beginning, where I had a difficult time understanding Katniss' reactions to becoming a Tribute in the Hunger Games. Maybe because she grew up under the reality of knowing that one day she might be chosen to battle to the death? I don't know, but I guess that if I were about to enter a "game" where I had to kill people before they killed me, and there was little chance of me winning, I would be a lot less concerned about the clothes I was wearing or the food I was eating or the guy I have a crush on. Or hey-- maybe all those things would start mattering even more! Still, some parts of the Games seemed really over-the-top, like with the stylists and the interviews. If I were Katniss, I don't know if I could have played along like she did. Granted, it worked to her advantage in the end... sigh, I guess I just over-think things way too much!

THG was a great dystopian fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. However, I don't think it's fair to say that this book is the be-all, end-all of this genre, and I don't plan on setting this as the benchmark to judge future dystopian books by. There are many, many good dystopians that I have read this year, including Ship Breaker, Wither and Divergent. I am just glad to be able to add yet another amazing book to my list-- it isn't hard to see why this has become an instant classic! 

LC's Rating: 

All in all, I thought that THG was an incredible read-- I will go ahead and say what so many people have said before me: I could not put this book down! I would recommend it to pretty much anyone, especially those who love action, adventure and dystopian fiction. If you haven't read The Hunger Games yet, make sure that you do at some point-- I am pretty sure that you won't be sorry :)

Book Review: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Divergent #1
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Pages: 496
Read it in: 3 days

The Hook: "One choice decides your friends. One choice defines your beliefs. One choice determines your loyalties-- forever. One choice can transform you."

Summary: 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.

LC's Take: 

Whoa. OK, please just give me a minute to let my pulse slow and fully recover from the pure awesomeness of this freaking AMAZING book. **Let's out long sigh** Alright, I'm good.

Divergent was one of the most intensely mesmerizing books I've read in a long time-- from page 1 through to the last page 487, I was completely sucked in. Like, I'm talking edge of my seat, nose buried, devouring the pages, could not put down. This book absolutely blew me away.

What really got me into Divergent is that it is one of those extremely intelligent books that is not only a great story in itself; it also poses fundamental questions about humanity and what it is that makes people who they are. OK, I know that totally just sounded like the beginning of a book report, but let me explain. What Veronica Roth does in this book is pretty much break down the most basic of human values and then asks the question: can we humans function or even survive on one alone? Is it even possible for one person to make the choice of what is their most beloved and sacred value, and then live according to that one value for the rest of their life, letting it completely define who they are and how they live? OMG, my brain is throbbing right now. Intense? Oh yeah, this book is way intense.

Alright, so after that tangent, let me focus a little more on the literary merit of this book. Here is what I loved:

• Even if you don't give a crap about metaphysical questions, this was still a kick-ass story. Every chapter ends on the perfect cliff-hanger so that you will quite literally have to un-glue your eyes from the pages. The action is non-stop and the plot will have your heart racing. 
• Can I say just how much I love the internal character struggles? Beatrice-- or "Tris" as she goes by-- is such an amazingly multidimensional character. She is fiercely strong but still vulnerable, which is such a great combination. The book is told from her perspective, meaning that you completely get into her head and experience what she's going through. You know her thoughts and understand her emotions as she faces transformation into a "Dauntless" faction member. I was able to become totally consumed by this book as I followed Tris through her choices and her struggles with her own identity, and I empathized with her internal conflicts. 
• Tris isn't the only great character-- I totally fell in love with Four, Tris' love interest, because he wasn't the typical guy character, and their relationship isn't the same old cheesy romance that you see in other books. Peter is the sadistic bully who you love to hate because he's just completely evil. And all of the other supporting characters show how Tris can't survive on her own, no matter how "brave" or "dauntless" she becomes.

If you want a book with lifelike characters, thought-provoking questions, incredible writing and an action-packed story line that'll have your adrenaline pumping, this is the book for you! I really encourage you to go get Divergent and start reading it ASAP-- I guarantee you won't be able to put it down.

LC's Rating:

An amazingly intelligent and intense action-packed adventure that will draw you in from page one and not let you go until the very end. Read this book: it was brilliant!