Sisters Red.

Sisters Red

by: Jackson Pearce

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves.Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves.

Not my favorite Fairy-tale retelling, but a solid read.

Smart and Interesting Heroine: CHECK
Not one but two, goodness gracious!

Scarlett: I loved her passion! While I could see why someone would find her level of passion/obsession crazy, I understood. I can get like that too over things I love. She obsessed over things and couldn't let them go if she had her mind set on them and decided that it was the right thing to do. She was always putting up a fight and pushing herself further to do what is right. I really loved reading her perspective!
Rosie: as much as I agreed with Scarlett's obsession, I also sympathized with Rosie's situation! She desperately wanted to not need something other than hunting, but she just could not live that way. Also, I am a sucker for friends as close as family shifting into romance because it is one of the strongest and sweetest forms of romance. Therefore, I was a fan of  Silas and Rosie's friendship morphing into so much more.

Sweet and Brave Hero: CHECK
Silas was everything I look for in a male protagonist. He was brave, sweet, and incredibly real. He also had a respect for both Rosie and Scarlett that I found completely adorable. He loved them both enough to make him very careful of Rosie and Scarlett's sisterhood because he knew what bad sibling relations are like.


Original Setting and Unique Plot: NOPE
As much as I love re-tellings, I prefer when they add some new element to the story. Something unexpected and new that makes me even more interesting. For me this was a somewhat typical kind of werewolf (fenris) that did typical werewolf things.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters: NOPE
I loved the characters, but there was really only three of them. I love when books have a whole cast of side characters for me to fall in love with, but this book spent most of its time furthering the characterization of Rosie, Scarlett, and Silas. There was no one else to get attached to, I kept wanting them to make new friends in the city (even though I knew that they couldn't because they are hunters).


Plot Twists and Plenty of Action: CHECK
There was plenty of action and fighting scenes that kept the plot going, but when they got into a hunting slump the book really slowed down. And the plot twists were all somewhat expected except one towards the end that totally caught me off guard and that is why it still managed to get this check.


A lovely read and recommended to those looking for a somewhat light action-y read.

Crewel.

Crewel

by: Gennifer Albin

Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of other’s destinies, but not her own. Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die. Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

Smart and Sassy Heroine: CHECK

Dear Adelice,
You rock.
love,
me

ok. So yes, she's a bit naive at the beginning of this. so what?
and yes, she's not always the bravest or the strongest. so what?
and yes, she didn't actually get to train that much. so what?

not every female lead can be Katniss Flipping Everdeen. (as much as we all love her)

and a giant reason why I loved Adelice was her sass. She was really very witty and always had a clever comeback. gosh. these were the moments when I just pumped my fist and applauded Adelice for being awesome. She was very likeable and pretty dang awesome. She got smarter and braver as the book went on, probably because at the beginning she knew nothing about anything (by no fault of her own... its the Guild's fault. its always the Guild's fault)

Brave and Intelligent Hero: CHECK
Erik: no. just no. I like him as a character, he's smart and brave and altogether charming. and this is probably a personal problem, but I never trust an overly charming character. However, I grew to trust Erik as the book went on, specifically toward the end. I found his relationship with Maela overly creepy and weird, but that obviously was the point.
Jost: gahh. I love him. I've never read a character in YA like him before. He's matured. He was a father and a husband before Adelice. He's seen trouble and has lost an entire family before. For me, that made him a deeper and more meaningful character. I think it's rare to find a male lead in YA that's not just a dark, brooding romantic lead for no reason. I loved his attachment and love for his daughter. Because of it I began to truly understand him. I also think that because of his love for his first wife, the fact that he loved Adelice made his love for her more meaningful. That he was willing to love and trust again after losing so much.

and the fact that they are brothers just makes it that much more intense. I can't wait to learn more about their relationship and how they became so estranged.

 

Original Setting and Unique Plot: HECK YES CHECK

OH MY GOSH... this setting. So different. So new. So perfectly executed. I appreciated how Gennifer Albin started out giving the reader no information. Then how she slowly let us on to more and more information. I also appreciate how she could drop one of the biggest surprises in the middle of the book and yet their was still more information and interesting discoveries to be made. I enjoyed learning about the weave and how the Spinsters manipulated it. I loved how I started to believe that it was actually a fantasy-ish type thing and then... BOOM. dystopian.
I applaud Mrs. Albin for her fantastic world-building, her creative idea, and masterful execution.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters: CHECK
YES. just YES.
there was just so much depth. There was just so much political stuff going on in the story and I LOVED it.
Maela: The villain you love to hate. and trust me... I hated her. I pretty much wanted to punch her in the face every time she opened her mouth. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. But, I thought it plain hilarious how usually everyone either ignored her or told her to shut up. Basically each and every character absolutely hated her. It was just so great.
Pryana: wow. what a jerk. and a hypocrite. and a schemer. I hated her uppity attitude and her obsessive ladder climbing. She would have done anything to get ahead (and pretty much did do anything she could)
Cormac: What a creep. to quote my favorite TV show:

"Dude, he put you on the creepy train headed for creepy island where the creepy natives drink creepy nectar out of creepy coconuts." -Shawn Spencer

Honestly, I find the villains who are "just looking out for the good of society and working for the greater good" to be creepier than any other type of villain. and Cormac fits that description perfectly. "I have to protect Arras". "I'm just doing what's best for Arras". I wanted to smack him around a bit. or a lot.
Loricel: I thought of her as an older version of Adelice. But a version of Adelice that didn't make the same decisions as our Adelice. She also was witty and sassy and smart. She was simply less brave. I think that this was due to the fact that she hadn't lost as much as Adelice had or that she no longer had anyone outside that she needed to get to.

Plot Twists and Page Turners: CHECK
oh goodness. Every page left me wanting more. I wanted to know more. I wanted to see more. I wanted to experience more through Adelice. There were quite a lot of plot twists and just in general so much plot. You could tell from the beginning that this book was going to take you places and show you things unlike anything that you'd ever seen.

and the ending.
THE ENDING. if it had ended with them reaching Earth, it would have been cliff-hangery enough to make me desperate for book 2 (Altered)... but no. She had to torture us with strange lights and creepy Earth things to leave us completely and utterly shocked an waiting for the second book.

dear Gennifer Albin,
please write quickly.
I'm dying over here.
for real.
hurry.
love,
a fan caught in the world you wove (pun intended)

Quotes:

"don't flatter yourself. I have a fetish for cold prison floor"

"I'm not marrying him. He's just well-groomed...but lapdogs usually are."

"oh...probably less to map"

"Cormac, you worry about the political and I'll keep this world working"

"I erase and rebuild the world in my sleep, and in the morning I try to remember how to rebuild myself."

"I can't deny the wall between us, separating us from total honesty, but I'm no longer sure which of us built it.""

"smart and foolhardy, It's a great combination for making conversation, but not the best for staying alive."

Throne of Glass.

Throne of Glass

by: Sarah J. Maas



After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Kick-butt and Smart Heroine: CHECK

Celaena Sardothien. She wasn't just the typical kick-butt, not all too feminine, rebellious heroine. I liked how Sarah wrote Celaena so that she was also feminine. She was incredibly smart and was very adaptive to whatever situation she was put in. I appreciated how she wasn't always completely untroubled by her circumstances. She often couldn't sleep because of her worry and her stress. I just loved her never quit attitude and how she was sure she was just as good if not better than the all of the men she was up against.

Brave and Clever Hero: CHECK X2

love triangle. OH THE LOVE TRIANGLE. Sarah J. Maas was so determined to make sure that I was utterly confused. I love Dorian, but I just love Chaol as well.

Dorian: I loved him. I just couldn't help it. He was charming and sweet and yet he was still a bad boy (and you know how much girls like that... ;) ) However, as far as who I wanted Celaena to end up with, his charm did him in. I just can never bring myself to trust any character that oozes charm. They always seem to be up to something. As the book went on I slowly learned to trust him, but it was already too late for him. He was also something like a player in the beginning, and that's never an appealing trait in a romantic lead. So as much as I loved him, I couldn't in good conscious want him to end up with Celaena.

Chaol: well, Chaol is a different story altogether. The romance in this book had the feeling of a love triangle that one character (Chaol) was determined to not make a love triangle. In his mind Celaena was nothing but trouble (not just because she was an assasin, but also because Dorian had already taken an interest in her.) But, I love how Sarah let us in on the fact that he liked her before he even knew it himself. I thought their relationship and how they interacted with each other was just adorable. I was cracking up most of the time while reading their conversations.

So in my opinion, Chaol and Celaena should be together. But I also want Dorian to meet a nice girl (I might even ship Dorian and Nehemia... but that's neither here nor there. and no judging! ;) )

Original Setting and Unique Plot: CHECK

Indeed. I loved the plot movement in this book. There were dark creatures, multiple villainous people, magical forces at work, and a kick-butt competition. With all of these things to develop its a miracle that Sarah even fit them all in, let alone fitting it all in so well. There was just so much interesting stuff going on and so many people plotting evil things that it never got boring. I applaud Sarah Maas for her amazing world-building and her amazing plot.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters:

Nehemia: Sassy and strong and completely loyal. what more could you ask for in a friend? that's right... nothing! I just loved her from the moment I read her. She was just such a character of depth and meaning. She had a heart for her people. Her heart broke for them and she could not accept sitting around and doing nothing to help them.

The King: He scared the bjeebers (sorry, I don't know the spelling for what I assume is a made-up word...) out of me. He was creepy and dark and just plain villainous. I'm actually afraid for Dorian, Celaena, and Chaol and what his father is going to force them to do for him. I wish they weren't in his service, but it just makes the book that much more interesting.

Cain: I HATED HIM! I just wanted to punch him in the face all the time. He was creepy and kind of came off to me as brutish and stupid. Which of course, is exactly what he was.

Kaltain: She was just a murderous, back-stabbing, hateful, jealous druggie imbecile. and that's all I have to say on the matter.

Elena: I want to hear more about her story and what happened to Celaena's parents. My guess is that Celaena is a distant relative of hers and therefore has some magical blood. and I'm excited to hear more and more about that.

Plot Twists and Plenty of Action: CHECK
So many plot twists and so much action! This book is one of the best fantasy books that I have ever read. EVER. There was so much action in the competition. We didn't even get to read that much of the competition scenes (except the duel), but there was still so much happening. There were murders in dark corridors and a giant demon-beast. We thought for a while that Nehemia was the conspirator and then she wasn't again. Celaena might have run away, but she didn't. There was just so much keeping the story going and changing. I loved that about it.

In all I appreciate and praise Sarah J. Maas' story-telling abilities. I think she is a fantastic writer and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Quotes:

"“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

“I wasn't going to kill him, you buffoon.”

“You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”

“Sometimes, the wicked will tell us things just to confuse us–to haunt our thoughts long after we've faced them.”

"This was all she had left--his outstretched hand, and the promise of hope, of something better waiting on the other side of the line.”

"She might have been insulted if he wasn't trying so hard.”

“With each day he felt the barriers melting. He let them melt. Because of her genuine laugh, because he caught her one afternoon sleeping with her face in the middle of a book, because he knew that she would win.”

“We each survive in our own way.”

"'But you're going to outlast them,' Chaol continued. 'And when they wake up the morning of the final duel and find that you are their opponent, and that you have beaten them, the look on their faces will make all of the insults and lack of attention worthwhile.”

“She lifted her eyes to his face, and found his gaze lined with silver. "Get up," was all he said.”

Poison Study.

Poison Study

by: Maria V. Snyder

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

Smart and Just Plain Awesome Heroine: CHECK
Yelena is awesome! She's brave, smart, and amazing. I love reading from her perspective because she doesn't give in to her emotions, but she has emotions. I loved seeing her overcome her instinct to run and learn how to fight for herself and what she wants. And I liked her determination while she was learning how to train and how she refused to give up on her life despite all the circumstances that are thrown at her.

Cool and Stealthy Hero: CHECK
Valek. He is awesome! I mean, come on, he's a spy and an assassin for Pete's sake! How could he even get more awesome!

Original Setting and a Unique Plot: CHECK
I loved the world that Maria Snyder created. Ixia and Sitia were both interesting places and I loved how Maria wove the past in with the present. Learning how The Commander came to power and Valek's role in the espionage side of it was really intriguing. Also, I have read a lot of books with some sort of magic in them. The thing I love about books involving magic is that they each have a different variety of it. While a lot of the basic principles are the same, each kind has its own rules and different purposes. That being said, I would like to say that Maria did a fantastic job inventing her own sort of magic.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters: CHECK
Yes. Yes. And yes. Having great supporting characters is another thing this book excels at.

1. Ari and Janco:I love them! Every time I read something about them it made me smile! They are the epitome of great friends. They were so protective and adorable! And really, I have just one thing to say about them that sums everything up:

"Sieges weathered, Fight together, Friends Forever"

2. Rand, Dilana, and Margg: All characters that were full of depth and intrigue. They added interest to Yelena's every day interactions and added a unique layer of politics for Yelena's to work herself through.
Plot Twists and Action: CHECK
There were SO many amazing fight scenes in this book! And I especially love fight scenes that are written so that you can both feel the emotion of the fighter and can tell what is happening in the fight at large. Both of those things were accomplished in this book. Also, the politics of this book kept the plot moving and the story interesting.


Quote:

“Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It's called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don't do it halfway. Don't linger in whiner's limbo.”

“Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever.”

“Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder,”

Anna and the French Kiss.

Anna and the French Kiss

by: Stephanie Perkins


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.

This. is. an. amazing. book.
I've never really been too much of a fan of chick-lit type of books, but this one changed that all in one short day. I really truly did not want this book to end, but it did and all too quickly.
Now enough gushing, let the true review begin:

Smart and Quirky Heroine: CHECK
Anna was really awkward. BUT, that was the best thing about her! I loved her quirky freak out moments, because that's honestly what goes on in my head most of the time... This book gave me hope for all the odd and just plain awkward girls out there. I loved her relationship with Etienne and how he accepted all of her craziness and added in some of his own.

Sweet and Brave Hero: CHECK

Etienne. St. Clair. Etienne St. Clair. Whatever you choose to call him (I prefer Etienne), he was one of the best romantic leads I have ever read. He was hilarious and sweet. I loved how he always stood up for Anna and how even though he loved Anna, how he refused to cheat on Ellie. I hated his father for causing him pain, but I appreciated how he grew up to be an awesome person despite that. Really, he was just a good guy (and reading it in an accent just added to his adorable-ness). Why can't boys like him exist in real life? Can't we all just have our own personal Etienne St. Clairs? because I'm sure no girl on the planet would object.

Original Setting and Unique Plot: CHECK
There are many books out there with the same sort of story line: girl meets boy, trouble ensues, boy and girl get together. However, Stephanie Perkins added a magic to it that cannot be dismissed or probably duplicated. It was its own story. It was so easy to fall into the setting of being in Paris that I think it took on a life of its own. And the plot moved just perfectly for the story. It was not too fast as to rush past important details, but it didn't drag on and on about the same old problems. New things were continuously added to the story so as to keep it interesting.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters: CHECK
Rashmi and Josh:
They were both awesome people. They were always good friends to St. Clair and Anna, but I love how Stephanie Perkins added in bits and pieces of a completely different story for them that added to the depth of the book. They were real three-dimensional characters with their own stories and lives. And though we didn't know all about them, we knew enough to love them.
Meredith and Bridge:
They, too, were awesome characters. They kind of reminded me of each other but they were also each their own person. They were funny and light and good people for Anna to be around.
Matt and Cherrie:I know they weren't in the story that much, but something in the way that Matt was there for Anna after the concert touched me. He knew it wasn't going to work out but he still cared about Anna and was man enough to show that. He was able to open up about how she hurt him and because of that he helped her a little with her problem. I found myself genuinely hoping that he would be happy with Cherrie, or find a girl who did make him happy. I wanted Stephanie to tell give us just a few details about what became of him.

Plot Twists and Action: CHECK

Okay. So while technically there wasn't any action (except maybe the two punches thrown by Anna and Etienne, but those hardly count). and again technically there weren't many "plot twists." but, come on, it's chick-lit. They had to end up together, didn't they? But the charm of this book was that I didn't care. The plot alone held enough intrigue and whimsicality (which I don't believe is actually a word) to keep me interested. And that was made it such a good read.

Quotes:

"Most girls laugh too hard at his jokes and find excuses to gently press his arm. To touch him. Instead, I argue and roll my eyes and act indifferent. And when I touch his arm, I shove it. Because that's what friends do."

"Well, for one thing, he looks like a Ken doll. And you're beautiful."

"I don't understand why things always go from perfect to weird with us. It's like we're incapable of normal human interactions"

"But he's still beautiful. I hate that. And I hate myself for desperately wanting him to look at me"

“For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.”

“Boys turns girls into such idiots.”

“I mean, really. Who sends their kid to boarding school? It's so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn't have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons.”

 “So what do I wish for? Something I'm not sure I want? Someone I'm not sure I need? Or someone I know I can't have?”

 “I don't want to feel this way around him. I want things to be normal. I want to be his friend, not another stupid girl holding out for something that will never happen.”

 "How many times can our emotions be tied to someone else's - be pulled and stretched and twisted - before they snap? Before they can never be mended again?”

 “Why do I care so much about him, and why do I wish I didn't? How can one person make me so confused all of the time?”

Pandemonium.

Pandemonium

by: Lauren Oliver

The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Intelligent and Interesting Heroine? CHECK
Lena is a completely different person in this book, but can you blame her, after all she has been through. She just lost the boy that changed her world and gave her hope, she is now in a totally different environment with people she's not sure if she even likes, and she is used to rigid rules and she is now in a place where there are none. And yet, she is a survivor. She has to become what she wasn't, she has to become hardened and strong. And yes, at points in the book i wanted to remind her who she is when i felt she was changing to much, but i was so happy in the end when she decided to be the person she wanted to be, brave, selfless, and powerful. She evolved in this book to something much more than she was when she was confined by all the rules in Portland, but she is still smart and interesting.

Sweet and Believable Hero? CHECK
Julian, oh Julian. I loved him! he was everything I really, really wanted Alex to end up being (but wasn't). He was smart and layered, interesting and unique. So yes, I do sincerely hope she ends up with Julian. I was expecting just romantic drivel of longing for Alex, but the mourning process was very well-done and I liked watching Lena learning to let herself trust again.

Original Setting and Unique Plot? CHECK
In this book we learn so much more about the invalids, and the other various groups that are resisting the cure. I like that she didn't just have one group of uncureds all working together. I thought the idea of the scavengers just working for gain and chaos was intriguing and what would actually happen in such a world. Also, Lauren Oliver did a fantastic job expanding the world she had already built. She showed us that is isn't nearly as black and white as Lena once thought. It isn't just Valids and Invalids, their are the deformed, the scavengers, the Invalids in the resistance, and the DFA.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters? CHECK
1. Raven:In and of herself, Raven was an emotional roller coaster. I didn't like her, then i liked her, then i didn't again, and then I did. i didn't trust her, then i did trust her, I didn't trust her again, and then I did again. As much she confused me, I also found myself understanding her. I just loved reading about her.
2. Hunter, Blue, and Tack:
I ended up loving all the Invalids she met. They all had different back stories, and even if we didn't know them you knew they were there. They were all great characters.

Plot Twists and Distressing Circumstances? CHECK
Oh, the agony. So many plot twists! some that i definitely saw coming and some that just happened and had me reeling (and one that i accidentally stumbled upon while perusing the back page before I was even half-way finished...silly me). This book had me on the edge of my seat and dying to find out what was going to happen next.

I loved this book! It exceeded my expectations after reading delirium.

Quotes:

"That's the flip side of freedom; When you're completely free, you're also completely on your own."

"You can build a future out of anything. A scrap, a flicker. The desire to go forward, slowly, one foot at a time."

“That's the thing: We didn't really care. A world without love is also a world without stakes."

"We all need mantras, I guess - stories we tell ourselves to keep us going."

"Don't you get it? You can't tell me what to feel.”

"There is nothing else for people to do. They do not think. They feel no passion, no hatred, no sadness; they feel nothing but fear, and a desire to control. So they watch, and poke, and pry."

 "In a world without love, this is what people are to each other: values, benefits, and liabilities, numbers, and data. We weigh, and the soul is ground to dust."

"Here's something else you might as well learn now: If you want something, if you take it for your own, you'll always be taking it from someone else. That's a rule too. And something must die so that others can live."

Delirium.

Delirium

by : Lauren Oliver

A story about a future where love is considered a disease, something dirty and unnatural, something to be eradicated. We meet Lena who has always been afraid that the disease runs in her blood coming from her mother who was "cured" three times, but still managed to love.

Intelligent and Interesting Heroine? CHECK
I thought Lena was awesome and interesting and brave despite her fear. She honestly reminded me a lot of me just in the way she thinks, reacts, and how she feels about certain things. I found myself reading something she thought and realizing that I've thought something really similar in a situation like the one she was in.

Sweet and Believable hero? NOPE
While I liked how sweet Alex was and how supportive he was of Lena through everything that happened, he lost points on being somewhat the stereotypical 'perfect' boy that I've noticed as something of a trend in some more recent dystopian YA (however definitely not all the boys are written like that as exampled by Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Birthmarked). I did want her to end up with him and it wasn't awful reading about him, I just thought he lacked the depth that is so easily displayed by Tobias, Peeta, and Leon in various other books.

Original Setting and Unique Plot? CHECK
A world where love is the enemy? I'd say that's pretty original and worth pondering what it would be like. The world Lauren Oliver has built is almost completely opposite of the one in which we live. In that I would say that our society's ideal is in fact, love. But, it is also much like our own in that the people living there who are willing to be 'cured' (or even longing to be cured) are not trying to live life to the fullest. At most they are trying to be 'happy' in a life of monotony and at the very least they are yearning to avoid each and every form of pain by not only ridding themselves of unpleasant things but in the process getting rid of arguably the most pleasant emotion. The result of this is that everyone ends up indifferent and apathetic.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters? CHECK
A. Hana
I've already said that I think I am a lot like Lena, but I'm also strangely reminded of my elementary and middle school best friend when I read about Hana. She is crazy, and charismatic, and 'perfect'. Lena and Hana's friendship is so much like our relationship that I was in shock by how perfectly and thoroughly Lauren Oliver described all the emotions and ups and downs of the friendship. They both felt like deep and totally real characters
B. Grace
I loved her. I was so intrigued by everything she did and how she acted. I absolutely adored the section where Lena was thinking about how strong Grace actually is. And when she finally decided to use her voice at the most beautiful and epic time so she could save Lena? That was so amazing.

Plot Twists and Distressing Circumstances? CHECKWhile this book had admittedly less action than I thought it would, I didn't ever think while reading it that the 'in-between' sections were even the least bit boring. That might be because I just really enjoyed reading Lena's perspective about everything so even the less action-packed parts felt interesting.

And the writing? Absolutely beautiful! Lauren Oliver has such a beautiful way with words! Its hard to even described how great of a writer I think she is!

Quotes:

“You can't be happy unless you're unhappy sometimes"
"You have to understand. I am no one special. I am just a single girl. I am five feet two inches tall and I am in-between in every way. But I have a secret. You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there, more than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to earth. People who love in a world without walls, people who love into hate, into refusal, against hope,and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”

"It's so strange how life works: You want something and you wait and wait and feel like it's taking forever to come. Then it happens and it's over and all you want to do is curl back up in that moment before things changed.”

“Hate isn’t the most dangerous thing, he’d said. Indifference is.”

“I know that the whole point—the only point—is to find the things that matter, and hold on to them, and fight for them, and refuse to let them go.”

“The most dangerous sicknesses are those that make us believe we are well”

“My heart is drumming in my chest so hard it aches, but it's the good kind of ache, like the feeling you get on the first real day of autumn, when the air is crisp and the leaves are all flaring at the edges and the wind smells just vaguely of smoke - like the end and the beginning of something all at once.”

“One of the strangest things about life is that it will chug on, blind and oblivious, even as your private world - your little carved-out sphere - is twisting and morphing, even breaking apart."

“Take it from me: If you hear the past speaking to you, feel it tugging up your back and running its fingers up your spine, the best thing to do-the only thing-is run.”

“It's the way he says my name: like music.”

"I've learned to get really good at this - say one thing when I'm thinking about something else, act like I'm listening when I'm not, pretend to be calm and happy when I'm really freaking out. It's one of the skills you perfect as you get older”

“It occurs to me that for a long time she has been doing her own version of resisting.”

“That's when you really lose people, you know.When the pain passes.”


Sorry for including so many quotes, but this book is just so quoteable. Proof of Lauren Oliver's amazing greatness. :)

Insurgent.

Insurgent

by: Veronica Roth

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

Smart and Brave Heroine:
Tris is so kick-butt! Even when she is so guilt-stricken that she can't think straight she is an amazing protagonist. At the beginning I was so frustrated with her, but at the same time it propelled the story, and I know that if she wasn't guilty for what she did to Will I would think a lot less of her. She is on a different page than Tobias and from the mindset she needs to be in to help all the factions, but it was something she had to work through on her own time.

Moral of the story: I think Tris is amazing and I can't even describe how I love reading her.

Brave and Intelligent Hero:
Four, Tobias, whatever you choose to call him, he is spectacular! Goodness gracious! I think Tris pushes him to his limit by her lack of self-preservation, in the same way I think that Tobias (and many other things) push Tris to her limit. The thing about that is that both Tobias and Tris find a way to come back from their breaking points stronger, smarter, braver, and all-around better than they've ever been.

Original Setting and Unique Plot:
As good as Veronica's world-building was in Divergent, it was even better in this book. She took the world she'd already built and expanded it and built on it. We got to see all the faction's cultures and their way of decision-making. I saw the different faults of the factions and their strengths too. I understand more, too, as to why this would be seen as a good idea, with people supporting different virtues you would always have people with each necessary virtue, what they failed to see, however, was that the virtues are only useful when used together. Also, all my questions were answered in this book, such as: what is outside the city? More factions?, and how did the factions come about? And why?, and why don't the factionless join together as one? Now that they are answered I have full trust in Roth's story-telling capabilities.

Extraordinary Supporting Characters:
Yes, there were so many lovable or utterly detestable characters to get engulfed in, some new and some old.
1. Evelyn, Marcus, Jeanine, and Johanna:All the more political figures whose presence were much needed in the book. They kept the politics edgy and the plot line evolving. I love when even I, as the reader, am not sure who to trust. I totally believed all of their motives and either loved or hated them for it.
2. Christina, Peter, Uriah, Marlene, and Edward:Oh, the returning initiates, I have so many mixed feelings towards you. I literally wanted to hug Christina when she made her comeback into the story, but I felt so bad for her. I understood her feelings toward Tris but I am so glad she got over them and became her old self again. It made me incredibly happy when she cracked her first joke of the book, although it took a while to get to it. And Peter? What a coward. Even when he does something brave (coughcoughsavinghercoughcough) it is for a somewhat pathetic reason and not at all because he wants to be a good person. Uriah and Marlene and Lynn and all the other Dauntless, how I love them and, as a result, am mostly heartbroken. I was so taken aback by Edward's reappearance in the story, I did not and could not have expected that.
3. Fernando:He deserved his own number because within the span of, at most, five pages I fell in love with him. Which of course, once again left me quite incredibly broken hearted.

Plot Twists and Page Turners: CHECK
SO MANY! I read this book in the span of about seven hours, if that tells you anything. The betrayal, heartbreak, guilt, hatred, love, and romance left me longing for more with every page. Ahhh...

Why did it have to end. Book three come out soon or I will implode with worry and longing. Once again, I praise Veronica Roth's wonderful writing. Her amazing plot and intriguing characters.

Quotes:

“Cruelty does not make a person dishonest, the same way bravery does not make a person kind.”

“We both have war inside us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us.”

“It reminds me why I chose Dauntless in the first place: not because they are perfect, but because they are alive. Because they are free.”

“No matter how long you train someone to be brave, you never know if they are or not until something real happens.”

“The truth has a way of changing people's plans.”

“You die, I die too.”

"It isn't about you," she says. "It is a gift. You cannot earn it, or it ceases to be a gift.”

"I have done bad things. I can't take them back, and they are a part of who I am. Most of the time, they seem like the only thing I am.”

"Noise and activity are the refuges of the bereaved and the guilty.”

Divergent.

Divergent

by: Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. 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.

Okay: I LOVED this book! :D and I'll tell you why:


Smart and Intelligent Heroine: CHECK
Tris (Beatrice) was everything I expect from a female protagonist; she was smart, interesting, complex, and kick-butt. I've heard people say that she was basically emotionless, but I disagree wholeheartedly. I thought she displayed the emotions of someone who has just chosen to leave her family and basically her entire life behind just to try to discover who she is, and who then discovers that she must fight for her place inside what was supposed to be her new home. I liked her journey from the selfless little girl into being the brave strong woman who does what she has to save herself and those she loves.

Complex, Sweet, and Brave Hero: CHECK
Tobias was fantastically intriguing. He was sweet when he she needed sweet, and was honest and tough when she needed that. Past just the romantic side of him (if that is even possible ;)), the character development was amazing where he was concerned. He wasn't just the 'perfect', supportive, sweet, semi-boring hero that I've read before. He was deep and he had a back-story that made him more genuine. He wasn't perfect, he was raw and real, which I found completely refreshing.

Original Setting and Unique Plot: CHECK
Again, I have heard some people who thought the world that Veronica Roth created didn't make any sense as to how it would come about. And again, I have to disagree. I found the idea of different people groups valuingcertain character qualities to be quite interesting, after all don't different cultures value different qualities?
For example:
don't americans value freedom greatly, whereas another culture may value obedience to authority, or the act being a leader. And as far as the five qualities she chose to represent, I thought they were the main qualities that encompass most other qualities. So, I thoroughly thought that this world was plenty plausible and downright intriguing.


Extraordinary Supporting Characters? CHECK
Christina:That girl is hilarious and tells it like it is which was really fun to read. Also, she provided the right amount of relief from the drama and intensity of the initiation stages. Although I was kind of mad at her when she got jealous of Tris, but I also understood.
Will:I loved him! I loved him SO much! Which of course made the ending that much more heartbreaking, but I shall refrain from explaining any further for those poor souls that have yet to read the book (and to those people I say vehemently: GO GET IT!), but let's just say I was devastated.
Albert:I always felt so bad for him despite Tris' insistence that he was kind of a baby. And, I really wanted him to do well and keep going even after "the incident" (again I won't explain further). After that happened I was disappointed in him but I still wanted him to be okay. Therefore, I was once more heartbroken.
Tobias and Eric:I know I already mentioned Tobias extensively but this is more about the differences between Tobias and Eric. Eric of course represented the side of the dauntless That appreciates recklessness and the lack of fear. They are also just as desperate for power as the erudite are. To them bravery means never ever being afraid and doing stupid things to prove their strength. Tobias, however, represented those few left in the dauntless that believed in everyday courage and the selfless version of strength. And where Eric believes in the lack of fear, tobias favors more the overcoming of fear and journey that comes from that.

And there are so many others that I won't even talk about but loved nonetheless (Tris' mom, Caleb, Uriah, Jeanine, and even the vile Peter)

Plot Twists and Fast-Paced Action? CHECK
The plot twists in this book are so unexpected and earth-shattering, but mostly come from people turning out to be more than you expected, or less honorable than you thought. Also, the desire for power no matter the cost is what mainly propels the plot in the last hundred-or-so pages.And the writing? I concluded that Veronica Roth is quite a writer and I decided that I really enjoy her style of telling a story.

and now the section where I give you amazing quotes from this amazing book:

Quotes:

"We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.”

“A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.”

"I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different.”

"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up. I've seen it. It's fascinating."

“And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?”