Cinder by Marissa Meyer | Review

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Pages: 387
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Goodreads rating: 4.09 stars
Published: January 3rd, 2012
Source: Audiobook/Library

Description:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.


Okay, androids and cyborgs? Generally not my thing.  I decided to pick up the audiobook from my library because 1) I've been loving audiobooks lately {even though it will never beat sitting with a physical copy in my hands and enjoying a good book}, and 2) it was right before Cress was going to be released, so I was seeing things about the Lunar Chronicles everywhere.  Top that off with getting the flu and having to be quarantined away from the boy shortly after picking this up, and I had quite the audiobook marathon one weekend.  Even in my flu-muddled mind, I recognized the awesome that was Cinder.

The characters were fabulous.  Seriously, just amazing!  I loved the depth and complexity that was Cinder, and her relationships with everyone she knows {especially her little android Iko!}.  I thought it would be weird reading about a character who was a cyborg, but it actually wasn't!  I've read a couple books with either cyborgs/robots/zombies, and they all seem to creep me out a little, but Cinder didn't.

The story moves fast, and I think the only thing that would have made me enjoy this book more would have been actually reading it instead of listening to it.  The woman reading the story does pretty good with all the voices, but some are a little too monotone for me {I know, they're kind of supposed to be, but its just weird hearing it}.

There was the obvious "duh!" when a couple different things were revealed {one of which I figured out close to the beginning of the book}, and I think a few people reading this might be a little disappointed that they caught on so quick.  It wasn't disappointing to me, but there definitely wasn't the "whoa, I totally didn't see that coming!" thrill that comes with some books.

I would definitely suggest this to fans of Sci Fi/Fantasy books.  Even though it's YA, I really think this one is for YA and up.  I would definitely suggest this {and the other Lunar Chronicles} to anyone!

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi | Review

Title: Ignite Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Pages: 416
Publisher: HarperCollins
Goodreads rating: 4.51 stars
Published: February 4, 2014
Source: Hardcover/Bought

Description:

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.


I will let you know right now that this review is probably going to be full of 
 

Why, thank you, River Song.  I couldn't have said it better myself!  That being stated, please do yourself a favor and read the other two {and possibly this one} before reading any further.  This book was a fan-freaking-tastic conclusion to the trilogy, and I really don't think Tahereh Mafi could have done a better job.  The only thing I would have liked to see would have been a little further into the future.  You know, because... oh, yeah, insert SPOILER here.

Juliette really comes into her own in Ignite Me.  For those of you who read Unravel Me and were a little disappointed in the weak, whiny girl she seemed to be, fear not!, Mafi seems to have let her shed that annoying skin and she's becoming a warrior woman.  However, if you are someone who enjoys when books have a whiny character that makes you want to chuck the book at them, he's lurking in the shadows in this one, too.  Yep, most people know I'm referring to Adam.  The very same Adam who we all fell in love with in Shatter Me, and {if you're like me} started to kind of push aside in Unravel Me {Team Warner all the way, baby!!}.  He completely got the boot from me in this book.  He felt almost irredeemable.  Except for James, who makes me go, "fine.  I'll put up with Adam for his sake."

Ignite Me has Tahereh Mafi's characteristic writing style, which always seems to leave me a little floored.  She's this amazing word-master, and I read her books and basically just let my jaw drop.  And the way she can make your heart shatter and then have you loving her at the end of it all... Way to go, Ms Mafi.  Way.  To.  Go.  This trilogy has earned Tahereh Mafi a spot on my Author Auto-Buy List {there are maybe two other authors on that list that I will buy without hesitating}.

I feel like writing too much more with give everything away.  But, as promised, here's a bit of a spoiler... I am SO Team Warner.  Always and forever, 'til the day I die.

Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi | Review

Title: Through The Ever Night
Author: Veronica Rossi
Pages: 341
Publisher: HarperCollins
Goodreads rating: 4.30 stars
Published: January 28, 2013
Source: Hardcover/Bought

Description:

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first.

Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.


There was definitely no second book syndrome with this series, thank goodness!  I didn't think there would be, as a few of my blogger friends {and non-blogger friends} who've read this have all raved about it, and basically have been saying "I need the third book!"  This book was great, and I loved that I had the actual physical book instead of an audiobook this time.  Just something about being able to sit and read this book was great.

It seems like so much happened in the first book {and in the second}, that it's hard to believe that only six months passed from the beginning of Under The Never Sky until the end of Through The Ever Night.  Aria is so much different than she was at the start of this wonderful story, and it's such a good change.  She is so much more sure of herself, and so strong.  One thing I've noticed with many different series I've read is the heroine starts to become a little more whiny and unsure of herself in the second book {sometimes 3rd or 4th, depending on how many books are in the series... second for a trilogy}.  Not with Aria.  Its so awesome to see her grow as a character!  She isn't defined by her relationship with Perry {so many female leads tend to be defined by their relationships or lack thereof}, but it is something that adds to the depth of both her character and the turmoil of Perry's.

I love that we get to see more of Roar in this book.  He intrigued me in the first book, and his character has developed a lot more in this one.  His relationship with Aria is so neat too - its like the world's best answer to those pesky love triangles: give the female lead a male friend with no romantic attachments at all {I hate love triangles}.

With everything that went on in this book, my head is just spinning.  There was at least one big character moment for a secondary character that had me saying "what?!"  I hope somehow its rectified in the final book.  *Pleads with God for it to be fixed*

Not a very in depth review {sorry!}, but I'm off to read Into The Still Blue and see what happens with these great characters!

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi | Review

Title: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Pages: 374
Publisher: HarperCollins
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.08 stars
Published: January 3, 2012
Source: Audiobook/Borrowed


Description:

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.


Its taken me a little while to come around to reading this one, and I have to say a big reason behind that was the cover.  Yes, I judged a book by its cover.  I know, that's awful and one of the worst things a reader could do {aside from dog-earring the pages}.  I honestly probably would have never picked it up if not for a fellow reader {non-book-blogger} recommending it to me.  I swear, she's my book kindred spirit, everything she's suggested I've loved, and I've gotten quite a few responses of the like from her.  But I digress.

Honestly, it was a little hard for me to get into this book at first.  The idea of living in Pods and Realms and the like was a little off-putting, but thankfully that was not what the book was solely about.  That, in fact, is mostly just referenced by Aria and only occasionally.  The main plot is about Aria outside of Reverie looking for answers {and a way to her mother}, with Perry as her guide.

The relationship between Perry and Aria is interesting and mutli-layered.  And, thankfully, we don't have that typical YA instant attraction from the get-go.  Perry is a "savage", someone who was born outside of the Pods and actually finds Aria repulsive in the beginning.  But they both need each other to get back something they've lost: Aria needs to find her mother and Perry needs to get hi nephew Talon back.

The story itself wasn't really anything I was expecting.  Like I said, I totally judged this book by the cover.  If you, too, are judging it by the cover, I would say take the dust jacket off and give it a go.  I am so glad I did {and I even listened to the audiobook with its very raspy narrator, which was distracting at first}.  I was so pleasantly surprised and enthralled by this book, I was dying to go out and buy the next one!

*Sorry for the lameness of this review! I finished the book over a month ago and am currently getting over the flu, so my thoughts are slightly jumbled!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth | Review

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 526
Publisher: Harper Collins
My rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.82 stars
Published: October 22, 2013
Source: Hardcover/Bought

Description:

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

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.


I got this book a day early from Amazon {yay Amazon Prime!}, and I started reading it that night.  Then it took me a while to really make any kind of dent in it {I've told you all I'm a slow-ish reader, especially compared to other book bloggers out there, and with having a crawling baby to have fun with all day}.  By the time I hit the halfway point, most everyone was finished with this.  And I was honestly terrified to finish it from what some people were saying {"Mockingjay" was tossed around quite a bit, and I really did not like how that book concluded The Hunger Games}.  But I did, and I'm glad I did.

This book was a really great conclusion for the trilogy.  Granted, I wanted my absolute "happily ever after" {that's usually why I read fiction}, but it definitely wasn't awful.  I absolutely ate up Divergent, and I listened to the audiobook of Insurgent... by the end of Insurgent I felt like I had to get my hands on a copy of Allegiant, and was dreading the wait until October to read it.  But time moves on, and I digress...

Allegiant didn't have the fast pace of Divergent or Insurgent, and was more political than action based, but it was still interesting.  There were a few times that Four really frustrated me {he seemed to have some of that "woe is me" disposition of many YA books' heriones}, but Tris... *sigh*... Tris never wavered.  She was strong, she never wavered.  Even in the very end, she did what she knew was right for everyone.  So many books have the hero/ine compromise or just become a weaker, simpering version of themselves.  Doubting.  Self pity.  Selfishness.  And {nod to Mockingjay}, "lethargic acceptance" {as my friend Lisa said}.  Tris is a fighter, a giver, and overall a beautiful character.

There are so many things that Roth could have done to have the happily ever after, but, ultimately, I think they would have diminished what Tris did, possibly making her character less.  And the character Roth brings back in the end?  *Sigh*  I cried ugly tears, both happy and sad at the same time {yes, that's totally possible}.  Yes, I bawled reading the last few chapters.  Tobias almost broke my heart {if you've read it, you assuredly know exactly what I'm talking about}, but Roth took the harder route, and I love her for that.

Cover and Title Reveal!

You guys, the day has come!  Well, not THE day... that's not until next year {as far as this book goes}.  But the next best thing?  MTV announced the title and cover for Tahereh Mafi's final book in the Shatter Me trilogy!  I went to a signing {my first ever!} in June and met Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs {totally awesome authors}, and they kept referring to Shatter Me #3 as "Untitle Me", which I though was hilarious.  And I've been calling it that ever since.  But today it is Untitle Me no more!  That's right, Shatter Me #3 is officially title...

Title: Ignite Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

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.

 I am so, so, so happy right now!  The cover is gorgeous, and definitely goes well with the other two novels and the short story in the series... *sigh* Just look at that beautiful thing.  Tahereh, please don't break my Warner-loving-heart!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 487
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.39 stars
Published: May 3, 2011

Description:

 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.

Veronica Roth has managed to outdo the Hunger Games.  At least, that's how I felt after reading Divergent.  This book was so interesting and it really sucked me in.  I'm not the quickest reader {getting faster}, but I read this in one day.  I was pretty much begging my husband to let me get Insurgent that day when I finished, and he reminded me that stores were closed.  So I will be adding it to my next Amazon order.  But I digress...


I love Beatrice {or Tris, as she's known through most of the book}.  Tris has so much going against her throughout the book, and the central part of that is her secret.  I'm sure most everyone who's reading this had already read the book, but for those of you who haven't I'll be good and not say what it is.


This book is chock full of people who have secrets.  Some are obvious.  Some are very well hidden.  The author does an amazing job at keeping some of those secrets covered up until the very last moment, and even then I was shocked by what was revealed {I want to give her a hug for not being freakishly obvious with everything!}.  There is so much going on in this book, and it all ties together so incredibly well.


The one thing that I got kind of caught up on with this was the world building.  Yes, she did an awesome job with decribing the world as it is in the book... just not how it came to be that way.  Not really.  It's touched on briefly, but not really tackled and explained.  However, I have a feeling more will be uncovered in the next book.  I hope that's the case, because while I really enjoyed this book, I want to know exactly what happened to have and area factioned off, and if the rest of the world is similar, or just the country, or even just that area.  I have no idea how big this thing really is!

So I'm reading Divergent by Veronic Roth...

{normally I would have the Goodreads link attached to the picture, but the site is down for maintenance}

Actually, I just finished reading Divergent yesterday... so many thoughts to collect... I want to say how fully awesome it is, but I don't know where to start!  I should have my review up on Wednesday, but for now all I can say is read it.  It was so incredibly good!  I think I might have to ask the hubs if I can order the second one off Amazon... ;-)

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules {Blood of Eden 1}
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 480
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.24 stars
Published: April 24, 2012

Description:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

First off, this does a really good job at kind of summing up the story, so I'm not even really going to bother with that.

Oh. My. Bleep.  Guys, this book is awesome.  Julie Kagawa has amazing writing skills, and when she uses them in book format, she has the power to transport you to another world!  {Is that nerdy enough for you?}  My only disappointment was I was so sick for almost two weeks, right in the middle of reading The Immortal Rules, that I could hardly even look at a book, much less pick it up to read.  It was torture.  Pure, teeth clenching torture.  I now can see why everyone was/is obsessed with her Iron Fey series {which I still need to read... don't judge me}.

Her characters are pretty amazing.  Allie doesn't become some superhero once she's Turned.  She works for it.  She learns, fights and bleeds for it.  And she's still tormented with the Hunger.  Oh, that's inescapable.  You know how that Other Vampire Book/Series {which I honestly adore} has vegetarian vampires?  Not an option for Julie Kagawa's vampires.  They have to have human blood, no matter what.  Which can be pretty difficult if you're a vampire, wandering around outside "civilization" {I use that term loosely, because its really not very civilized}.

From the get-go, Julie had me admiring almost every character.  Allie for her drive and desire to live and retain her humanity.  Zeke for his need to see everyone as good {even though a couple times I wanted to pull those shutters up and let him see a character for who they truly were}.  Kanin for his unerring desire to be truthful {even if that means he just won't speak of something so as not to lie about it}.

Speaking of Kanin... I so wish there would have been more of him in this book!  I'm looking forward to the possibility of more in the second.  Plus, since I participated in the Immortal Rules Party on Twitter forever ago, I had the pleasure of the mental picture of Henry Cavill for Kanin {although, it just wasn't quite right, if you know what I mean.  Honestly, I know I tweeted about Paul Bettany playing a great Sarren, but I think he would be an even better Kanin}.

Guys, the world building, the characters, the writing... everything about this book was awesome.  It was worth the wait and torture of seeing it next to me while I was sick and unable to read.  Julie, I cannot wait for the second book to come out!  In the meantime, I will have to placate my need to read with The Iron Fey series...

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Pages: 352
Publisher: Harper/Harper Collin
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.08 stars
Published: November 11, 2011

Description:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Oh.  My.  Word.  This book was amazing.  And, honestly, I didn't read any reviews of it before I started - I didn't even read the description!  I read the inside of the dust jacket and the back cover.  Which is probably why its taken me so long to pick it up {that and I had to wait for my hold to be filled at my local library}.  If you have not read this book yet, do it.  Do it now.  My only regret with this was not taking longer to read it so I could stretch out the enjoyment.  This book has all of the addiction of The Hunger Games, piled with X-Men and glued together with amazing.  At least this is only the first in a very promising series.

Juliette is an astonishing character.  I felt like I was there, inside her head.  I was feeling her insecurities, her hurt, her betrayal... her pain and love and loss.  She has flaws, but that makes her beautiful.  What she sees as weakness, someone sees as selflessness.  Kindness.  Goodness.  She grows up her whole life thinking she's a monster, because no one has told her differently.  She was taken away from her parents at the age of 14, after she touches someone.  And kills them.  And the books finds us with her in a cell inside an asylum.  After the Reestablishment has taken over {and by "taken over", I am talking the world, people}.

Then comes Adam.  Okay, I don't think the male opposite in a book can really get that much better than him.  Seriously.  Brave, handsome, caring, sexy as all get out... I want to say so much about Adam, but I don't want to give away one bit of this book.  Its too wonderful watching the story unfold to give anything away.  But he's wonderful, lovely, good...

I normally take a little while reading books, especially when I'm working every day after picking one up.  I picked this book up on Friday night and finished it the next day.  And I was working both days {and, no, I don't have a job that lets me read while I work.  That would be the life!}.  I wanted to drag it out and eat it up at the same time.  I'm in love.  I love how Tahereh Mafi writes, with it being from Juliette's perspective, but not having a huge inner monologue.  And the thoughts writing.  I'm in her head.  I'm right there with her.  I cannot get enough of this book.  I want more.

Okay, I was going to end it with that, but I do need to say something.  I freaking love the X-Men.  I have since I was a little kid.  This book takes that to a whole new level... and Rogue was always my favorite.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Description:

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
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. 

First off, totally unrelated to the actual story behind the cover, can I just say I wish I would have waited to get Delirium so I could have a matching set?  Yeah, 'cause I'm that kind of girl...


Lauren Oliver is one of those authors who's writing just sucks you in.  I was a little apprehensive of the layout of the book {chapters are then, now, then, now and so forth}, but she made it flow in a way that others could only dream of.  Each one seems to explain the other, and I forgot I was even going back and forth at all.  If Delirium got you hooked, Pandemonium is going to reel you all the way in.


In the first part of Delirium, I felt that Lena's character was kind of lost.  She knew she wanted the cure, but at the same time she was unsure.  She was scared.  This Lena is much stronger, more sure of herself.  Although she does question herself in parts of the book, she is more sure of who she is and what she's capable of.  And, lets face it, the hardcore fighter that Lena has become is pretty awesome.

All of the new characters are pretty awesome, each of them holding their own very well.  And the new guy she brings into the story for Lena?  Intriguing.  After reading it, I was thinking to myself that realistically the only way that would have come about is if it were a situation just like she wrote.  Seriously, the only way.


This story took some big, surprising turns.  I'm sometimes pretty good at predicting twists in a book, but some of these had me a bit shocked.  I'm going to be vague so as not to give any spoilers, but you'll be surprised and I'm sure have that mental click like I had towards the end.


Oh, and you think you know cliffhangers?  Yeah, you don't know cliffhangers until you get to the end of this book!  I gave this book a solid five stars on Goodreads, and it SO is!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Pages: 480
Publisher: HarperTeen
My rating: 5 stars
Goodreads rating:  4.07 stars
Published: February 1, 2011

Description:

Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure.

I loved this book.  Its been a while since I've picked up a book and really dove into it, enjoying the story and not tripping over the writing to do so or vice versa.  Lena is literally counting down the days until she receives her "cure", thanking her lucky stars she's never shown a sign of the deliria.  As readers, we see how sheltered and naive her world is {even though she really isn't, because of all the labels attached to her through what happened with her mother}.  Lena goes through life how some teenagers do, looking towards one specific moment that is supposed to make everything better, make everything perfect.  As a child, she lived with her mother, who was not cured.  Her mother had the procedure three times, but it never worked.  Lena grew up knowing her mother was different, but later, after her mother's suicide, she tries her best to forget that, to be "normal".

Lena lives most her life fairly unattached to those around her.  Yes, she has her family and thinks kindly of them, but its not until she meets Alex that she realizes she loves them.  Love is a four letter word in Lena's world, a world of order and monotony.  And, until Alex, that's all she wants.  It was beautiful reading about Lena learning to love and that all kinds of love can be held for different people.  It was interesting to see her go from wanting the cure to being on the frightened side.

And Alex?  Great character.  He shows Lena so much and helps her to see just what is wrong with the cure... making everyone into zombies, effectively.  I really want to know what happened to Alex...

Speaking of what happened, I really want to know what's going to happen to Hana.  Since reading Delirium, I've also read the short story about Hana.  She still seems on the fence for receiving the cure.  But she can't do anything about it unless she follows the way of Lena.

The book is an interesting display of what the world would be like without love.  And the fact that it basically makes everyone zombies {minus the brain-eating part}.  Lauren Oliver is a brilliant writer, making me feel like I was there during all the highs and lows.  I swear, when they were running in the summer heat, I was there.  When Lena went to the underground parties, I was there... books like that just hook me.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither
Author:  Lauren DeStefano
Pages: 358
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
My rating: 3.7 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.91 stars
Published: March 22, 2011

Description:

What if you knew exactly when you would die?
 

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb — males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape — to find her twin brother and go home.
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

I love Rhine.  That being said, this book could have been better.  It didn't take very long to read this {about two sittings}, and it just wasn't that in-depth.  It focuses on Rhine's desire to escape, but that's about it.  Its kind of hard to believe she's 16-years-old in this book, just because she's a sister wife {not to mention that Cecily, one of her sister wives, is only 13-years-old at the beginning of the book}, and I understand part of the reasoning for this is because they live in a time when they have to grow up fast, because they just don't have time... but there are also the "first generations" {the only people who are actually able to live above 20 and 25}, which makes one wonder how they would become so distant from what it was like to live more than a handful of years when there are people on the planet who are 50+ years old.

From the description, anyone could tell this book has some polygamy {okay, a lot}, but it isn't graphic with the ideas of that.  It mostly focuses on the sisterly relationship Rhine has with {mainly} Jenna and {kind of} Cecily.

Other than the fact that this book was seriously anticlimactic, I was really frustrated with how wishy-washy Rhine was.  She either hated the house Governor or was falling for him, which was kind of confusing to go on that roller coaster as a reader and made it difficult to really know what to feel towards him {*SPOILER - highlight to read* who we later find out had no idea she was kidnapped and actually made me, as a reader, feel kind of sorry for him and like Rhine should have been trying to help him escape too}.  And, the servant she is said to be "growing dangerously attracted to"?  For almost half the book {the last half, mind you}, you don't really see any of that.  Just her concern for him to have his freedom from the mansion they're trapped in as well as her.

I don't know if its just that, about halfway through, I just kept reading the book so I could say I finished it and cross it off my list or if the author just stopped caring about the book, but it was probably one of the lamest books I've read in a while {yes, I'm using the word "lamest", because their is no better description for it}.   I've read books with endings I didn't like or weren't very well written, but this one was just all around lame.  I love my books, and I'm a bit of a hoarder, but, if I'd bought this, I would actually give it away.  To the Goodwill.  Or sell it on Amazon for a dollar.  All that being said, I think it might be a tie with Halo by Alexandra Adornetto {next review to be written} for where it ranked on my "recommend to someone else" list.

This was one of those books that, after picking it up and reading, I really felt like I would have been better off if I hadn't.  Because its a trilogy.  And now I actually do want to know if they find a cure for this genetic mutation that shows itself as a virus when the individuals turn 20 and 25, respectively.  And, most likely, in the time between when these come out, I probably will have forgotten about it and not really care.  Thank goodness the copy I got of this one was free...

PS - Doesn't the girl on the cover look like Mandy Moore??