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From The Publisher:
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.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
My Review:
This book is the reason I decided to restart the blog. Divergent is SO amazing that I wanted to share my love for this book! Make sure you have time set aside for this one. I read it in one sitting. I simply could NOT put this thing down.
Roth created amazing major and minor characters.The majority of the book focused on the coming of age of Tris. She’s not perfect. Although she appears to be strong, she still struggles to discover who she truly is. This can be seen through the interactions she has with the other initiates. Like Tris, the other initiates also grow throughout the novel which was a nice surprise since most authors tend not to develop secondary characters.
The story is compelling and intended for a wide audience. There is something for everyone: coming of age plot, dystopia, emotional and physical conflict, and romance (which thankfully didn’t overpower the rest of the storyline). The story just flew by; there was never a dull moment. The pacing of the novel was great . . . except for the last 100 pages which felt rushed, even for this fast paced book.
Although there isn’t a cliffhanger at the end, readers will eagerly await the continuation of the story. There is no title out for book two, but it is expected to be released sometime in 2012 (of course this is a trilogy). As of March 18, Summit Entertainment has bought the rights for this book.
The Bottom Line:
Read this book, NOW! This is must read for fans of dystopian fiction. Even if you’re not dystopian fan, read this action packed novel filled with a hint of romance. 5/5
From The Publisher:
Passion. Fate. Loyalty.
Would you risk it all to change your destiny?
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.
But that's exactly what happened.
Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.
Tiger's Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.
My Review:
Hooray for another paranormal romance that doesn’t deal with vampires or werewolves. Cat lovers will be drawn to the cover that depicts Ren, a gorgeous white tiger with cobalt blue eyes.
The most alluring part of the novel is India. There simply wasn’t enough explanation of it. Careful details of the scenery and people allowed the reader to understand its culture. Mythological stories were also woven into the story (sometimes forcefully) to bring the story of the curse together. Reading the folklore was by far the best part of this novel.
The characters are well thought out. At first they seem stereotypical: Kelsey is a naive young girl who is not quite sure what to do after high school while Ren is prince charming. Fortunately, they develop into something more as new characters are introduced and more back story is revealed.
Although there are flaws with the writing, and the heroine is extremely naive at times, these weaknesses can be overlooked because of the engaging storyline. The last third of the book flies by when the Indiana-Jones-esque narrative kicks in. The two protagonists are literally running through an ancient temple filled with booby traps to retrieve a relic while being chased by mythological creatures.
There isn’t a cliffhanger at the end, but there are some questions that definitely need to be answered by Houck. Those interested can read Tiger’s Quest (book 2 of a 5 book series) which is out now! It’s also in production by Ineffable Pictures.
The Bottom Line:
Cat lovers who’re into paranormal romance will be intrigued by this action packed love story. This book is also for those interested in Indian mythology. 3/5
From The Publisher:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
My Review:
Finally, a science fiction novel for teens! It’s been 26 years since Ender’s Game, and it’s great to see YA authors branch out into something other than “paranormal romance.” Don’t worry; if you like the romance, it’s there. It’s just not the focal point of the novel. If you are hesitant to pick this up because it is “science fiction,” don’t fret, the book is also part mystery.
The point of view switches from Amy to Elder every other chapter. The juxtaposition between the two allows the reader to fully discover the ship. Through Amy’s outsider eyes, the reader is lead into the ship with vivid descriptions while Elder discusses why and how the ship came to be what it is now.
As with most science fiction novels, there is some kind of social critique. On board Godspeed, all of the passengers are mono ethnic. They were “created” that way (think, A Brave New World) to cause of sense of unity, but Elder questions this with the arrival of Amy. Together, Amy and Elder discover the reason for the corruption within the ship and the murderer.
This book could be a stand alone. There was enough closure at the end, but it’s all about the trilogies with respect to YA books. A Millions Suns will be released sometime in 2012.
The Bottom Line:
This amazing debut is a definitely worth a read. The fast paced plot will have readers wanting more from Revis. Hopefully more young adults will start enjoying science fiction! 4/5
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