Book Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched (Matched #1)
Author: Ally Condie
Published: 2nd June 2011 (Penguin) 
Pages: 366

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. [Via Goodreads]

My Thoughts:
GAAAHHHH! This book was so disappointing in so many ways! As well as hearing about this book, the main reason it did stick in my mind was the cover. I absolutely love the cover, the bubble the matching dress and bubble the idea of being trapped...yes! 

So as soon as I started this book it really did intrigue me. I loved the whole idea of how you find out your 'match', seeing them on a screen and then taking home a card which stores all the information about them. That part really got me, just imagining the whole build up to it. But for Cassia, her match doesn't appear of the big screen. It stays black because her best friend, Xander, is her match and he is in the same room! 

But then when she gets home to see Ky flash on Xander's card. Predictably, it is a 'glitch.' However, the question remains in Cassia's mind, since when does the Society make mistakes? Do they ever?

My main issue with this book was the danger. I didn't feel any sort of danger or threat whilst reading, maybe it just wasn't strong enough, but all I know is that Cassia, Ky and even Xander got away with so much without a punishment. The actions that were done to act as punishment were also quite small. From what I took in, I would of loved a bit more description about the Society as a whole, it wasn't really very clear throughout. 

I also didn't like Cassia's narration with her indecisiveness. It really bothered me with all her bouncing around. I can't stand it when feelings and thoughts bounce around so often! Yes, maybe it did show she was constantly thinking but I think there's always a limit. Going past that limit edges onto annoying. 

I was so completely disappointed with this book, I really thought it was going to be so much better, but sadly it didn't reach those high expectations. I don't know if I'll be reading the rest of this series or not yet!

Book Reveiw: Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Title: Let The Sky Fall 
Author: Shannon Messenger
Published: 5th March 2013 (Simon Pulse)
Pages: 416

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.


When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them [via GoodReads]

Thoughts:
Ok, so I read this book through Pulse It, which is a reading community made by Simon Pulse which shares free books online every month. With the lead up to Christmas they are releasing a free book everyday. I so recommend you check it out because I know I basically want to read all the books! Click here to find out more.

For those who enjoyed reading Under The Never Sky, this book is for you. I'm, yet again, stuck for words to even explain how much I enjoyed this book. The narrations were just so natural and the everything was just tied down so well.

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth (Without the spoiler)

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: 3rd May 2011

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. [GoodReads]

My Thoughts:
I devoured this book in under a day! I was so truly gripped to the action that surrounded Tris (aka Beatrice). Not being cliché, but she is character with so much bravery and confidence in everything she does even though her narration makes it seem far from it.

I wasn't so keen on the fractions and the whole idea of fitting in as it reminded me of other books about the slitting of people, The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeild and obviously Harry Potter with the houses and so on, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins...however I was surprised how much this book separated itself from the other books I've read. The fractions are much more serious and dangerous under the surface, even though on the top you may think there is no harm what so ever.

My favourite parts of the book were the over coming fear processes and also reading the relationship between Tris and her family and just how they interact with one another, especially in the hardess of times, which really brought the story down to earth.


The only thing I was disappointed about was the romance. No, it was a cute romance and all, however I did find it predictable on who it was going to be as soon as I started reading the book. Tris is a little blinded in actions this person does during the training part of the book. I would read her narration about how she thinks he thinks she is weak and nothing, but I knew it was the complete opposite. She is utterly blind in how people act around her and what it means.It drove me M-A-D!! (However, adding to this, I become a critic in the romantic subject as my book build up in mostly romance.)

Recommend or Not? Yes, also because the romance has already been laid out the next book, I hope, won't focus so much on the romance but will be largely built up of AC-TION! - I hope...

Book Review: Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2) - James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner 2 - Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
Published: 4th August 2011

Summary:

    Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

     In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

    Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated-and with it, order-and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
    The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

    Thomas can only wonder-does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED? [GoodReads]

My Thoughts:
This sequel is the same page turner as the first book. Still packed with no stop action and mystery. But this time, not in the Maze.

Still as well written as the first. A really easy read which made it such a gripping book but including some imagery which very...not nice.... But this reached beyond my expectations of what was in store for the Gladers. During every chapter you are left questioning everything Thomas knows, sees and does. This book is so clever in how it is written with . . . everything and everything it written so carefully to make us, the reader, finish the book. 

However, I did find it getting a little cliché with all the "it's a test" commentary. Yes, it is another test set by WICKED but the was they thought over it again and again got slightly irritating. As they just took ages about each action they take and if it has to do with the whole thing.


This book mainly focuses on the next challenge, which I enjoyed to read as you could see how the Gladers change individually as they travel further out. So many secrets are revealed which you would have never expected, which hits each character with alot of shock.

Recommend or Not? Well, yeah. You won't feel satisfied not reading this book for more answers after reading The Maze Runner.

Happy Reading :)

What did you think of this book?

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Publication Date: October 2009

Summary:

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

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

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind. [GoodReads]

My Thoughts:
This booked is packed with adventure and action. A mix between Gone by
Michael Grant and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

The main reason I love this book is the constant pace which also maintains the right amount of detail in every chapter. The first page is gripping and exciting as  Thomas finds himself in the Glade with no memory of his life before, only his name. The book is constantly following what he wants to do but this is what made the book such a page turner. As the newbie, Thomas isn't afraid and instantly jumps up to the most dangerous job. This part of the book, I found, was the most irritating as every so often he'd just keep saying "I need to be.." so-and-so "I will be..." so-and-so.

The description of everything around the maze was so well written and easy to imagine, which included all the characters. When we first read about the characters their is that instant feeling of a really close community (and not just because of the way the Glade is set out.) They don't break the rules and fear beyond the maze where Grievers roam when it goes dark and deadly. There are so many interesting twists with the characters around two thirds of the book (I think it's around there) which is actually mind blowing. I thought it's so clever and I would of never thought of it.  

It was interesting and funny to read and get to know about the Glade. The main part of the enjoyment was to their language, but I couldn't help think that it was tied into some swear words...

There was one character which I found predictable. When we first met him in the story I knew that he was the character. It did twist a little but the outcome remained the same. Did you pick up that character, or was it just me?

Recommend or Not? Yes, definitely. Drop whatever your reading now and pick up THIS book!

Happy Reading :)

What did you think of the book?