[Book Review] - This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This is Not a Test
     Author: Courtney Summers
     Format: Paperback
     Release Date: October 11th, 2011
     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

     It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.
     To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.
     But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.
     When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

My Review:

     This book was flat out brilliant. I never thought I would fall in love with a book built solely around Suicide and how Sloane goes about dealing with everything around her, and her desire to just leave everything behind. I couldn't put this book down, and I do notice from time to time, the desire to pick it back up and read it all over again. Yes it's that good; I am not sure if it's got the thing to deem a 5.0 rating, but worth every bit of the 4.5 I'm giving it.

     When I tell people that this book has zombies in it, they automatically turn up their lip and tell me to move on. It has nearly NOTHING to do with zombies though, the zombies are there to get that suspense or action/thrill the book needs to keep going. I think they add another dimension to the book that keeps the whole story and every event moving forward and not just standing still.

     Sloane, when the book started, I felt sorry for. Even though I still felt sorry for her at the end of the book, there was this added dimension to her character that made you sort of envious as well. I really wish there was a sequel to this book, and there very well could be with the way it ended. So everyone here's to begging Courtney Summers for a sequel to figure out what happens to Sloane and those with her.

     The other characters in this book, I wasn't sure about a few of them at first. However, as the group fought and seemed to find their own way of dealing with the zombie apocalypse outside in their own way, they all new the could be a day where one of them wouldn't make it. The characters were very diverse, and well thought out and I felt pulled into them, slowly and enjoyably. I even found myself hoping characters would live through the book and into the next, that maybe one or two of them would survive just long enough.

     Now if you want to say that zombie movies or just anything zombie related won't scare you; I will guarantee you now this one will creep you out. The reason I say this is that the zombies aren't the focal point, and when they do take the focal point, you aren't expecting it and they WILL scare you. I will admit there were times at this book where the zombies did freak me out a bit, and then there was one scene that made me smile.

     Either way, this book was fantastic. So close to perfection that I am still pondering pushing it over to the 5.0 it probably deserves. I just can't cause novels like Anna Dressed In Blood, Before I Fall, and Sacred Scars just pulled me in and this did as well. I just feel it needed something more, there was something lacking near the end of the book that held it back, I will more than likely have to re-read this and reconvene on this decision later.

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[Stacking the Shelves] - #1

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!

     This was an interesting week. The first thing that came in was something I ordered off of ebay, which went really well by the way. Next was a series of two books, and finally a series of three books. I hope you all enjoy what came in this week and what I'm looking to getting around to, whenever I manage to catch up on reading.

Series: The Dresden Files (1-12)

     Author: Jim Butcher
     Date: August 14th, 2012

The novels of the Dresden Files have become synonymous with action-packed urban fantasy and non-stop fun. Storm Front is Jim Butcher's first novel and introduces his most famous and popular character-Harry Dresden, wizard for hire.
For his first case, Harry is called in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with the blackest of magic. At first, the less-than-solvent Harry's eyes light up with dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage. Now, that black mage knows Harry's name. And things are about to get very...interesting.

     I have always been meaning to getting around to this series. I have been told over and over by a few friends that this series is just fantastic. I have read some of Storm Front and frankly I was intrigued. Heck, I've even watched the TV series and found it rather interesting, I have always had this in the back of my mind just waiting. Now when I snagged the entire series for a really decent price (around $41), I just couldn't pass it up any longer. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one.

1st Set Of Mail: 2 Books

Title: The Bar Code Tattoo
     Author: Suzanne Weyn
     Format: Paperback
     Release Date: September 1st, 2004

Individuality vs. Conformity
Identity vs. Access
Freedom vs. Control
The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity.
But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run...for her life.

     I honestly am not sure why I picked this up, I found it fairly cheap and just frankly couldn't resist. Okay I got it less then $1, and I spent more on the shipping then it was worth. It sounds fairly interesting, and frankly I am into the whole breaking free from conformity stuff, and being different in times of monotony.

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
     Author: Carrie Ryan
     Format: Paperback
     Release Date: February 9th, 2010

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

This has always been on my list, but acquiring this book was a bit harder. I jumped through a few hoops and through a good chance of luck, I managed to snap a copy of the book, autographed. I couldn't be happier, but now I don't want to ruin the book / signature by reading it; can't win them all I guess. What happened is I ordered the book from this company as a hardcover and got it a week or so later. But when I opened it, I found it wasn't hardcover at all, it was paperback which upset me. Its a personal thing, I can't stand the whole bending the cover back as you read a book thing, anywise I digress. But I found out it was signed and all nice and pretty. After a brief discussion with the seller / company, I got to keep the book. So I'll get my teeth into this book!

2nd Set Of Mail: 3 Books

Title: Seraphina
     Author: Rachel Hartman
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: July 10th, 2012

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.
In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

Seraphina was one of those books that I found on sale recently, I just couldn't pass it up. There was soemthing about the book, dragonkin or something that makes me have to read everything and nearly almost anything that deals with the species. I love dragons, fantasy, stuff like that, I am very curious about this book, and where it takes me.

I am hoping for a fantastic world building experience, a good set of relationships between dragons and humans. Even hoping to see some of the war / drama between the two. I want a good fantasy I guess, it's been a while since I had something that made me drool and want more. So I figured I would start here at this.

Title: Between Shades of Gray
     Author: Ruta Sepetys
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: March 22nd, 2011

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

     I got this from a book club and they were all reading this and talking about it. I just saw it one day and couldn't help myself. The concept seems sound and the history behind the tale may not be entirely true; however, you can apply this concept to the many many times concentration camps have been used. I am sure this book will be a touching book, get everything emotional flowing, and rip the chords of your heart free. I am hoping for that in this book, and just something to ease in between a few of my more grittier or darker novels.

Title: Unwind
     Author: Neal Shusterman
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: November 6th, 2007

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.
The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

This sounded interesting, and has been on my wish list for a while. It wasn't any surprise when I had a bit of spare money, I did manage to pick it up. There is something about the tale, how this could possibly happen. I hope it doesn't, but there have been many times where societies have set standards for what should be produced for offspring and such. I am not sure what really to expect completely from the book, but the concept seems to keep me interested and i hope I can get into it for the long haul.

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[Waiting on Wednesday] - #2

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?

Check the book out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR List!

    Today I'm going into some detail about two books that I just cannot wait for. I found the first one recently, and frankly it just sounds terrific. I hope I won't be let down on it. The second book is a prequel to a series I finished a bit ago, and really just want to know how everything started and get to know some of the beginning characters in a new light.

Title: False Memory
     Author: Dan Krokos
     Date: August 14th, 2012

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn't at all surprised by Miranda's shocking ability.
Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn't easy--especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn't seem to matter...when there may not be a future.
Dan Krokos' debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

     I love action novels and series that have a sort of romance thing going. I have a feeling this has some sort of romance or going to have something built into it with Miranda and either Noah or Peter. There is just something about this book that even through the brief synopsis and explanation we're given, I am already pulled into wanting to open the book and start right now.

     For a debut novel, this seems a lot more involved and thought out than what I've seen in others, and I hope that it is. I may be leading this book far too off by having some pretty good expectations, but in general I try to avoid over hyped books, at least till I can't avoid it at all and someone throws it down my throat. I just hope that False Memory keeps up with it, because I really want this to be a good series.

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Title: The Kill Order
     Author: James Dashner
     Date: August 14th, 2012

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.
Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.
Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.
Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

     When I reread this synopsis and found out it doesn't have anything to really do with the main characters in The Maze Runner series, I about wanted to punch a series of small infants. This is the last thing I wanted to know was there could be a between book smashed in the middle of The Kill Order and The Maze Runner and I'll have to wait another year to ponder some more.

     However, this does pose another answer to some of the questions I have pertaining to how the virus or disease was created. That will or should be answered in this book and how, I am assuming, WICKED began. So maybe there is some hope for this book to fulfill some of my questions and problems with the series, I just wish it had more to do with Brenda, Thomas, Teresa, Minho, and Newt. I still can't get over that it has NOTHING to do with them. Bah!

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[Book Review] - The Death Cure by James Dashner

Title: The Death Cure
     Author: James Dashner
     Series: #3 - The Maze Runner
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: October 11th, 2011
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.
What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.
The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

My Review:

     I am mixed about this, there were parts of this book that blew everything open and made my eyes wide as the series concluded in a grand finale. However, there were parts of this book that I wanted to slap Thomas and Brenda both, Teresa's change and need to prove herself to Thomas after what she did in The Scorch Trials was almost sickening, but I still felt kind of sorry for her.

     Anyways to the bread and butter, I did enjoy this book a lot. I loved the finale and enjoyed everything up to the very end. How the series conclude I didn't quite get, it's not that I didn't understand it; more of I don't think it was completely believable. It's a slap in the face, WICKED wins again. As well, there was a huge lack of emotion at the end, there was no joy, no sense of victory which also aided to this ultimate depression of an ending.

     I was extremely happy with this new world, the complete reveal of Wicked and the real snow capped mountain/forest landscape and city. I enjoyed the change of pace, as well it was almost nice to not have to worry about the whole games taking place during the whole series of the book, but the real question I asked myself when I finished was it? I mean could the trials be almost the same as everyday life? I mean the reveal of the Cranks and what they were capable of, and how they were spreading everywhere, and slowly taking over humanity was terrifying, but at the same time brought the games to real life.

     `Now the one thing I did miss, and I wish it was there really. I wanted to know what Thomas was like before the wipe and what made him believe this would be a good idea? Why did he begin the Maze Trials and whatnot? I guess we'll all have to wait until Kill Order for that reveal, I can't wait either!

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[Flashback Friday] - #1

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past released that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?

Check the book out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR List!

Book Title: Beautiful Creatures
     Author: Kami Garcia

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Stance:

     When I tend to get interested in books that have been on shelves for a decent length of time (years or a few months for that matter) I tend to look at other reviews and see what people are thinking. Is it a good book, what do they say about the style and does it fit with what I enjoy in a book, and does the synopsis at least give me a sense of involvement or enough interest to be some-what invested.

     Beautiful Creatures to me has this sense of romance that I tend to enjoy, or so I say that now. We'll see later when I pick up the book or however long it stays on my wishlist. The reviews are all over the place, I've seen 1s all the way to 5s (or whatever max scale you want to use). The disparity between reviews and how spread out they are also got my attention, how can a book have so many people hate it and love it, and not be named Twilight? I am curious, and frankly interested in seeing this book closer and at least giving it a shot.

Book Title: Leviathan
     Author: Scott Westerfeld

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

My Stance:

     I have heard nothing but good things about Scott Westerfeld, and the series of Leviathan. This book has kind been on my radar for a while, there is just something about the book that's put me off getting it sooner. And I'm not sure what it is about it, but it just hasn't caught me completely like some of the other books I have sunk my teeth into.

     I almost have to wonder if it's the whole alternate universe of World War I or is this on a different planet? I don't understand it completely, and that may frankly be the whole bit that keeps me at arms length on this book. I will read it, I am very very curious on what all the hype and stuff is about this book and Mr. Westerfeld. I am just not sure how much of my taste it will be; I'm very much open to being swayed the other way though!

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[Book Review] - Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Title: Before I Fall
     Author: Lauren Oliver
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: October 25th, 2011
     My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.
The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death-and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

My Review:

     This book is why I fell in love with Lauren Oliver. The way she takes this seemingly perfect lifestyle and turns it all completely upside down. This book will make you cry, frustrated, angry, and frankly so emotional you will throw this book through the window. When I finished the book, it left me speechless, there was nothing left to describe what happened, there was nothing to talk about that wouldn't spoil this perfect story for others, it was perfect.

     Samantha is this rich, well... I wouldn't say rich maybe semi-rich, popular, somewhat egotistical, and snobby high-school senior. She's got a perfect boyfriend, so she thinks, and friends that will be with her to the bitter end. But everyone has secrets... And each day some of those secrets come out in the open, she realizes exactly what she was missing with her "perfect" lifestyle and even the best love or boyfriend she could ever hope for, if she would have paid attention.

     The way the chapters are told on a day to day basis was brilliant, and events or periods of time are given in sections that are aptly named by Sam. I enjoyed this cause it allowed time gaps to flow more easily and not get me confused like some other books do normally. Plus this allowed some grouping of events to be compared, for instance there's the same party scene that happens in almost every day, but certain things change about them all.

     I would recommend this book to just about anyone, it's complete. The days are told well, and everything just seems to come together and bleed perfection. At first I didn't think this was going to be a book I would enjoy. I normally am not into the whole teen-despair, problem type of genre, but this book does it so well I can only hope to see more like it. Undoubtedly one of my favorite books of all time, pick it up and read it; I guarantee you will be impressed.

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[Waiting on Wednesday] - #1

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?

Check the book out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR List!

Title: Insignia
     Author: S.J. Kincaid
     Date: July 10th, 2012

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?
Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

I recently picked this book up, and I know it probably shouldn't be on this list since technically IT IS out currently. However, it's one of those books that when I read the synopsis and started thinking about the possibilities, the twists, possible romance and action; this book already had me hooked.

I have this feeling it sounds a bit like BZRK by Michael Grant, I am not sure if that's a good thing or bad just yet. I did pick BZRK up, it's sitting on my shelf still and I will get around to it eventually; I just wasn't all that interested in it from what the synopsis told me. So I am not sure if this hype from Insignia's synopsis is a good thing or bad yet, I just hope everyone has a good time with this book, it sounds amazing!

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Title: Girl of Nightmares
     Author: Kendare Blake
     Date: August 7th, 2012

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live--not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.
Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.
Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Anna, the story of her ghostly horrors and the romance she had with Cas was perfect in Anna Dressed in Blood. Anna has got to be one of my more favorite female characters, even if she is a ghost and all. There is something about her personality that just intrigues me and Kendare Blake does a great job pulling you into the story, that I can't believe this book would be anything less than exceptional. This is probably my more looked forward too book of the year, I can't wait on it and even still I have to.

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[Book Review] - The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Title: The Scorch Trials
     Author: James Dashner
     Series: #2 - The Maze Runner
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: October 12th, 2010
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

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?

My Review:

     James Dashner does it again; there is something about his work that just pulls me into his world. The world building in his series is something to die for. I read this right after I finished my copy of The Maze Runner and together there was this new attachment that pulled me into this book, which I just didn’t get in the first. I found myself screaming at the world that Thomas was thrown into this, and with the new addition of Brenda being added into the mix, it brought a new wave of excitement.

     Now when Brenda shows up and adds this whole love triangle mix, with Teresa and all, I was starting to get leery of the idea of it working in this context. Mainly because I didn’t picture Thomas as the type of person to jungle two people like that, and frankly I was right. The triangle seemed to stop almost as fast as it picked up. And Teresa, her metamorphosis in this book was fantastic; you WILL hate her by the end of the book.

     Now, I will agree this book was miles from the first one. The world that was built was good, even the danger at the end of the book felt real and I didn’t want to put it down. However, there was this lack of motivation to get somewhere. For instance in The Maze Runner, I got the idea that there was this need to get out, a need to be pulled into the maze and understand and figure out the puzzle. Here in the desert with all the cranks and whatnot there wasn’t that. It was a big hole that just kept the group of boys running aimlessly toward a goal, or they supposedly would die.

     But I do believe this book has a better character feel to it, I enjoyed Thomas and Brenda better in this story and how they were developed. The problem with Thomas though, was he seemed to understand or sense things way too easily. Like he almost could read their minds easily. I was happy to see some of the characters change though, for instance Teresa and her whole betrayal. I loved it, it gave knew light to what she would do in order to accomplish a goal and left me breathless when it all came together.

     The best part again, is the main plot what WICKED is after and what their goal is still isn’t answered. The book is setup to end well in The Death Cure, and I can’t wait to get into it. I look forward to the questions and tribulations that plague everyone’s mind, in this series, finally being answered in the last book. I just hope Dashner can keep it going.

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[Book Review] - Sacred Scars by Kathleen Duey

Title: Sacred Scars
     Author: Kathleen Duey
     Series: #1 - A Resurrection of Magic
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: August 4th, 2009
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Sadima, Franklin, and Somiss, driven out of Limòri by a suspicious fire, are living in a cave hidden within the cliffs that overlook the city. Somiss is convinced the dark passages of the caves were the home of ancient magicians, and his obsession with restoring magic deepens. Sadima dreams of escape -- for her, for Franklin, and for the orphaned street boys Somiss has imprisoned in a crowded cage. Somiss claims he will teach these boys magic, that they will become his first students, but Sadima knows he is lying.
Generations later, Hahp is struggling to survive the wizards' increasingly dangerous classes at the Limòri Academy of Magic. He knows the fragile pact he has forged with his secretive roommate, Gerrard, will not be enough to put an end to the evil. It will take all the students acting together to have any chance of destroying the academy. Building trust, with few chances to speak or plan, will be almost impossible, but there is no choice.

My Review:

     Sacred Scars, my first 5.0 rating; and it deserves far more credit than it’s given. As well, again there are two stories of Haph and Sadima, just like in Skin Hunger. However, this far, far surpassed Skin Hunger. The torture and darkness that surrounded Haph and his new lifestyle dig deeper into the shadows and the pain and tragedy. As well, there is something about how he deals with everything, how the constant starving ensues.

     Haph’s story took off right away, the darkness drove deeper into the core of everything. There was something about how Gerrard and Haph, as well as the other boys, deal with the life and death trials. Each of them being thrown off, like the boys are nothing more than simple toys, and there’s a lot of questions about why these events take place; what are the wizards, Franklin and Somiss, planning? As well, there is something about Franklin; the last time we saw him in Skin Hunger he had this kind, some sort of sincerity and now in Sacred Scars there some sort of weird sort of motive behind everything. I had some questions regarding his person.

     Sadima is another issue; she’s back in the cavern with the boys Somiss and Franklin have captured. Teaching them all to write, and beginning to tell them stories, to me they all seem to be more of Franklin and her past. What I enjoyed most about Sadima’s tale is when she puts her plan into action, and there is a given event that passes. She manages to show back up in what would normally be the suburbs of Limori. However, with no memory of whom she is or what she was before; it’s almost like the story folds in on itself and starts over. This makes the story new, and the loop it throws as she lives for years and years, lifetimes and lifetimes.

     Sadima’s story slowly closes the gap between her old one and Haph’s tale. This is the part that makes complete sense, the world around Sadima changes and her lifetime stretches far beyond that. There is just so much with this story and how it ends. There is a building, the world shifts constantly around Haph and Sadima.

     Every part of the fantasy screams perfection. The dark twisted, starving tale of Haph will get your blood boiling and show you a side of Somiss and Franklin not nearly visible before. Then Sadima’s tale keeps the mystery going, there is the world that changes the friends. As well, the world changes around her, as well, her past slowly comes into question; who she is, what she’s done.

     The book ends as any other middle book in a trilogy or a series. There are so many questions answered but nothing is so fully resolved that gives any sort of finish or end anything. There is a reason this book gets a 5.0 rating, and if anyone wants to reach for this pinnacle, pick up this book and take notes. The dialogue between the characters, the relationships change and even Sadima makes a decision that forever changes her life. The world building is fantastic; the darkness of Haph is breath-taking and original. The entire series deserves a lot of credit, and will more than always been on my top list of books.

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[Book Review] - Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen
     Author: Lauren Kate
     Series: #1 - Fallen
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: December 8th, 2009
     My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

My Review:

     This one was interesting. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this. I know this is probably going to sound like the most retarded reason to pick up a book, but I enjoyed the covers and the synopsis of the book seemed like a pretty decent romance novel. As well, knowing the series had four books to it I knew it had the length to make me want more. However, at the end of the first book I wasn’t sure.

     Enough rambling, this was more of a trying to figure out what was going on with Luce than anything else. I found myself curious about Daniel Grigori and what he meant to Luce. I mean there just was this mysteriousness about him and frankly he was very alluring. As well, there was Cam, he just seemed to open too apparent. There wasn’t anything to him that seemed to be hidden.

     The characters were well constructed minus one; Luce I had a few problems with. First Luce gets involved in the one thing I hate most of all throughout the first two thirds of the book, the damn love triangle. And well, her reason is she’s not sure who she should be with, Cam or Daniel. Well it’s not a hard choice to be honest, in the beginning with how bad Daniel treats her I don’t believe any normal girl would continue to give him the time of day. As well, when she does make a choice she goes back to the other to tell him her choice. Who does that? Okay well maybe a girl who wants to be nice and leave under good terms.

     Then Luce is this dumb girl who is too stupid to understand that the man she chose to be with is an Angel, and frankly I couldn’t either. The change from Daniel being a complete asshole, to coming out and saying that "Not so long that I've forgotten that you're worth everything. Every sacrifice. Every pain.” I found the transformation just too quick and abrupt that it almost seemed absurd. As well when the information came out about Cam and Daniel being fallen angels, and seemingly fighting over Luce.

     There wasn’t that much of a world to say that anything was built really. I found it lacked some more creative nature, or more of a world. There was the boarding school, and the small little bar or whatever it was. There really wasn’t much of a world, and I wanted more. Which I feel went along with the lack thereof in Luce as well.

     Fallen wasn’t bad, if you are into the sort of cliché romance novels, with a girl who falls for a guy who tries to stay away from her because it hurts or whatever, but seemingly saves her at every chance. As well, I know many of you are going to say an old Angel going out with a seventeen year old is disgusting and blah blah blah. The question I have is, do angels have age? Or do they even age? That’s a hole I believe needs addressed with this book, cause otherwise you have a huge pedophile issue looming overhead.

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[Book Review] - Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium
     Author: Lauren Oliver
     Series: #2 - Delirium
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: February 28th, 2012
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

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.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

My Review:

Pandemonium was a slight let down. I was looking for more information about Lena and Alex, and it was almost completely left out of this book. I was furious with this, and the world brought into frame, was completely different. I was happy for this change and it’s probably the best redeeming factor in the book.

This time around, Lauren Oliver decides to go a different route then traditional chapters; she uses a Now – Then setup for the “chapters.” At first it took me a bit to get used to the jumping back and forth and trying to catch the small little time lapses between the jumps in the timelines. However, I think this was done rather well. The world in the past when Lena deals with the loss of Alex and moves on slowly as the group of Invalids or Wilds lives everyday life, and is forced to move due to winter and other extraneous factors, mirrored with the hidden lifestyle and the new Lena in the current timeline. I enjoyed it in the end, but I wouldn't do it again in Requiem.

Lauren Oliver does a great job creating a world, the Wilds kept me asking for more. The inner workings of the city-scape wowed me with every turn. I believe that’s what Lauren Oliver does best, take the world we see in everyday and pretty much take for granted, and manages to get it down to paper in such a poetic and imaginative way that everyone understand the hustle and bustle of the city. The betrayal and torturous world Lena and Julia were involved in, and the harsh and unforgiving wilds both kept me going, more so than the relationship did this time around.

Lena, her character in this book was hard to discern. I've said this over and over, I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES. Julian I really disliked, and wanted Alex to be the one and only. Julian was too easy, he is just too off. There is something there with Julian that makes him too weak, to unrealistic to be a real character. Lena despite my wishes and desires does go into this love triangle, well I guess you wouldn't call it one cause she is under the impression that Alex is dead, but still... I disliked the relationship between Julian and Lena, it just seemed to... easy I guess. There was something off with it that didn't get me involved or want them to be together.

Overall it was a great book, the book ends in a cliffhanger. Giving Requiem a good base to start on; I can't wait. But... I hate the ending to Pandemonium, for obvious reasons.

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[Book Review] - The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
     Author: James Dashner
     Series: #1 - The Maze Runner
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: October 6th, 2009
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

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 enclosed 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, open. Every night they are closed tight. And that every 30 days a new boy is delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. Only 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 that are buried within his mind.

My Review:

     James Dashner had his work cut out for him on this book, there was something about this book that had me hyped up and ready to read the moment I got it in my hands. I will admit, when I first started, the new dialogue and mannerisms of the already existing Gladers was a bit odd and out of place. There was something that seemed silly with all of their new and unusual behavior, but as the book went on and drug me into their world I found I was actually using their words (Klunk, Shuck, Shuck-face, etc).

     The world building was fantastic; the horrible Grievers that roamed the maze all around them brought a well needed sense of fear and suspense. There was always this looming evil around the next corner, and then the fear of the changing. The way that everything was organized, and how jobs were structured around the Glade, did give proof that the others were there for some time.

     At first I wasn’t sure if I would like Thomas, to be blunt he was my first male main character and I was a bit leery of this. I like female characters more, because they tend to be more open and I tend to get more involved and into the characters; however with Thomas on the other hand, the only word to describe it is, Bromance. Thomas was everything I had hoped for and more.

     Another issue that I found with the book at the start was it was almost in third person. I was wishing over and over it was in first, and still at times I wish it was. The book didn’t falter because of this, it was told well and I believe it allowed for some more details to come out that the reader needed to know. I liked this bridge to fix an issue with the lack of memory that plagues Thomas at the start of the book.

     The characters in this book were far, far more than I expected. They were all original, believable, and there was this sense that made me believe it could happen in reality. I mean, in every book, in a dystopian or science-fiction novel, I try to figure out if this could really happen and definitely believe if given the chance it could. If you don’t think it could, as Thomas if he thought it could before he woke up in the elevator going up to the Glade. This part of the characters demeanor made this real, made the tension and the mystery of what is going on around them, that much more intense and put me on the edge of the seat, tearing through the pages.

     The answers that arise in the book, through the arrival of Teresa and some other events that arise with her coming don’t just come to fruition and end. The book ends with a well place hanger that leaves it open to the next in the series, so many questions, and so many unfinished holes that I want the next book now. I can’t wait for it, The Scorch Trials!

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[Book Review] - Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey

Title: Skin Hunger
     Author: Kathleen Duey
     Series: #1 - A Resurrection of Magic
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: July 24th, 2007
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Sadima lives in a world where magic has been banned, leaving poor villagers prey to fakes and charlatans. A "magician" stole her family's few valuables and left Sadima's mother to die on the day Sadima was born. But vestiges of magic are hidden in old rhymes and hearth tales and in people like Sadima, who conceals her silent communication with animals for fear of rejection and ridicule. When rumors of her gift reach Somiss, a young nobleman obsessed with restoring magic, he sends Franklin, his lifelong servant, to find her. Sadima's joy at sharing her secret becomes love for the man she shares it with. But Franklin's irrevocable bond to the brilliant and dangerous Somiss traps her, too, and she faces a heartbreaking decision
Centuries later magic has been restored, but it is available only to the wealthy and is strictly controlled by wizards within a sequestered academy of magic. Hahp, the expendable second son of a rich merchant, is forced into the academy and finds himself paired with Gerrard, a peasant boy inexplicably admitted with nine sons of privilege and wealth. Only one of the ten students will graduate -- and the first academic requirement is survival
Sadima's and Hahp's worlds are separated by generations, but their lives are connected in surprising and powerful ways in this brilliant first book of Kathleen Duey's dark, complex, and completely compelling trilogy.

My Review:

     Skin Hunger was an interesting book, I honestly can’t remember where or who told me to pick this book up. That doesn’t matter now; I was a mild fan of this book when it started. There was something catching, that made me want to flip the page and keep going. It wasn’t one of those amazing “I need to finish this or the world will end” moments, but it was subtle, drug me into the book until I found I was flipping the pages faster than nearly any other book I have so far

     I found it hard to tell the time gap between the two stories told by Haph and Sadima. There is a huge time disparity between the two and frankly it’s hard to discern that, but it’s not like there some narrator there to tell me “150+ years later…” That was my only real fumble in the entire book

     Sadima, her story is one that I fell in love with when I started. She was the reason I kept reading honestly. Her ability to hear and talk to animals is astounding and there was this mystery of what was so bad about magic that made it so she had to hide it from everyone. There was some question there, which made me want to find it. I know that the kings, it is outlawed, whatnot will kill them, but there has to be some other reason

     Her story goes above a small romance with Franklin and how she wants to make him happy. As well, there is Somiss, the spoiled aristocrat that is on the venture to recreate and bring magic back. The biggest issue with the story was Franklin, I understand his perspective and why he does what he does, but he never seems to want to leave Somiss’s side, and expecting Sadima to be there as well for him. Maybe expects isn’t the best word, but maybe wishes

     Haph is another story and I have to agree with what I’ve heard from a fellow blogger, that this part of the book is what would happen to Harry Potter if he was sold off to be a wizard. Yet at every turn there is a test, a trial that is every part of life or death. Haph’s story is complete darkness, young boys pushed to starvation, intimidated, and frankly abused to the point of death all so they can learn magic. This part was the most riveting; the most disturbing darkness within the school was what kept everything interesting with Haph

     As well, since the two stories never meet, never seem to align at all it becomes another issue, why? Somiss and Franklin are part of both stories, Haph and Sadima, but the missing element in both is the presents of both at one point. As well, for most readers, the complete darkness, the horrid tales of Haph, means that this book really won’t appeal to the masses, but there is an gold-lining to this. This book is every bit of original and unique

     Due to how Mrs. Duey creates a world were magic is both outlawed, and how one has to learn how to use magic is both cruel, dark, and twisted, there is this originality. Something that may not appeal to everyone, but those that do find it interesting will agree how different and fresh this book is. There is just something about this book, that leaves the ending completely open, every question unanswered just so that the series has something to answer, and frankly I will be looking for to every bit of this series.

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[Book Review] - Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
     Author: Lauren Oliver
     Series: #1 - Delirium
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: August 2nd, 2011
     My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

My Review:

     This was far beyond all my expectations. I am a huge, huge Lauren Oliver fan and she just continues delivering a love story unlike any other. There was something about how Lena and Alex just seem to fit together that makes the whole story take your breath away, page after page.

     The funny thing is, when I started the book I sat down and was thinking to myself, what would have to happen to cause this to actually become reality? There wasn’t anything I could think of, aside some random crazed scientist proclaiming that Love was worse than AIDS or some serious contagious treachery against all humanity. However, the reality was I bought into the world. This world where people were fake, no one cared or loved one another after their “cure.”

     Lena’s transformation through the book, going from wanting the procedure; even counting down the days until her procedure, to going to wanting nothing more than to sit in the little abandoned broken down with Alex next to her. The transformation was the book, the love story and the entirety brought me so close to them that in the end I wanted to throw the book in anger. I was actually saddened to see this book end, and well the ending in general.

     The reason I didn’t give this book a 4 instead of a 5 was the enduring fact that some of the relationship between Alex and Lena seem a bit stretched, and not natural. How they go about struggling to understand what is real and what is real in this dystopian novel. The other issue I had was that Lena was a true romantic, she’s weak and so emotional that I almost wanted to read more on Hana then on Lena. These were the major flaws of the book, and when the end came and went I was okay with them, they weren’t too glaringly wrong for me to enjoy the book and not want to put it down.

     I wish Lauren Oliver the best and I do have Pandemonium and Before I Fall coming up in the future, but this book falls in place with how good of an author she is. I just hope she does decide to keep the damn love triangle out of her work. I can’t wait to get to Pandemonium, and then to Requiem in the future.

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[Book Review] - Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed
     Author: Ally Condie
     Series: #2 - Matched
     Format: Hardcover
     Release Date: November 1st, 2011
     My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Rules Are Different Outside The Society
Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.

My Review:

     I am still mixed about why I am rating this book as High as I am, and that mainly has to do with the fact that this book is far, far better than Matched. However, the glaring issues of a world that just didn’t seem to be completely built or frankly the story really wasn’t told the best it could have been.

     I don’t think going with the alternating Ky then Cassia route for the chapters was the best alternative. I’ve read books that have done this sort of varying chapter orientation; however here in this case I don’t think it was the right place to do that sort of swapping characters. I felt this sort of switching left me wanting more from the character, losing track of the timeline at points, and even wondering why Ally even thought this would be a good alternative.

     Now back to the book, which picks up almost right after Matched, maybe a few days/months missing but that’s not too bad. Cassia has took it in her hands to go find Ky and rightfully, in a good romance, that would be the only option to go, so I applaud the lack of originality here. Throughout the book I was pretty much guessing what was going to happen next, okay in a few spots there was that new

     The love triangle seems to disappear almost completely here in this book, and I enjoyed that. Xander nearly dissolved in the pages; the more you read he disappeared. There were a few points where he crept up, “Xander has a secret…” After a while I got the picture, and yet it was reminded to me over and over. Overall though, Xander just seemed to dissolve and go away, and I never liked Xander to begin with, so it didn’t bother me.

     My biggest problem with this series is the lack of character involvement. I feel no attachment to the characters, and frankly in the second book of a series I started to get involved and want Cassia and Ky to be safe and sound, but in the end when the book pretty much leaves them all in exactly the same place the first book left off.

     I can’t tell you how disappointed I was at this book, and I enjoyed Matched. I barely say this is better, but not by much at all. The lack of originality, the lack of pulling me or any reader in for that matter, the poor world building that didn’t seem to entice me… I wanted much more out of this book, and the hype was there again. Here’s to the third book and we’ll see if it fixes a lot of the glaring errors in both books.

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[Book Review] - Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent

   Author: Veronica Roth

   Series: #2 - Divergent

   Format: Hardcover

   Release Date: May 1st, 2012

   My Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

     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.
     Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
     "New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

My Review:

     This book had a huge amount of hype behind it and great potential to surpass Divergent over and over. There was something about this book though, that just wouldn’t let it be better. Maybe it was the super-horny Tris wanting to molesterbate Tobias at every turn, but I don’t believe that was the core of the issue.

     Tris’s development seemed more backwards in this book, as compared to Divergent. Her weakness became more prevalent and then the idea of self-sacrifice both gave her this humanizing feature, that I believe was well past needed. I say this because a good way into the book I began thinking that Superman may actually be female unlike what I initially thought, which is far, far from the case in Tris. This seemed to bring Tris’s character to life, and made me enjoy her on a far better level than I had initially thought from Divergent.

     Now to address the near constant love-fest, and making out in this portion of the series. I would like to state she’s a teenage girl, she’s trying to make some sense out of the world around her, and all the hard decisions she’s faced with that not only affect her but the people around her as well. The only anchor and sense of sanity to her would be Tobias, so in that case I understand all the making out and love, it fits in my perspective.

     The overall feel of the book was great, the factions were brought better to light and the war between the factions takes a few unexpected turns. Now Dauntless seems the same insane, courageous, and yes almost unbelievable, but there is something about this group that makes me smile all the same. They remind of a bunch of people who just don’t care about what the people around them think, and do what they want because they just can. The other factions seem a little more sheltered, the Abegnation seems to fall away with the near destruction of their home in the last book, and I really wish to have seen more of them, but it fits why we don’t.

     Amity was the only faction that seemed to make me angry. I don’t understand how a faction, a group of hundreds or thousands of people could all sit around a table and everyone come up with a resolution that everyone would be happy about. This just seems almost as unrealistic as the Dauntless’s indescribable bravery. Candor was the one faction that intrigued me the most and the one I was happy to see. The happenings at Candor, and everything they did and stood for fit really well and I wanted to see more of Candor and what they were up to and wanted out of the war.

     There is another faction, yes faction, which arises in this book. I am probably going to get beat for this but from what I understand and the definition of faction in this book, would put the Factionless as a faction. The Factionless are organized, well organized enough and they are a rather large group of them spread not only in one location but over a series of spots and traveling. I was happy to see them come to light, and the twists they bring made me crave for more.

     This book may not have met up to all my expectations, but it fell on par with Divergent. However, the ending is one hell of a cliffhanger, and I will warn everyone it will leave you with a million questions and no outlet for the answers to magically float in on. I will be picking up the sequel and I thoroughly hope it keeps up the good pace of the series so far.

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