The Eve Illusion by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher Review

The Eve Illusion by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher
Series: Eve Of Man #2
Published On: April 16, 2020
Published By: Michael Joseph
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

Eve is the last girl on earth. 
For the last sixteen years, Eve has been a prisoner. Guarded by the Mothers. Trapped by her fate. Watched by the world. 
Until she took her chance, and escaped. 
Eve finally has the freedom she has wanted for so long, and with Bram she has the love. But both come at a price. In this dangerous new world beyond the Tower, the regime are only ever one step behind. And together with the desperate rebel group fighting against them, Eve has found herself in more danger than she ever could have imagined. 
With everything stacked against them, can Eve and Bram survive?

This is the second book in the Eve Of Man trilogy by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher, a book I didn't realise I was anticipating until it's publication was announced. The premise of this series sounded so interesting to me when the first book was released. It is a dystopian series following Eve, the first girl born in fifty years. While the first book was interesting and enjoyable enough, it didn't blow me away or make me super excited to know how the story would continue. However, upon seeing the second book being published, I found myself interested in how Eve's story would progress.

The second book picks up immediately after the first book ends, so be aware there will be spoilers throughout this review. This isn't something I find happens often, but I very much enjoyed diving straight back into the story and being right in the middle of Eve's escape. I also enjoyed the extra perspective brought in to this sequel. I particularly enjoyed Michael's POV of the escape, as this helped to make it feel more real.

While the first book in the series did a great job of setting up the story and introducing us to the life Eve was living within the tower, the second book brought the action. Though not a huge amount went on in terms of development of plot, the authors did not shy away from hard-hitting, action packed scenes. There was a lot of torture and death throughout this instalment, with nothing appearing to be too gruesome. I found this aspect to be quite thrilling and made me feel deeply for our main characters.

Despite all the action, the main plot was a bit boring. As I previously mentioned, there wasn't much plot development until near the end, which resulted in much of the book dragging. While the characters did show development, and I really enjoyed seeing them and their relationships with each other grow and evolve with the new situations they found themselves in, it just wasn't enough to keep me interested.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and decent second instalment in the series. I would say it is on par in quality with the first in the series, but the series itself is still just average for me. I do enjoy the characters and found many of the elements of this book thrilling and interesting, but not enough to keep me invested in the story. I am interested to see how the series concludes, so will be picking up the final book, which I have higher hopes for given the ending of this one.

Mini Review | Eve Of Man by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher

Eve Of Man by Giovanna & Tom Fletcher
Series: Eve Of Man #1
Published On: May 31, 2018
Published By: Michael Joseph
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

AGAINST ALL ODDS, SHE SURVIVED. THE FIRST GIRL BORN IN FIFTY YEARS. THEY CALLED HER EVE. 
All her life Eve has been kept away from the opposite sex. Kept from the truth of her past. But at sixteen it's time for Eve to face her destiny. Three potential males have been selected for her. The future of humanity is in her hands. She's always accepted her fate. Until she meets Bram. 
Eve wants control over her life. She wants freedom. But how do you choose between love and the future of the human race?

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This had so much potential.
While so many people may be over the dystopian 'trend', I am one of those who still enjoys a good dystopian. I would say that is exactly what this book is; a good dystopian. It didn't blow me away but it is an interesting plot and an interesting society.

The story is not something I have read before.
I know there are various books out there that are somewhat similar in the basic premise, but I have never read anything like this in which no females have been born for fifty years. It was a very interesting concept that was used in a creative way. The idea of keeping Eve away from the rest of the world in a purpose built tower and exposing her to very little of the real world was a very unique concept that I enjoyed.

We had two well-developed societies.
Due to Eve being confined to the tower, it was almost as though two separate societies were created for this story. We had the society within the tower, in which things were very futuristic and incredibly interesting to read about. Then, we also had the world beyond the tower. This, I felt, was slightly less developed than within the tower, though much less of the book was spent in this setting. I expect this will be developed more in future books in the series.

The technology was very creative.
So much of this story is based around the technology used within the tower. As I mentioned, it is all very futuristic. I have no idea how the authors managed to think of all of the unique, incredibly advanced technology described in the book; I was so impressed. It was a little confusing at time, but it was definitely interesting to read about.

The characters were bland.
Despite all of the things I enjoyed about this book, the characters fell flat for me. This was very unexpected, as one of the things I enjoyed about the one other Giovanna Fletcher book I have read was the characters. However, both Even and Bram were dull and had little personality.

It was let down by the pacing.
The pacing of this book was completely wrong for me. The first 75% of the book was very slow and while things were happening, they seemed to be taking forever to happen. Then, in the last 25%, everything happened. At one point I didn't actually think there was enough time left in the book for it to finish. The last part of the book needed much more time to be fully developed, it seemed much too rushed and ended up being a little confusing.

Overall, I do think this series has potential. I was unsure how I would feel going into this book as it was something so different for these authors, but I did enjoy it. There were some really great things about this book. However, the pacing and the characters let it down for me. I am interested to see how the series progresses, as I think many of the issues I had with this book could be resolved in future books.

Mini Review | Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Published On: January 5, 2012
Published By: Puffin
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation. 
Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.

I finally did it!
I have had this book on my shelves for years and have included it in more monthly TBR lists than I can count but kept putting it off. I did enjoy and am glad that I finally got around to read it, but it's not a book I'm kicking myself for not having read years ago.

Cinderella as a cyborg.
I loved the concept of this book. I think it was such a unique idea to combine the well-known story of Cinderella with a sci-fi twist. I don't typically read sci-fi so I found the cyborg aspect of the story very interesting and loved learning about Cinder and her cyborg characteristics. I would have liked to learn a bit more about cyborgs and for that to be explored more.

It was an original story.
Although this is a retelling of Cinderella, that wasn't the main story of the book. I really enjoyed that it was a very loose retelling and that it was only part of the story. The main plot followed an original story and didn't rely too much on the traditional story we all know.

The world was interesting.
This book is set in a futuristic, dystopian world that I found so interesting to read about. It wasn't explored as much as I would have liked in this book, there are definitely a lot of things I don't fully understand and would like more information about, but these things may be explored more in the rest of the series.

Average characters.
All of the characters in this book were just okay, nothing particularly special. Other than being part cyborg, there wasn't anything all that interesting about Cinder. She had little personality, as did Prince Kai. I thought the relationship between the two was just fine as well, I didn't really feel anything between them and it seemed kind of insta-lovey.

Very predictable.
My one real issue with this book was how predictable it was. I guessed pretty much every big plot twist early on and nothing that happened came as a surprise to me. I'm willing to give Marissa Meyer the benefit of the doubt, as this was a debut novel, but it was a bit disappointing to not have any surprises while reading.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and am glad I finally read it. I didn't find it as great as everyone made it out to be but it was a fun, well-written story. I'm not sure this series is really for me so I am unsure whether or not I will continue. However, part of me is somewhat intrigued to see how the story continues.

Review | The Initiation by Chris Babu

The Initiation by Chris Babu
Series: The Initiation #1
Published On: February 27, 2018
Published By: Permuted Press
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★½

Amazon | Goodreads

In a ruined world, Manhattan is now New America, a walled-in society based on equality. But the perfect facade hides a dark truth. 
A timid math geek, sixteen-year-old Drayden watches his life crumble when his beloved mother is exiled. The mystery of her banishment leads him to a sinister secret: New America is in trouble, and every one of its citizens is in jeopardy. 
With time running out, he enters the Initiation. It’s a test within the empty subway tunnels—a perilous journey of puzzles and deadly physical trials. Winners join the ruling Bureau and move to its safe haven. But failure means death. Can Drayden conquer the Initiation, or is salvation out of his grasp?

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I wanted to love this book. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew it was my kind of thing. I love anything that involves some kind of game or challenge so a life or death challenge taking place in abandoned subway tunnels, that sounds amazing to me. Unfortunately, not everything was executed particularly well in this book.

It wasn't the basic plot of this story that was disappointing. I felt the Initiation itself was great. The challenges were well thought out and I was on the edge of my seat while reading throughout most of them. Chris Babu did a great job of building suspense throughout and there were various twists that I did not see coming, which added to the suspense and emphasised the real 'life or death' aspect of the story.

What was disappointing were the characters. I was so invested in this intense challenge and feeling the desperation of all of the characters to get through it, and then in between the individual challenges I had to deal with Drayden. Our main character, in the middle of a LIFE OR DEATH challenge, spends almost all of his time thinking about which girl he likes more. I just couldn't get past the fact that was all he seemed to care about for much of the book. I also found the drama with Alex to be completely unnecessary. It seemed to escalate quite dramatically and I didn't really see the reasoning behind it.

Outwith the Initiation, I found the world building to be quite impressive. New America, formerly Manhattan, is split into several zones, and though this may not seem like much world building would be involved as it is simply using a place that already exists, it felt like a whole new place entirely. The changes to society and how people live were described in a way that made it seem less like fiction and more like a possible future.

While the world was well developed, many aspects felt a bit unoriginal. There were just a few too many things that were very similar to well-known dystopians. The zones for example, seemed like a cross between the districts in The Hunger Games and the factions in Divergent. Eli Holst was basically a slightly less creepy President Snow. This may just be coincidence but it did make me feel as though it was lacking some originality.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The intense challenges of the initiation kept me turning the page but some small issues with various other aspects of the story did hinder my enjoyment somewhat. I would recommend giving it a go if, like me, trials and challenges are things you enjoy in a book. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as I hoped I would, I do think it is a book that many will thoroughly enjoy.

Mini Review | Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

Perfect by Cecelia Ahern
Series: Flawed #2
Published On: April 6, 2017
Published By: Harper Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 428
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: 
★★★★
Amazon | Goodreads

Celestine North is Flawed. 
Ever since Judge Crevan declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick, the only person she can trust. 
But Celestine has a secret—one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing. 
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or risk her life to save all Flawed people.

[This review contains spoilers for Flawed by Cecelia Ahern]

Good conclusion to the series.
Perfect is the sequel to Flawed and the final book in the Flawed duology. I thought it was a good ending to the duology but felt more like a continuation of the first book rather than a sequel. I really loved the first book and wanted to feel the same about the second but it just wasn't quite as good and I did have a little issue with this book.

Everything I loved in Flawed I loved again.
I went into a lot of detail in my Flawed review about the society, the characters and the underlying messages, as well as why I loved them all so much. When I say a lot of detail I mean that was probably the longest review I've ever written! For that reason I won't go into all the details again. I did love all of those aspects just as much in this second book and I was glad the same underlying messages were still there in this book.

There's never a dull moment.
Just as in the first book, there was never a boring part of this book. There is something happening on every page and a new plan or complication keeping things exciting. I found that this made me fly through chunks of the book in what felt like no time at all and I just wanted to keep reading to see what happened next.

The love triangle strikes again.
As seems to be the norm these days, there was a love triangle aspect of this book that was not a prominent in the first book. I either love or hate a love triangle but luckily I did enjoy it in this book, though I know many others didn't. I think it really illustrated Celestine's struggles and added to the inner conflict she was facing between the life she left behind and the new one she has created. It also played a part in her biggest source of confusion throughout the book of who she could trust. I enjoyed that this love triangle actually seemed to have some purpose within the story rather than just some extra drama.

Everything wrapped up well.
I way very happy with the way things ended in this book and think the way everything was wrapped up was done very well. I had an idea of how things would end but nothing happened in the way I was expecting. Every time I was sure I knew what was coming, something slightly different happened to get to that point. It kept things very interesting and definitely had me turning the pages.

So many things were repeated!
This was my main issue with this book. I completely understand that in a sequel there is a need to recap some main things that happened in the book before. However, in this book everything seemed to be recapped multiple times. I'm sure I must have been reminded of the sixth brand and how it happened at least five times throughout the book, which wasn't necessary. I know it's a small thing that may seem easy to ignore but it did start to annoy me and began to take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, this was a good conclusion to a great duology. I adore Cecelia Ahern's writing and she has proven she can write anything, including YA dystopian. I really hope she will write more YA books in future, I would love to see what else she can come up with.

Review | Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern
Series: Flawed #1
Published On: March 24, 2016
Published By: Harper Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 402
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan. 
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

Flawed is Cecelia Ahern's first attempt at YA and it just proves that she can write anything and do it well. As one of my favourite authors, I was of course excited to hear that she was delving into the world of YA but I was also a little worried. I've loved all of her adult works I have read and I was so worried I wouldn't love this. However, there was no need to worry as I absolutely loved this book.

With the popularity of franchises like The Hunger Games and Divergent, the dystopian genre has also become increasingly popular and a lot of the dystopian novels are starting to sound pretty similar. This one was different. I thought this was a really unique, fresh take on the dystopian genre. The story and society were nothing mind-blowing but I found it to be an incredibly interesting society and one that clearly emphasises the flaws in our own. The way in which Cecelia Ahern made the things we often take little notice of in our society, like treating others poorly because of their circumstances, into major plot points that make the reader stop and think was so well done. The society itself was explained well and clearly, and without any ridiculous info dumps.

A society like this one is so realistic that this book made an impression on me in ways I never expected. As I mentioned, it outlines the flaws in our own society, but also highlights the fact that this is what our society today is becoming. There are comments about the way in which Celestine's mother is portrayed in newspapers and magazines, with headlines about her legs or her outfit choices, as well as discussions about a wife being at fault when her husband cheats. These comments are commonplace in today's society and it becomes even more evident when reading this book in these characters' situations just how wrong, but accepted, these things are.

Though I think the plot and the society it takes place in are the main selling points of this book, Cecelia Ahern, one again, has written some great characters. She has a way of making her characters so likeable and relatable, even if they only say a few lines in the whole book. Celestine is a great main character. She is your typical average girl that doesn't want to be the face of any kind of revolution, as is now seemingly the norm in these kinds of books. However, I found it interesting that all of her thoughts and beliefs that she has held for her entire life get called into question and seeing her whole mindset change as she uncovers the truth. You watch her grow from a naive, protected girl into a determined, powerful young woman. Cecelia Ahern can also write some not so likeable characters though. Judge Crevan was one of the best written bad guys I've read about and I was actually pretty scared of him myself.

Like I said, the plot is what made this book great for me. You don't have the intense, action-packed scenes you may expect from a book like this, but there definitely is not a dull moment. Something happens on every page. Most importantly, for me at least, is that the plot portrays a really great message. You have a girl who is punished for standing up for what she feels is right and then has her entire world turned upside down because of it. At the same time, though, she could have just changed the lives of many others. It really calls into question just how far you would be willing to go to stand up for what you believe in and what you would be willing to sacrifice to be the voice for those who can't speak up for themselves. It also made me question quite how "perfect" I am. You see people throughout this book look down on the Flawed and treat them like nothing, just like people in today's society do to other groups of people. This is definitely a book that will make you think.

Overall, I thought this book was pretty perfect. I have read it twice now and loved it equally both times. It's very fast-paced, both times I flew through it, as there is something happening all the time, but it also makes you think a lot. It discusses a lot of important topics without making them the focus of the story. I just think this book was so well done and I can't wait to finish the series.

Mini Review | Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 2.6
Published By: Harper Collins
Published On: October 8, 2015
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★½

Amazon | Goodreads

Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who watched his first love drift away and a girl who fell for a boy who wasn't the prince.


The Queen
I had already read this as an ebook but with the added illustrations, and because I love this series so much, of course I read it again and actually liked it more the second time. I liked getting to see what Amberly and Clarkson were like before Maxon and before we meet them in The Selection. It was interesting to find out more about Amberly and her life before she was thrust into the public eye. I definitely still wasn't a fan of Clarkson, even though you do find out a bit more about why he is the way he is, to me he was just disrespectful and a downright not very nice person.

The Prince
This is another one I had read before and while I liked it the first time, I loved it the second time around. It was interesting to see the scenes from The Selection in a different way as they were shown from Maxon's point of view. It was also good to see a bit of what Maxon's life was like before The Selection. Really I just love Maxon so I obviously loved this story.

The Guard
Again I had read this before and again I liked it more the second time around. I did find it less interesting than The Prince, as I did the first time around, but I still really enjoyed it. This is the one I remember the least about after reading it, I don't know what that says about it. I will say though, it made me like Aspen a little less than I previously had.

The Favourite
This was the only one of the stories I read for the first time and OH MY GOODNESS I loved this! I was in tears, I just loved Marlee's story so much. She was always one of my favourite characters so to find out more of her story, particularly her love story, was great.

Extras
As well as the novellas, there were some other extras; scenes from Celeste's POV, a scene from Lucy's POV, bonus epilogue, where are they now feature. I really loved these. The scenes from Celete's POV were my absolute favourite. I loved seeing her character change and grow just through three short scenes and it was really interesting to see the though process behind some of the things she did throughout the series. All of the other extras were also really great and fun bonus features that any fan of the series would find interesting.

Overall, I would definitely recommend you pick this up if you are a fan of the series. While I enjoyed both The Heir and The Crown, neither compared to this extra insight into the world of the original trilogy. I loved going back to some of my favourite characters and getting to relive some of my favourite moments in the series.

Review | The Heir by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #4
Published By: Harper Teen
Published On: May 5, 2015
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 342
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible. 
But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests. 
Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

Following on from the initial Selection trilogy, The Heir follows Prince Maxon’s daughter as she goes through her Selection. As this is a continuation of The Selection series, of which I have reviews of The Selection, The Elite and The One, there is very little else I can give away about this book.

I absolutely loved the first three books in The Selection series so I was very excited to get to this one. Unfortunately, I hated Eadlyn. She was such an infuriating character who did nothing but act like a spoilt brat. Considering how much I loved both Maxon and America, I was quite disappointed that I hated their daughter so much. She did improve slightly throughout the book but not enough for me to change my opinion.

Something I did like, though, was the change of seeing the Selection process from the other side. As interesting as it was to see the Selection process from the point of view of a member of the Selected, in this book you get to experience the process from the point of view of the Princess as she chooses. It was definitely a different reading experience and I found it very interesting.

It took me a while to get my head around Maxon and America as adults. It was very strange to me to read about them as grown adults with children, especially as I had only finished the original series, in which they were still children themselves, just two months earlier. I did eventually enjoy reading about them as adults and seeing how their life progressed after the end of their Selection.

I liked all of the Selected boys. Well, I liked the ones that we got to know a bit about. I found that a lot of the boys were overlooked, which is understandable considering the amount of boys originally Selected. However, the ones that were introduced I really liked. I have my favourites, as I’m sure most do, but they were all interesting characters.

There was a lot of emphasis on the state of the society in the original trilogy so I found it interesting to see how the society has developed in the years since The One. I can’t give too much away without spoiling the previous books but I thought that changes, and the unexpected troubles that arose from the changes, were interesting to read about. I am intrigued to see what will happen as the series continues.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and returning to this world and the characters I had previously enjoyed reading about. However, my dislike of Eadlyn did make it a little less enjoyable. While I did enjoy it, had this not been a continuation of one of my favourite series but a separate new series, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did.

Review | The One by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #3
Published On: May 6, 2014
Published By: Harper Teen
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 323
Format: Paperback
Source: Gift
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

The time has come for one winner to be crowned. 

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown--or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose--and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

The One is the third book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass, and follows America Singer as she continues her journey through The Selection. I have a full review of both The Selection and The Elite if you would like to know my thoughts on the previous books in the series.

Having read all three books in the initial trilogy, I can definitely say this is one of my favourite series of all time. I absolutely loved the first two books in the series and, despite hearing comments that the series goes downhill with each book, I loved The One just as much. This series is consistently good and I have liked all three of the initial trilogy equally.

As I had heard negative reviews, I kept waiting for something to make me not like this instalment. I was so sure that if so many people had disliked this book, there had to be something terrible coming to make me feel the same. However, there was nothing that made me dislike this book in any way.

I still love America. I can’t understand why people have such a strong hatred of her. I think she is a great main character and, though she is not the typical kick-ass heroine, she is definitely a strong female character and a very relatable one at that. I have mentioned my love for America in my reviews of both the previous books and my opinion is, as you can see, unchanging.

I very much appreciated the character development of some more minor characters. There were various characters who were revealed in a different light, most in a good way though some not so much, and it was great to see that Kiera Cass made the effort to further develop the more minor characters, rather than main characters.

This could have been quite a predictable instalment in the series, as I was sure I knew where the series was going, but there were some plot twists that I was not expecting. Some of those plot twists were very enjoyable, others were completely heart-breaking, but they definitely added to the overall enjoyment of the book.

Had Kiera Cass left this series as a trilogy, this would have made a great conclusion. Everything was nicely wrapped up, with all questions answered and no frustrating open ending. However, I can also see how it nicely sets up the next book in the series, The Heir, which I am now very excited to read.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book, and am loving this series as a whole. I have very little to say about The One that I haven’t already mentioned in my reviews for The Selection and The Elite, as I have been declaring my love for these books in all three reviews, so I have more coherent thoughts in those reviews, if you would like to know more.

Review | The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #2
Published On: April 23, 2013
Published By: Harper Teen
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 323
Format: Paperback
Source: Gift
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

The Selection began with thirty-five girls. Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen? 
America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

The Elite, the second book in The Selection series, follows America as she continues her adventures as part of the Selected. Being the second book in a series, I can’t give much by way of a synopsis without spoiling the first book. However, I do have a full review of The Selection if you wish to know more about the series.

After reading, and loving, The Selection, I had high hopes for this book. I already knew I liked the characters and the writing style, so had no doubt I would love it. However, having heard some negative reviews, I was worried this sequel may have followed in the footsteps of many other second books in a series and I would not enjoy it as much as I had the first book.

This was not the case, however, as I loved the second book just as much as the first. Despite many of the negative reviews coming from those who loved the first book but found fault in the second, I found I had nothing to be worried about. I loved all of the characters, and enjoyed getting to read more about them, as well as the beautiful palace setting and the fun plot.

America is such a relatable character. As much as I really hate to admit being able to relate to certain aspects of her character and things that she does, I was definitely a lot like her in my teenage years. In fact, I probably still am a lot like her now. She is the kind of character you love in spite of her flaws, rather than a character whose flaws you find issue with.

While I also love both Maxon and Aspen, the love triangle was a little frustrating at times. Though I enjoyed the frustration of the love triangle, America was extremely indecisive between the two boys throughout the book. Though I say that, I understand why this was the case and it actually made America more relatable to me as that indecisiveness is something my younger self can relate to, which is one instance in which I do not like to admit the similarity. As well as making America a more realistic character, the love triangle and the frustration caused by it, I feel, added to the story. It really emphasised the pressure both America and Maxon are under in this situation.

I enjoyed getting more of an insight into the world in this book. I enjoyed finding out about the society in which they are living in the first book, however the second book gives a great deal more information. This new insight made their world seem much more interesting, and messed up, as you realise from the information given in the first book. This book is simply a great, fast-paced, exciting read. I absolutely flew through this as the story is just so exciting. It reads as though you are watching a reality TV show, which is why I managed to read it over two sitting (it would have been one if I hadn’t started it so late).

Overall, this is a great second book to the series. It continues to develop the world and the characters, while still keeping the plot exciting enough to keep the reader interested. I have fallen in love with this series and would highly recommend it. To anyone who has put off reading this series due to negative reviews, I would urge you to give it a chance. It will not be everyone’s taste but it is a lot of fun to read.

Review | Four by Veronica Roth

Four by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #0.1-0.4
Published On: July 8, 2014
Published By: Harper Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child. 
Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system. 
Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

Four is the bind up of four novellas from the point of view of Tobias/Four, which precede and accompany the first book in the Divergent series. These four novellas - The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son and The Traitor - are accompanied by three scenes from Divergent from Four’s point of view.

The Transfer 
I had previously read this novella back in 2014 after reading the first book in the series. I liked it back then, however it was much more enjoyable the second time around. Having read all three books in the series, I understood more of this novella. There were characters mentioned that had not appeared in Divergent, and upon first reading made little impact on me, but made an appearance in the later books. This meant that I took a lot more from this. This novella follows Tobias as he makes the transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless. I found the background into Tobias’ life very interesting.

The Initiate 
This novella follows Four through his Dauntless initiation. As the initiation was one of my favourite parts of Divergent, I loved reading about it again. Though Four’s experience was a little different to Tris’, it was still very interesting and enjoyable to read about. I also liked that many of the Dauntless characters from the series were featured in this story. This was a great story for giving insight into Four’s character, and why he acted in certain ways. I really enjoyed that aspect.

The Son
This was probably my least favourite of the four novellas. In fact, I barely remember what this one was about. This story is basically filling in the gap between Four’s initiation and the arrival of Tris. We get to know about Four choosing his job and why he chose what he did, and also encounter Evelyn. I found the insight gained in the novella to be interesting but I did not enjoy it as much as I did the rest.

The Traitor
The Traitor overlaps with Divergent, making this one of my favourites. I absolutely loved seeing some of the scenes I have read before from Four’s point of view. I liked getting the ability to see what was going on with him when he wasn’t around Tris, as Divergent is from her point of view. It was also very interesting to find out that Four knew more than he let on about certain things during Divergent.

The Scenes From Divergent 
There were three scenes from Divergent included in this book. The first, ‘First Jumper – Tris!’, is the scene in which Tris is the first to jump and the two first meet. The second, ‘Careful, Tris’, shows the two first eating together. The third and final, ‘You Look Good, Tris’, is the scene in which drunken Four talks to Tris. I loved these scenes as they reminded me of some of my favourite moments in Divergent. It was great to relive them from a different perspective and they made me fall in love with this series all over again.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see the story I know so well from the other side, through Four’s eyes, as well as gaining more of an insight into the character of Tobias/Four. I would definitely urge any fan of the series to read this book as it is a great addition and will secure your love of this series.

Review | The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Published On: April 24, 2012
Published By: Harper Teen
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 327
Format: Paperback
Source: Gift
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. 
  But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. 
  Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


When her invitation to The Selection arrives, America Singer has no desire to enter. However, in a society divided by casts, life as a 5 is tough with money being tight, so with pressure from her family, and secret boyfriend Aspen from the cast below, America reluctantly enters. Soon she is one of 35 girls thrust into the royal palace, chosen to take part in the competition for the crown and the Prince, neither of which she wants.

Having heard such mixed reviews about this book, I had lowered my expectations. Evidently, the lowering of expectations was not at all necessary as I absolutely loved this book and don’t know where the bad reviews are coming from.

I loved the whole idea of this book. As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, the idea of it completely drew me in. It sounds exactly like some kind of reality TV show, a huge guilty pleasure of mine. In fact, while reading the book I was constantly reminded of the TV show “I Wanna Marry Harry”, in which a group of girls were competing for the affections of a fake Prince Harry. This book has very similar aspects to that and was a very fun plot to read.

While there is some mixed opinion over the main character America, I loved her and most of the other characters. I thought America was a great main character. She may not be quite as ‘kick-ass’ as many other much loved female protagonists but she is a very entertaining, and often relatable, character. I also really like Prince Maxon. I really like how down-to-earth he is, considering he’s a Prince, and he seems like someone I could be great friends with. Aspen was not a favourite of mine to begin with but he grew on me over the course of the book. I am definitely ‘Team Maxon’ though. The other girls in the Selection, the ones we were introduced to anyway, I mostly liked. Although, the majority of them were very minor characters.

I thought the society was very interesting. It may not make for as action-packed a book as others and it may not be quite as complex or terrible to live in, but I thought it was, in many ways, a very realistic vision of what the world could become. I enjoyed learning some of the history of the society, although I hope more will be revealed in the later books in the series.

As soon as I finished the first book, I couldn’t wait to read the next in the series. It was very difficult not to pick the next book up straight away as I enjoyed this book so much that I wanted to immerse myself in this world.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. The incredibly fun plot made for such an enjoyable read and the characters were great too. I even liked the love triangle that took place, and that is not always a hit for me. I think it was a great start to the series and if it continues this way, this may become one of my new favourite series.

Review | Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #3
Published On: October 22, 2013
Published By: Harper Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 526
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

*WARNING! Synopsis May Contain Spoilers For Previous Books!* (review is spoiler free)

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.


As Allegiant is the third book in the Divergent trilogy, there is little I can give by way of a brief synopsis without spoiling the previous books in the serious. I do, however, have a full review of Divergent, the first book, and mini review of Insurgent, the second book, if you would like to know more.

Despite all of the negative reviews I have seen for this book, I absolutely loved it. I think this was a perfect ending to a great series and, though it may not necessarily be my ideal ending for the trilogy, I absolutely loved what Veronica Roth did with this book.

The main change in this book from the previous books in the series was the introduction of the dual perspectives. I really was not sure about this at first as I couldn’t tell much of a difference between the two and often god confused as to whose perspective I was reading from. However, I can understand why it was done and I think it was in many ways effective.

Having followed their journey throughout the series, I still love these characters. I feel like this final book did a really good job of making the reader understand the actions of some of the characters in the previous books, and certainly left me with a different opinion of many characters. I was not so thrilled about a lot of the new characters introduced though, as I ended up becoming very suspicious of all of them, although rightly so in some cases.

I have struggled with my feelings for the Tris/Four relationship throughout the series but I did enjoy their relationship in this book. I adored this relationship in Divergent but the constant relationship drama in Insurgent changed my feelings somewhat. In this book the relationship felt more real. While they were out of the initial loved up state as seen in Divergent, and dealing with some of their issues, they were much more bearable than in Insurgent. I felt the problems they had within their relationship during Allegiant, and how they were dealt with, meant their relationship was portrayed in a much more realistic way.

While I loved the initial setting within there messed up society, I really enjoyed this new setting. It was exciting to see what was going on beyond the factions and learn more about the history of this society and how it came to be. It was also interesting to get more of an insight into the history of the characters’ families.

And now to the most controversial part of this book: the ending, which I loved. I can completely understand why so many people were upset or angry about this ending but I thought it was so perfectly done. I felt the ending was very appropriate for this series but it did, along with so much of this book, broke my heart. In fact, I sobbed for about the last 100 pages.

Overall, though I feel Insurgent may have slightly ruined this great series, Allegiant was a perfect ending for me. Veronica Roth did a fantastic job of giving us a full understanding of the society and tying up a lot of loose ends before building to, what I thought to be, a fantastic, raw and fitting ending to the series.

Review | Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Published on: April 25, 2011
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 487
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★
Amazon | Goodreads

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Divergent is the story of Beatrice, a 16-year-old living in a society divided into factions, each representing the cause of war, as they believe it. At the age of sixteen, each member of the society must take an aptitude test to discover which of the five factions they belong to, before choosing which faction to be a part of. However, things are not so simple for Beatrice – she is Divergent.

I loved this book so much. I don’t know why it took me so long to eventually read it but I am so glad I got around to it. I was a little sceptical of the hype but after reading it I can completely understand it all. It was just amazing.

I really loved the characters. I loved Tris, especially as she grew throughout the book. She starts off as a quite confused young girl who tends to follow the rules, although often finds it hard to do so, and grows into an incredibly strong young woman who is not afraid to stand up for herself. I also really loved Four, both his tougher side and his soft side. I loved the connection between the two of them and think he is a really great love interest. I also love Tris’ mother and her brother, Caleb, especially when we, along with Tris, begin to see them as more than we initially thought. I didn’t really like her father, I did not feel like he was a strong enough character to develop an attachment. I would say the same goes for Tris’ fellow initiates, even her friends, until nearer the end of the book.

The plot was enjoyable and not very predictable. I really enjoyed reading about the society and found the initiation process really fun, if that is the right word. I did find some aspects of the plot to be a little predictable but for the most part I did not expect what was happening. I also enjoyed the fact that I found myself both laughing and crying throughout this book. There were some serious issues tackled, which were dealt with well in my opinion, as well as some light-hearted, amusing moments. Though the plot has similarities to many other dystopian books, I think this is one of the more unique YA dystopian books I have read plot-wise.

The romance aspect of the book was great. I am not a fan of insta-love in these kinds of books and I was so glad that there was not any of that in this book. While it is obvious from the start that the two have a connection, they are not declaring their love the day they meet, nor are they incredibly serious by the end of the book. I also think they make a great couple and was all for them getting together.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and I am looking forward to continuing with the series. To anyone who has not yet read this book, do it! The hype surrounding it almost put me off but it was well worth the hype. I was also a little put off by the comparisons to The Hunger Games but found it was a great book in it’s own right.