My Review: MATCHED by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cassia Reyes has just turned seventeen - and over the course of her entire life - there's one thing missing: she's never had a choice. The Society dictates everything - what you eat, what you wear, where you work, where you live, what you do with your free time, when you die - and most importantly, upon the year you turn 17, who you'll marry.

When Cassia is Matched with her childhood best friend, Xander - a rarity that individuals are matched with someone they know, let alone lives in the same district - things couldn't be more perfect. He's everything she's ever wanted and then some.

Upon being matched, every individual is given a profile microcard that contains data on their chosen partner - but when Cassia watches Xander's profile, someone else appears on her screen: another one of her childhood friends, Ky Markham.

She's told it's a glitch - a rare malfunction in the system - and to disregard the information about Ky and move on with her match to Xander. However, Cassia can't seem to forget.

With advice from her dying grandfather: Do not go gentle into that good night, from a secret poem only the two of them share, Cassia realizes that choices do exist. But is she strong enough to make them?

As the story unfolds, both Cassia and Ky find themselves partnered in various activities the Society has chosen for them. And the more and more time they spend together, the more she realizes that maybe Ky appearing as her match, wasn't a mistake after all. He brings with him an inspiring sense of creativity, something that isn't allowed in the Society - along with the ability to write, which he teaches to Cassia.

As the two of them fall in love, Cassia realizes the awful truth behind the Society, and she knows she can no longer follow its dictates. But the Society has other plans - which doesn't include the two of them being together.

Overall, I found the concept of the story intriguing, but sometimes a little slow. There were moments where I wanted something more exciting to happen - and it just didn't. However, I appreciate Condie's creativity and found myself upset at some of the actions the Society took - more so, because I would never have survived in a world where decisions were made for me.

With the ending unresolved and easily setting itself up for the next one in the series (this is book #1 in a trilogy), I will be reading the sequel.

Good read.

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My Review: MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the third and final installment of THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy - MOCKINGJAY - Suzanne Collins delivers yet another poignant - albeit much darker - storyline.

The book opens with Katniss now a member of society in District 13 - a district once believed to have been obliterated by the Capitol.

Life in her new district becomes a series of robotic movements, as everyone is required to adhere to a strict schedule, which is imposed to help mandate all resources. President Coin is in charge of the District and with her firm hand, persuades Katniss to become the Mockingjay - the iconic symbol needed to band all district rebels together, to fight back against the Capitol.

Armed with Gale at her side, a list of requirements in order to become the Mockingjay - which includes immunity for all prior Hunger Game tributes, amongst a host of other needs - Katniss accepts the position of her new role as the Mockingjay...and yet again, is thrown into the spot light - constantly being televised to spread encouragement across Panem and trigger the rise of the Rebels to fight back against President Snow and his army of PeaceKeepers.

And in order for President Snow to retaliate against all that the Mockingjay represents, he uses Peeta - who was captured at the end of the last Hunger Games, when Katniss was rescued - against her, controlling everything about him, from what he says, to how he acts. However, a small part of Peeta still exists, as he manages to get out a warning to District 13, about an impending attack - saving the lives of all those in the District.

The story continues with a successful rescue of Peeta, as well as several other captive Tributes - only to find that Peeta has been the victim of being "hijacked"...a process in which the Capitol inflicts severe torture along with chemical enhancements, in order to turn him against Katniss. It now appears that the once loving and admiring Peeta, is gone for good.

Coming to grips with a new Peeta that has so much anger and hate towards Katniss, she opts to leave District 13 and hit the front lines of the Rebel attack in the Capitol.

Facing a constant uphill battle, Collins' flings every assault imaginable, our heroine's way...making it almost impossible to believe that anyone will be left standing. By the last few pages, I found myself upset many times over, at the ease in which she'd killed off those that Katniss loved - however, I will admit, survival of all involved, was never something Collins' promised.

Collins' tale - while sometimes extreme - unfolded a realistic story of what one could expect during war...the bitterness Katniss experiences, along with the harsh reality of how life changes. And all of this kept diligently to the overall theme that she set up from page one of THE HUNGER GAMES.

MOCKINGJAY was beautiful in all it's anger and masterfully written - and I know my stalling to read it, was only because I didn't want it to end. Overall, all three books in this trilogy, have made it into my top 10 of all time. And all three are a definite MUST read, without a doubt.

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My Review: LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater

LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maggie Stiefvater's LINGER does a solid job picking up, where SHIVER left off. We're already quite familiar with Sam and Grace - our hero and heroine from the first story - and understand the deep complexities their relationship is up against, as they struggle to remain together. We're also familiar with the snarky personality of Isabel - who personally, has completely grown on me with her sharp mind and even sharper tongue. But in LINGER, Stiefvater steps her writing up a notch, with the introduction of a fourth character - Cole - one of the newly transformed werewolves to grace the pack of Mercy Falls...who also happens to be just the right amount of sick and twisted, to give Isabel a run for her money.

The addition of the banter between Isabel and Cole, pushed the writing for me - and I found myself flipping forward to see where and when, they would come in next. I loved these two characters together - not that I wasn't still enamored with our two MC's- but they offered the all exciting "chase" aspects of a new relationship, back to a story where the main love interests already know they love each other.

Stiefvater also does an excellent job weaving in a tangle of emotion, pain, and complexity with each and every character- so much so, that I found myself really disliking her parents for suddenly wanting to "parent". The anguish between Sam and how he deals with what is happening to Grace, is heartbreaking to read - especially after everything they went through in SHIVER to be together. With that being said, I have no doubts Ms. Stiefvater will make things right in FOREVER - the third installment of the series.

Net/net - I found the beginning a little bit slow - but that's only because I compared it to what I experienced with SHIVER and how I was immediately involved, right off the bat. However, it didn't take long for the story to pick up to the point, that I wanted to sit and finish it all. Stiefvater's ability to paint such a vivid picture - making me feel as if I was in the room with either of the two couples, at various points throughout the story - completely picked up from that same talent in SHIVER. She does an excellent job in nailing the teen persona - particularly with the boys- making the story and characters 100% believable.

I thoroughly enjoyed LINGER and am definitely looking forward to FOREVER. 4 stars for me on this one.

For more information on Maggie Stiefvater, check out her web page.
She's also on Twitter: @mstiefvater
And GoodReads, too!

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Coming Soon: MOCKINGJAY, by Suzanne Collins

MOCKINGJAY
By Suzanne Collins

And here it comes...

With Suzanne Collins much anticipated release of her third and final installment in the Hunger Games trilogy, set to release this coming Tuesday, 8.24, it's not a shock to see she's holding on to the #1 and #2 spots on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Not since the masses have flooded books stores to buy one of the Twilight Saga novels - or any one in the fabulous Harry Potter series - have book stores ramped up for a midnight release.

But it's really no surprise.

Anyone who's read the first two books - THE HUNGER GAMES and  CATCHING FIRE - already understands the frenzy surrounding this series.

Collins has produced a story line that not only strikes a chord with the Young Adult market - but has managed to enthrall readers of all ages. Not to mention, her ability to continually harvest a fabulous tale that just gets better with every page turned.

I am much anticipating the release of the final book in this series - and will no doubt, be amongst the millions of readers of all ages, reading it into the wee hours of the next morning!

Happy reading to everyone - and as of right now - only 4 days, 13 hours, and 21 minutes, until MOCKINGJAY is released!

My Review: I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU, by Ally Carter

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So I knew not to expect a book of epic proportions when I picked up this series the other day – but what I ended up getting, was something that turned out to be both light-hearted and humorous – and an overall, good read.  Ally Carter has created a YA spy series for girls, that mixes a James Bond meets Cody Banks kinda feel, but blended it all with the humor and pitfalls that a normal fifteen-year-old girl would endure.

Cameron Morgan is now a sophomore at the elite Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women - which from the outside, looks every bit what a private institution for the socialite daughters of wealthy families should.  But Gallagher Academy has had years of creating this false façade to those not in the know – because unless snobby all girl academies normally teach their students the art of hand to hand combat, how to kill a man with nothing but a limp spaghetti noodle, or how to defuse a nuclear war-head, then the Gallagher Academy is anything but normal.  In fact, it’s actually a school for spies. 

Over the past 3 years Cammie has attended the school, she’s mastered fourteen languages and now knows how to kill a human with her bare hands, seven different ways.  She’s good – in fact, some would say she was born with the art of espionage in her blood.  Because after all, she is the daughter of two of the most elite spies the CIA has ever seen – and oh, her Mom just so happens to also be the headmistress of the Academy. 

As Cammie weaves her way through first semester, armed with the intelligence of a genius and a handful of great friends at her side, she meets a normal teenage boy from outside the school - a boy that simply cannot learn her secrets, cause then she’d have to kill him.  What happens next, is a web spun entirely (well mostly) of lies as she struggles to hold onto the normalcy that Josh brings to her life – and Cammie’s left asking, will she be able to hang on to both worlds?

While Carter’s overall storyline was fun, I did find myself disappointed in the few moments that Cammie needed to be brilliant and say something that would really knock the socks off those around her.  Just once I wanted her to be say something amazing, to match all the really cool things that she could do – but then she’d open her mouth and stutter out fragments of nothingness.  For a girl that can speak 14 different languages, she has a very difficult time during the moments that I wanted her to be a strong heroine – although Carter does write that into the storyline and explains that this is one of Cammie’s downfalls.

Overall, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, was a very easy and fun read.  Carter does a fantastic job with all the clandestine nuances of the story, which would make anyone, want to run out and join the CIA.  It’s the perfect story for YA’s – and I’m sure I would’ve been head over heels on this series, when I was in middle school…and definitely would’ve found myself pondering my chances of becoming the next 007.
Ally can be found on Twitter: @OfficiallyAlly
Or check out her web page: http://www.allycarter.com/


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My Review: THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer

THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I just finished reading Stephenie Meyer’s, THE HOST – and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.


Earth has been invaded and taken over by a new species of alien souls that believe the hostility and murderous ways of humans, has become detrimental to our planet.  But these souls need human bodies in order to survive - and they attach themselves deep within their host - utilizing their bodies, their minds, and their memories...while leaving the human they’ve possessed, rendered utterly useless.  For most humans that have been occupied, they fade away completely, almost from the very moment the host takes control.  But for some, they fight their way to somehow stay connected to the shell of their body, never truly giving in.


Melanie Stryder - one of the last human occupants of Earth - will do whatever necessary to resist being taken hostage.  These vile beings have managed to overtake everyone that Melanie knows and loves, with the exception of her younger brother Jamie – and she has reason to believe that a small handful of her relatives might still be alive and hiding, somewhere out in the deserts of Arizona.


It’s up to Melanie to protect her and Jamie from succumbing to the catastrophic demise of the human race, while trying to find the last of their family - or any other humans for that matter.  And she does so, by hiding them both outside the surrounding alien population – only risking her life when necessary, to steal food and whatever else, to keep them both alive.  It’s during one of her attempts to gather more food, that Melanie is attacked – unbeknownst to her, by another human - who thinks that she just might be an alien too.  After a brief struggle and a mad escape, Melanie flees – only to be caught again, as the man stammers to explain that his name is Jared Howe.  And it’s then that he realizes that he’s just found another human amongst the millions of alien souls…and he’s not about to let her go.


Over time, as Melanie, Jared, and Jamie learn to rely on one another to survive – it’s then that Melanie realizes how important Jared has become to her very existence, as one of the last humans on Earth.  But it’s just a matter of time before Melanie is captured during a mission to find one of her long lost relatives – and it’s then, that her body is taken over by a soul, named Wanderer.


Wanderer has lived many lives, on many plants – more so than most other souls – but this is her first visit to the planet known as Earth.  Her existence, as well as those of all other souls, is a life of gentleness – never needing to resort to anger or aggression to further their needs.  And it’s because of this that Wanderer is caught off guard when Melanie fights against being occupied and refuses to surrender her mind.


It’s then that Melanie begins to fill Wanderer’s thoughts with memories and dreams of Jared, and the life she once had.  Before long, Wanderer finds herself longing for the arms of man, she’s never even met - and as the two of them become the most unlikely of allies, they find themselves on a quest to find the man they both love and the younger brother they’ll do anything to protect.


THE HOST is a story of unusual circumstances of love, the struggle just to exist, and the persistence to overcome.  I thoroughly enjoyed Meyer’s first attempt at writing a novel for adults - and at times, I found myself contemplating what I would do, if I were Melanie.  While there were a few moments within the story that struggled to move along – there were more times that I found myself emotionally caught up with the decisions being made.  And that ability to make the reader completely immerse themselves within the story, is what Meyer’s is known for.


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Check out the YouTube book trailer of THE HOST, by Stephenie Meyer: