Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Hardcover, 487 pages

Published May 3rd 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

I actually put off reading this book for a while. There was such a strong hype about it and I tried to stay away till it died down a little. Well. That never happened. All the excitement about it now is as strong as it has ever been, especially with book 2, Insurgent, coming out tomorrow. Divergent topped the NYT's Bestseller's List yet again last week. Yes, it is just. That. Good.

At first I had issues relating to Tris, after the first couple of chapters I could see where her personality and perspective were coming from. There's a resounding quality to her, inner strength. Just when you think she has nothing left in her, she finds courage that I didn't even realize she had. The choices she makes from chapter 1 exemplify this.Tris dares to go against the grain in a society of factions ran by strict rules of how life is supposed to be. This is why they fear her. Tris doesn't fit within their plan and has to realize just how "outside the box" she is. I see a path of a true leader heading her way...

The plot in this book really sets it above others. There are many books that fall within certain patterns in this aspect and I can usually guess what is going to happen next. Not this book. Divergent is more than a name in this aspect, it is the plot paths you take along with the characters. Several times I had to stop, say "Wait, what?", and read back a few lines. I honestly was not expecting several incidents. The book keeps on this roll right to the end and you will feel absolutely breathless when you put it down for the last time. Be prepared for this amazing roller coaster when you start this book, because it will keep you hanging on till the end! High potential for a "one-sitter" label.

Waiting on Wednesday - April 25, 2012

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Paperback, 320 pages

Expected publication: August 7th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

From Goodreads:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network. When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers. As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

 The synopsis alone is absolutely intriguing to me...Altered reality. Check. Rules to be broken. Check. Telekinesis, prophetic visions, and maybe a shape shifter of some kind? Oh but yes, check. It is right up my alley. I've been fortunate enough to be granted access to it via NetGalley! Now, if I can just make it through this last week of classes....  Cheers, friends!

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages
Published: April 24, 2012 by HarlequinTEEN
Source: ARC - NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads


From Goodreads: In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

*In the News*

On April 19, 2012, Julie Kagawa and Harlequin TEEN announced that Palomar Pictures has optioned The Immortal Rules for the big screen! Read my post with their press release!

Now, on to the regularly scheduled programing: the review!

I jumped for joy when I found out Julie Kagawa was writing a vampire story. I had a feeling that it would be written to suit my taste compared to most that been published lately. I was absolutely correct. The premise, logistics, and characters define what will be one of my top books this year. This is the way it should be done.

I connected instantly with Allie in Chapter 1. The heartache and struggles she has dealt with in her short life make her both vulnerable and strong. She's a survivor and she'll do what it takes to keep it that way. How Allie manages to still have kindness in this decaying world and through the changes she experiences is beyond me. Throughout the book, I watched her grow and strengthen her resolve to even higher standards. I believe I see the path that she is headed down. If so, the next two books are going to highlight these strengths tremendously. Zeke. He's adorable. The "boy next door" personality he carries is addictive. He goes through his own trials and tribulations alongside Allie, but he remains himself and refuses to be changed. Any reader should be able to feel the trust he exhumes from the beginning. The evil characters, there are no exclusions to only vampires, humans, or other, that Allie encounters can actually give you chills. I have only had this type of response to characters in a well-done horror flick, let alone inside my own mind reading a book. The rabids in particular are the most disturbing to me. I do not like the idea of being hunted and I kept waiting on each page for one to jump out...

The plot and pacing steadily builds as the story progresses. From the humble beginnings where we learn about Allie and the life she leads until the culminating sequence of events at the end that will leave you breathless. It did slow down for me during the time just after she becomes a vampire, but this was just because I felt I having to relearn her all over again. I don't see this as detrimental because Allie was also doing the same and I knew it had to be that way.

-Slight Spoiler-

An aspect I was not expecting was the concept of knowledge in this book. Its uses and regulations regarding it hit very close to home for me. Books and information have become my bread and butter in my career and degrees. It cuts me deeply to know that in this world its not available to all. The phrase "Knowledge is Power" is taken very seriously in it and only those with power are allowed to have it. Any others are severely punished if caught with materials that could enlighten them. Institutions for knowledge and learning are nonexistent and/or destroyed. It is a part of the core plot and it will be interesting to see how it is dealt with and, hopefully, overcome in the following books.

Movie Deal: The Immortal Rules Coming to the Big Screen!!

Congrats to Julie and Harlequin on their deal with Palomar Pictures to bring The Immortal Rules to big screen!!

Harlequin's Facebook post:

Palomar Pictures Options The Immortal Rules and Blood of Eden Series
by New York Times Bestselling Author Julie Kagawa

Los Angeles, CA; Toronto, ON – April 18, 2012 – Independent film production company Palomar Pictures today announced that it has optioned Blood of Eden, the newest series from New York Times bestselling young adult author Julie Kagawa.  The Immortal Rules, the highly anticipated first book in the Blood of Eden series, will be published by Harlequin TEEN on April 24, 2012.

The Immortal Rules is set in a future world where humanity, decimated by a deadly virus, exists merely as a food source and slave class to an elite society of vampires. When a young woman, a survivor who dreams of the day humanity will rise up against their supernatural masters, is turned into a vampire, she is forced to choose between becoming what she despises or helping those who would destroy her.

Palomar principal Joni Sighvatsson was passionate about The Immortal Rules’ film potential and quick to secure film rights for the book and the Blood of Eden series. “It’s simply a great story with an electrifying heroine for the 21st century.  It makes the series an ideal subject for a film adaptation," said Sighvatsson. "Julie’s ability to familiarize the reader with this complex world in a few pages demonstrates the cinematic qualities of her imagination and complements my own sensibilities as a film producer."

Julie Kagawa felt that Sighvatsson was the right producer to partner with because of his tremendous track record for getting his films made and his passion for her books. "Joni does not take on a project unless he really loves it," Kagawa said. "He's thoughtful and established, and I know he's going to make a great movie that respects my material."

Sighvatsson has acquired a solid reputation in the movie industry. With more than 40 feature-film credits under his belt, Sighvatsson has worked closely with a wide range of talent, both in front of and behind the camera. The trademarks of his projects are the pairing of visionary directors—such as David Lynch, Kathryn Bigelow, Nicolas Winding Refn and Julian Schnabel—with strong material. This has led to a body of work that is rich and diverse.

Natashya Wilson, senior editor for Harlequin TEEN, is thrilled that Kagawa's novels are finally coming to the big screen. "Julie writes in such a cinematic way, I have seen her books as films from day one. Her fans have been clamoring for Julie Kagawa movies for a long time and I am so pleased that they are finally going to get their wish fulfilled!"

Waiting on Wednesday - April 18, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!

This series has had me hanging on for the last year or so. Love, love the world that Maberry created. It's an awful situation, but he still finds room to weave in humanity. Heartache with a good dose of hope. Awe. Some. 

Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 448 pages

Expected publication: September 11th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

 From Goodreads: 

Reeling from the tragic events of Dust & Decay, Benny Imura and his friends plunge deep into the zombie-infested wastelands of the great Rot & Ruin. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America, searching for the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living.

But the Ruin is far more dangerous than any of them can imagine. They are hunted by fierce animals escaped from zoos and circuses. They must raid zombie-infested towns for food and medical supplies. They discover the very real truth in the old saying: In the Rot & Ruin…everything wants to kill you.

And what is happening to the zombies? Swarms of them are coming from the east, devouring everything in their paths. These zoms are different. Faster, smarter, infinitely more dangerous. Has the zombie plague mutated, or is there something far more sinister behind this new invasion of the living dead?

In Flesh & Bone, Benny Imura, Nix Riley, Lou Chong and Lilah the Lost Girl are pitted against dangers greater than anything they've ever faced. To survive, each of them must rise to become the warriors Tom trained them to be.