Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Book #4)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Links: Good Reads

Synopsis:

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.

Review:
I downloaded this book to my tablet immediately after finishing Divergent, I wanted more of the story and I couldn't wait to read this one. My overall review was that it was entertaining and there were great dimensional characters but it didn't have the intrigue that the first one did and I predicted some of the plot movements fairly ahead of schedule. You do get to learn more about the other factors, which was appreciated. Veronica Roth also continued her story-telling ability that you can't even put down the book it's so good and you can't wait for the next novel.


If there's one thing Veronica Roth does well it's creating dimensional characters and adhering to the belief that nobody is "all good" or "all bad" - even the main character and her love interest have faults. So although I enjoyed Insurgent and the characters were dimensional, I was left wanting more from fleshing out the world and making it more believable. The novel didn't truly explain how divergents exist and what causes them, which I feel would have provided some satisfaction. I'm only going to give this novel a 4 out of 5 because I had such high hopes of the world exploding into detail in this novel and I just felt unsatisfied and like there weren't clever enough explanations.

What type of read is it (one word!) Entertaining

Who would enjoy reading this book?  If you enjoyed Divergent, then definitely pick up this novel as it continues the story 

Will I read it again? Possibly, I might re-read both novels before the third and final in the series comes out. This novel was a quick read.

Which dimensional character was I rooting for most? Peter 

Overall review: 4/5


Questions:

1. Have you read Insurgent? What about it did you like and/or didn't like?
2. Do you love characters that are neither "all good" or "all bad" or do you prefer easier characters to identify which you like and which you hate?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Book #3)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Links: Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, Good Reads

Synopsis:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Review:


I picked up this book on the fact that any time I heard someone read it, they finished it either the same day or within two days. It took me two days, but I definitely enjoyed it. The entire plot is fast moving and except for a few items that I half-predicted, the rest is extremely interesting with turns around every corner. I think the reason I loved reading this book so much was because it never got boring, there was never a lull in the storytelling, everything was always happening fast. The story is fascinating and I just lapped it all up and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.


Although I loved this book and it was great...it had some flaws in it, like that I wished they had gone into more detail about the other factions, or explained more why the society was the way it was. Tris is extremely developed but some of the other characters seem fairly one-dimensional in the story telling. A part of me thinks though that this world could be like Harry Potter, that the first book is fairly short and simple but then as it becomes popular, the author becomes less edited and the world just explodes with more details, I hope that's the case because I'm going to download Insurgent today!  


Overall, this book probably had one of the best storytelling fast-moving books I've read, which is why I'll give it a 5.


What type of read is it (one word!) Fastmoving


Who would enjoy reading this book? Any body who enjoyed The Hunger Games / Dystopian style novels would probably also love this book.


Will I read it again? Maybe, I'm in the middle of the fence on that. Although it's interesting, I think this book would always be best the first time you read it.


What Faction would I be in? I don't think I could be in Dauntless (I'm not confrontational enough) or Amity (I'd get bored!), I think I would be between Candor (sometimes I'm too honest and can't hold my tongue) and Euridite (I love learning), I'd like to think that I have a lot of Abegnation in me, but I honestly think I'm too selfish.


Review (in related to my reading style): This book moved so quickly, I wanted to keep learning more about the story, there weren't that many characters that I truly grew attached to, but the story was so good and interesting, it didn't really matter.


Overall review: 5/5


Questions:

1. Have you read Divergent? What about it did you like and/or didn't like?
2. Do you like a book that's plot is so fast moving you can never tell what's coming up next? Or would you prefer if the book had taken it's time and provided more detail to the background?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next? Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad (Archive #1)

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, Good Reads

Synopsis: 

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

Filled with characters both familiar and new, Lauren Conrad's series about the highs and lows of being famous delivers Hollywood gossip and drama at every turn.

Review:

I picked this book up because I’d read all three LA Candy books and I thought there might be something interesting about it. I read LA Candy because I’ve never been on a reality show and I wanted to see what the behind-the-scenes would be like, that’s the same reason why I read A Model Summer by Paulina Porizkova two summers ago, I didn’t know what it was like in that world and I was curious. If you’ve read LA Candy, and unless you’re obsessed with Lauren Conrad and want to gobble up anything she makes, you can skip this one. If you haven’t read LA Candy, you can give this one a shot.

The book has familiar characters from the old series (Madison Parker & Gaby Iforgetherlastname) and some new ones but I just couldn’t find myself interested in any of the characters. You could see the next plot point eight chapters ahead and, because I’d read LA Candy, I didn’t have any sympathy/surprise for the characters when things happened that you knew were going to happen anyway! I found Madison more likable in this book but not what I wanted, I would have preferred if she was a true villain who was still calling magazines to get covers and was more obsessed with the tabloid/ “real” world than the reality show, Lauren Conrad covered reality shows in LA Candy and this book didn’t really add anything to the game.

What I didn’t like about this book: It was predictable, characters were one-dimensional, but maybe, maybe, one could be considered two-dimensional by the end.

What I liked about this book: It was an easy read, the plot was semi-interesting (hey, I finished it!)

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who is obsessed with Lauren Conrad and will gobble up anything she touches. Or, if you haven’t read LA Candy, you might get more excitement out of this book than I did.

What type of read is it (one word!)? Easy

Would I recommend this book? It’s easy, holds your attention, but you don’t think that much about it after. If you haven’t read LA Candy and , you might get more out of this. I wouldn’t give it a ringing endorsement though.

Which character was my favourite? Madison was the most interesting, but she was a 3/5 when every one else hovered around 1 or 2.

Will I read it again? Nope.

Review (in related to my reading style): I think this proves that if I read a book about something I want to know more about once, I don’t need to read the same style of book again, unless I really care about the plot.

Overall Review: 2/5

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner (Book #1)

Book #1: Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Links: Amazon.com, Chapters.ca, Good Reads

Synopsis: 

The lives of four very different women intertwine in unexpected ways in this new novel by bestselling author Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes; Best Friends Forever). Each woman has a problem: Princeton senior Jules Wildgren needs money to help her dad cure his addiction; Pennsylvania housewife Annie Barrow is gasping to stay financially afloat; India Bishop yearns to have a child, an urge that her stepdaughter Bettina can only regard with deeply skepticism until she finds herself in a most unexpected situation. Interlocking dramas designed to ensnare; bound to be a bestseller.

Time to Read: 1.5 days

Review:

Once I started reading this book, I had a hard time putting it down, even when one of my friends came over to my house for a visit, I found myself looking back at the book on my coffee table, wondering what the characters were up to. This book was about something that I know next to nothing about: surrogacy. It's told from the perspective of four different women, who are all involved in a surrogacy to create a baby: the egg donor, the surrogate mother, the mother, the mother's stepdaughter (and godparent). I 

The characters are interesting, but if there was one character I never quite got connected to it's Annie Barrow, who is the surrogate mother and actually carries the baby. Maybe it's because I can't identify with someone who only ever saw themselves as a mother, since I'm not at that point in my life even though we're the same age! (24) The characters I was always excited about when it came to their chapter were: Jules and India. Jules has a revelation about halfway through the book and she is just an extremely interesting character whose life is nothing like mine.  Jules is described as extremely beautiful and has a father whose battling addiction, and the way that she loves her father, is uncomfortable in her own skin, and feels just different then everyone else is really interesting. In the first chapter (I think!) of the book, she describes how she feels like she's lying to guys when they check her out, like she's not really what they think she is, which to me is interesting because who could you feel like you were lying about what you look like? India was interesting just because she had a fascinating life and was determined to be the best in her life no matter what, I actually quite liked India, which is why I maybe never was captivated by Bettina.

Bettina was also okay but I just wasn't hooked by her, I actually liked India and she was one of my favourite characters.

I've read a few reviews and if there's one thing I agree with, it's that the book ends a bit unrealistically. 

Overall, I liked the book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, easy happy read. There wasn't anything in particular about the book that truly grabbed me, which is why it only gets a 4/5. However, I could barely put it down, so you have to give credit to the author for that.

Review (In related to my reading style): Then Came You actually made me really interested in reading a book about a character like Jules, so if you have any recommendations, please leave it in the comments or send me a message. I learned that I really love books that are told from different characters' perspectives and whose lives are so vastly different but then they are brought together in some way. In my opinion, books like that are more interesting to read than ones that the characters are obviously intertwined, e.g. family, friends, schoolmates, etc.

WeekToRead's Ranking: 4/5 

Next week...

A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Current Progress: Page 208 

Comment: I will read/finish this book!! I know that a lot of people love it, so this is going to be my kick to actually finish it.

Questions: 

1. Have you read "Then Came You"? What about it did you like? Didn't like?
2. When books have unrealistic endings in the real world, do you just sort of accept it or does it actually make you dislike the book?

Do you have any recommendations for me to read next?! Please send me a message if you do, I'm open to all suggestions.

Day One Week One - Allie's First Reading List

Welcome to my humble little corner of the web! I love reading and this is my declaration to the internet that I am going to finish at least one book every week for the next 365 days (which is 52 weeks 1 day)


Here is a current list of books that I'd like to read:

1. Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner
2. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
3. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
4. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers
5. Southern Charm by Tinsley Mortimer
6. 127 Hours (Between a rock and a hard place) by Aaron Ralston
7. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
8. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory
11. The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory
12. The Boelyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
13. Innocence by Kathleen Tessaro
14. Water for Elephants by Sara Cruen
15. Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
16. 50 Shades Freed by E.L. James
17. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

As your can tell, I have a wide arrangement of interests from Young Adult to Historical Fiction to Mountain Climbing Adventure Stories but that's why I like reading so much, it allows you to not be limited and to explore whole different worlds that you wouldn't otherwise be exposed to. And honestly, about all but 4 of these books I already own and just need to read. I picked up Then Came You today on a whim while shopping at my favourite bookstore when I was little so hopefully that will be the first tick off. I also read I am a Pole (and so can you!) by Stephen Colbert while waiting in line, but I don't think that one counts!

Here's the plan

1. Post each Sunday what book I will be reading / finishing that week
2. I'm obviously allowed to read more than one book at a time but my goal is to finish one a week.
3. Have at least one weekday evening and one weekend "time slot" (morning, afternoon, or evening) dedicated to reading/immersing myself in what I'm reading.
1. This is me being selfish, because it's honestly one of my favourite things to do and I want to make sure I make time for it!
4. Post a review of the book and what I thought about it (be personally accountable!) by Sunday.
5. Constantly be updating my "Week to Read" Reading List with new books I want to read, I've never reached a point that I didn't want to read something.
6. Re-read some of my favourites and post reviews on them.
7. Post reviews on the "Archives" of books I've already read.

So lovelies, that's it! I'm going to curl up for the rest of the evening with Then Came You and I will report back soon!

PS - I already finished a book this week, so expect the first "official" post this Sunday!

PPS - Yes, sometimes I like to read cheesy embarrassing young adult novels, reading's fun! It doesn't always have to change your outlook on life.