Review: "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Title: "Insurgent"
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 544
Source: Barnes & Noble
Purchase:  Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Goodreads 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.

My Review:

“Insurgent” was a perfect read! Honestly, I could probably stop the review right there because the majority of people who will read this blog have already read it! Oh well, I guess it never hurts to have another opinion floating around in cyber-land. So, here I go…

The world that Roth has built is mesmerizing as well as terrifying. I could completely visualize the destruction and chaos of what was left of their world. The situations that the characters find themselves in are treacherous to say the least. This book definitely does NOT lack action. I could not stop reading just to find out what would happen to all the characters. Speaking of characters, I would have to say that I really enjoy Tris. She is so vulnerable, yet so strong when the need presents itself. She repeatedly surprises herself and the people around her with her ability to lead. Even when those she trusts turn against her, she stays strong and fights for what is right. Yes, of course, she sometimes just wants to run and hide, but she never does. That is why I love Tris. And I love Four because he is smart enough to love Tris! I knew the ending would be a cliffhanger, but the way Roth dropped a bomb in the last few sentences was just insanely brilliant.

“Insurgent” gets 5 stars for living up to the hype!

Odd: Keep Calm...

This is so true.

Review: "Alison Wonderland" by Helen Smith

Title: Alison Wonderland
Author: Helen Smith
Publication Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Tyger Books
Pages: 222
Source: GoodReads
Format: E-book
Purchase Here: Amazon
Synopsis:

After her husband leaves her for another woman, twentysomething Londoner Alison Temple impulsively applies for a job at the very P.I. firm she hired to trap her philandering ex. She hopes it will be the change of scene she so desperately needs to move on with her shattered life. At the all-female Fitzgerald’s Bureau of Investigation, she spends her days tracking lost objects and her nights shadowing unfaithful husbands. But no matter what the case, none of her clients can compare to the fascinating characters in her personal life. There’s her boss, the estimable and tidy Mrs. Fitzgerald; Taron, Alison’s eccentric best friend, who claims her mother is a witch; Jeff, her love-struck, poetry-writing neighbour; and—last but not least—her psychic postman. Her relationships with them all become entangled when she joins Taron for a road trip to the seaside and stumbles into a misadventure of epic proportions! Clever, quirky, and infused with just a hint of magic, this humorous literary novel introduces a memorable heroine struggling with the everyday complexities of modern life.

'Only occasionally does a piece of fiction leap out and demand immediate cult status. Alison Wonderland is one.' The Times

HERE IS MY REVIEW:

There was a review that stated this book was an instant cult classic. I am very scared that this cult involves shig lovers. Yes, I went there. And if you read this book, you will go there too, whether you want to or not.

This book seems very chaotic. It feels as though Smith has several stories in her mind and just cannot determine how to put them together. The writing would carry the book, if there weren't so many holes where plot and characters are concerned. I am really bummed because I really wanted to like this book. It is not that I hated it. I just did not particularly understand the point or enjoy it that much.

I am giving "Alison Wonderland" 2 stars because although it had great potential, it is severely lacking in too many areas.

Review: "Nette" by Barbara Rayne

By Barbara Rayne

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

In a world where gender was distinguished by the eye color, blue for female and brown for male, she had the misfortune of being born as a brown eyed girl. Being ugly and a freak to everyone was the least of her troubles. immortal and destined to be a queen, her mere existence was a threat to the king. After everyone she loved was brutally murdered, she had no choice but to pursue the path she was destined. In a world that made it obvious there was no place in it for her, immortal Nette will have to make room even if it means killing them all.

This book is suitable for any age or gender, because it's a story about a girl that has been stigmatized in a society just because she was different. To make it more absurd, the first reason was the color of  her eyes. Her immortality just added to the fire!

Be it the color of the skin or worshiping a different God; I see hatred in our present society as equally absurd. I wanted to show how different people are treated, how our noble deeds can be overpowered by hate, and I spiced it up with a bit of romance!

Review of "Nette":

First, let me say that "Nette" was a wonderfully imaginative story. It really kills me to not give this book a glowing review because you can tell the author had a ton of passion while writing it. I did find myself wanting to finish to find out what happened, even though i knew what would. The author, Barbara rayne, had a certain message she wanted to get through to people about how hate is bad. Ok. I agree with that. But then why is it fine for Nette to hate and brutally kill those who wronged her? If Rayne wants to teach love and forgiveness it could have been done a bit more tactfully, and with less gore. The gore also makes me tend to think this book is NOT for all ages. 

Another thing that bothered me is that it was never explained why Nette had brown eyes or why she was chosen for all of those things. The writing/editing was so bad that I thought they were purposefully making Nette's speech staccato. This was until I realized all of the characters had errors in their speech. It was extremely distracting to me. Also, I was bothered by a couple of the lines in the story. One was when Raul tells his mother to stop speaking to him as if he is "retarded". The story is set 100 years in the future and people still talk like that? 

I am giving this book 2 stars because it was lacking in too many areas in my opinion. The story itself saved it from being a total disaster. I know this sounds harsh, but I have to be honest!