Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Publish Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 489
ISBN: 978-0-0620-2402-2
Series: Divergent #1
Source: Won from book store

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My Review:

Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent was a phenomenal read! I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I loved it more than I thought I would, not that I didn't think I'd love it, I just wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did!
I knew from the first page that it was going to be something magical (and not magical in the Harry Potter magical way), it was magical in the sense that Veronica Roth creates a world unlike no other. A world in which we immerse ourselves in the original and realistic factions of Candor, Dauntless, Amity, Abnegation and Erudite. I haven't read a lot of dystopian books, but this one was fantastic, well-written and all in all, epic!
Tris, the main character, is probably one of the strongest female leads I've read in a while. Even with growing up in Abnegation, and being told to think and act a certain way, she was strong willed, didn't take anybody's crap and could dish out a solid right hook if she needed. I loved everything about Tris and what she stood for. Then there's Four, a mysterious and intriguing character. There seems to be so much we don't know about Four, but Tris (and me for that matter) still wanted to befriend him. There was something about Four that stood out, I don't think Roth tried to play up on Fours good looks or give him much sex appeal, I think he had it naturally.
The story is so unique and Veronica Roth's idea of her dystopian world is exciting! I could picture everything - the Abnegation with their grey clothes and everything in an orderly fashion, the Candors in their blue clothes, the dauntless and their "bad ass" looks - and the writing excels. Roth's way of writing seems effortless, as if she's been writing best sellers for years upon years, yet Divergent was the 22 year olds debut novel! There is not one negative thing I can say about Divergent.
It's an exciting and engaging ride with twists and turns and Divergent will have your mind racing as you flip the pages and continue the one choice you made - the choice to read Divergent!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Trailer

It's here!! Finally here - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer book trailer!

Watch for yourself:




Thoughts? The only thing I can say that I'm disappointed about is the girls voice. It's not what I had in mind when I thought of Mara, but other than that, the trailer is really cool! Amazing even :)

Enjoy, and make sure to pick up a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer when you can! It's the best read.

Book Trailer

So for my Waiting on Wednesday post, I mentioned that I was waiting for

- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi -

Then today, I came across this:

I thought I was excited for this book before, but that trailer just makes me even more excited for Shatter Me! And I've heard so many great things about it. I can't wait!

Breaking Dawn Exclusive Trailer

Alright, I love Twilight. I read the books numerous times, and loved them then, and continue to love them now. The movies, on the other hand, weren't what I was expecting, but I still watch Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse and I'm excited for Breaking Dawn. The trailer has been released, and it looks like it may be the best one!




Breaking Dawn was one of the better books, what with it being full of emotion and action and just plain awesomeness.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you a Twilight fan?

Spotted: The Cover of Insurgent

Here we go guys:

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth is set to be released May 8th, 2012

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.

What do you guys think?

I'm so excited for Insurgent. I read Divergent and have been working on my review, but I absolutely loved it. And the cover for this one? Gorgerous, the tree for Amity is perfect and I love the train going by at the bottom. Just wonderful!

And The Winner Is....

Sorry for the delay in annoucing the winner to my Blogoversary Giveaway, with my vacation and all, I didn't have the time. So without further ado, the winner is...

unlucky (or lucky in this case) entry #13

Kandice who chose The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

A quick glance on my spreadsheet shows that The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was the book that most had as their pick, and trust me, it's a great choice!

The winner was chosen by random.org and has been notified. If the winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. The book will be shipped from The Book Depository when available, and I am not responsbile for lost or stolen packages.

Thanks to all who entered, and don't forget to enter my current giveaway for a copy of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead via The Bloodlines Canadian Blog Tour.

Just checking in...

Hey guys, Just wanted to let you know that I've been away this past week. My family and I went to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and were up in a cabin with poor internet connection. I was able to get my post up for the Canadian Bloodlines Blog Tour, but that was about it. I still have to pick and annoucne the winner to my Blogoversary giveaway, and I have a few reviews that I need to post.
I'm in Ohio right now for the night before making the rest of the drive back home to Ontario.

Hope to see you all back reading my posts and reviews!

Happy Reading!

Bloodlines Canadian Blog Tour

Thanks to the lovely Tynga at Tynga's reviews for letting me use this pretty header.

I was really happy when Penguin Canada contacted me to participate in the Canadian Blog Tour for Bloodlines. I've never read Richelle Mead's books, so I was excited to start here!

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE

I wasn’t free of my past, not yet.

Sydney’s blood is special. That’s because she’s an alchemist—one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir—the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir—is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill’s guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places—a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside—and within—the school grounds. Now that they’re in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

And because I really loved Adrian -



But if you prefer Mr. Dimitri Belikov, this ones for you -



And if neither of those were good enough for you, check out the teaser trailers for Rose Hathaway, Sydney Sage, or Jill Dragomir.

Plus, if you're intruigued by Bloodlines, and don't have a copy (yet), you can read the first chapter here.

Be sure to read my review here.

And the fun on my stop for the Canadian Bloodlines Tour doesn't end there, Penguin Canada has given me the opportunity to share the love with another reader out there. One lucky Canadian winner will get their own copy of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below (and bear with me as this is my first time using it). Canadian only please as Penguin Canada will be shipping the prize. Be sure to do the mandatory entry correctly in order for your entry to count.
Thanks for stopping by!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Publish Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill Fiction
Pages: 421
ISBN: 978-1-59514-317-4
Series: Bloodlines #1
Source: ARC for review from Publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE.
Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning.

My Review:

Bloodlines is a spinoff of the highly popular Vampire Academy series written by Richelle Mead. This was the first book of Richelle’s that I’ve read and it wont be the last! I’ve had my eye on Vampire Academy books but never had the chance to read them, so when Penguin contacted me about Bloodlines, I jumped on the chance!
I was intruiged from the first page. I wanted to know more of the world Richelle Mead created, and I wanted to meet all of the characters. We first meet Sydney when she is awoken in the middle of the night by her father to tend to something very important. What could be so important that she’s forced to wake up? Well, Sydney is an alchemist, a human who’s in the middle of Vampires and Humans – protecting the secrets of the vampires, and protecting humans lives.
Bloodlines is a great read. It’s a vampire story, but it’s original. I’ve seen that some Vampire Academy readers who were hyped for this book, weren’t that impressed. Not that they didn’t like it (in the cases that I’ve seen) but they just didn’t think it was up to par with the VA series. The main thing I’ve seen is that Sydney wasn’t as strong a character as Rose. As I said, I haven’t read the VA series, so I can’t make a comparison between the two main characters. I can say that I thought Sydney was awesome. She was a strong girl who was true to her alchemist beliefs but wasn’t affriad to take chances. She knew that her first priority was to the alchemists, but felt like there was a middle ground too. Sydney was sent to protect and be the guardian to Jill, the sister to the Moroi Queen and be with Vampires, more specifally dhampirs, and moroi. Through converstations and scenes, we see that this isn’t the first time Sydney has ‘worked’ with the vampires, and other alchemists aren’t too thrilled with this. But as I said earlier, Sydney knows her limits, and rules and tries to stay true to her upbringing. Because of these mentions of Rose, and their past experiences, I am so eager to read the VA series. Richelle adds these sutble hints of the other series, and I believe it is to tie up loose ends in VA and to get people interested in VA! (And it worked, I went out and bought two of the books while reading Bloodlines – check out my IMM post here).
The other characters in Bloodlines are great too. We meet Jill, the vulnerable young girl who Sydney is responsible for protecting from danger. We learn so much about her throughout the novel, and I truly felt for her. All she goes through cannot be easy, but she’s a tough girl. I was introduced to Adrian Ivashkov on Bloodlines, and let me tell you, I adore him! The comments and remarks he makes were enough to make me laugh outloud. Again, Richelle adds comments in Bloodlines about Adrian and Rose, and makes me need to know more of their past. I learned so much about Adrian, and things he’s dealing with. He’s definitely a favourite character of mine now.
Another thing while reading others thought of Bloodlines, people seem to be disappointed that there was no romance. Really? I don’t think that this novel needed the romance. To me, it had enough of everything else – mystery regarding the Vampires, curiousness towards the Alchemists, and a rollercoaster of great story telling –that we didn’t need the extra romance. That’s not to say that Richelle shouldn’t add a little romance (maybe with Adrian and someone) but it can wait.Richelle Mead does an excellent job of creating this world in which you feel apart of. I suggest everyone read Bloodlines, and if you haven’t read the Vampire Academy series, read this one first. You wont be disappointed!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, to show readers what we are anxiously waiting for!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 15, 2011

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Sounds wonderful doesn't it? And the cover is pretty!

Top Ten Tuesday

It's been so long since I've participated in a Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish so I thought it would be fun to give it a go!

This week - Top Ten sequels I'm Dying to Read:

(in no particular order...)

1. Insurgent (Divergent #2) By Veronica Roth - Because I just finished Divergent and it was freaking fantastic!!

 

2. The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead - I loved Bloodlines, and was introduced to the lovely Vampire Academy world from it and because of that, I'm excited for this one.

3. A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis - You all know I loved AtU! So obviously, I need to read this.

4. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare - Will and Jem? YES PLEASE!!







5. Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano - Wither was such a great read, and I'm eager to find out what happens next.

6. Mara Dyer # 2 - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was one of my fave reads, can't wait for the second in the series.







7. The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong - I want to know more about the paw shaped birthmark!








8. The Soul (The Host #2) by Stephenie Meyer - IF this book happens, I'm interested to see what happens in it. I LOVED The Host and Ian and Wanderer!

9. City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare - Such an interesting series, and I'm ready for some more!

10. Passion (Fallen #3) by Lauren Kate - I've had this book for some time now, and really want to get around to it soon! The covers are the best part of these books, but I'm eager to see what happens between Luce and Daniel.






There we have it, my list for the week!

Thanks for stopping by.