Allegiant: Dual-Perspective!

According to tweets from publishers and various ComicCon attendees (one day... oh, one day I will be one of those lucky attendees), the final Divergent book, Allegiant, will be told from two perspectives, with both Tris and Four getting the chance to narrate.

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, sweet, we get to see Four's side of things! On the other hand, though, I've really enjoyed Tris's narration, and as much as I love first-person narrative, I often have a hard time with books that switch between different first-person narrators. (Whew, too many words with the "narrate" root in that sentence.) But I mean, if anyone can pull it off, I'm confident Veronica Roth can.

What do you think?

Book Thoughts: Legend

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend #1

I think I could read about Day and June forever. Very rarely can authors write a novel from two alternating first-person perspectives and actually sound like it’s two different people telling the story, but Marie Lu pulls it off brilliantly. Day and June are so different from each other but so strikingly similar, and they just sucked me in and I want to know what happens to them and ahhh I can’t wait for the third book. Okay moving on.

I loved the world-building in this. I was super confused at first as to exactly where the Republic and the Colonies were, but I always knew as much as I needed to in order to follow the story, and you only discover it slowly because it means nothing to Day and June — which only makes the dystopia that more chilling, but I’ll spare you my ramble about that. I loved (in a purely literary sense) the way the Republic was structured, I loved the way the characters interacted with the Republic, and I found myself far more emotionally invested than I ever meant to be.

I read — or maybe the better word is “devoured” — this one and the sequel, Prodigy, back to back over the span of three days, so I am super excited for the release of Champion. If you haven’t gotten your hands on this series yet, what are you still waiting for?! 

Book Thoughts: Under the Never Sky

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky #1

I finished this earlier today, and I wish I didn't have to wait all the way until January for the sequel. So good!

Aria has lived in the Pod known as Reverie her whole life. She has been sheltered from the outside world, existing in a place where disease has been eradicated and almost all interaction occurs in a virtual world rather than the real world. Perry's life has been the opposite. He grew up hunting and struggling to survive, dodging storms that lashed out from the Aether in the sky and knowing how dangerous life could be. When Aria is exiled from Reverie, she and Perry will need to rely on each other in order to save them both.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, I loved the setting - the idea of the Aether and the Pods is really cool. I kept reading because I needed to know what would happen next. I also really loved how distinct Aria and Perry's voices were. Even though none of the book was in first person, the focal character of each chapter was always clear just through the narrative voice. I love that.

Also: it wasn't love at first sight yay! Aria and Perry have to work at it and learn to trust each other, and the progression of their relationship from enemies to friends to something more was really well done.

Basically I just really thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read the sequel. Definitely read it!

Book Thoughts: 34 Pieces of You

Title: 34 Pieces of You
Author: Carmen Rodrigues

I just read this one as an e-book on PulseIT, and wow.

I'm honestly not sure what I think of this book. Chronologically, it was a little hard to follow with the nonlinear storytelling; some of the actual events were a little hard to follow too because I kept getting the characters' voices mixed up and forgetting whether it was Jessie, Sarah, or Jake narrating. I would have liked more backstory about the characters, too.

BUT. But. Emotionally it was a pretty powerful read, a really interesting way to handle the death of a teenager and a loved one. I wish we'd been able to see things from Ellie's perspective, but maybe the point was that none of them could see things from Ellie's perspective.

I had a hard time putting this one down - it drew me in and made me want to keep reading. Fascinating take on the different characters' emotions. I just wish there had been a little more - it ended too soon. The issues in this book are very real and definitely played with my emotions. I recommend it for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Ellen Hopkins.

Book Thoughts: Shiver

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #1

My first thought when I finished this book was, "Wow." It was absolutely phenomenal. The romance (because that's what this is - a romance) was very well-done; I know I, for one, have totally fallen for Sam Roth. Both of the lead characters - and the side characters as well - fell completely real. Stiefvater's writing is beautiful. Even if the plot were terrible - which it most certainly isn't - it would be worth reading just for the way the author tells the story. She even manages to make both first-person narrators feel like separate, real characters; their personalities are not the same and their voices are inherently different. It's not one person telling both stories as someone else - it's two different characters telling their own stories.

The romance between Sam and Grace is developed thoroughly and beautifully; all I have to say is: candy shop scene, and bookstore scene. It just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And the twist on the werewolf mythology is excellent. None of that about full moons and silver bullets; it's about temperature. And there's just enough mystery and non-romance-based plot that it doesn't feel obnoxiously sappy. Yes, there are sappy parts. It is a romance novel. There are supposed to be sappy parts. But there's so much more than that. It was so amazing. Personally, I also really enjoyed the importance of literature and musicality to the story. There is so much good stuff in this book. Everyone should read it. Yes, everyone.

I also have to mention the cover. I adore the cover of this book. It's beautiful. The blue-and-white gives it that wintery sort of feel that's so important, and the wolf - just watching - so subtle you might miss it. And then the one splash of red...it's perfect.

Definitely, definitely read Shiver if you get the chance.

Book Thoughts: All Unquiet Things

Title: All Unquiet Things
Author: Anna Jarzab

I will admit it took me a while to get into it, but after the first few chapters I was completely hooked. Long story short, ALL UNQUIET THINGS is essentially a murder mystery. A year before the story starts, Carly Ribelli is found dead with four gunshot wounds to the chest. Her uncle, the father of her cousin and best friend, Audrey, was convicted of the murder, but Audrey doesn't believe her dad is guilty. So Audrey enlists the help of Carly's ex-boyfriend, Neily - who was still in love with Carly - to help her figure out who really did it. The story alternates between Neily and Audrey's perspectives. It's really well-written, maybe a bit slow at times but still very engaging, and the story - oh my goodness. Some of it is a bit hard to believe, but Anna Jarzab makes it believable. And the characters are so real and well-developed and amazing. There is some language and content that might not be appropriate for younger teens, but to anyone who doesn't mind that stuff, I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this book. Readreadread. It's awesome.

Book Thoughts: Tangled

Title: Tangled
Author: Carolyn Mackler

At first, I wasn't sure I liked Tangled. I thought it was going to be just another chick lit where the dorky-girl-who-has-no-life either ends up with some hot guy who turns out to have a sweet personality or discovers that being hot and popular is not all it's cracked up to be. But I kept reading, because I kind of liked the characters, and...wow. It turned out to be really good.

TANGLED is the story of four teens - Jena, her mom's friend's daughter Skye, a hotshot jock named Dakota, and his dorky younger brother Owen - who for various reasons have to spend a week at a resort called Paradise. Jena meets(/falls for) Dakota and finds a suicide note by a hot tub, and then things are in motion that are beyond their control. There are four sections in the book, each told from a different character's point of view and surrounding that character's individual story, but there's definitely crossover between them. The book is about how their lives get tangled together and how it changes all of them. That sounds sappy or dorky or something, I know, but it's not. It was sooo good. Skye's and Owen's sections were probably my favorites because I could relate to them better, but they were all great.

There is some strong language and some sexual content, especially in the first half, but it's written in so that on the whole it adds to the book rather than taking away from it. I almost put it down because of some of that content, but I am reeeally glad that I kept reading. Seriously. Sweet story, great characters, and just overwhelmingly real. Probably more of a girl book than a guy book, although guys would probably enjoy Dakota's and Owen's sections just as much; you should read it if you get the chance. :)