Matched by Ally Condie

I found this one randomly in the bookstore. The Green, modern looking cover turned me away at first, but I looked anyways.

In the society, officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.
Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow--between perfection and passion.

Wow! What a glimpse that was. I had to have it. I can't resist a love triangle. LOL. At 366 pages long, it took me a day to read this because I couldn't put it down. At first the book screamed at me, The Giver by Lois Lowry. Then, later, the romance of it screamed at me, The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Yet, by the end of it, it screamed to me, Matched by Ally Condie and also, GIVE ME THE NEXT ONE! LOL I always end up picking books that I think are single title stories that always turn out to be the 1st of a series. I won't complain though, except the wait for the next one to come out. It is brilliant how Condie pulls us in with a feel for the amazing Giver and then throws a romance at us that pulls like Edward and Bella. Then to end it in a way to make our imaginations soar in longing for what happens next... Ally Condie knows how to ensnare her audience. I recommend this to all and highly to those who are fans of The Giver and The Hunger Games trilogy. Matched receives 5/5 Stars from me. :)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

So my friend, Laura, recommended this book for me. Finally after finding it in paperback I bought it and read it. I started at 7am this morning, reading this 374 page book, and finished tonight at 8pm. I had to stop several times through the day as well since I was working from 7am-3:30pm. My job allows a lot of down time though that I'm able to read in.

I must say that Suzanne Collins delivers a Lottery inspired tale with a bluntness that is shocking but intriguing. It was like reading the girl's, Katniss, personal diary. The Hunger Games, created by the government of Panem, to remind the districts under their rule that they do in fact still control them every bit. Katniss gets caught up in the games when her little sister gets picked from random draw to participate. Anyone with a younger sibling they love dearly can relate to why she chose to take her place in the deadly Hunger Games. What we don't count on though is a budding romance for Katniss that may not survive the arena and herself.

Amazing idea/story line, great characters, awesome scenery and hunger pains galore. 5/5 STARS!!!!