Divergent by Veronica Roth

Who are you? Are you honest? Are you intelligent? Are you courageous? Are you selfless? Are you peaceful? Or do you find you fit into multiple of these? Then you are DIVERGENT.

Divergent is set in a futuristic Chicago setting. We meet Beatrice Prior, whom is a member of the Abnegation (the selfless). She and her brother are 16 and getting ready to choose whether to continue on living their lives as an Abnegate or transfer to a new faction. They feel this heavy weight upon them as they are forced to choose between being who they really are, leaving their family behind or to stay,continuing on living their lives, unfulfilled.

Veronica Roth creates a believable futuristic society that has divided into factions of their beliefs. Beatrice "Tris", is a underdog to cheer for and Ms. Roth gets her readers rallying behind "Tris" for better or for worse. Through the trials "Tris" must face, the readers want to keep her safe, but at the same time we want her to grow stronger and push through this and prove to everyone how strong she is. As games of intrigue (Kristen Britain reference ;p) are being played in the background, we are unaware of them until it is nearly too late. Ms. Roth keeps her readers on the edge of their eyes. She gives her readers everything we could hope for; strong family bonds, surprises, intrigue, action, and romance. I put this book and the books of hers to follow, in category with Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, Ally Condie's Matched, and Lois Lowry's The Giver. This is definitely a book to pick up and read. I could not put this one down. At 487 pages long, it only took me 9 hours to read. AMAZING! 5/5 Stars!!!

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. :)