Teen review of "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Here we are. We’ve reached the end. The end of a series is always a somber occasion, but more so when it’s a series like Divergent. I didn’t know what to expect going into Allegiant. I was excited, nervous, and scared to find out all the secrets we’ve been wanting to know since the first book. Also, the feedback from other readers was making me a little wary to know how it was going to end. But I did it. I read it all. And, oh my, where do I start…

I feel like Allegiant was much more political than Divergent and Insurgent. We get to see what is outside the city and we are faced with a whole new set of problems. I kind of missed them being in the city, but we all want to know what was outside the walls, right? So that kind of evened itself out. The situation they get themselves into, as I said, starts to delve into politics, and morals and ethics. Every character seems to be going through some type of existential crisis through it all. We get to know more of Tobias, with the new POV for half of the chapters. I really liked getting into his head and learning all his thoughts. He very closed off and that leads Tris and Tobias to run into some trouble, relationship wise, which I always like. It makes the relationship and the romance real. I feel that sometimes, especially in YA, the romantic leads have the “perfect” relationship, with outside events trying to tear them apart, and not interpersonal problems.

One thing I love about this trilogy is that it’s not just another dystopian story of survival. We get that aspect of it, but it’s all about the people and how they grow and change. Each faction, and their characters, teach us something. Erudite teaches us about how knowledge and it’s containment can be one of the most powerful weapons. Candor teaches us about honesty and admittance of our crimes. Amity teaches us about how to bring about peace, and that sometimes peace does not mean passivity. Dauntless teaches us the true meaning of bravery, as well as Abnegation. Selflessness and bravery are at the heart of this series and Allegiant in particular. It takes a lot of bravery to be truly selfless.

When it comes to the ending of Allegiant, I have mixed feelings. Upon finishing the novel, I locked myself in the car and cried for about ten minutes. But the more I thought about it, the ending really portrays all the themes that have interwoven in each novel, and I understand why Veronica Roth made the decision to write what she did. I’m okay with it. I’ve made my peace with it. And I guess the fact that I reacted how I did is a testament to the writing and the character creation. I don’t want to let go, but I have to. We all have to move on in the end.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "Perfect Ruin" by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

I had moderately high expectations going into Perfect Ruin. I absolutely loved the Chemical Garden trilogy and since then Lauren DeStefano has become one of my all time favorite authors. So when I had an opportunity to get an ARC of Perfect Ruin, I jumped at it. I have been fangirling over this book before it even had a title. So was I disappointed to any degree upon my completion of the novel? Not at all. There are a few things I absolutely love about Lauren DeStefano’s writing.

Number one: everything is so beautiful and poetic. She has this way of writing that just makes everything sound so lyrical. I especially loved the “excerpts” from a student’s essay at the beginning of each chapter.

Number two: world building. Both Wither and Perfect Ruin start us out in a fully rendered universe and plot that are masterfully crafted. What I loved about the world building in Perfect Ruin was that it was completely different from Wither–almost a complete 180, but you could still see that it was by the same author.

Number three: character creation. Every character she creates has a distinct voice. That can be hard to do. I just marvel at how authors can create so many separate people with different personalities and not falter once. I loved every character in this novel. Really. I did.

I will say it took a little while for everything to get going, but once the ball started rolling, it didn’t stop. There were so many twists in the plot and the story was just so rich and drenched in the made up history of the floating city. The one thing I really loved was the fact that everyone has a betrothed. With Morgan already betrothed to Basil (who I swooned over), it eliminated the whole “mysterious love interest” angle from the plot that so many other YA novels have. I can only take much of those. So instead of having the two of them meet and magically fall in love, they’ve already known each other their whole lives. Instead we get to see them just as their relationship starts to turn into something much more serious.

Perfect Ruin is really something else. It’s wholly original and something I haven’t really seen in YA fiction before. However, I really think this is something that only Lauren DeStefano could have been able to craft, and do so in a way that no one else would be able to attain.

- Caroline

Originally posted on The Attic blog.

"Allegiant" is here!

Today the final book in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, Allegiant, was finally released. Are you dying to find out what happens? I can't wait to read it!

Don't forget to place a copy on hold (and do your best to avoid spoilers on the internet!)

The movie adaptation of the first book in the series, Divergent, hits theaters March 21, 2014.

Book Bite: Across the Universe

I stare at the stars. There are so many here, so many more that I can see here than I could see when I stood on Earth’s surface. And even though there are so many more and they look so close together, I know they are light years apart. The glitter in they sky looks as if I could scoop it up in my hands and let the stares swirl and touch one another, but they are so distant, so very far apart, that they cannot feel the warmth of each other, even though they are made of burning. This is the secret of the stars, I tell myself. In the end, we are alone. No matter how close you seem, no one else can touch you.

- Across the Universe by Beth Revis (2011)

Review "The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey!

I have an Advance Reader Copy of The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey to give away to one lucky teen (grades 6-12). This post-apocalyptic sci-fi book is due to be released May 7, but you can snag a copy now if you are willing to submit a short review of the book after you read it. I will post the review right here on the Teen Blog to share with other readers. Please contact Danielle Pacini at dpacini[at]frvpld[dot]info with your name and contact information if you are interested!

Ally Condie concludes Matched series with 'Reached'

The final book in the Matched trilogy, Reached, is finally out today! If you've already read Matched and Crossed, don't forget to place a hold on a copy of Reached.

New books out today, 8/14

Michael Vey: Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans
#2 in the Michael Vey series

The Kill Order by James Dashner
Prequel to the Maze Runner series

"The Rise of Nine" book trailer

You've read I Am Number Four and The Power of Six. Now get ready for the third book in the Lorien Legacies series, The Rise of Nine, which hits bookshelves August 21:

Don't forget to place The Rise of Nine on hold if you haven't already!

New sci fi, fantasy, & paranormal books to check out

Fated by Alyson Noel Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter's sanity, Daire's mother sends her to live with the grandmother she's never met, but who recognizes the visions for what they truly are-the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker-one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead. This is the first book in the new Soul Seekers series by the author of The Immortals series.
	The Selection by Kiera Cass Sixteen-year-old America Singer is living in the caste-divided nation of Illea, which formed after the war that destroyed the United States. America is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze Tired of the royal family's relative comfort while they suffer in the wake of worldwide catastrophes in 2090, rebels kill the British king and abduct two of his children, but Princess Eliza escapes, disguises herself, and joins the rebels to seek revenge and the safe return of her siblings.
	Sweel Evil by Wendy Higgins Sweet southern girl Anna discovers at age sixteen that she is the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, the only one of her kind. As Anna struggles to fight the dark legacy of her father, she falls for the mysterious Kaidan Row, the ultimate bad boy. Forced to face her destiny, she must decide whether to embrace her halo or her horns
Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Alpha Bryn's humanity becomes a bigger problem as she takes her place in the werewolf Senate and tries to address a new threat to the pack.
	The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda Seventeen-year-old Gene has passed as a vampire for years, carefully following every rule, but now, just as he finds a girl worth fighting for, he is chosen to participate in the hunt for the last remaining humans among ruthless vampires who soon suspect his true nature.
Immortal City by Scott Speer Jackson is the hottest Angel in the city, soon he'll be a full Guardian and people will pay for him to save them. Then he falls for Maddy who likes him for who he is and not for his celebrity, but a serial killer is loose.

New release Tuesday: "Insurgent," "Bitterblue," & more!

Science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and realistic fiction-- there's something for everyone in today's new releases!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I have been waiting for this book for months! Insurgent is the follow up to last year's Divergent. This dystopian series is set in a future Chicago, where everyone belongs to one of five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Erudite, or Dauntless. Author Veronica Roth will be appearing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville this Friday at 7 PM!

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
The next entry in the popular Seven Kingdoms fantasy series, which also includes Graceling and Fire. Author Kristin Cashore will be appearing at Anderson's Bookshop this Saturday at 2 PM!

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
This is a companion novel to 2010's dystopian sci-fi thriller Ship Breaker.

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame
Here's something for all you fans of historical fiction: Wentworth Hall is set in 1912 England and has been described as a young adult version of the popular PBS television series Downton Abbey.

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams
As the tragic death of her older brother devastates the family, teenaged London struggles to find redemption and finds herself torn between her brother's best friend and a handsome new boy in town.

Book Bite: "Pandemonium"

"Droplets, droplets: We are all identical drips and drops of people, hovering, waiting to be tipped, waiting for someone to show us the way, to pour us down a path."

-Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

New sci-fi titles

The Way We Fall  by Megan Crewe	BZRK by Michael Grant
172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad	Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Partials by Dan Wells	Fear by Michael Grant
Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts	Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Cinder by Marissa Meyer	Tempest by Julie Cross
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan	Truth by Julia Karr