Panic by Lauren Oliver

Hello! It has been quite a while. I find it ironic that my first post in months is about a book written by the same author as the last post. Anyways, I had to get my opinion out about this one. By the way, the Goodreads genres this is categorized under are completely wrong. It is not dystopian, it is not science fiction, and is not fantasy. In any way shape or form.

Panic is a game that started one summer in a small town. During the school year each student is supposed to pay a "tax" of $1 a day which goes into the Pot. Anyone who doesn't pay would pay the prices. After the judges and the officials involved take their cut, the remaining money in the Pot is up for competition. Judges and those involved have hidden identities and the game is hidden from the police. Graduating seniors volunteer themselves for Panic and compete in increasingly dangerous tasks to win $67,000. Heather, our main character, begins the game out of helplessness. But as the game goes on, she realizes that there is so much more at stake. Dodge, our alternating viewpoint, also has his own reasons for joining Panic. But what about when his reasons for joining change?

The best thing about Panic (the book) is the characters. There are two main characters, Heather and Dodge, and two supporting characters, Nat and Bishop. Each is wonderful in their own way with flaws and quirks that make them extremely relatable to the reader. For example, Nat is described as petite and cute and lovable, but she also has some sort of anxiety disorder that I wish the author touched more upon. In the beginning, Heather seems weak and the reader is casting a skeptical glance at her. As the story progresses, the you root for her and love her all the same. As lovely as they all were, I would have liked to see more character development. I wish that the book was longer so that I could have seen Nat come to terms with her goals, Dodge come to terms with his sister and his motives, Bishop understand what exactly he wants. The story seemed to end too quickly without explaining everything. And I don't mind ambiguous endings, but there are some things that should be completed.

The plot is very quick and fast-paced. There was never a dull moment and I had a hard time putting this book down. I always wanted to know what happened next. The writing is also simple and nice, nothing too profound. The ending was a little rushed, and I wished that it could have been drawn out more and explained. It seemed a bit oversimplified. Another thing that I think would have made it better would be a longer explanation of the actual challenges. That's what draws the reader into the story, and once again, they seemed oversimplified and ending too quickly. 

I enjoyed the psychological aspect of the book. I found myself questioning, when will it be too much? And what would I do their positions? Is what they're being asked to do worth the money?

I found it to be very predictable. On page 32, I literally predicted out loud one of the reveals in the book. It didn't really matter though and I liked it all the same. 

Overall, I really did like this book. The author did a great job of explaining the atmosphere of the small town. The characters are wonderful and the plot is exciting. My main complaint is that it wasn't longer. I feel if it were about 50-100 pages longer, a lot more could have been fit in and it could be absolute perfection. I would recommend this one! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

Love makes people act irrationally. So what if it was eliminated? In this dystopian world, love is considered a disease. When you turn 18 you will have an operation that makes you immune to the disease. Lena can't wait for her operation. She has lived in fear ever since her mom committed suicide from the disease. She has never questioned anything, until she meets Alex. 

The concept behind this book is fascinating. What WOULD a world look like without love? I liked this as a dystopian book because it was a little bit different. It was very realistic and didn't have any sci-fi gadgets or hoverboards or pills or anything. It also wasn't extremely violent or rebellious. That's what makes it so realistic. If I had to compare it to another dystopian series, I would go with the Uglies. I'm not exactly sure why, but that's what it reminds me of the most. 

The plot was a little slow but the writing is so beautiful that it didn't feel that way. Lena is a winning heroine and Alex is just awesome. I really liked the way that they were portrayed. It was also a little predictable, but that doesn't take away from the story.

The ending was a cliffhanger and you know a second book was in the works, but it wasn't overly terrible. I think I'm slowly dying because I need the second book in the series. I really liked this book and I suggest you give it a try. 5 out of 5 stars.

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

This is the second book in the Divergent series. I never wrote a review on that one, maybe I'll get to that some day... haha :) Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book in the series, there are bound to be various spoilers.

Divergent last left us with Tris discovering the truth about the Erudite and the simulations and everything. That was an awful cliffhanger, and we pick up right where we left off. Literally right off. It might as well have been the next chapter instead of a new book! Tris is horribly confused and hurt and guilty for what happened with Will. She is trying to figure out what exactly is going on with her society and how she can stop its corruption.

I really enjoyed Insurgent. I didn't really feel the romance between Tris and Tobias in this one, but that's okay. It was more about her journey. The plot was well developed and there was a lot of excitement. I feel like I can relate to Tris a lot because she isn't the most physically strong person, but she is very strong willed which makes her awesome.

There are a lot of characters and they all seem very real. I like how even the "bad guys" are shown in a new light in this book and you realize that there are many parts of evil to a person. Overall, if you read Divergent and liked it, definitely read Insurgent. I will be reading the next book in the series. There is a bad cliffhanger anyways.

Also, let's take a moment to recognize how awesome Veronica Roth is. Reading Divergent, I was pretty much in love with Four. He is definitely up there in my top book crushes. But not exactly where Sam from Shiver is. No one could ever top Sam! When we found out that Four's real name is Tobias, I was sold. I then went around telling everyone what a beautiful name Tobias was and that I was going to name my future child Tobias lol. This was influenced this book, but also from Tobias from the Animorphs. Then, I was reading the extra special collector's edition of this book and reading the interview with that author. She said that she had given Tobias his name as homage to the Animorphs character! Like, how awesome is that? Me and this author have like one mind haha.

As I said before, I read the collector's edition of Insurgent. It was pretty cool compared to the regular one. The cover was shinier, there was an attached ribbon bookmark, Free Four (the reason I wanted to get this copy as opposed to the regular one), a Q&A with the author, tattoos, a poster, and a couple of other really cool things. I would suggest you get it if you are a fan of this series.

Also, as a side note, as I read this book I became more and more intrigued about how the factions and wondered which one I would fit in. I took some quizzes online and they said that I would be Candor, which I agree with. I like giving my opinion and believe that honesty is a good thing to have. I definitely wouldn't be Abnegation or Dauntless. I know I'm intelligent, but not to the point of arrogance, so no Erudite. One quiz said that I was Amity, which I would be if there wasn't any Candor.  Thinking about it though, I think I am definitely more Candor because though I really like peace and pleasing people, I am not submissive to that extent. Therefore, Candor.

Well, this has turned into a very long rant only partly relating to Insurgent! Anyways, 5 out of 5 stars.

Mocking Jay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. District 12 is gone and Katniss and a few other tributes have been evacuated to District 13, where they will live now. Luckily she is reunited with her family and Gale. But Peeta is in the Capitol’s hands. Katniss is free of being a pawn, or is she? Thirteen wants her to be the face of the war, but all Katniss wants is to kill Snow. What is the right thing to do? And who can she really trust?

***SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!! DO NOT READ MY REVIEW UNLESS YOU READ MOCKINGJAY!!!!!!! I DO NOT WANT TO RUIN IT FOR YOU!!!!!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!******

There are so many aspects of this novel that I enjoyed, and a few things that I didn’t. I liked how this story was so much more than people think it is. They think it’s a wonderful dystopian series, which it is. But what people overlook is how closely it characterizes humans as a whole. I’ve read the Uglies a cajillion times and so I could pretty much predict what was going to happen. Putting that aside, I believe that Collins correctly portrays human nature and their strive for power. It reminds me a bit of Lord of the Flies thinking. 

The war aspect was portrayed perfectly, because it was very realistic and historically based. In the author's note, she mentions that she knows a lot about war, which leads to the great way that she can create a literary one.

I liked how this is not a romance. Yes, there is a love triangle, but the romance does not take over or distract from Katniss' story and true purpose. Which is a very nice thing to see in a book that has so much hype. And for every one who is like, "Team Gale or Peeta?", I like Peeta better, but let us not forget that this is not a romance!!!!

I like how the author is not afraid to kill characters. Not all books can have a happy ending... 

The connection between roses and Prim’s name. Its very contradictory, because President Snow's roses are evil and symbolize the cruelty of the world. But at the same time, Prim is short for "primrose", which Katniss has to appreciate.

There were a lot of things that I didn’t like about the ending. One was Gale’s absence. He just… disappears at the end. And you don’t hear from him. It makes me angry. He was supposed to be her best friend, and look how much they communicate after the war is over! And then there’s Katniss. She chooses Peeta (which is fine by me because I liked him better. Oh yes, I chose sides!) and has children, but seems so nonchalant and like, “I’m with Peeta, but whatever. I could have lived without him…” And her children? She didn’t even want them and doesn’t mention their names. That bugs me because I think she could have thought of some really cool names. The fact that she doesn’t is significant and just… argh. And I like what the last line implies, but it’s so awkward and poorly formed in my opinion. “But there are so much worse games to play.” Isn’t that just awkward sounding? And last, how Katniss can’t just be a littttle bit happy. I understand she’s been through a lot, but it’s time for a new beginning. She can’t see just a little bit of that?

 At the end when they take the vote on a last Hunger Games, I really trusted Katniss to vote no. But she votes yes, “for Prim”. Since she experienced the Games twice and knows how horrible they are, why would she EVER want to put someone else through it? No matter how evil they were? And it’s not even the children. That bugged me so much and I lost a little respect for Katniss. And then we don’t even find out what happens with the Games! Darn you loose ends…

Overall, I think that Mockingjay is a daring way of ending the series, and I can see why some people didn't like it. There were definitely some things that bothered me. Despite the multiple things I can find wrong with this book, I did enjoy reading it. And for the entire series, I think it's worth reading if you love to read. If you are not the type of person that reads books for fun, I would like to recommend you read a different book that can offer you more than this hyped-over franchise. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

In the sequel to the Hunger Games we find Katniss returning home from the Games with Peeta, a strange turn of events than what was expected. Things are supposed to be better now, but they're not. The Capital is furious at Katniss for holding out the berries in defiance. Now Katniss must do everything she can to keep herself and her loved ones alive. Not only that, but she's caught in a tricky situation with Gale and Peeta. Many of the Districts are on the verge of rebellion, which Katniss has only fueled.

Catching Fire was very imaginative and exciting, and though parts were a little predictable I found myself thoroughly absorbed in this dystopian world. Since I've read the Matched and the Uglies series, I have a pretty good idea about what's going on in the lost district. There was a lot of the same stuff as the first book, which is the reason I'm giving this 4.5 stars instead of 5. The characters, the action, the love... Anyway. I really liked this and would recommend it to anyone who read the first book. I haven't decided between Peeta or Gale yet, but I'm thinking Peeta. But then again, I don't think its fair to be judging because we really don't know that much about Gale right? I can't wait to read the last book and see what happens to Katniss & friends. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

When I first heard about the Hunger Games it was about when the last book was published. I heard what it was about and had no real interest in reading it. Even when I knew there was going to be a movie, I didn't want to read it. Then I was like, "Well, since it's a dystopian book and every one's talking about it, I might as well read it..." And I'm glad that I did.

This was one of the most interesting dystopian books I've read in a while. What an interesting concept! Teenagers fighting to the death, what will they think of next?

The Hunger Games has a winning protagonist who is easily likable. Peeta (btw, awesome name. It's like Peter but with a British accent. Pee-tahhh! lol) is adorable in his soft-hearted way. And Gale, even though he's not really a part of the story, is present in spirit and lovable all the same. Even the strange characters, like Effie and Haymitch, who you can't really figure out if they're good or bad, have their own charm to them.

The plot was quickly paced and exciting. I liked how the romance was just an aspect, and not what drives the story. I liked the suspense, though it was very predictable at times. Another thing that I really liked was how this dystopian world wasn't hard to understand. The Uglies is my favorite dystopian series of all times, and even as I read it for the cajillionth time I still pick up on things that I didn't before. There wasn't too much strange lingo or slang that leaves the reader scratching their head. It's a pretty straight-forward, easy read.

And let me just add that I'm glad that there is a new book cult out there that is likable for girls AND guys. Yes, I'm talking about you, Twilight. And I can't wait for the movie. And I still have to read the other books. Anyways, read this if you haven't. You won't regret it, especially since everyone is going to be talking about it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Imagine that it is many years into the future and  a deadly plague with no cure is taking over the world. Cinder, a cyborg who lives in New Beijing with her evil stepmother and stepsisters (except one sister isn't evil), doesn't remember her past and lives an unfair life slaving for her stepmother and doing various mechanicary. One day, Prince Kai visits her and asks her to fix one of his androids. Soon after, her beloved sister comes down with the plague and is sent to be hospilitized. Cinder's stepmother blames Cinder for her daughter's death and volunteers Cinder to be part of the plague research. In other words, they'll inject her with antibodies and she'll die. Instead, something out of the ordinary happens. Cinder is faced with discovering her past and the secrets that the people around her are keeping. Meanwhile, Prince Kai is faced with his own problems regarding the Lunar people and what is best for the country.

I've read contemporary fairy tale retellings, but never a futuristic one. Cinder did not dissapoint me. I want to say that it's dystopian, but it's probably more towards science fiction. The world this story takes place in is amazing. Though there is death and scary Lunar people (moon colony people! omg!) and not a whole lot of happiness, it's still fascinating. I loved reading about how earth ends up and how androids and cyborgs live among humans.

The characters are realistic and likeable. Cinder is a promising protagonist and Kai and Iko were equally enjoyable. The plot is quick paced and very interesting. The imagery was very desriptive and I felt like I had a really clear picture of the futuristic world. There was definitely a romance aspect, but it wasn't overpowering and didn't take away from the story. There's definitely cliffhanger at the end, but it's not totally horrible like in some books (I'm talking about you, Bumped...) that you don't want to read the other ones. And I had totally predicted it from like page 50... I'm just that good lol.

I liked how the author retold Cinderella. There were a million things different about the story, but she kept close to the original tale. I like how there was still a ball and the author didn't mutilate the story so that it was completely different.

I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. Supposedly they're supposed to be about different fairy tales, so we'll see! I really enjoyed Cinder, and I recommend it to anyone who's interested in a new series! 5 out of 5 stars.

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

Crossed is the sequel to Matched. Ky had been sent out to the Outer Provinces and Cassia was sent to a camp. They both can’t forget the relationship they had, and will do anything to find each other again. Crossed is about searching, love, and secrets.

I LOVED Crossed. I’ve read a few dystopian series and the Matched series has definitely put its mark on my list. First of all, I loved how this story was told in alternating points of view, between Ky and Cassia, like in the Shiver stories. I wish that the author would have been consistent and done it in the first book but anyways… It really gave Ky more of a character and made him more likable. I also love Xander, hopefully there will be more of him in the last book!

I liked the addition of the new characters Indie, Eli, and I liked Vick. Indie was a little too sneaky for me though, and not friend material.

The writing was beautiful, but I thought the storyline was a little slow. I wish there was more action and more romance. And they spend the entire time looking for the Rising and then look what happens? Like… geez.

I love the simple romance that Ky and Cassia have. They’re not like Bella and Edward status and are just simply in love. I don’t like how Ky treats her at one point though, it’s not right and just makes me sad.

Despite the slowness, I loved the romance and the entire dystopian story. I have suspicions that the Rising is like the Society in it’s own twisted way. All in all, I thought Crossed was a good story and I can’t read to tread the next story in the series. Hopefully all my questions will be answered! 5 out of 5 stars.



All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (Birthright #1)

When I heard that the author or Elsewhere had a new book out, it was on my to-read list instantly. Elsewhere was one of my favorite books when I was like in 5th/6th grade and I've probably read it on 5 different occasions. I had also recommended it to my friends and my mom, that's how much I liked it. So you can see how excited I was to be reading something new from Gabrielle. Then Queen Taco recommended it to me, so then I was like, "I have to actually read this... like now."

All These Things I've Done takes place in 2083, when chocolate has been banned, caffeine is illegal, as are a number of other things. You have to have vouchers to buy pretty much everything. You even have to pay postage to send an email. New York is full of crime and suspicion. Anya Balanchine, our protagonist, is a simple 16 year old. Well, maybe not so simple considering her deceased father was involved in major crimes. All Anya wants is to take care of her family, go to school, avoiding her ex. It's all been going okay for her, until one day her ex ends up in the hospital and Anya is charged for "attempted murder". And after that, she knows her life will never be the same.

When I first read the summary, I thought this was going to be a dystopian read. And for some reason I'm really into dystopia so I was kinda excited haha. But this novel isn't dystopia at all. It's actually more crime and mystery, with romance, friendship, family, adventure, and science fiction. Honestly, this book covers a million different genres and I think that a lot of people could enjoy it.

The best thing about this book is probably the characters. Anya is so real and I can completely relate with her. I love how she has flaws, and you can clearly see them when you read, but yet somehow you're always on her side because you can relate to her. She's smart and easily loved. As for her best friend Scarlet, wow. I wish I could have a best friend as loyal as she is. She's seriously awesome, and I don't think Anya really deserves her forgivingness and everything lol. Her younger sister Natty is adorable, and Leo is so cute and you really just have to love him. And Win? OMG I love him <3 Almost as much as Sam from the Shiver series haha. Win is soooo cute!!!! Argh Anya, she really needs to snatch him up! The characters of this book are very well developed and easy to relate to, you find yourself loving them all.

The plot was quick, intriguing, and very unique. The romance was almost like a Romeo and Juliet thing, starcrossed lovers and all. The ending, was a little sad for me though. First of all, I didn't know this was a series until I was about 50 pages from the end and I was like "I don't think this is all going to be solved so it must be a series!" lol so I was a little sad :( because I wanted more. And Win.......

Well, I wouldn't want to give away anything I'm not supposed to haha. So, I recommend this book. There's a little bit of something for everyone, and you won't be dissapointed. 5 out of 5 stars. I'm looking forward to reading the next one :)

Bumped (Bumped #1) by Megan McCafferty

Bumped features a dystopian world that takes place in 2036. In this time, there is a virus that makes everyone around the age of 18 infertile. This means that teenagers are the most important people in society, because they are the only ones that can move the human race along. This leads to parents paying teenage girls to be surrogates and being pregnant and getting pregnant being a fad.

Our two main characters are Melody and Harmony. They are identical twins that were separated at birth. Harmony lives in a super-religious community called Goodside, where she is trained to be a good wife, mother, and worshipper. Melody was raised to be a perfect surrogate so that she would land the best possible contract for pregnancy. Harmony finds out she has a twin and that her sister is "pregging for profit" and decides to journey to Melody's doorstep so that she can save her from her sins.

I was beyond confused at first. There was a lot of "neggy" slang that made it hard to follow along. I think that it would have been very helpful if there was a glossary at the end of the book, or footnotes explaining what these words were. It's like when I read the Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and everything was "bubbly" and I had no idea what that meant so I spent a lot of the book confused lol. Once you get used to that, it's fascinating and very interesting. It's a great idea and so much fun to be living in this world.

I liked Melody, she was easy to relate to with the whole fitting-in at high school thing. Harmony kinda pissed me off. She was very... religious. I don't have a problem with religious people, but she was just over the top. I found myself being very annoyed reading about her worshipping and all. She's just so innocent! Argh. Haha hard for me to relate to. It was also kinda confusing at moments because the names "Harmony" and "Melody" are very similar, so at times I was confused at who was who.

I wasn't too excited after I read the inside flap because of the similarities it had to a book I had recently read (Possession by Elana Johnson). They both had a character called Zen or Zenn and had a places called Goodside or Goodgrounds. Hmmm...

It was a little disturbing about how young all these pregnant girls are. It's kinda sad actually :( And in this book pregnancy is made up to be a glamorous thing, so maybe it isn't giving off the right vibe to teenage readers haha.

This book is supposed to take place in 2036. That's really not that long if you think about it. Now, would names REALLY change that much in that time? They have really foreign names like Shoko and Zen and Ram. In the 1800's which was hundreds of years ago, they had names like Elizabeth and Henry and stuff. And we still use those names today... I just don't think that names will change THAT much in 20 years. Anyway...

I didn't like the ending. The book basically ended in the middle of the scene, and it kinda sucks even though you know there's going to be a sequel.

The cover, not cute. If I hadn't been recommended this book, I probably never would have read this book. The covers are what mainly get me interested (I'm horrible, I know), and seeing a cover with an egg on it with the words "Bumped" does not seem very enthralling. Also, roughly translated, the book could be called "F*cked" because that's basically what bumping means. Now why would you want to read a book called that? It could have been way cuter, and the judging-before-reading could have been a lot better haha.

I liked how this wasn't your basic dystopian read. It's doesn't just focus on the romance, it's also about family. I would recommend it to an older teen, because its about a more mature topic, but the writing is targeted towards a younger teen so it wouldn't be fore everyone.

Despite how I seemed to spend most of this review criticizing things, I really did enjoy the story. It was frightening and fascinating at the same time, while being humorous at others. It was thought provoking and the concept is a really great idea. It's original and fantastic, though it takes a while to get used to.

I'm sorry I seemed to find more bad things than good, but overall its a pretty good read. So 4 out of 5 stars . I probably liked it better than Matched (but not as much as the Uglies series of course). I will be looking forward to the sequel, which I hope gives more information about the virus and the past. You might want to give this one a try! Thanks to Talia for recommending it to me :)

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

Hello everyone :) How is your summer going? I've finished Matched last night, and I'm going to review it now. Is it just more or are dystopian books becoming more and more popular?? Haha alright anyway....

I'm really not that great about giving summaries of dystopian books, because I always feel like there's certain important information that I'm forgetting. I'll do my best, but your best bet to get a better summary is to go here and read the description and some other reviews :) Just trying to be honest here!! haha 

The Society determines everything for you, and Cassia hasn't ever thought too much about it. She gets Matched with her best friend Xander. At first, everything is great. She's going to be with her best friend after all! And then when she plugs in the little chip thing, someone else's face appears. According to the Officials, it's a glitch. Cassia wouldn't normally worry, except for the fact that she knew the guy. His name is Ky, and he's the "bad" guy. He wasn't even supposed to be Matched. Her grandfather gives her something before he passes away, and after that, she begins to wonder how perfect the society she lives in really is.

A lot of people have compared it to the Giver (which I read last year but btw I hardly remember), but I find that unfair and kinda harsh. Dystopian books all have similar elements, so come on, give it a break. Like romance novels don't all have the same basic plot line? I can understand why people would say that, but not everything was the same...

I really liked Matched and all the "perfect society" bits. The romance part was kinda ehhhh for me but the storyline and characters were interesting enough to keep me going. It was a bit slow at some parts, but it picked up from there. I really liked the cover, it's so pretty and relative. She's stuck in a pretty green bubble! I liked both Xander and Ky, they were both cool in their own way. I can understand why Cassia would have trouble deciding between them. There's not a lot of action or rebellion in this part of the story, but I'm sure that there will be lots in the future books.

I'm do want to see what happens next, and will be reading Crossed when it comes out. :) I've also heard that Disney is going to make it into a movie. I would recommend this book, but I have to say that The Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfeld still remains my favorite dystopian series. 4 out of 5 stars !!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my review, I hope that you'll be visiting my blog again sometime soon :)

Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson

"Vi knows the rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the rules more than Zenn... and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself."

Interesting enough right? This novel is about a futuristic society where there are the Goodies and the Baddies. But are the Goodies really good and the Baddies really bad? Or is that just what the Thinkers (the people in charge) want you to think? And then the Thinkers are also called the Greenies (which I failed to realize why after reading all 400 pages) and Freedom, which isn't really freedom at all. Confusing right?? I agree! This is definitely one of those books you find yourself scratching your head, but if you were to read it a second time a year later, you would probably like it a lot more because you finally understand it.

Vi has broken rules her whole life, and finally gets in REAL trouble for walking in the park late at night with a boy. After that she's thrown in jail and meets Jag, where they escape and then go on their little adventure. Or at least I think that's how it happened, because I was there scratching my head lol.

I disliked the romance between Vi and Zenn and Jag. Vi is torn between Zenn, the guy she was matched with and was supposed to marry and has always loved, or Jag, the "bad boy" she has met and also loves instantly. I personally dislike romances with characters who are torn between two people because I don't understand them. How can you love two people? Just when you think she's made up her mind to be with Jag, Zenn comes back and then she realizes she loves Zenn. Whaaat? Someone needs to tell this girl to make up her mind! Lol :) Also, half the story she spends saying "I love Jag" and the other half she's saying "I hate Jag. He needs to die." How's that for romance? I didn't really find myself relating with the romance or with any of the characters, except for the fact that Vi is indecisive.

There were also too many twists for me. Some of them were predictable, but I like stories that aren't too over-the-top and you're not like "Come on, again?". They always seem to get captured, and brainwashed, and thrown into new situations and battles, and then discovering old family members (this happened like a million times). "Oh, hi Dad! I thought you were dead. But now you're the bad guy, so I'm going to run away from you." And then of course there's Ty, the sister, but she's not called Ty anymore. Now she's called Gavin, and so all the characters call her Gavin, except Vi still calls her Ty.

The ending however, was a somewhat annoying one. You know there's a sequel planned but it was just frustrating that after all 400 pages, what you don't want to happen happens. Arghh! haha

I think this story could have used more details on the past so that it sets up the present better because I found myself confused by a lot of the story haha.

On the bright side, I did like the cover. It's a pretty butterfly stuck in an ice cube. It's intriguing, simple, and very interesting.

I might read the sequel, if I get the chance.

Also, Possession reminded me a lot of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. There's brainwashing, escape, adventure, betrayal, futuristic-technology, and two boys! One's a good boy, and one's a bad boy. Kinda similar if you ask me!

I wouldn't recommend this book. If someone had read the cover flap and asked me "Should I read this?", I would say "No, but if you found it interesting, read the Uglies instead." I think that you would get the same story out of it, but the Uglies is much more exciting, better written, and easier to relate to.

**Side note, although I haven't read it yet, Possession also seems to have a similar story to Matched by Ally Condie.**

I would give it 2.5 out of 5 stars because it was just an okay book for me. :)