Allegiant – Veronica Roth

Summary:
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered-fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world pass the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature-and of herself-while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Review:
I just finished Allegiant and I’m still wiping the tears off my face. I can’t believe some of the things that happened. I really enjoyed watching these characters grow up and change as their lives changed. I really really liked Allegiant, but I’d have to say that Divergent is still my favorite. But there were so many things I liked about this book. One thing that made it a different experience was that it was told from both Tris’s and Four’s perspective. This was something I really liked because we could see more into Four’s head and know him better. Something else I made note of in the story that I liked was that even though Four and Tris are in a serious relationship, the things that go on between them are always kept appropriate for the younger readers. I thought that was nice. Allegiant was full of action and surprises and suspense. There were so many twists and turns, things I didn’t see coming. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved almost every page. I definitely think one of the twists could have been avoided and things written differently. But I’m not Veronica Roth, and she must have written it this way for a reason. Another thing I really liked about Allegiant was that it had so many good quotes. This is definitely going to be a series I read again and highlight next time.
Now, to the characters. Christina plays a bigger part in this book than she did in the two previous. I really enjoyed reading about so much of her. She’s spunky and funny and similar to a couple of my friends actually. She supports Tris so much in this book. The two had their ups and downs and worked through them. Christina becomes Tris’s go to person, after Four of course. Next is Peter. He doesn’t play a huge part in this story. But we still get to see him grow into an even more terrible person. He only does whats best for him. But at the end of the book I kind of seriously admire him. He knows that he’s an awful person, and makes the executive decision to do something about it. He gives himself a chance to start over. and I thought that was deserving of my respect.
I loved Caleb in the first book and hated him in the second. In Allegiant he tried to make things better. He put forth the effort. Not a lot of effort, but it was there. And in the end I forgave him just like Tris did. Caleb did quite a few stupid things, that he eventually came to deeply regret. Things that he was willing to give his life to make up for. At the end of Allegiant, I don’t hate Caleb, but I’m also not his biggest fan.
Four is the love of my life. But not really, because he and Tris are too perfect for each other for anyone to mess with that. In Allegiant, we get to read part of the book from Four’s perspective, which I loved because we got to know how he thinks and way more about him. He does something kind of dumb in the beginning of the book that Tris ends up forgiving him for. Four has a really hard time excepting his flaws and insecurities which is the only thing I don’t like about him. He’s way too hard on himself, mostly for things that he has no control over. Tris makes Four a better person, as well as the other way around. I love the relationship between these two so much. One thing I love is that unlike most other couples they actually talk to each other. They fix their problems. They get to the root of whats going wrong and make it better. And they survive as a couple because of this. They are just perfect for each other.
And now, we talk about Tris. Tris has gone through so much in these three books. She’s dealt with way more than any normal person could handle. She’s so strong. And I loved reading about her growing into a better person. She has a lot of people do many different tests on her. And she’s genuinely interested in learning about herself, which I think is awesome. She tries her best to understand herself as well as others. Tris really becomes the best possible version of herself, she’s very selfless. She puts herself in hard situations in place of people that really don’t deserve it. She knows exactly what she needs to change to become the person she aspires to be which is something not many people can do. “Then I thought of how strong I have become, how secure I feel with the person I am now, and how all along the way he has told me that I am brave, I am respected, I am loved and worth loving.”
I had a really hard time putting this book down once I picked it up. I bought it after dinner last night, read about a third of it before I fell asleep. Then I had to work this morning, and all I talked about all day long was how badly I just wanted to read my book. Allegiant was a thrilling, suspenseful, heartbreaking end to a very well loved trilogy. There were thing’s I never expected to happen and things that made me cry like a baby. As a whole, I really enjoyed reading Allegiant and being part of this story. Although I don’t agree with all of the writing choices made, I think it was a good end to the trilogy and I look forward to whatever else Veronica Roth writes.

Keep on reading lovelys, Amanda.

Insurgent – Veronica Roth

Summary:
One choice can transform you-or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves-and herself-while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable-and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Review:
I love Veronica Roth so much for writing these books and giving me the opportunity to read them. So far I haven’t been even a little disappointed with what I’ve read. Insurgent, the second book in the trilogy, was a fast paced read filled with excitement and I loved every page. It started pretty much right where Divergent left off, which I loved. Series that skip months at a time between books kind of get on my nerves. I like knowing everything, so don’t skip anything! I explained all about how the government works in my review of the first book, so if you don’t understand, read that review first. I’m really glad these are longer books because I just can’t get enough. Every page has something exciting or important to the story which helped keep me interested throughout the whole book. One thing I really liked about Insurgent was the descriptions Roth gave us. You can picture everything perfectly. It was just worded really well, there wasn’t an overwhelming amount of detail or too little amount. This book has a sense of urgency to it. Which made me want to read it faster and just figure out what happens! I’m usually not terribly good at guessing what’s going to happen next, but with Insurgent I figured out what the big secret was about halfway through the book. There were a few other things that I guessed right, which made me feel clever. If you read my review of Divergent, you’ll know about my unhealthy love for this set of fictional characters. That didn’t change with the second book, I actually think I love them more, so lets talk about them!
Again, I’m going to save the best for last, so I’ll start with Tris’s fellow initiates. Christina and Tris have issues for most of the book, but Christina comes around eventually and becomes Tris’s partner in crime. Uriah and Marlene become closer and spend more time with Tris in the second book. They help her and become one of her supports. I love them both. Last is Peter and Drew (Molly isn’t around). Drew’s part isn’t huge. He mostly has funny eye patches and is a bad guy that does normal bad guy things. Peter, however, is someone I still haven’t quite figured out. He ends up helping quite a bit in a few different situations. But in others he’s the bad guy again and hurts Tris and her friends. I’m curious to see where his character will go in the next book.
I mentioned Caleb, Beatrice’s brother, in my review of the first book. But I don’t have anything to say about him that wouldn’t be a huge spoiler. I just can’t even with him right now.
Next comes Four. He’s definitely grown a lot in the second book. He also definitely still has issues. But he’s not the moody mysterious hot guy anymore. All the chaos has done him well. He’s grown up that bit more that he needed. Four and Tris fight a fair bit during Insurgent. Four usually picks fights with her. Sometimes with very damn good reason, and sometimes with misguided ideas, but never to hurt her. He’s always looking out for her with everything he does. She is his main concern at all times. Although, he lets some of his trust issues come between them and things are rocky for a bit. They make it through when he comes to his senses. When they’re not fighting Four just has so much faith in Tris, he supports her completely and totally, when she’s not endangering herself. I want a love like theirs. At one point Tris thinks, “I am his, and he is mine, and it has been that way all along.” I want someone to feel like this about me.
Now, the best for last, Tris. She has grown up so much in this book. At the beginning she was getting herself into situations she couldn’t handle sometimes just for the hell of it, but mostly because she feels responsible. Tris feels that she’s very important, which she is to an extent. But some of the things she does are super unnecessary. She is determined and persistent, sometimes selfless, and always brave. Tris is an awesome main character and I can’t wait to see where she goes next.
Overall, I loved this book. In case you didn’t catch that already. I definitely liked Divergent better, although I’m hoping Allegiant is my favorite. Insurgent was filled with action and suspense, romance and friendship, and just all around craziness. I loved every page. I hope you will too.

Keep on reading lovelys, Amanda.

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. To play along, answer the following three questions and share a link to your post in the comments on her page. Enjoy!

What are you currently reading?
Technically, I’m not currently reading anything. I literally just finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth. So that would be the closest.

What did you recently finish reading?
As I mentioned above, I literally just finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth. But before tonight, I recently read The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith. Which I will have a review up for in a couple of days.

What do you think you’ll read next?
Well, unless I start another book I have on my list tonight, I’ll be buying Allegiant by Veronica Roth tomorrow so that I can finish the trilogy. I guess you’ll find out when I post my reviews.

What are your answer?

Keep on reading lovelys, Amanda.

Divergent – Veronica Roth

Summary:
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue–Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-old’s must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is–she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are–and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Review:
When I sat down to write this review I thought, hmm…how to start? This is what I came up with.
Divergent: 1) differing; deviating
2) (of a mathematical expression) having no finite limits
The definition of the title of this book is extremely relevant to every word of this book. The characters, the plot, the vocabulary. They all differ from what’s defined as normal. Sure, some parts aren’t so different, but as a whole Divergent by Veronica Roth was exactly what it’s title defined. I loved almost everything about this book. The characters were phenomenal and I love them, with that unhealthy, the don’t actually exist , I’ll pine for them forever kind of love. The story line is dystopian, the world’s already ended, and we have a new, better functioning system in place. But we all know those don’t usually last. The way this system works is a fair bit different than most of the others I’ve read. It’s a solid plan, as long as every member of each faction believes and acts how their faction is supposed to. Which, again, never lasts. There’s always that one that’s greedy and wants to change things. Divergent has chaos, romance, upheaval, and an almost happy ending. I’m just really glad there wasn’t a huge heartbreaking cliff hangar. Roth makes it obvious she wrote somethings a certain way for a reason. It’s written very well; It doesn’t jump from here to there and back again. It was pretty fast paced, with the occasional slow part. Although there wasn’t a cliff hangar, there were quite a few surprises. I’d start to guess at things, be wrong, start to accept that I was wrong, then BAM the truth comes out and I was right the whole time. Divergent was a very well written faced paced thrill ride that I hope every book is when I open to the first page, and I loved every minute of it.
Usually I start with the man character, but I don’t think I will in this case. Saving the best for last and all that. So, Caleb Prior, Beatrice’s older brother, caught me by surprise quite a few times. I originally thought he was the golden child that followed all the rules and would do exactly as expected. He didn’t. Every time I thought he’d do one thing, he’d do the opposite. We see Caleb mostly in the beginning and then the end of Divergent, and I hope we see more of him in the next book.
I’m going to mention Tris’ fellow initiatives as a whole because some of them don’t deserve their own paragraphs and some wouldn’t be able to make a whole paragraph. First there’s Christina and Will, who are some of Tris’ few friends on this adventure. They’re supportive and there for her when she needs them. They don’t exclude her and her through almost everything she goes through. Then there’s Uriah and Marlene. Uriah makes friends with Tris and introduces her to Marlene. The two aren’t a huge shoulder to lean on, but they’re familiar faces. They defend her and look out for her when they can. Last are Peter, Molly, and Drew. They’re assholes and I hate them. They pick on Tris relentlessly. They even try to kill her once or twice. They’re bullies and they don’t deserve the kindness Tris shows them.
Which brings me to Tris herself, which I lied about her being last. There’s one more after her, but I did say I was saving the best for last. Tris is your typical girl that makes crazy choices, and you’re always rooting for her. She’s bold, and brave, and seriously smart. She knows exactly how to act in every situation to tip it in her advantage. I liked being able to follow this story from her perspective. Watching how she thinks about all the choices she had to make. I think Tris was my favorite because she stands up for what she believes in and works her way to the top.
Now, saving the best for last I introduce Four. Yes, he’s actually called Four. He has another name, but I can’t mention it because you have to be as mind blown as I was. I adore Four; he’s hot, obviously, H[e’s really up and down the entire book. Four and Tris end up involved at one point and I just love them together. But he’s kind of moody. He tries to do the right thing all the time. But seems to get himself in bad situations a fair amount. I just love him so much, so you should too.
I bought the second book in the trilogy earlier today, Insurgent, and I can’t wait to start it. Divergent was such a good book. I think it could have just ended there. I mean, there would be alot that just went unanswered. I’m just so glad there’s two more books. Divergent was wonderfully written. Suspense, excitement, chaos, romance, adventure on every page. I loved every minute of it. So you should go to you local book store or library or wherever you go to get books and get this book and love it as much as I do.

Keep on reading lovelys, Amanda.