Love & Choices ♥ A Memorable Monday Post

Memorable Monday is a meme hosted by Escape in a Good Book. I'm excited to join in on this one because I love quotes, which was the driving force behind the creation of Memorable Mondays. I thank the ladies at Escape in a Good Book.

So... how do you participate? It's simple ~

1) Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.

2) Come back here and leave the link to your post in the comment box below. If you don't have a blog, I'd still love to hear read your quote. Leave it in the comment box instead of a link to a non-existent blog. :)

3) Visit other participants if you have time. It's always nice to have visitors. There's no overstaying your welcome this way, and they don't have to offer the obligatory drinks. Or clean.

4) If you tweet your posts, feel free to use the hashtag #MemorableMonday.

This week's choice(s):

“I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me.”  


“I belong to the people I love, and they belong to me--they, and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.” 

~Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth {A Review}

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #3
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 Stars

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 past 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 best-selling 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.
 

I really don't even know what to say at the moment. I bought this book on it's release day. Back in October. I actively avoided anything Allegiant related. I'm always nervous reading series enders... are they going to hold up? How's the author going to wrap it all up? Who will live? Die? Will I like it? So I put it off. I had heard of some angered readers, but I didn't know why, other than they weren't happy with the way Roth ended things. That made me even more nervous. And then, by complete accident one day toward the end of December, I saw one sentence... one sentence! And I knew a major plot point. I won't say what, or where it happens, but I truly was afraid it was going to ruin my book reading experience (if you've read it, I'm sure you know what that point is...). So I procrastinated even longer on reading it. It's what I do.

Then my friend read the entire series and I started getting antsy to know what she knew. I thought I would skim Divergent and Insurgent, to refresh myself, but Roth's writing and story just sucked me right in... I couldn't just skim. I read them both, in their entirety. Slowly, savoring every detail. And I enjoyed them just as much as I did the first time. So I moved onto Allegiant with high hopes. Thankfully, Veronica Roth didn't disappoint.

I was excited to get started, despite my previous apprehension. Getting back into the series by actually rereading the first two probably contributed to it. It was great to continue getting to know these characters, to feel like I was walking next to them as they learned, watched, grew, fought.

I really liked watching as Tris and Tobias grew together, apart, together, apart... like most real life relationships work. They're never easy-peasy 100% of the time. It's refreshing to see how they learn about each others faults and strengths and become better because of one another.

There was a part toward the beginning where I was a bit confused... I wasn't sure where the story would go, at all, and I was really worried it would go in a science direction that I wouldn't enjoy... thankfully, it didn't. But I think, given how much I enjoy Roth's writing, that even if it had gone all sciency, I wouldn't have minded all that much. (I'm not a science person... I don't mind some, but too much makes me breaks out in hives...)

I still haven't read much in the way of Allegiant reviews/posts/what-have-you... but I imagine there's quite a few haters, some lovers, and a lot of on-the-fencers. I'm a lover. I feel that may be a minority group to be in, but that's okay. I've been there before (with Requiem by Lauren Oliver). I think Roth took brave actions, just like her Dauntless characters. While I was an emotional mess for a while after reading, despite knowing certain things, I wouldn't have it any other way. And while I teetered between four and five stars, I finally settled on five. Overall, I enjoyed it too much.

I can't wait to read more of Veronica Roth's work, whenever she gets around to it. In the meantime...

Be Brave.

Smiles,
B

The Transfer {Review}

Title: The Transfer
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent (0.1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pub Date: Sept 2013
Source: Bought
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 stars

More Four! Fans of the Divergent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by "The Transfer," the first of four new short stories told from Four’s perspective. Each brief story explores the world of the Divergent series through the eyes of the mysterious but charismatic Tobias Eaton, revealing previously unknown facets of his personality, backstory, and relationships.



Mini-Rant, first...

Okay, I hate to admit this. Allegiant has been sitting on my shelf since like two days after the release date, back in October. I have been putting off reading it for varying reasons. I don't want it to be over, I'm nervous about how Roth will end things, I didn't have anyone to talk to about it (IRL)... but then, in December, I totally accidentally, after TWO MONTHS of successfully avoiding *anything* Allegiant related online, saw a spoiler. It was a complete fluke that I saw it (I was scrolling through a blog, and a sentence jumped out at me). Now I don't know the context of said spoiler, or who it truly referred to (although I have an educated guess to that), but it really pissed me off. So I put it off even longer. Then, my friend Danielle read the entire (and yes, the entire) series in less than a week. And I was SO SO SO jealous that she had finished it already and knows what happens. My other friend, Malissa, and I were supposed to read a book "together"... so I finished Mockingjay and Malissa wasn't *quite* ready to start. So I read The Transfer. And The Path to Allegiant. And Fracture Me. And then I read Fangirl because she still wasn't ready. After reading The Transfer and The Path to Allegiant, I really wanted to read Allegiant. But, Malissa was ready right before I finished Fangirl. So... yeah. Allegiant is next. I think I'm ready.

:)

As far as The Transfer goes, I really enjoyed seeing how Tobias became Four. Yeah, we got some backstory in the first two books, and we knew he wasn't treated well at all by his dad, and his mom left. But we didn't get that from his perspective. I loved seeing the story through his eyes. We get to know what he was thinking, feeling... and how he decided to make himself a stronger person - mentally and physically. I really look forward to reading the other stories Roth has written about Four.

What have you thought of Divergent and its counterparts? (No spoilers for Allegiant, please... yet... :) )?

Smiles,
B

Follow Friday ♥ Reluctant Reader Recommendations

Hosted by Parajunkee's View & Alison Can Read, the goal is to gain new followers and to follow new people yourself! :)

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Taken straight from the hosts)

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers.
• If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday!

This week's question/activity:

Pick a book in your favorite genre that you would recommend to a reluctant reader.

I'm supposed to have a favorite genre? Eek. ;)

There are so many great books out there that I would love to recommend. In my job as a librarian, I often have to think about books to recommend to a wide range of reading capabilities and a wide range of willingness to read. For those who struggle with either reading itself or a want to read, I try to find books that are known to be attention grabbers, books that are more action driven than character driven (since for a "non-reader" those can sometimes seem slow and they lose interest more easily), or books that feature a subject that particular person really enjoys (for example, if they love horses I would probably recommend Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races).

All that being said, in general, not knowing a specific person to recommend to, I'll do it this way:

Dystopian:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Divergent by Veronica Roth (not only great books, but if they love it or even like it enough, they will continue reading the series... it's a win-win) 

 

Contemporary:
Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins or Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert (either a sweet, light-hearted, and fun story, or a dark and gritty one... pick your poison... both are so well told and captivating).

 

Fantasy/Sci-Fi:
Splintered by AG Howard (Such an amazing world Howard has created... I, personally, can't wait to dive back in... and again, if they enjoy it, they'll continue on with the series... yay!) or Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (An awesome story in a vivid world... joins the mystical with the real-world in such a convincing way).

 

Just Creepy:
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (Have you seen that cover? If that doesn't get a reluctant reader (who's interested in creepiness) to take a gander, I don't know what will...) or Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (I loved this one. I didn't love Girl of Nightmares as much (the sequel), but this one I still think would be a great recommendation for a reluctant reader.)

   

So I didn't do a straight recommendation from my favorite genre (I still don't know what that is... lol), but these are ones I would definitely think about for a reluctant reader.

What about you? What would you suggest?

Smiles,
B

WWW Wednesday ♥

WWW Wednesdays was started by MizB over at Should Be Reading,

To play along, simply answer the following three (3) Questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

Currently Reading

I was in the mood for a re-read. :)

Recently Finished

Per usual with Sarah Dessen, I loved it. :)

What I Might Read Next

   

I still have yet to read Allegiant, but I may continue with THG first. We shall see. 

What have you been reading?

Smiles,
B

WWW Wednesday ♥

WWW Wednesdays was started by MizB over at Should Be Reading,

To play along, simply answer the following three (3) Questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

What I'm Currently Reading

 

After finishing Unhinged it took me a couple of days before I was ready to dive into another book. I decided to go contemporary this time, and Sarah Dessen is one of my favorites. :)  So far I'm really enjoying it.

What I Recently Finished

         

     

Oh. My. Goodness. I bow down to AG Howard. For real. Unhinged (number two in the Splintered series) is A-MAY-ZING. I love the world she has created. Despite all the tension, the horrible things that happen, I want to live there. I want to join Alyssa, Jeb, Morpheus... despite the consequences. ;) 

I really enjoyed the story and writing of Lola and the Boy Next Door.  

This is What Happy Looks Like is such a cute story. 

While I was intrigued by The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I found myself simply not caring what happens next in the story. 

And Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock fell flat for me, unfortunately. I know a lot of people have loved it.

What I Might Read Next

     

 

Of course it may end up not being any of these, but... I'm excited to read more about the Splintered world in The Moth in the Mirror. And it's even more appealing that it's told from Morpheus and Jeb's point of view. :)  And it shouldn't surprise anyone that I'm wanting to finish the Divergent trilogy. I've stayed away from reviews/spoilers/mentions, but a friend of mine told me there was controversy over the ending. I'm pretty nervous to start this one. Fangirl... well, I loved Eleanor & Park so I look forward to reading anything by Rainbow Rowell. 

What do you think I should read next? What have you been reading?

Smiles,

B

Top Ten Tuesday ♥ Sequels I Can't Wait to Become Acquainted With

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten Six Sequels Installments I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On ♥

Okay. So as I was making my list for this I noticed that they weren't true sequels. They are all third in a series. Apparently I haven't started any series that I'm dying for the second one. lol That being said, I only came up with six anyway. ;) I really tried to go back, even to older series, but I just couldn't come up with some. Anywho.

Links to Goodreads, if you're interested:

Allegiant

Ignite Me

Raven Cycle #3

Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Isla & The Happily Ever After

Ensnared

What about you? What sequels, or third/fourth/fifth/etc installments, are you looking forward to? 

Smiles,
B

May Be Second, but Not Second Best

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten Best Sequels Ever ♥

There are SO many series that I haven't gotten a chance to get to or continue, but based on what I *have* read, here's what I've come up with (and there's only seven). :)

• Unravel Me - Loved, loved, loved the continuance of Shatter Me. I can't wait for Ignite Me.
• The Dream Thieves - Ah! Ronan, Gansey, Adam, Blue, Noah... all together again! This was a great follow up to The Raven Boys and I loved learning more about Ronan.
• Days of Blood & Starlight - More blood than starlight, this was an amazing follow up to Daughter of Smoke & Bone.
• Insurgent - I know not everyone liked this as much as Divergent, but I loved it and am impatiently awaiting October 22 for Allegiant.
• Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver knows how to break my heart, that's for sure. Her follow up to Delirium was no exception.
• Catching Fire - The Hunger Games is probably one of my favorite trilogies of all time (thank you, Malissa, for forcing me to read it!!!!). Even though Catching Fire may not be my favorite of the three, I had to include it... because, well... I wanted to! It still has one of the best endings ever.
• Harry Potter - ALL OF THEM. The series only got better as it went on. I chose Order of the Phoenix simply because it has special meaning to me (my aunt bought it for me the day it released simply because I told her I didn't have the money for it... :) ).

What sequels have you read and loved? Oooh, or any that left you disappointed?

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books So Far This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten Books I've Read So Far in 2013 ♥

Below are some books I've loved this year. :)

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Daughter of Smoke & Bone/Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Divergent/Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Splintered by AG Howard 

What books have you loved this year?

Wishing & Waiting... ♥

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases we're excited about.

There are, as you know, books coming out left and right that we all want to read. One I am looking most forward to is... 

I am uber excited for this one. I'm curious to see how she ends the series. :)

~ Goodreads Description ~

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

 

Wishlist Wednesday is a meme hosted by Pen to Paper where you post a book that has been on your wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that you can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto your wonderful shelves.

What do I want to add to my shelf? So many choices. This time, I'll go with...

 

 I *loved* this book and yet I don't own it. I want to own it, which makes me sad. I want to live in it again, and again, and again. :)

~ Goodreads Description ~

 Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

 

What books are you wishing and waiting for? 

Smiles,

B  

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Review

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.

 

I loved this book. I wish I could spend more time with Tris and this world. I love the way Veronica Roth writes things. She doesn't just tell you something, she makes you feel it, live it. 

There seemed to be a lot of struggle going on in this story. There's the obvious struggle between the factions, trying to figure out who's on what side and who to trust. But there's also a major internal struggle warring itself inside Tris.This caused some waffling in her previous strength, but it was all understandable. She's not infallible, she's a teenage girl, despite not wanting to be seen as one. Even an adult would likely struggle if put in her situation. She's scared, she's sad, she's lost her ability to see even her own strength until it's almost too late. 

I really liked that physical pain lasted as well. I realize that might sound mean, but it made it so much more realistic. She was shot; that should affect her abilities for a while. And it does. She's human and easy to relate to.

I am anxiously waiting for Allegiance. :)

Smiles,
B

Divergent: A Review

~ Book On Goodreads ~ Author's Website ~

 

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-olds 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, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

 

I loved this story. Can I stop there? I don't want to ruin anything. Okay. Thanks. Done. 

No, really, I did really love this story. The bleak world Veronica Roth created and how she made me feel I was there, part of the Abnegation as Beatrice/Tris tries to decide what is best for her, and if that's the decision she should make. Does she do what she wants to do or does she do what she's expected to do? The factions, how it's broken up by "good" qualities and as if no one has any bad qualities or possesses the qualities of all factions. They are not mutually exclusive, these traits, and it shows in the characters. 

The characters. I loved (I really need to find another word... sheesh) and hated characters Veronica created. Their strength, vulnerability, and flaws all felt real, not contrived. I wasn't just being told about Tris' confusion, I felt it. I understood why it was hard for her to let go of some things, to embrace a new part of her life. The way Veronica portrayed some characters (I don't want to give anything away, so I'm being vague on purpose) made me hate them. And not like "S/He's an ass, she should stay away from him," but more in the way of, "I &%#$ing hate them and I hope they die," sort of way. It's a good thing these are characters in a book because I would question my sanity after that thought. :)  

Other characters surprised me in their loyalty and their place in the story. Ms. Roth holds nothing back and has no qualms about where the story takes her. I cried, I laughed, and I loved. Speaking of love, I enjoyed the romantic relationship building as it did. It wasn't insta-love to me, and it was confusing and intense, tentative and tender. It had the real characteristics of a new love brewing, not an obsession. That was nice.

Given the type of book, you obviously know where things are headed as far as a bigger picture goes. But I like the way it progressed, the unexpected twists and turns she took me down. I am anxious to read on.

I am super excited because I got to work today and Insurgent was sitting on my desk. So I get to continue the story! I am nervous because who knows what kind of cliffhanger may await me at the end, but I can't help it. I want to know more about Tris and Four and all the other characters I've come to think of as friends. So I will continue, knowing that I will have to wait until nearly the end of the year to find out what happens after this. Such is my instant gratification nature.

Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles,
B