Divergent

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Beatrice Prior has grown up in the Abnegation faction. They are selfless. The other three factions are Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent) and Dauntless (the brave). On the same day every year, every sixteen year old must choose which faction they will belong to for life. Do you choose where your family are or where you belong? An aptitude test helps you decide but Beatrice's results are inconclusive. Which faction does she choose? Or does the faction choose her?

It took a little bit of the plot to get to the point but once it does, you will be hooked. It starts off as your typical Dystopian teen novel with the exception of being set in Chicago. Beatrice doesn't feel like she's selfless enough to belong to Abnegation. When she does make her choice of which faction she wants to join, it's nothing like she's ever expected. She makes friends, gets a love interest and learns about hard work and perseverance. The action and violence is constant and you will never predict who lives and who doesn't. Because of the violence I would say that this is best for 14+ readers and Roth does a super job of describing a girl's romantic feelings and what comes after. Ladies, watch out for Four. He wont help your feelings for fictional characters. Be prepared to leave reality because this book will be all you can think about. It is mainly written for girls but one thing is for certain, faction before blood.

Northern Lights

Northern Lights

Philip Pullman

Lyra has been running around Oxford causing havoc for the scholars who are obliged to pass on their knowledge to her. One evening while hiding in the retiring room she witnesses an event that will led to the biggest adventure she could imagine. One word that will forever remain the cause of it all...Dust. Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon, won't stop until they find this dust. Even if it means death.

Philip Pullman has managed to create a world so incredibly unreal that you can't help but immerse yourself into it completely. This is a world where everyone has a daemon, an animal companion that represents the humans soul. As children, the daemons can willfully change into any animal form. From moth to wildcat, until they hit puberty when the daemon takes a permanent appearance. The bond between the two is so unbelievably intense throughout the book that you feel as if you have a daemon beside you and you know exactly what that bond feels like. This is Pullman's greatest victory in the novel. I still get chills when I think about it. 

Lyra is a fantastic character for two reasons. She likes to get up to mischief and isn't afraid of saying what's on her mind. Definitely a tomboy, she is a natural born leader but has a heart of gold. Even though she is young, this book is quite intelligent and some parts are quite hard to understand. You'll have to read it again to fully understand the text but it doesn't lack imagination. You'll be making your own views of 'Dust' before you know what it is. It has a huge religious tone but only the older readers would really understand it. There's just enough violence to keep the action going and it's definitely a dark story. Recommended for readers 13+. Towards the end of the book, be prepared to not do anything. Trust me, don't make any plans. They will not happen. Even though it's a trilogy, book hangover guaranteed. 

The Knife of Never Letting Go

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Patrick Ness

"Poo Todd, Poo." Manchee is Todd Hewitt's dog. Manchee can talk. Todd is the youngest boy in Prentisstown at 13 years old. A town only of men. That can hear each other's thoughts. Noise. The 'Noise' germ/plague killed off the women long ago. It's always noisy in Prentisstown.  When Todd turns 14 he will become a man...until he feels the silence.

There are so many good things about this book that I'm going to list them. 

1. The animals talk.
2. Ness writes Todd's speech as he would say it. With spelling mistakes and mis pronunciations.
3. The Noise of some men (the mad ones) is written in a different and bold font for you to be able to see and feel the emotion.
4. It has swear words.
5. Every chapter is full of adventure and high intensity action.
6. It's a trilogy therefore 3x of Todd Hewitt and his Noise.
7. You have no idea how it's going to end.

Exceptionally written and definitely not for the faint hearted. For readers 14+ but the content isn't anything to be concerned about so if younger readers are advanced readers (as in reading is their life) then they should be a part of this. 

If this novel was alive, it would be chaos walking.

Legend

Legend

Marie Lu

This is a dystopian Los Angeles and a plague has broken out. Day is a 15 year old and he is from the Republic's slums. June is a 15 year old and she is from the Republic's wealthiest district. Day is the Republic's most wanted criminal. June is the Republic's prodigy. Both meet under false pretences but a mutual attraction happens. Is June's beloved Republic all that they seem or is Day just another delinquent? Both are fighting for something but  one of them must decide who to believe. 

This is a fast paced page turner written from both character's perspectives. Starts off with Day who you learn is the epitome of rebellion. Bad boy doing right with family values is sure to make the girls swoon. June is the kick ass no nonsense girl with intelligence to beware of. The story gets straight to the point and doesn't drag. It's a great read for the feminist within or the guy who wants action and the girl, in other words, every person ever. If you liked The Hunger Games, you will definitely love this. Once finished, you will be wanting more and you will get it with the second in the trilogy.