Showing posts with label Veronica Roth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veronica Roth. Show all posts

Saturday, 2 November 2013

Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)ALLEGIANT

Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Pages: 526
Publisher/Source: Harper Collins Australia
Release date: 22nd October 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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 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.

Review: Not rated.

Contains possible spoilers

Ok, I admit upfront my opinion about the events which took place may change once I let it all sink in but at this moment all I feel for this series is sadness so this review may be incoherent and all over the place. Allegiant is one of my most anticipated reads of 2013, I was literally counting down the days and to say I am disappointed by the conclusion of the Divergent trilogy would be an understatement.

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone as it was spoiled for me so I will keep this review relatively brief. Insurgent left us with a big ahhhh moment and the possibility of people residing past the city boundaries; we also saw betrayal and hope and what I thought would turn into a journey of self-discovery for Tris and progress for the factions to merge but the whole plotline seemed to veer off course as we find out the secrets that have been kept by the government to their guinea pigs - the factions; it certainly wasn’t what I had expected.

We also get both Tris and Four’s POV and out of all honesty, as much as I was excited for this it didn’t work but I understand why it had to be done, Ms. Roth had a reason for this – Four to me has always been a bit of a mystery, broody yet protective but in this instalment and reading from his perspective he came across as weak, vulnerable and lacklustre; the romance also wasn’t as amazing and swoony as what is has been.

There is a lot of new conflicts with little resolution, over the top oh no moments, and death and destruction; you can’t fault the author for writing a brutal, non-typical conclusion but do it without sacrificing what has already worked and without an ending that I feel didn’t, the MC was self-sacrificing but it sort of defeated what she had achieved and worked for up until that point, it failed to serve a purpose.

Allegiant left me feeling as I did at the end of Mockingjay (The Hunger Games 3) & The Sookie Stackhouse series, deflated and emotionally drained. I have adored this series up until now, it is one of my all time favourites but this was one big let-down and I am saddened by the direction Veronica Roth took the story and I won’t even mention the shattering ending which I am still shaking my head about, I have been anticipating the upcoming movie but I will now not be watching it knowing how it will all end (I sound stubborn but it is still fresh).

Veronica Roth’s writing is flawless but I felt the plot and world-building faltered once the characters left the city limits, it was all downhill for me from there despite my excitement, it was extremely inconsistent and I felt like it didn’t belong to the first two amazing books, the characters also didn’t progress which I feel was needed.

Overall, I’m sure some people are going to adore Veronica Roth’s bravery but for me it was inadequate after the awesome build-up we have had to get to this point. One thing this book did convey was a lot of emotion, from me – loss, heartache, betrayal.

Thank-you kindly to Harper Collins Australia for the opportunity to read and review Allegiant.

Veronica RothAbout the author

Veronica Roth is from a Chicago suburb. She studied creative writing at Northwestern University, and wrote DIVERGENT (Katherine Tegen Books, May 2011) and INSURGENT (May 2012). The third and final book in The Divergent Trilogy, ALLEGIANT, will come out on October 22, 2013. In the meantime she will spend endless hours browsing Wikipedia in her pajamas as she eats corn flakes. (Or some other kind of bland breakfast cereal.

Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Waiting on Wednesday - Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

 
Hi everyone, thank-you so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW for this week is Allegiant by Veronica Roth, the Divergent series is one of my favourites so I’m definitely eager to see how it is all going to end.

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Pages: 384
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens
Release date: 22nd October 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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 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.

What are you anxiously waiting on this week?

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Waiting on Wednesday - Allegiant by Veronica Roth & Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

 
Hi everyone, thank-you so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My WoW for this week is Allegiant by Veronica Roth, I absolutely love these characters and the dystopian world created so I’m eager to see how it all ends.

Also, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas – I adored Throne of Glass so this is high on my wishlist.

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Pages: 496
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: 22nd October 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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.

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)
 Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass
Pages: 432
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: 27th August 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.


After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

What are you eagerly awaiting this week?

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Waiting on Wednesday - Allegiant by Veronica Roth #WoW

 
Hi everyone, thank-you so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this weeks WoW is Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I’m a huge fan of this series and after the ending we are left with in Insurgent, I’m more than eager to find out what is going on.

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)

Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: 22nd October 2013

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

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.

What is your WoW this week?

Friday, 18 May 2012

REVIEW: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent, #2) 
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent
Pages: 525
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopian
Publisher: HarperTeen
Amazon: Insurgent

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Insurgent, book 2 in the Divergent series is another of my most anticipated reads for this year and it held me captivated from the very first page.

I honestly don’t know where to start! Divergent for me was all sorts of amazing; it was everything I love in a dystopian novel and although I really enjoyed Insurgent, the more morose feel seemed to bring it down a level for me.

Insurgent takes us through the aftermath of Divergent, lives have been lost, loyalties have been divided and the factions are more or less at war. Tris Prior has a lot of guilt on her shoulders, she is suffering terribly with what she has been through and what she has lost; her strength and determination were still present but along with it came the negativity and her grief, she was dealing with a lot of emotion and it certainly came out through her sometimes reckless and selfish actions.

Four/Tobias makes a few revelations of his own, I absolutely adore him as a character; he is strong, protective and determined and I enjoy the way he holds Tris together when she needs it most. Although their relationship had a few ups and downs, I still thought they complimented each other well.

There is a lot of faction politics in this book and we get to learn a lot more about the Dauntless, Abnegation, Amity, Candor and the Erudite; but to add to the mix, we also get to know more about the factionless and I was taken completely by surprised by who their leader was.

I wish at the beginning of this book there was more mention of the events which had taken place in Divergent; having read this book so long ago I should have given myself a refresher but at times I felt a little lost with what was going on.

Each of the secondary characters are fleshed out well and play an important role in this book, I was shocked and surprised by a few and disappointed in others but all in all each were enjoyable and suited their own factions perfectly.

For the most part, the pacing flowed well; the action was ongoing and there was always some drama or another to keep me entertained and engrossed. I thoroughly enjoy Ms Roth’s powerful writing; she hooks me in from the start and doesn’t let up. The world building is truly amazing!

I was on edge throughout most of this book with the betrayals, danger, conspiracies, deceit and conflict but within it all a sweet yet at times complicated romance which made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I am so shocked by the cliffhanger ending so I am eager to get hold of the next installment which is due to be released in 2013 (ARGH).

Monday, 20 June 2011

REVIEW: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 487
Genre: Dystopian - YA
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Synopsis. (Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, 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 to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating 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 a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

REVIEW: 5 out of 5 stars

Divergent is the first book in this wonderful new trilogy set in dystopian Chicago.
There are 5 factions within society, Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).

Beatrice Prior is part of the Abnegation faction and along with her brother, Caleb is about to sit for an aptitude test which will then allow them to select which faction they wish to be a part of; a requirement of all 16 year olds on a certain day each year. Never believing she was truly selfless she decides to devote herself to Dauntless, a seemingly better fit for her.

The results of her aptitude test also show she is a ‘Divergent’ but is told she must keep this information to herself unless she wants to end up dead, she has no idea what being a Divergent means and this knowledge is quite scary, especially since there is no one she can talk to about it.

Tris as she is known to the ‘Dauntless’ seemed fearless, she missed her family but tried to show she could fit in even under extreme pressure and brutality; she had to endure some pretty nasty initiations but kept on going in order to succeed, she was helped along with the support of a few new friends as well as Four, she grew throughout the book both mentally and physically, I loved her as a character.

I adored Four! He was strong and honest when he had to be but was also compassionate and caring at other times, he trusted Tris and gave her bits of advice to go forward and information about himself he hadn’t shared with others which helped her in ways she never expected. They have a sweet, young romance and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

I loved the world building, the writing, the well defined absorbing characters, the complex factions and the rules and regulations they each abided by – it was truly fascinating and certainly unique.

There was never a dull moment, I was captivated by this book; it’s definitely a wonderful start to this amazing new trilogy and I am looking forward to seeing how the growing conflicts between the factions are resolved.

Kudos to Ms Roth on a thoroughly enjoyable read. I can honestly say that Dystopian is fast becoming one of my favorite genres! I absolutely LOVED Divergent.

The only gripe I have is I have to wait until 2012 to read book 2, Insurgent!