Mini-Reviews #6

The following mini-reviews are for books I read during the past couple of months. Even though I wish I had, I didn't write full reviews for these, but I hope I managed to get my feelings across in each of these mini-reviews.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth / Released: May 1, 2012
I have to admit that Tris and Tobias, especially Tris, were really frustrating me throughout the book. And I didn't feel a connection towards the other characters (I got REALLY tired of hearing about Will) or the story till the last page of chapter 30. That's when things started getting good, in my opinion. Tris was finally making sense. But then! Sadly, I felt it went back to the way it was before once Tris started acting pretty much the same way she was acting in the beginning of the book. Keeping secrets, like she's the only who can do or understand things. Plus, ALL the adults annoyed me. UGH. I guess I'll read the last book, but I'm not feeling much for it right now. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson / Releases: Oct. 1, 2011
This book was so heartbreaking and beautiful. The summary makes it seem like it would be all about Pan's relationship with a guy named Hunter, but it's more than that. It's about her desperately trying to remember her past through the memories she has of her sister Morgan. Morgan was such an amazing person, and their relationship was precious, yet gut-wrenching because of their circumstance. Hunter was also a wonderful character. Sometimes a damaged girl like Pan needs a perfect guy who is patient and understanding. This book was another example of how great Australian YA fiction is, and I would highly recommend it to contemporary fans. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols / Releases: July 10, 2012
Before I had read this book, my expectations were a bit high. Going Too Far was the only Echols novel I had read, and it happened to be one of my favorite books! Thankfully this book was good too. The story felt believable to me. I loved that it was set in South Carolina. (That's where I live!) I really liked Leah and Grayson, although Grayson did frustrate me at times. Whenever they were around each other I could feel the tension between them and could tell they had some sizzling chemistry. I don't think I felt as connected to Grayon's twin and Leah's best friend, but at least the sparks between Leah and Grayson made up for it. I think Echols fans will really enjoy this one! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 496 (ARC copy)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 3, 2011

One choice

One choice decides your friends, defines your beliefs, and determines your loyalties...forever.

Or, one choice can transform you.

In Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent, a perfect society unfolds into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals, and unexpected romance.

My Thoughts: Divergent was my most anticipated book for 2011. I had high expectations and thought it would be a definite favorite of mine, with me giving it 6 stars and forcing everyone to read it. Now that I've actually read it... Did I love it? I liked it. Did it live up to my expectations? No, not quite.

Divergent sounded like it had everything I wanted. Action, romance, and memorable characters. I really liked the romance; it was enough for me. It's great not having to worry about a love-triangle. Beatrice and Four were good characters. They stood out among the other characters in the book, and I loved that they could kick ass! The other characters, though, weren't as intriguing to me. I wanted to like them too, but by the end, I realized I didn't feel a connection with them. It's part of the reason why I don't believe the book lived up to my expectations.

As for the action, there was lots of it! I like action. With all that action and with Divergent being called a thriller, I was expecting heart-pounding, nail-biting moments that would leave me breathless and on the edge of my seat! I know some will disagree with me, but... I didn't find it to be that intense. Sure, I had no idea what would happen next, but any twist and turn that occurred didn't really shock or surprise me. If reading this book was a simulation (you'll read about simulations in the book), I would have owned! Because I felt pretty calm during most of the book. Even the death of certain characters didn't faze me. (Like I said, I didn't feel a connection with those characters, so that's probably the reason why I didn't have much of a reaction when they died.)

Maybe it's only me. Maybe I wasn't in the right state of mind when I read this book. Whatever it was, I just didn't get the intense, emotional feeling I wanted the most, out of everything else, from this book. It's the reason why I couldn't love it the way I wanted.

Overall, I enjoyed Divergent and would recommend it. This is a book I wouldn't mind reading again. It's really easy to get into. (I even want to reread it to see if I react differently.) Hopefully in the next book I find that feeling I missed because after what happened at the end of this book, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers UK for the ARC.