Divergent (#1)

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-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, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her."

Final Quick Thoughts: Really Addictive writing... something I forgot to mention, that I didn't like was the Insta-Love.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

 

Summary:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year."

Plot: Personally, I felt that Mockingjay lacked the shock and awe that the previous two books did. Everything seemed predictable to me and overall frustrated me.

Characters: FINALLY Gale steps up the plate and becomes a character, but still he lacks enough depth for me to have feelings for him. I cannot even comment on Peeta. Cause really WHY?! Take the one thing I love about this series and change it. UGH.

Final Thoughts: Personally, I was really disappointed with the series. I was iffy about book one, book two made me obsessed and book three made me think it was a fluke. The book was all gore and no real context. I didn't even feel like the ending was right. It was almost like Collins gave up and just gave us all the ending we wanted, without really taking us from A to B. Yes, there were some clever moments, but overall I wasn't impressed. Too Predictable and Infuriating.

Catching Fire (Hunger Game #2)

Summary:

"Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn."

Plot: Suzanne Collins did a great job in writing a second book to The Hunger Games (which I only thought was alright). She addressed some realistic issues and delivered great plot twists. She also, did a good job at separating Part One and Two, but making a smooth connection. All while making a great transition to book three.

Characters: Honestly, I originally thought Katniss was a tad bit annoying in book one and that Peeta or Gale weren't really engaging characters. However, in Catching Fire Katniss becomes more likeable and tolerable and as you may have seen, Peeta has become a little crush of mine through book two. Haymitch grew on me majorly and Team Gale Who?! Really i don't understand.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Catching Fire, SO MUCH more than The Hunger Games. I don't know why there was just something about it that made me really like it. The writing seemed to be stronger and had a little more pep in the step. It could also be that I am not a huge dystopian fan in general, and Catching Fire wasn't outright dystopian. I am also glad, I didn't watch any trailers for the movie and basically avoided anything that could potentially ruin the book for me. Since it made me way more emotionally invested. At one point I even said outloud "See! This Is Why I HATE The Capital!"























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Mystic City

Summary:

"Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself."

While Lawrence creates an interesting new New York, with beautiful imagery. The story itself is highly predictable and reminds me of the movie Titanic, as well as Romeo and Juliet (which is mentioned in the book). It was decent read and I see a lot of potential, but overall it wasn't as mindblowing as I had hoped it would be.

Velveteen

Summary:

"The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days. 
It’ll be brutal... and awesome.
But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her."

Plot: The storyline was flat there was no proper build up for all the areas that were suppose to be twists and turns in the plot. They just read as a lot of crazy information all at once.

Characters: So So So one dimensional. I can only tell you two things about velvet see was murdered and she is bitchy that is it, i don't know much about her to be invested and it is like that will the rest of the characters don't even get me started on the mess of an insta-love attempt with nick and velvet.

Final Thoughts: The plot needed to be mapped out better. When we read the summary of this book we are under the impression that Velveteen is stuck in purgatory and seeking revenge for her murder by hunting the man who killed her. Yet that is such a small part of the plot! We are mainly in purgatory learning the worlds rules and problems. I would have preferred that the problems were switched. I would have liked more time with one saw and revenge and a little time learning about the roles in purgatory it would have been a nice Segway into book two. However, after this book being so anti-climatic I would not even bother reading book 2. The only thing I could say is maybe people who like more darker and morbid books, may enjoy this.

The Hunger Games

Summary:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love"

Plot: Well, I can see why this book is a best seller, the plot is dark,creepy and slightly surprising. I would say this plot is more on the Adult side of Young Adult, due to some of the darker elements. Overall, the plot is a great and unique, major props to Suzanne Collins, for being able to create such a wonderful story.

Characters: We really on focus on Katniss. Who is a very serious and masculine, girl. Although, she still maintains femininity. Peeta is so easy to like too, because he is genuinely a nice guy.

Pros: The whole book is just well written.

Cons: CREEPY

Final Thoughts:  I held back on reading The Hunger Games, besides it being a best seller, it just wasn't my style I don't really do well with Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian type books. And there were some moments that definitely reminded me why, I don't like them. Moments, that really creeped me out and made me thankful, that we don't live in that world. Overall, though I am glad I read the book, it isn't something I have read before, and the writing really moves you. I want to read the rest of the series, but due to how freaked out some parts made me, I won't be rushing to read them.