The Selection Series

Hello everyone! Having a good week?

Today, I'll be reviewing a series, discussing the pros and cons of the series. And this series is the deservedly popular (not trilogy, as I originally thought), The Selection by Kierra Cass. I apology for the length of this post.

About the Series: So far, The Selection has consisted of three books, The Selection, The Elite, and The One. I'm going to leave the cover blurb.
 For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


Throughout the series, America's affections grow, but she still can't bear to leave her first love, Aspen. The growing rebellion plays in this series as well, so it's not all about the love triangle.

Pros: Yes, this series revolves around a love triangle on the surface, but truthfully, it's much more than that. Kierra creates a intriguing new USA. It was a interesting concept: An Ester sent to a palace when she's in love with somebody else. America can be difficult, but overall, she turned out to be a great protagonist. She wasn't shy, but she wasn't a loose cannon either. I especially liked her relationship with her dad. It's funny how so many famous series keep parents as a side note, not important. But I loved it when she said that she wanted to make sure her father approved of whoever she married. Not something you see in many romances.

Most Disney movies portray princes to be lame. Either they don't explore their character at all or they make them sound overrated. The best Disney males in princess movies don't even start off as princes. (Kristoff and Eugene) As a result, I wasn't expecting to think much of Maxon, but I ended up loving him. There were some things I did make me hate him... for a little while. Of course, he wasn't a Peeta, but I loved how he loved America, despite how difficult she could be. He stood up for truth too and respected a girl's boundaries.

Cons: Though the love triangle wasn't horrible, America could be frustrating. It was mostly in The Elite, my least favorite book in the series. She would have a moment with Maxon and then have another with Aspen a few minutes later. She was on and off in a sick game. This happened in The Elite the most and a little bit in The Selection. It made me want to pull my hair out. Who do you really want, America? I felt bad for both boys.

Another thing is the content. There are definitely worse content-wise books out there, but this book did have a significant amount of kissing/making out. Honestly, I knew it was going to happen so I just skipped those paragraphs. They don't benefit to the story, if anything raise tension. They don't go all the way, but America does lie in bed for a night with someone. (I skipped that part entirely) It's completely wrong, but I will note that it is right after she find out they're getting engaged. (in The One) Only a couple of pages long, by the way

Another kissing scene involves Maxon kissing someone else. (The Elite) America says the girl is in a bra and if I remember correctly, he was shirtless. He gets punished by America, who hates him for a time afterwards and the scene is portrayed as horrible as it was. (Once again, I skipped it, though scanned a few words and read the aftermath.) In the end, he regrets it. He does give a reason for doing it that made me reconsider my first thought. (that he was a complete slime ball) It was still wrong though and was his lowest moment.

There are few mild cuss words through the three books, mostly h words and d words, and one b word. A little bit of violence here and there, as well, but nothing graphic or unnecessary. Something did happen in Maxon's past that strangely a lot like something in Divergent. I won't go into detail about that though. No spoilers.

A few characters did die and the effects of it wasn't realistic. It was like, "Okay, this person died. I wished (s)he was here. Moving on."

Conclusion: Turns out, I have a formed a new opinion of this series by summing all the "cons" up. And as good as everything was, the sexual content did go overboard and is the reason why I will not be buying the books. I was aware that most of the bad things would happen. You can see it coming and it isn't significant to the plot. I didn't hesitate to skip. So, if you do read this series, I would encourage to skip.

Through everything, I do think that the good outweighed the bad, making this book worth reading. America's relationship with her father made her instantly related to me. For the most part, America was very strong and wasn't trashy. She wasn't afraid to tell Maxon how she felt, (expect for one thing). She wouldn't let someone use her. In the end, she forgave someone who constantly hurt him through the first two books. I admired her a lot for that.

My favorite quote of this book was from Maxon when he said, "Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway." (I didn't even have to look at the book. I have it memorized.) That quote sums up the message Mrs. Cass was trying to send throughout the whole series. With America's relationship with her father. With her love for Maxon and Aspen. With everything.

Unconditional love. Loving someone, despite their status, their riches, their past, their mistakes. Unconditional love means to love someone despite... everything. If they drive you crazy or hurt you. It's needing someone and at times, wishing you didn't. It's true love. Because sometimes we forget that true love is unconditional love. Sometimes, even when people are unfaithful, love can still go on. That's another thing I don't see often.

And The Selection portrayed that beautifully. I will pick up The Heir when it comes out. In the end, America does commit to someone. I'll leave you to decide if you want to find out who. BUT, I will repeat, please skip the sexual scenes. If I wouldn't have thought of skipping them, I wouldn't have read these books.

Captives Book Review

Well, I finally got around to doing this! Yay!

Author: Jill Williamson, who has a great writing blog here.

Captives is the first book in the Safe Lands Trilogy. She also just released the final book in the trilogy, Rebels.

Back cover: In a dystopian future, eighteen-year-old Levi returns from Denver City with his latest scavenged treasures and finds his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many–including his fiancée, Jem–taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.

Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams.

Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands’ walls. Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands’ façade before it’s too late?

What I liked: As I might have stated before this, Jill Williamson is an amazing author. This is my third book I've read from her and it was just great. I read on the way up to Savannah last month. I wanted to save it, but it was just too exciting. It captured my attention and didn't let go until the end. The plot was unique.

The romance was well done. It wasn't in your face and mushy. Instead, it was sweet and believable, even though I didn't see the couple before they were engaged. More than that, it showed the consequences and the pain that can come out of a relationship with no commitment. It opened my eyes to see the problems of rejecting traditional family.

Even though this book was narrated by three boys (and a girl), I still loved it. The POV characters were at particular age levels. I liked all of them. Each was different. Like all her other books, God was played a big part in this story as well.

What I didn't like: Some of the advanced technology was hard to understand. Most of the time, Omar was an idiot. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but when he finally did come around, it was a last option thing. I wasn't sure if he wanted to help or if he just wanted revenge. There were some details about taking drugs (an advanced, future world way to take drugs. I'm unsure if it was real) that I thought didn't have to be mentioned.

Content: Instead of showing the actual sinful scene, Ms. Williamson showed what happened afterwards. A girl asks Mason to spend the night with her after he spent the evening at her house. (They're friends at this point) He firmly refuses. On the other hand, Omar, who is much more immature, apparently does spend the night with his girlfriend. The actual scene is not showed, but the aftermath is. I didn't know this until it was mentioned in Outcasts, the second book. I missed it. There quite a few kisses with married and unmarried couples. All of this is showed as sin and the consequences are made clear.

People are shot. Omar beats up someone. (not shown, just mentioned) There are a few other violent scenes, nothing graphic. Omar does drugs and drinks. Other characters do as well, but he does it mostly. Women are described to be dancing in immodest outfits since they go to a "dancing club" some of the time.

Conclusion: I loved this book. It was spiritual and down to earth. The sin was showed as evil so much that it didn't bother me as another normal book would have. Realistically, it described a world that has rejected Jesus and the traditional family. I love the characters and the plot. This is a great book,  but I would definitely discuss the content with my parents first. I'm almost finished with Outcasts and love it too.

Books and More Books (plus a review)

Hello, bloggers! This is going to be a little bit of a long post. So... just warning you.

This month, school starts. Truthfully, it is bittersweet. Bitter because school is a drag. Sweet because I am a high school freshman and get to take a British Literature class! Yes, I might sound like a nerd, but I love to read. Anything, really. I hope you know that I love Jane Austen and I am going to reread Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite classics.

But, one of the main cons of going back to school is... less book freedom. Since I'm doing school, I'm going to mostly be reading classics. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but there's so many books I want to read. So I'm going to cram. Right now, I am reading The Selection by Kiera Cass. So far, I really like it. The great part about it is, the dystopian world is actually NOT that hard to understand! Wow!

Okay, this is a little overdue, but I wanted to review By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson, the first book in the Blood of Kings Trilogy... and her debut novel.  I admit, I'm not that into fantasy. There's a lot of made up words and for a little brain like mine, that's hard. But I especially wanted to read a Jill Williamson book because of her amazing blog, Go Teen Writers. So onto the review!

Genre: YA Christian Fantasy

Back Cover: Amazon Version. (Short version, the actual one was too long to put on this post)
Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan's owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince--more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan's head cause him to fear he's going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison--only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible

What I liked: Jill Williamson didn't disappoint. I loved her writing style and her characters. She put in the perspective of a girl and a boy, making it appealing to both genders. The story world was very interesting. It wasn't that hard to understand. At first, the whole "bloodvoicing" thing seemed a little weird to me, but in the end, I loved it. It was original and intriguing.

Achan had his rough spots, but I ended up liking him. Vrell was great too. They especially made good chemistry together. I'm not going give anything away but... wow. The climax was amazing! Unpredictable and incredibly awesome. It made the story. I also liked the Christian aspect too. It wasn't "in your face" kind of thing. At the same time, God wasn't treated like a last option. The author wasn't afraid to talk about Him, unlike other Christian books I've read.

What I didn't like: Like I said before, this story was in two perspectives. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Most of the time, one character would be in this exciting scene and then the chapter would end. As a result, the perspective changed. I wanted to know what happened so I wasn't that interested in the other character. It was a little frustrating.

Also, Achan found himself having feelings for two girls. It was a little understood, but I didn't like it. It didn't make sense.

Conclusion: I've never liked fantasy that much, but I loved this book. It was humorous, exciting, and meaningful. I persistently recommend it to anyone, especially people who enjoy fantasy. You will not be disappointed. Jill Williamson is an outstanding author. I'll definitely read more of her books.
 I'm now reading the sequel. It's really long, but so far so great. So... read this book.

MATCHED (Book Review)

 

This morning, I finished Matched by Ally Condie. I thought I would post a review of it.

Title: Matched, the first book in the Matched trilogy.
Author: Ally Condie
Genre: YA Fiction, Dystopia, Romance

Back Cover: In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices, but she begins to question just how perfect her world really is when she notices things are not what they seem. As Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility, she is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

What I liked: Unlike other popular Dystopia novels, Matched wasn't action and adventure. It was mostly quiet, but interesting. I loved Cassia's character change. At first, she was a pushover, never questioning anything. But then she changed. I loved the idea of the forbidden poems and cursive writing. It made Cassia and Ky's love story even more intriguing.

Cassia's parents love each other unconditionally, promoting and showing the beauty of traditional marriage. For a romance novel, it was clean. Cassia had a great relationship with her parents and younger brother. I loved the connection between Cassia and Ky. Ky was very thoughtful and sensitive. Even though they didn't know each other well at first, their love was believable.

What I didn't like: Cassia claimed she loved Xander, but I didn't see it. She was falling so hard for Ky. To make it worse, she hardly thought of Xander when she was loving Ky. Technically, Cassia was "cheating" on Xander with Ky. (though was never really chose him) She mentions that her and her friends played love games, despite the fact that they knew they were just games since they didn't have a choice on marriage. She said it involved kissing.

The dialogue was extremely telling, instead of showing. Some of the things were hard to understand. Cassia kept things from her parents.

Content: Cassia kissed Xander a couple of times... and Ky once or twice. In a video they watch, a man gets shoot. Blood is mentioned.

Conclusion: I've wanted this book for awhile now and didn't get around to until now. It showed me how you could write a romance without getting too sexual. Besides that, it was very clean. More than that, it showed how two people don't have to be like each other to have a successful marriage. I read that the second book is a little more on the sexual side. I'll have to think about reading that one, but I recommend this book!

The Book Thief (SO GOOD)

I just got back from my aunt's house. It was great to see most of my father's side of the family since I don't do that very often. There I watched The Lego Movie for the first time. As a result, I am suffering from a serious case of EIA. I have the theme song, "Everything is Awesome" in my head. This time it's worse because I only know the first two lines in the chorus. Ever since yesterday night, I've been singing,  "Everything is awesome. Everything is cool when you're part of a team..." BUT... I still found the strength to write this book review.

Over the week of Super Summer, I finished an amazing book called The Book Thief. I had been wanting to read the book for some time, but I never got the chance. I ended up watching the movie, which was heartbreaking. The book turned out to be much more than I ever imagined it would be,

Plot: It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids - as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. (Taken from Goodreads)

What I LOVED: There was so much to adore about this book. The characters. Every character was special in their own way. I can't even decide which was my favorite. They all spoke to me because they all had unique voices and different outlooks on life. It was so deep and amazing.

I saw the Germans, living while they were being practically controlled by their cruel leader. In the midst of all that killing and hatred, there were good people, people brave enough to do what was right. The book was narrated by Death. That might sound weird, but it was surprisingly interesting. I loved how Lisel's longing to read, to learn. Not only did I relate to her, but I saw how I take books and words for granted. I have tons of books, but in that time, books were hard to find.

It recognized the power of words. I didn't really understand why they were highlighting the whole stealing thing, but then I read this conversation between Rudy and Lisel about how Lisel steals books from the mayor. Both characters had many family members taken from them in some way by the government. "It feels good, doesn't it?" Rudy said. "To steal something back." Before that, I thought they were just stealing for the fun of it. It doesn't justify it, but it made me see it in a different light.

None of the book is light. Most of it is heavy, but it didn't beat around the bush. It showed the cruelty without blinking. It was to the point.

What I didn't like: Hmm... there wasn't really anything, expect for the profanity. There was a lot of cuss words. At first, it bugged me, but then my dad told me that it was a stressful time for them. So it made sense. Also, they take God's name in vain... in various ways.

Content: The book wasn't full of violence, but a significant amount. It describes fights and the Germans treated the Jews. (That was intense) Plus, one chapter talks about boys being naked and it's mentioned a few times. As I mentioned above, there were a lot of cuss words. Just about every one you think of, excluding the f word and the five letter b word. (C word too)

Conclusion: Okay, this book was amazing. The Book Thief ripped my heart out and stomped on it.. There were many heartbreaking scenes, but it made me think. If you read it, brace yourself. I highly encourage you to. Just keep in mind that it is very heavy.

The Mark of Athena (review)

I must admit, I wasn't too excited to read The Mark of Athena after finding out something about The House of Hades (the next book), but it surprised me.

Title: The Mark of Athena, book 3 in the Heroes of Olympus series.

Author: Rich Riordan

Genre: YA Fiction, Action, Roman/Greek mythology

Plot: Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare.... (taken from Goodreads)

What I liked:
Getting to see the seven demigods together was an interesting experience. They didn't click perfectly. At times, they fought over stupid things. In the end, though, they learned to trust each other, despite their many differences. I loved how the author made each one of their powers unique and special. Working their powers together made it more effective.

Annabeth and Percy were great. This was the first time I saw them together as a couple. Okay, they weren't perfect and they got too touchy. Unlike the other couples in the book though, I knew without a doubt that were in love and would do anything for each other. Even though they weren't alike, I saw how that made them an even better match. Nothing was forceful either. It all came naturally. Percy talked about wanting to get married and start a family with her, a manly thing to do. He never forced anything with her or tried to speed things up. Still, he wanted her. Their love wasn't influenced by getting physical.

The ending was frustrating, but it was very sweet. Everyone sacerficed themselves for each other. Annabeth's perspective was featured in this story, which was awesome.

What could've been better:
Other than Percy and Annabeth, the romances got in the way of things. The small bit of the love triangle annoyed me because a few characters weren't focusing on the main, more important problem. Instead, some of the conflict wouldn't have happened if they stopped worrying about whether their crush liked them or the other guy. It was like, "Wrong time, people!"

Piper and Jason were... okay. I didn't buy Hazel and Frank. Of course, I liked who they were as individual people, but not so much as couples because it just didn't seem like they were in love. The thing was, Leo had feelings with Hazel, who was dating Frank. Frank was obviously jealous of him, but we never got to see Hazel's side of the story since she wasn't one of the four perspectives.

This problem wasn't as bad as it was in other books in the series, but the perspectives weren't unique. Most of them sounded the same. I could tell when Leo was talking but the rest of them didn't have enough originality. I remember Jason sounding a lot like Percy in The Lost Hero. This book was narrated by four very different people. So it wasn't that bad, but it sounded the same at times.

Annabeth and Percy did accidently fall asleep together. They were talking in the middle of the night and fell asleep cuddling, not laying down. That was unnessscary, but they somewhat got punished afterwards. It didn't have to be included.

Content: Quite a few kisses and violence. Plus, the thing I mentioned in the paragraph above.

Conclusion: I liked the Mark of Athena a lot more than I though I would. It was exciting, never boring, and had good messages about teamwork and frienship. The sexual content got out of hand, but that was as bad as things got. Still, I don't see how this is better than the Percy Jackson series, which was cleaner. 

I have to talk to my dad about reading The House of Hades, but hopefully, I will read it. Though the series does not live up to the awesomeness of the series before it, I have to say it's a great series.

The Lost Hero Book Review

Title: The Lost Hero, book one in the Heroes of Olympus series. (Continued from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)
Author: Rick Riodarn
Genre: Junior High/Young Adult fiction. Action. Roman and Greek mythology

Plot: Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. (Taken from Goodreads)


What I liked: After extremely enjoying the Percy Jackson series, I was excited to read a contiuan. This book included many new characters, but also old ones. (Annabeth!) It also explored the traits of gods and goddesses that the previous series did not. (Aphrodite, Hephaestus) The humor was not lost and the excitement did not fade. Leo and Coach Hedge were hilarious. Jason, Piper, and Leo, though had one quest, had personal issues and goals of their own. Unlike in the Percy Jackson series, the gods were more involved with their children. I really missed Percy, but hopefully he'll show up in the next book!

What could've been better: Okay, it was never boring, but I would have to say that it was a little too long. There were so many things I wanted to know and it took forever for me to get there. Three perceptive made it a little more confusing.  The many, many little conflicts during their quest made me wonder if I would ever get to the end.

Content: A lot of violence while fighting monsters and giants, but nothing graphic or unnecessary. Piper and Jason kiss once and lean on each other while sleeping on a flying dragon. Not one god marries a mortal. So you figure how the demigods were born.

Conclusion: I've heard a lot of good things about this book and I definitely wasn't disappointed. I loved how the old characters made reappearances. It wouldn't have been as good without them. A little long, but nothing disinterested me. So far, I like the Percy Jackson series better, but I can't wait to read the Son of Neptune!

Purple Moon Book Review

Title: Purple Moon
Author: Tessa Emily Hall
Genre: Young Adult Christian Fiction

Plot: Selena's life isn't turning out to be as good as she hoped. Ever since her dad kicked her and her mom out, things haven't been exactly perfect. When her mother goes to rehab for a alcohol addiction, she has to live with her spoiled cousin.

Surprisingly, things aren't very bad. She befriends her neighbor and her cousin reluctantly invites her to parties. Back home in Brooklyn, her best friend has a dilemma and things with her cousin start to get complicated. Through it all, she is burdened with scars and addictions that only God can heal.

What I liked: I was unsure about this book at first, but when I finished, I couldn't believe what a good book it was. The story of Selena was an amazing reminder of how God makes brokenness beautiful. Some Christian books leave me with mixed feelings on the consequences of giving yourself physically and emotionally to a boy. Tessa managed to do this without going explicit. Though I am not an artist, I liked how the author used Selena's artistic talent to add to the story. I really saw the character change after she really became a Christian. Even though her mother hurt her, Selena got along with her well. Unlike other 'Christian' books, I saw the spiritually clearly. Neither was it preachy. It actually deserved to be called Christian fiction.

What could've been better: I felt like some of the bad things she did could've been left out. There was one word that could've been left out too. Without her mother's knowledge, she goes back to her home for a weekend.

Content: Selena drinks and smokes, though it is clear she is not happy with herself because of it. She also kisses and 'makes out' with her 'boyfriend'. A few characters get a little drunk. One teen is pregnant. She tells the story of why she is scarred and it involves something very bad. (I'm not going to say it, but nothing was explicit)  Of course, this all happened before she was a Christian. So in the end, it is shown as sin. Also, the consequences of these things are made clear. A car wreck is described.

Conclusion: Tessa Emily Hall published this when she was nineteen years old. She's always been an inspiration to me. Besides that, I loved the story. The salvation story wasn't cliché or cheesy. Though I didn't see much of Selena after she was a Christian, I could tell the Holy Spirit worked in her. . I think this book is great for any teen or adult, whether you're a Christian or not. However,  young teens need to be careful because the of the content.

Because of the content, I highly recommend you talk with your parents before reading and then talked to them about what you read. Other than the things I mentioned, this is an amazing book. To find more about Tessa, read her blog. (It's one of my favorite blogs!)

DIVERGENT book review

I've been especially excited to review this book, since I've been dying to read it for some time now. So here it goes:

Book: Divergent, the first book of three in the Divergent Series
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre Sci-fi, Action, Dystopia fiction, Teen Fiction

Plot: Beatrice's world is formed by five factions, groups of people who specialize in a certain virtue. Her faction, Abnegation is the selfless, while Candor is the honest, Dauntless is the brave, Amity is the peaceful, and Erudite is the intelligent. All teens are made to choose the faction they will live in when they turn sixteen. Surprisingly everyone, she chooses Dauntless and her life completely changes. While training, she must deal with many discouragements. Everyone sees her as weak and she has a lot to learn about her new faction and ultimately, her identity.

What I liked: Beatrice, who renames herself 'Tris', is an inspiring character who could relate to anyone. I loved how she handled the bullying and the new lifestyle without feeling insecure about herself. She was very brave and had a confident side to her that was very influential. Apart from that, she struggled with being selfless and her own sins so she was a relatable character.

Roth is a professing Christian and I could definitely see some Biblical influence throughout the story. To start out, the factions themselves were Christian values, but she showed that they can be used for evil if they don't have the right motives. Two characters, who are shown to be a Christians, sacrifice themselves for Tris without fear.  Despite getting revenge on her enemies many times, once she remembers God, she is thankful that she didn't murder someone who tried to kill her friend. The story itself was interesting and had been stuck in it. Even though the book wasn't full of tones of plot twists and surprises, it kept my interest the entire time.

What could've been better:
Often Tris would think of something her dad told her that was right, but she wouldn't take up his advice, leaving me unsure what to think about it. Tris got revenge by hurting people aand again, I wasn't sure what to think of it. In the Dauntless training, the boys and gives fight each other one-on-one. I wasn't a big fan of that. I mean, I know I'm a Hunger Game fan, but they had to do it to defend someone. I got the impression though that was wrong, but I didn't get a clear enough message about it. Making it worse, it was co-ed.

Tris and her boyfriend, Tobias got touchy at times. They kiss multiple times and touch. They never have sex, but it got so frequent to the point where at times I felt like their relationship's main motive was physical. I mean, it was sweet how they protected and helped each other, but I got sick of the kissing scenes. Tris has a 'dream' where he tries to pursue her to have sex with him. Though she is tempted, she refuses. They talk about the dream later and it is revealed that they are both virgins. Tobias definitely isn't pursuing her for her body. That isn't bad, but  Tobias suggest that  they may have it someday if she wants. It is mentioned that they lay in his bed for two hours. kiss, talk, and eventually doze as she says. (Thankfully, it is only a small paragraph, but that doesn't excuse anything)

Content: Violence is definitely a issue. A boy beats Tris. Similar things happen, but not in graphic detail. While changing her clothes, she is joined by three bullies, two boys and a girl. She barely has time to cover herself by using a towel. One of them pulls it off, letting them see her uncovered backside. Tris later gets revenge by beating the girl up in training. He doesn't do anything bad, but a character is shown drunk for a scene.

Six or seven uses of the h word, but that is far as the profanity goes. A boy makes a joke about her breast. Tris rejects the joke clearly.

Conclusion:
I've heard a lot of good things about this book from Christian reviewers so I was excited to read it. It definitely stood out from a typical teen sci-fi series. The Christian influence was clear, but because of Roth's professing Christianity, I expected it to be cleaner than it was. The violence didn't bug me as nearly as much as the sexual stuff did.

Apart from that, I was inspired by this book. Tris was a brave character who can relate and influence anyone. I especially liked what she did at the end. The love of a traditional family is promoted, not discredited. (Though the values of commitment and purity remain unclear) Even though Tris chose Dauntless, selflessness still remains a part of her. I was unsure about Tobias at first, but I learned to like him and when they weren't being sexual, I adored their relationship. One of my favorite quotes from the book was from Tobias when he said that bravery and selflessness should be the same thing.

So while this book was very interesting and thrilling, I can't recommend it to anyone. Maybe the physical part wasn't a big part of the story, but it was enough. I wish I could because, like I said before, I've been really excited to read this book for a  long time. I liked it too, but when it got near the end, I started doubting. Since I've seen the movie trailer, I expected the kissing, but I didn't expect them to talk about sex. Not only did they lay in bed together, but they also hinted towards going farther next time. So while this book was great in some areas, it horribly surprised me in others.

Book Review: MOCKING JAY

Title: Mocking Jay, the third book in The Hunger Games series

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, sci-fi, action and adventure

Author: Suzanne Collins

Plot: In the final chapter of the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen is at her lowest low. Her home, District 12 has been completely destroyed by the Capital, resulting in many lost lives. Though her family and her best friend made it out alive, she is devastated. On top of blaming herself for its destruction, her friend and fellow tribute, Peeta, has been captured by her enemy, President Snow. After being rescued by a group of rebels, who have made their fortress in District 13, they want her to be the Mocking Jay. It is the symbol of rebellion that shall unite the Districts against the capital.

When she accepts the offer, she goes to difficult districts to make peace and help the wounded. She is caught off guard when she finds out that President Snow is hurting Peeta because of her. They rescue him, but it doesn't make things any better. Peeta has been 'hijacked' which means that they took memories of Katniss and made them scary. He used to love her more than anything, but now he wants to kill her. She must balance her life as the Mocking Jay and decide what she must do with Peeta.

What I liked:
The emotion of this book was... amazing. In my heart, I was crying along with Katniss through her struggles. Though the plot twists made me sad, they kept me turning pages. The author has a way of making the unlikable characters likable. Also, it showed the ups and downs of love. Instead of completely bringing it down, it showed a couple getting married.  At first, Katniss hates Peeta, but in the end, her anger softens and she learns to love him, even when he hurt her. Multiples times the characters sacrifice themselves for each other. Gale, Katniss' best friend, volunteers to go with the people who save Peeta, even though it is a life threatening mission.

Okay, no one can deny that this book is very sad. However, in the end, it shows that there is hope in tragedy. There are mixed feelings about the ending from Hunger Games fans, but personally, I loved the ending.

What could've been better:
Throughout the entire series, there have been quite a few deaths. Most of the deaths weren't too upsetting and had to happen, but in this book, two important characters died and it brought down the story. Character  deaths are sad, but sometimes they work out for good. A death earlier in series inspired Katniss to win the Hunger Games. Unlike that, the character deaths in this book didn't seem to have a point, other than to throw Katniss off her game and ultimately, off the edge. It shows sacrifice, but the death at the very end didn't have a good purpose.

Katniss did do a little life saving, but it was influenced by her hatred for President Snow. My point? My favorite scene was when Katniss saved ____'s life.  From the outside, it was really sweet. Underneath the surface though, instead of being influenced by love, she was influenced by anger and hatred. Mercilessly, Gale kills, unlike Katniss, who is haunted when she murders someone. As a result, some killing could have been avoided.

Content: Of course, violence is a thing in thestory. Once when someone is dying, she describes it as 'flesh melting off like candle wax.' Similar things happen, but not the point of being explicit. Katniss kisses Gale and Peeta once. A male character talks about being forced to be sexual with women by the cruel president.

Conclusion: I am a die hard Hunger Game fan and I was satisfied with the ending. Mocking Jay was very powerful. It enticed me and didn't disinterest me for a minute. Katniss comes across as an unlikable character to me, but I ended up rooting for her. Since I've adored Peeta, it was difficult for me to read those parts, but it worked out happily in the end.

Apart from that, it was sad. Through it all, I wish it could have more happy parts. Making up for it, the book sends a message. Unfair violence and cruelty never benefits anyone. But... there is hope even when it seems so far away.

Because of the violence, I'll have to rate this 4 stars. I really liked this book, but you have to be a certain age before you read it. There has been some controversy about it, but overall, it is amazing book. The series is thrilling and totally worth reading. In the end, it does make up for the tragic deaths.

Book Review: The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet

Genre: Young Adult Christian Fiction
The Second Book in the Ellie Sweet Series
Author: Stephanie Morrill

Book plot: Things are going great for Ellie Sweet. Her book is coming out soon, her hair finally curls, and she has won over her best friend/boyfriend, Chase. But that doesn't mean her life is perfect. When her grandmother breaks her hip, she must visit her at a nursing home where,  as she discovers, her cheating ex-boyfriend, Palmer is working. Her ex-best friend, Lucy, comes into town after dumping her wanting to make amends. On top of that, her writing mentor hold a grudge on her. Usually, she can make sense of the real world by using her fiction. But, as trouble comes her way, a writer's block overcomes her love for writing. Not everything ends in a happily ever after as she struggles to make things right with the people she loves. As she races to edit her book, can she balance her writing life and her personal life in the right way?

What I liked: Being a writer myself, I instantly felt like I could relate to Ellie from a personal aspect. More than that, though, the emotion and the way the author presented her, made me feel like I was her. I had to remind myself that this isn't real life! Though the plot twists frustrated me, it was awesome and kept me on the edge of my seat. The character development was awesome too. Ellie used to be a little shy and insecure, but I felt like she learned to stand up for herself in this book. In the end, it had a good lesson about revenge and anger, something that I didn't see coming.

What could've been better: The author, Stephanie Morrill  is really great. Her books are so interesting, but I felt like the whole spiritual part of the book lacked. Because other than quickly praying a few times, Ellie never consoled God about anything. Now this book still promoted good Christian values, like purity, forgiveness, and humbleness. But other than that, I couldn't see a personal relationship with God with any of the characters. I mean, if she had listened to God, some of the bad things that happened to her could have been avoided. On top of that, the two guys Ellie dated in the books weren't Christians. That doesn't mean that she wasn't, but because of it all, I question her faith.

Content: There were a few kisses that went too far. Sex is mentioned what not described and seen before marriage as a sin.

Overall, I liked this book. The plot twists kept you on the edge of your seat. It was very interesting. I rate 4.5 stars out of five. Still, I question whether is book is entirely Christian. Other than that, it was great.