Paul's Top 5 Books Read in 2013

2013 was another great year for Young Adult books. I read over 50 books in 2013 and I want to share my Top 5 books that are not sequels. I'll also throw in the sequels I enjoyed at the end. One thing that I absolutely loved about 2013 was the inclusion of LGBT in so many Young Adult books. 

Here are the TOP 5 BOOKS I read in 2013 that are not sequels:

5. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

4. Skulk by Rosie Best

3. The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

2. Pantomime by Laura Lam

1. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

And here are some amazing sequels, some of them even conclusions to a series:

          

       

     

What were your favorite books of 2013? Check out my reviews of these books by clicking on the titles for the TOP 5 and the cover images for the sequels. 

--PAUL

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver - Paul's Review

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Title: Requiem (Delirium #3)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Ashley's Review
Paul's Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion.

Review: That last book in a trilogy. Many of the YA dystopian trilogies that appeared right after the dystopian boom are coming to a close. Lauren Oliver started this trilogy with such an interesting concept. Love is a disease, a disease that must be eradicated. Many of the YA trilogies out there have forced love triangles, but love as a concept is integral to this series. The relationships make sense. 

The first half of Delirium didn't really do it for me, but the second half really dragged me in. When Pandemonium came around, I was hooked immediately. I loved the second book in this trilogy. Perspective and timeline were played with in such an interesting way. Lauren Oliver continued to play with perspective in this third book, Requiem.

Requiem is from the perspective of Lena and Hana. Lena has been the main character the whole trilogy, but we haven't heard much of Hana since the first book. At the start of this book, Hana's story drew me in a lot more than Lena's. Hana's story got better, but Lena's story was the highlight of the book for me. 

The side characters in this trilogy are all very interesting and the novellas that take place in the same universe give so many more details into the characters. I really enjoyed the character of Lucian in this novel. I found Alex annoying. And, Fred was just super creepy (almost Joffreylike).

By the end of the novel, the two storylines come together perfectly. The end was done so well. It was a great culmination of the trilogy. I especially liked that there was not an epilogue delivered in a nice pretty bow like The Hunger Games or Harry Potter. I give this book a 5/5! 

I HIGHLY recommend this trilogy! Unlike many other trilogies, it only gets better. This third book was the best and the companion novellas are amazing as well!

-PAUL

Alex (Delirium #3.5) by Lauren Oliver - Paul's Review

Goodreads

Title: Alex
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Ashley's Review


Review: Like the other novellas, this one gives us a glimpse into a minor character's head. The voice is so different from the rest. It feels very Alex.

I wasn't a big fan of Alex in the second and third books of this trilogy, but I felt more for him when I saw his perspective. Many scenes we already are familiar with from Lena's point of view are retold from Alex's.

I liked seeing his thoughts and learning more about his past. I want more novellas! I think the Delirium world has come to a close, but I want more! Oliver did an excellent job creating this world and filling it with interesting characters. I give this novella a 4/5.


--PAUL

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver - Paul's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Requiem (Delirium #3)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Ashley's Review

Synopsis: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Why?: This is the third book in the Delirium trilogy. I enjoyed the second book, Pandemonium, even more than the first. Im hoping this one is even better.

Expectations: As the third book in a dystopian trilogy, I'm expecting a huge Finale. Maybe an epic war? Maybe a one-on-one confrontation? Maybe an internal realization? Whatever it ends up being, I want a good ending.


Judging a Book by its Cover: I'm not a huge fan of these covers. They are too similar. The color differences aren't even that much. There is a fierceness I'm the eyes that I do like, though.


--PAUL

Alex (Delirium #3.5) by Lauren Oliver - Ashley's Review

Title: Alex
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Goodreads

So, I don't have a cover or an official synopsis on  this one for you, since it's only in the first printing of Requiem. But, basically, this is Alex's story from the time in between Delirium and Pandemonium. And some of his past thrown in there too.

I've always wondered how Alex managed to survive in the Crypts. I mean, I know he says that Lena was the only thing that kept him going. But it's hard to know how much someone means by that, especially when it's in the middle of an argument. After reading this story, I feel like I know so much more about how Alex felt for Lena, and how much he loves her. 

It also makes it easier to read through Requiem, knowing that he will always love Lena. Because even though Lena felt like she couldn't go on hoping that Alex was alive and had to give him up so that she could move on with her life, you always know that she still loves him. And it's hard seeing Alex so hardened and bitter that it seems like he doesn't return her affections. But, after reading Alex, I can understand why he's so upset with her and why he acts the way he does towards her. I mean, I'd be upset too.

Although I think much of Alex's allure has to do with how attractive he is, I think knowing more about him makes him all the more attractive. He has secrets of his own, secrets he never even told Lena because he thought she would think less of him. But honestly, I don't think they're that bad. They were appropriate responses to a terrible situation. (I'm trying not to give too much away here, I hate spoilery reviews). 

Anyone who has read any of the series and the short stories should definitely try to get their hands on this story. I have no idea if it will ever be available separately from the first printing of Requiem, but you should definitely try to get your hands on it if you can. Borrow a friend's copy of Requiem, even if it's just for this story. I'd give this a 4.5/5.


--Ashley

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver - Ashley's Review

My Pre-Reading

Title: Requiem
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads



Synopsis: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Review: Since Delirium, I have been in love with this series, and the world, and Lena an Alex. There's just something about their story that has captured my attention and broken my heart over and over again. Lena goes through so much and changes so completely over the course of the books, that I'm surprised Hana even recognizes her in Requiem. She's so radically different from the way she was in Delirium - she's daring, brave, strong in her beliefs, and very much in love - and it's been incredible to experience her transformation.

I honestly thought Pandemonium was going to be as bad as it was going to get for Lena. I mean, she had to deal with losing Alex (and then finding him!), falling in love with Julian, and almost dying. Oh and realizing her mother is still alive, and then losing her again. I mean, it can't get any worse for her, right? Wrong. Requiem managed to leave me more heartbroken at times than I even thought possible. I don't know how Oliver does it, but she manages to pack such an emotional punch into even the simplest things.

And then, we also got to see how Hana was managing back in Portland. Although I'm not Hana's biggest fan, I thought it was really interesting to see how someone who has been cured is handling the Resistance attacks and planning a wedding to the most important man in the city. And, of course, everyone has their secrets. Even the mayor. I think his might be the worst of all, because he has so much power and has so much potential to abuse that power. 

Like the rest of the series, the writing in this book is absolutely wonderful. It's one of those books that I hated to put down, and then I was so sad that it was over. Especially this time, because that's it. Now we have to say goodbye to Lena and Alex and Julian and Raven everyone else. And speaking of the ending, I thought it was perfect. I don't think a really conclusive ending would have done this series any justice, and it left off in a place that I was ok with. Especially because it feels so real, and not thrown together for the sake of a happily ever after. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has read any of the other books. And, if you haven't and you enjoyed series like Matched, Divergent, or any of those other amazing dystopian series, I would totally recommend this book to you. Seriously, you'll be blown away. A strong 5/5 on this one, and over the entire series. 


--Ashley

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Requiem
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Why?: I loved Delirium and Pandemonium broke my heart in so many ways that I didn't have a choice but to love it, and so I have to read the last installment in the trilogy. Especially after the ending of Pandemonium. I mean, seriously, who leaves a book that way?! I want to know what happens next.

Expectations: I'm pretty much expecting lots of tears from this book. And lots of Lena trying to deal with being a part of the Resistance, discovering people she thought she'd lost forever, and falling in love all over again. And I'm pretty excited to hear from Hana, and to see if the two girls' stories eventually cross and become one again.

Judging a book by its cover: Honestly, I'm not entirely impressed with the cover. It looks so much like the cover for Pandemonium that, at first glance, they're pretty difficult to tell apart. If I didn't already know the series, I don't really think I would be drawn to the cover on its own.


--Ashley