Infinite (Newsoul #3) by Jodi Meadows - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Infinite (Newsoul #3)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Year Published: 2014

My REVIEW of Incarnate(#1)
My REVIEW of Asunder(#2)
My REVIEW of Phoenix Overture (#2.5)
My PRE-READING of Infinite (#3)

Ashley's REVIEW of Incarnate(#1)
Ashley's REVIEW of Asunder(#2)




Synopsis: 
DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

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Review: I have thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy. The Newsoul series is such an amazing amalgamation of sci-fi and fantasy themes. Reincarnation is at the heart of this series and it plays out in such an interesting way. A world of finite souls, reborn each time they die.  It has been two years of reading these books and anxiously awaiting the release of the next. I am definitely looking forward to Jodi Meadows's future works. 

The sci-fi and fantasy world of this series is one of the reasons I've enjoyed it so much. There are laser guns, but also dragons, centaurs, phoenixes, and sylphs. This third book really delves into these mythical and magical creatures. The world is even bigger than this trilogy. There are so many questions I still have about this world and how it came to be. I'm still hoping for that anthology of Sam's dragon deaths. 

The final book in a trilogy always has the difficulty of wrapping up the story. Meadows did an excellent job with this conclusion. Everything came together perfectly. The last chapter was pure perfection! 

There were a few scenes in this book that I found particularly captivating. I wish there was artwork of them. One of those scenes involves a girl playing her flute with some pretty amazing things happening around her. Another was towards the end when something epic goes down.  

The romance in this series is done so well. It is subtle and natural. I really like the evolution of Sam and Ana. Music is also such a big part of this series and it comes into play in a big way in this conclusion. 

I highly recommend this trilogy! It is one of my favorite YA series. If you have not read Incarnate, you should definitely pick it up! If you like completely unique worlds with magic and sci-fi elements you'll love this series! And I also absolutely love how music is used. If you are a musician, especially instrumentalist, you will enjoy these books! I give this third book in an amazing trilogy a 5/5. Go read these books!!!


--PAUL

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi - Ashley's Review

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Title: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Year Published: 2014

My Into the Still Blue (#3) Pre-Reading 
My Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
My Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
My Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading
My Roar and Liv (#0.5) Review

Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Review
Paul's Through the Ever Night (#2) Pre-Reading 
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Review
Paul's Under the Never Sky (#1) Pre-Reading

Synopsis: The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

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Review: Holy moly, guys. This book was everything I hoped it would be. It was action and adventure and romance and mystery and danger and fantasy and just everything I wanted it to be. I've loved this trilogy from the beginning, and I am so glad that this last book did it all justice. The ending was perfect, the characters are incredible, the world building is fantastic, and the Still Blue is what I wanted it to be. I could go on and on and on about how incredible this book (and the whole trilogy, really) is, but I'll try to keep it to a manageable length. 

One of my favorite things about this book was the character development. We've seen Aria and Perry change and grow and mature over the course of the whole series, and they still continue to do that here. They have to make decisions and choices that are unlike anything they've ever dealt with, and I really did not envy them for most of the time. They make mistakes, but they learn from them and try not to make the same mistakes again. Their relationship has its snags, but they work things out because they love each other. They trust each other and the decisions they make, and understand the reasoning when they might not agree or might have wanted another outcome. 

But you'd expect all that from the main characters, right? My favorite part of the character growth was in the secondary characters - in Soren, Roar, Jupiter, and Brooke. The characters that we know, but haven't necessarily had a chance to experience yet. Soren has always been the kid that got Aria into this whole mess to begin with. He's a Dweller that cannot find any good in Perry and his tribe. I honestly think his character changed the most throughout this book, and I loved watching him being put in his place and then giving some sass right back. It often helped to break the tension, and was understated enough that it didn't seem out of place. I could talk about Roar all day (he's my absolute favorite character in the whole series), but I thought that him trying to work through the grief of losing Liv was really interesting and it felt so real. 

I also enjoyed learning more about the Aether and the Still Blue and the Komodo. You'd think that by this point there wouldn't be much world-building left to do. But Rossi really surprised me by expanding the world even further and giving a richer history and a fuller understanding of things. I have very few unanswered questions left about the world, and I think that made the ending that much more enjoyable.

Like the rest of the series, this book is pretty fast-paced. Once Perry and Aria and crew get into the action, it's pretty much non-stop until the end. I found myself not wanting to put this book down, and ended up staying up into the wee hours of the morning trying to find out what was going to happen next! I'm so sad that Perry and Aria's story is over now, but I am glad it ended the way it did. I felt all of the feels, and definitely came out of it satisfied with the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the other books in this series. You do NOT want to miss this thrilling, beautiful conclusion! I would also recommend this series to anyone looking for a futuristic dystopian YA book. Especially fans of sci-fi/fantasy. I think readers who enjoyed The Maze Runner will really like this book too. 5/5!


  --Ashley

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson - Paul's Review

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Title: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2013

My The Bitter Kingdom (#3) PRE-READING
My Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
My The Shadow Cats (#0.5) REVIEW

My The Shattered Mountain (#0.6) REVIEW

My The King's Guard (#0.7) REVIEW

My Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW

Ashley's Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
Ashley's Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW

Synopsis: The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

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Review: Rae Carson is at the top of my list of favorite authors right now. She not only creates an amazing and interesting world inhabited with complex characters, but she does it in beautifully written prose. 
Romance plays a big part of this trilogy, but there is so much more that is bigger. Elisa is such a bigger person than just her love life. And she knows it. The evolution of her relationships from the first book to this one is done so well. 

There are so many great minor characters, some that we have known since the beginning and some that we don't meet until this book. And characters we know more about from the excellent novellas. Some of my favorite were Mara, Belen, and Red. 

Another whole subset of characters that I love are the locations. Carson did an excellent job making so many of the locations have as much depth as the minor characters. 

There were so many callbacks to the earlier two books. It made this book really feel like a conclusion to a trilogy. It was one story spread between three books instead if three stories back to back. 

It was so nice to see Elisa's growth from the start if the series. I loved where all the characters ended. You can really tell Carson put a lot if thought into each character's path. 

The godstones play their own part in this book. And we get to learn more about the Inviernos. We get to see them in their native lands with snowy mountains and the caves within.

One of my favorite scenes was when Elisa fulfilled her godstone's calling. It was done so well and I loved the implications of it. 

This trilogy is my favorite YA fantasy series. Everything about it gives me chills. You should definitely read this trilogy if you have not! I can not wait for Rae Carson's next book!!! I give this book a 5/5!!!


--PAUL

The Book of the Night (Libyrinth #3) by Pearl North - Ashley's Pre-Reading

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Title: The Book of the Night
Author: Pearl North
Year Published: 2012

Paul's The Book of the Night Review
Paul's The Book of the Night Pre-Reading
My The Boy From Ilysies Review
My The Boy From Ilysies Pre-Reading
My Libyrinth Review
My Libyrinth Pre-Reading

Synopsis: The world of the Libyrinth has experienced a series of wrenching changes. After the Libyrarians and their longtime foes the Singers discovered their common heritage, a young healer named Po found the Lion’s Bloom, an ancient and enormously powerful artifact capable of rewriting reality. 

Behind the mysteries of their shrouded past has always been the legendary Book of the Night. Sought for generations, both feared and revered, it is the key to this world of wonders. When vain, grasping Queen Thela steals the Lion’s Bloom and imperils the very reality of the world, only the Book can heal what she has rent asunder. An epic journey through strange lands, a perilous encounter in a clockwork city, and the revelation of the truth beyond reality will lead those who find the Book to a moment when their world will either be saved...or cease to exist.

Why?: I read (and loved) the first two books in this series, and so I'm anxious to find out what happens next! Now that Po has found the Lion's Bloom, the Libryarians and the Singers are living together peacefully, and Queen Thela is trying to destroy everything they've worked for, I really want to know how the Book of the Night can help Haly and her companions win this battle. 

Expectations: Since The Boy From Ilysies was even better than Libyrinth, I have really high expectations for this one. Mystery and adventure and everything that the first two books had, plus more explanation of the world and the Book of the Night and everything. I think there will be higher stakes and more danger in this book, so I'm looking forward to that too.

Judging a book by its cover: This cover has a little bit of a steampunk feel to it, which is pretty interesting when compared to the other covers in this series. Instead of magical, will this book be more technological? I really appreciate that it matches the other covers in the series as well. I would probably pick it up if I saw it on a shelf, but I think the darker colors and the girl might make it blend in with all of the other YA fantasy books out there.


--Ashley

A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2) by Susan Dennard - Ashley's Review

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Title: A Darkness Strange and Lovely
Author: Susan Dennard
Year Published: 2013

My Pre-Reading
My Something Strange and Deadly Review
My A Dawn Most Wicked Review

Synopsis:  Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

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Review: Ohmygosh you guys. This book. Like I don't even think I have words to describe how amazing this book was. I was up so late finishing it because I just couldn't put it down. I didn't think it was possible, but this book might be even better than the first one. I'll try to keep things as spoiler free as possible...

I absolutely love Eleanor, and I love how different she is in this book compared to Something Strange and Deadly. She's stronger, braver, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect herself and those she loves. She does make some bad decisions, but who doesn't? I do think that the Spirit Hunters were all very quick to judge her though, and that kind of annoyed me. I mean, give the poor girl a break and let her explain herself.  

Speaking of the Spirit Hunters, I thought it was interesting that they really weren't in the book as much as I expected. Don't get me wrong, they're there, and they're important, but it just seems like they had a bigger presence in SS&D. This book felt very focused on Eleanor, and it worked very well. I just missed them. And I was very sad not to see as much of Daniel as I hoped. I adore him and the scenes he was in, and it's obvious how much cares for Eleanor. Seeing him all dressed up and trying to act like a proper gentleman made me laugh too, because it was just so out of character - at least the character I knew before. I think it makes it all the more endearing when he slips back into his normal habits though. 

I could go on about the characters all day though, especially Oliver, Laure, and all of the other new people we're introduced to. Even the minor characters are so well developed that I feel like I know them all. Dennard does an excellent job expanding the world she's created, and seeing Paris through Eleanor's eyes was really cool. And I really enjoyed the irony of the darkness in the City of Light. And learning what the Darkness that is Strange and Lovely is! Figuring out where the title comes from in the book is one of my favorite things ever.

Although this book takes place over the course of maybe a month (it might be longer, but it feels like about a week), everything is very fast paced and flows so smoothly. I never felt like things were dragging or that we were given detail just for the heck of it. Everything is important, and if you play close enough attention, you can definitely figure out all of the twists and everything without it taking away from anything. I literally could not put the book down, and never wanted it to end.

I'm so sad that now I've got to wait a whole year again, but that just gives me time to read these books all over again. I definitely recommend this to anyone who has read the first book. If you haven't started the series yet, do it ASAP! Especially if you are looking for a new twist on zombies, a strong heroine, romance with a very swoon-worthy boy, adventure, action, a little bit of steam punk, and a dark story with comic relief. I would most definitely give this one a 5/5, and can't wait until I can get my hands on the conclusion to this trilogy! I will certainly be doing a re-read later this year too. One of my favorite books and series by far!


--Ashley 

A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2) by Susan Dennard - Ashley's Pre-Reading

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Title: A Darkness Strange and Lovely
Author: Susan Dennard
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis:  Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

Why?: I loved everything about Something Strange and Deadly, and I've been anxiously waiting to find out what's next for Eleanor, Daniel, Joseph, and Jie. Plus zombies, steam punk, mystery, adventure, and romance. So, of course I'm going to read this book! 

Expectations: I'm really expect a lot from this book. Something Strange and Deadly was so good, that I'm hoping this one is even better. I'm looking forward to learning more about Marcus and the dead, as well as the Spirit Hunters. I think Eleanor will be stronger and braver in this book than she was at the beginning of the first one.

Judging a book by its cover: I absolutely love this cover. I fell in love with the Something Strange and Deadly cover, and this one is even better than that one. I would totally pick this book up if I saw it on a shelf somewhere... especially because I absolutely love Eleanor's dress. 


--Ashley

Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie - Ashley's Pre-Reading

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Title: Reached
Author: Ally Condie
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

Why?: I read and enjoyed the first two books in this series, Matched and Crossed. And so I feel like I should definitely read the third book to find out how the story ends for Cassia, Ky, and Xander!

Expectations: I expect this book to be similar to the first two. Mostly romance in a dystopian society, with Cassia and Ky trying to find each other (again...). I'm hoping we learn more about the society in this one though. And also, what Xander's secret is!

Judging a book by its cover: I'm a huge fan of covers that match the rest of the covers in the series, and this one does an excellent job of that. On Matched, the girl is trapped in a bubble. On Crossed, she's punched a hole in her bubble. And finally, on this cover, she's free of her bubble. I would probably pick this up if I saw it on a shelf somewhere. It's simple, but effective.


--Ashley

Asunder (Newsoul #2) by Jodi Meadows - Ashley's Review

My Pre-Reading
Paul's Review
Paul's Pre-Reading

Title: Asunder 
Author: Jodi Meadows
Year Published: 2013
 
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis: DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Newsoul trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.


Review: I wish I had reread Incarnate before I started this book. When I started Asunder, I had completely forgotten who some of the characters were, what had happened to them, and pretty much everything except for the really important things. I think I probably would have gotten into this so much quicker and easier if I had remembered what was even going on. That being said, the way that Meadows reminds you what went down last time was done very well. It didn't seem overwhelming or like she was telling you "ok, this this and this happened." It was more Ana remembering. Which is totally believable. 

I loved how music was incorporated into this story again. As a musician, it's always interesting to see how music impacts characters and how much people rely on it. If I were Sam, I would have been absolutely devastated if someone had done to me what they do to him. And then I would probably go on a rampage. I love how Ana goes from listening to music to playing it to composing it, and I'm super jealous that she can pick all of that up so quickly.
Meadows' world building skills are absolutely extraordinary. I mean, I thought I knew a lot about the world by the end of Incarnate. But she just keeps throwing new things at me, and I love all of them. I was really excited when I realized that there would be a lot of sylph in this book as well, because I had so many questions about them at the end of Incarnate. And I was not disappointed at all! I still have questions, but they're new ones. I also really enjoyed how religion and romance are portrayed in this book. Especially when the truth about Janan is revealed. Or part of it, anyway.

Oh, and Cris. I loved Cris and his roses. I don't like Stef as much anymore, but I can understand why she does and says the things she does. But Cris... I wish we had seen more of him!

One of my only gripes about this book was that Ana mentions being "asunder" way too often. By the end, I wanted to take that word and cram it down her throat so many times. I understand it's a big part of Ana and of the story, but good grief. Maybe if the title of the book was something else it wouldn't have bothered me so much, but I like subtler reasons for books being named what they are.

Overall, I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Incarnate. I would also recommend the series to anyone who enjoys fantasy books filled with romance, mystery, and adventure. A very strong 4/5 on this one! 


--Ashley

Asunder by Jodi Meadows - Paul's Review

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My ASUNDER pre-reading
My INCARNATE Review

Title: Asunder (Newsoul #2)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Year Published: 2013

Review: Jodi Meadows does an amazing job yet again. The world she has created is so interesting. I love when books present questions and while reading both Incarnate and Asunder, I had so many questions and thoughts on the world. Because of the concluding events of Incarnate, it is unknown whether there will be more Newsouls and whether all those that died are gone forever, Darksouls. What is Janan? And, what are his/its intentions?

One of my favorite new characters was Cris. I like how the people of this world have been both male and female over different lifetimes so same-sex pairings are common place. I like Cris as a gardener and his "blue flowers". 

Music! Meadows writes about music so well. You can really tell she is a musician herself. The way the instruments are described and the details of warming up on arpeggios and scales make it all the more realistic. She even describes the temperature outside changing the pitch of the notes. 

Meadows also does an excellent job in writing romantic scenes. There is one point in the book where there is an almost "intimate" moment and I really liked the way it was written. 

I want more of this world! In Asunder, you learn more about sylphs and phoenixes. I hope in the next book we get to learn more about other creatures, especially dragons and centaurs. I expect we will venture outside of Heart and Range in the conclusion of the trilogy. 

This was an excellent sequel. It is thought provoking, with concepts of reincarnation and love. I give this novel a 5/5! I suggest Incarnate and Asunder to everyone! If you like YA, read it! If you like fantasy, read it! If you like sci-fi, read it! If you like reading, read it!

-PAUL

Shades of Earth(Across the Universe #3) by Beth Revis - Paul's Review

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My SHADES OF EARTH Pre-Reading
My A MILLION SUNS Review
Ashley's A MILLION SUNS Review

Title: Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3)
Author: Beth Revis
Year Published: 2013

Review: This book was another great sci-fi mystery from Beth Revis. She did an excellent job with this trilogy. Each story is unique and different while still remaining true to the big picture. Many trilogies now are just a really long book broken up twice.

The dynamic brought by the Earthborn Frozens was very interesting. So many new characters were introduced this way. It was great to actually meet Amy's parents whom we have heard so much about. Options are also introduced for Amy. Elder isn't the only male her age any more.

Revis does an excellent job of continuing the growth of her main characters from book to book. Amy and Elder continued to grow when they were met with new challenges.

The science and technology in this book is really fun to think about. Godspeed was in transit to Centauri-Earth for hundreds of years. What advancements in technology have taken place back home on Sol-Earth?

The mystery of this book wasn't as clean cut as the first two, but Revis still did an excellent job placing clues, both misleading and true ones, throughout the book.

Godspeed itself is such an integral character in this trilogy. It reminds me of the way Hogwarts becomes a character throughout the Harry Potter series.

I give this novel a 4/5. I suggest this to sci-fi, mystery, and YA fans. All the books in this trilogy were excellent reads. If you haven't read Across the Universe, go pick it up now!

-PAUL

Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie - Paul's Review

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My Pre Reading

Title: Reached (Matched #3)
Author: Ally Condie
Year Published: 2012

Review: Although I did enjoy the first two books in this trilogy, I was not expecting to enjoy this third book this much. It was not what I was expecting at all. I expected a story about the revolution to take over the Society. I expected grand battles and for the Society to crumble. What I got was much better. I enjoyed seeing the more behind-the-scenes events and the revolution took a completely different turn. 

When Matched came out, love triangles were at the forefront of the YA genre. In my opinion they were an unnecessary evil. I felt that the love triangle took up so much of Matched. I wanted more world building. Thankfully, as this trilogy completes I am satisfied. The world is fleshed out, although there still are mysteries left. And, the love triangle felt natural and wasn't so dominant in this book. 

Pretty much all the questions you had after reading Matched and Crossed are answered. Some of the answers are not what you expected. It is always disappointing when you read a completed series and feel unsatisfied. In this case, I was satisfied by the answers to all the mysteries I had. Condie did a nice job on revealing them, as well. 

I really enjoyed that this book is from three points of view: Cassia, Ky, and Xander. I liked finally getting to see inside Xander's head.  

The concept and idea of the Pilot was my favorite thing in this book. I love the way Condie wrote when talking about the Pilot and what makes the Pilot the Pilot and what a Pilot is. The Pilot!

Towards the end of this book, there was a lot of color imagery. I enjoyed it, but it seemed slightly repetitive. The colors of green, blue, and red are not only represented on the covers of each of the books in the trilogy, but also the tablets each member of the Society possesses. They are also used to represent the elements to an extent. 

Overall, I was surprised by and really enjoyed this book. If you have read the other two int he series, you definitely need to pick this one up. And if you, like me, were not so excited about them, I hope you enjoy this conclusion as much as I did! I give this book a 5/5.

-PAUL

Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie - Paul's Pre-Reading

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Ashley's CROSSED Review

Title: Reached (Matched #3)
Author: Ally Condie
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

Why?: Matched was one of the first in the big Dystopia trend in YA back in 2010, coming out a few months after Mockingjay. I enjoyed the feel of Matched. It had more romance than the Hunger Games trilogy. Crossed was less urban, following Cassia and Ky through the wild. Reached has Cassia back in Society, undercover.

Expectations: Both Matched and Crossed felt like lead up novels so I am expecting an epic ending. I hope there is some recap in the beginning of this book. I read Crossed over a year ago. I expect the romance will come to a final conclusion. I'm hoping to see Cassia kick some butt as a strong young heroine.

Judging a book by its cover: I love the covers in this trilogy! They are so clean, colorful, and sybolic. Cassia is trapped in the bubble, she cracks it, and now she is free. 

-PAUL

The Wake Trilogy

After looking through past posts, I don't believe I ever reviewed Wake. So this review is for the whole trilogy. 

Title: Wake, Fade, Gone

Author: Lisa McMann

Year Published: 2008-2010

I read the first in this trilogy months ago and finally got to the other two while on the boat. I can say that if I had written a review for just Wake, it would not be as positive as it will be for the whole trilogy.

I thought Wake alone was poor in its development. I had too many questions. It just didn't seem like enough happened. And then suddenly the police were involved and Janie was working for them. It didn't flow for me.

Once I got into Fade and Gone, my questions were answered and everything was made more clear. I took the reality of every situation with a grain of salt. I feel that this series could easily be turned into an episodic television show for a station like ABC Family or the CW. Each of the story lines could be spread out and expanded upon. By the third book, I was excitedly flipping to the next page. I think I may have read Gone in one sitting. 

Although I don't think the series is up to par with some more recent YA trilogies, I enjoyed it. It felt to me like a book I would have picked up at a book fair in middle school, although I was already in college when these books were published. I give this trilogy a 3/5.

-PAUL