Review: Champion

Champion (Legend #3)
Marie Lu
dystopia

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

Click here to read my reviews of Legend and Prodigy. 

I totally FLEW through this book. Everything was just so fascinating, the stakes were so high.. there were politics, negotiations, love, loss, sad times and fun times. 

Day continues to be awesome. You just can't help but love him, and admire his loyalty despite everything he'd been through, and his determination to never give up. June is alright- she's very real, and that unfortunately means she's very flawed. Naturally, this made me want to read about Day all the time. However, she displayed really remarkable emotional intelligence in Champion, and was constantly there for everyone. 

Like I said about Prodigy, all the usual literary cliches for last-books-in-the-series were here, something that greatly pissed me off. I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THIS ENDING. I won't spoil it, but it just wasn't probable, overally disappointing and unnecessary. I also felt that I wanted more information about the Republic for closure- we were told what we needed to know but I like Anden as a leader and wanted to experience within the story the happy ending for the country. 

What can I say? I loved it and was practically in tears to finish such a wonderful series but I can't not dock off a star for that ending. 

Book to Movie Review: Mockingjay pt. 2

The Hunger Games - Mockingjay part 2

Book by Suzanne Collins

As the war of Panem escalates to the destruction of other districts by the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army against President Snow, while all she holds dear hangs in the balance.

I just. How can it be over?? Remember when we all anticipated the first movie? No one knew who Jennifer Lawrence was, we heard Rue's eerie whistle for the first time. It's been a great four years. You can read my reviews of the previous movies here.

Like the book, the Mockingjay movies are not as colorful and crazy as the first two. They're more serious, and are much closer to real life. That's also the reason I like them (book and movies) so much, though Catching Fire remains my favorite. 

SPOILERS AHEAD..

First item of praise, is that the makers of THG movies know all the Hollywood cliches and they use them against you. There's that scene in the tunnels before the mutts attack when the silence and the cameras just let you KNOW that something is about to happen and you brace yourself for a heart attack that doesn't come. But then it does and you fall off your chair. 

And the general problem of knowing what's going to happen just makes this more painful- waiting for Finnick to die, and Prim. And even the ones I had forgotten about wrenched my heart strings deeply- Boggs, the Leeg sisters. 

The actors continue to delight, with all the new people really bringing some great stuff to the table. I just wish we had more Josh Hutcherson - Peeta had a much stronger presence in the book than he did here, though granted that was in Katniss's thoughts. 

Overall, this installment and the series in general were very faithful to the source material, a fact for which I am eternally greatful and wouldn't have been able to forgive if it hadn't been true. The only little piece I wanted but didn't get was the cake at Finnick and Annie's wedding that tips Katniss (and us) off that Peeta is getting better. (ETA: also the memorial book K&P make in the end)

The scenes were truly glorious: 

Haymitch reading Plutarch's letter to Katniss
Katniss screaming at Buttercup the cat
HAYMITCH KISSING EFFIE
Effie saying goodbye to Katniss - finding the life of a victor
YOU LOVE ME REAL OR NOT REAL
my name is Katniss Everdeen
it's primrose
the scene of the symbolic Hunger Games
shooting Coin
my dear Katniss we agreed never to lie to each other
ADORABLE CHILD JUMPING ON DADDY PEETA
the Avox and his brother

And so many scenes that packed subtle punches- in the end, when Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta are eating back in District 12 and watching Paylor become President with Plutarch looking on, and Haymitch says " And they say no one ever wins the games". I loved that - it continues the implications that the whole war on the Capitol was also a game in a way (a game of thrones?), and Plutarch remained a gamemaker all throughout- somehow always on the winning side, and always influencing. It also shows how tyranny repeats itself, as do all human mistakes (This much is said explicitly in Plutarch's letter). 

The only thing I'm truly upset about: the distortion of Gale's character. They made him just SO DAMN ANNOYING. Everytime Peeta did or said anything relating to Katniss Gale had some stupid jealous comment about it. It was so irrelevant and unimportant, and book Gale was better than that. Also, the thing I ultimately respected most about Gale and in general about The Hunger Games is that Katniss didn't get to choose her beau in the end. GALE PICKED UP AND LEFT. He gave her an arrow, told her to shoot straight, kissed her forhead and scedaddled off to live his life. It was amazing, and cemented my love for him despite me being firmly Team Peeta. And while the double bomb was his idea, and as much as the book tried to make it seem otherwise, PRIM'S DEATH WAS NOT GALE'S FAULT. "Goodbye Gale" is not how Katniss and Gale should have ended, after all they'd been through. 

If you read up until here, with all my disregard for grammar and thousands of run-on sentences, YOU ARE AWESOME AND I LOVE YOU. Rating:

Review: Destroy Me

Destroy Me (Shatter Me 1.5)

Tahareh Mafi 

Companion to the Shatter Me trilogy

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .
Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.
Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me,Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

You can read my reviews on the Shatter Me books here.

Ahhhhhh this was exactly what I wanted from Tahareh Mafi. Warner in all his glory!

What a sweet, smart, and DAMN SEXY man he is. You watch as he goes from running the world to an abused child in the presence of his father. You feel his pain as reads Juliette's words and knows all too well how she felt. How he slowly, but then all at once, falls in love with a girl he thinks can't love him. GOD IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL TO READ.

Being a short story, there isn't all that much more to say - so, behold my favorite quotes that I hope will inspire you to pick up the series/novella:

“And I've fallen.
So hard.
I've hit the ground. Gone right through it. Never in my life have I felt this. Nothing like this. I've felt shame and cowardice, weakness and strength. I've known terror and indifference, self-hate and general disgust. I've seen things that cannot be unseen.
And yet I've known nothing like this terrible, horrible, paralyzing feeling. I feel crippled. Desperate and out of control. And it keeps getting worse. Every day I feel sick. Empty and somehow aching.
Love is a heartless bastard.”

“I’ve come to believe that the most dangerous man in the world is the one who feels no remorse. The one who never apologizes and therefore seeks no forgiveness. Because in the end it is our emotions that make us weak, not our actions.” 

“These letters are all I have left.26 friends to tell my stories to.26 letters are all I need. I can stitch them together to create oceans and ecosystems. I can fit them together to form planets and solar systems. I can use letters to construct skyscrapers and metropolitan cities populated by people, places, things, and ideas that are more real to me than these 4 walls.I need nothing but letters to live. Without them I would not exist.Because these words I write down are the only proof I have that I’m still alive.” 

“My opinions,” I say to him, quietly this time, “should not so easily break your own. Stand by your convictions. Form clear and logical arguments. Even if I disagree.” 

Review: Prodigy

Prodigy (Legend #2)

Marie Lu
Dystopia 

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector. It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. 
But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

You can read my review of Legend here. 

After Legend's promising start, I had high hopes for Prodigy. I'll say I really enjoyed reading it- I was totally sucked in. However, it didn't totally blow my mind with it's originality like the first installment. 

The whole joining-the-rebellion-only-to-find-out-the-rebellion-is-corrupt-too is a staple in the genre. (By corrupt I just mean not the utopia the heroes imagined) The best-friend-and-constant-companion-turned-love-interest is also something we see in every other YA read. Also, I-didn't-tell-you-so-as-not-to-hurt-you. Also, trust issues. You know the drill.

So yeah, all our favorite overdone cliches were there. Despite all that, there were lots of twist and surprises that kept me hooked. Tess experiences growing up, and she gets some well-deserved attention in Prodigy. June, I learned, IS ACTUALLY 15 despite sounding 30 in her head. Day and June both utilize their smarts and strengths in this novel, making it a fun read. Anden being profoundly different from what everyone expects serves as a nice little moral hidden here, too. 

I also liked the problem solving skills that our MCs show off. Instead of the typical 100 pages of everyone being mad at each other and doing stupid things because of a misunderstanding, Day and June talk things out after they fight and take leaps of faith for each other. They both earned my respect and saved the pages of the book for the real interesting stuff. If in the previous book I wasn't all over the relationship, I'm totally rooting for it now.

As for the ending - I rolled my eyes and grunted in annoyance but I am salivating for Champion. Rating: 5 stars

Happy reading!
Love,
Esty

Review: Reached

Reached (Matched #3)
Ally Condie
Dystopia

Cassia’s journey began with an error, a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect façade of the Society. After crossing canyons to break free, she waits, silk and paper smuggled against her skin, ready for the final chapter.

The wait is over.

One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion. With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international–bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.

You can read my review of Crossed (Matched #2) here.

*Spoilers for Reached*

Let's be honest. The Matched trilogy was marketed as a hit, but pretty much flopped for everyone at some point. For most people it was Crossed. For me, the whole series had huge potential but all installments were overall letdowns. However, I do think that if I had studied this book/series in school, it could be a lot more intellectually interesting. There are a lot of big issues that could lead to good debates, lots of little details that didn't affect the overall plot arc but might have been fun to discuss.

My mine point of criticism is how PASSIVE our characters are, and you get that especially in Reached. Cassia, Ky and even Xander (though less than the other two) just go wherever they're taken and do what they're told. They all seem to be interested in saving their own skins and families and leaving all the drama behind. The problem with that is that it leaves the story with no big motive, no inspiration or hopes and emotional involvment from the reader. Honestly, how am I supposed to care about what's going on if none of them do? 

The saving grace when it comes to the characters is Xander. He toils day and night saving people no matter what the personal cost to him. He follows orders when he needs to but takes initiative many times, too. Naturally he is taken for granted by Cassia and ultimately does not get the girl.

Which brings me to my next problem. Lei was introduced basically just so Xander could have someone to be with in the end. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE WHEN WRITERS DO THAT. Why couldn't Ally Condie have spared us Indie's (UTTERLY POINTLESS) death and have her be with one of the boys? She liked both and both liked her at points in the trilogy. And she had a role to play always- adding some much-needed spunk to the story. 

Ally Condie's lyrical prose was nice as usual, but this 550 page VERY quiet rebellion could have been condensed into many fewer pages and would save many people the struggle to finish. Overall, not original enough, not character-based enough, and too much build-up for little to no climax. Rating:


Happy reading! 
Love,
Esty

Book to Movie Review: The Scorch Trials

The Maze Runner #2: The Scorch Trials
Directed by Wes Ball
Book by James Dashner

You can read my review of The Maze Runner movie here. 

While I wrote in my review that I loved it, I actually didn't remember it that way when I went to go see The Scorch Trials. I remembered The Maze Runner as good but mediocre. However, you can be assured that this installment WILL UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BE FORGOTTEN, because ya, it was just that amazing.

Literally- I watched it a week ago, and I have been endlessly stalking the cast and have been completely inspired to finish reading the book series. The shots were absolutely GORGEOUS. The action was non stop- I got so into it!! And that never happens in action movies! Usually I spot something I deem unrealistic and then am rolling my eyes. Here, I was jumping up and down and yelling and punching the air - well, as much as I could without pissing off everybody else in the theater.

Character wise, Thomas really shines. He is super smart and daring and sassy and fun and overall a total badass. Oh, and smoking hot. Not that that colored my judgement. At all.

Minho gets a lot more screen time, and Newt is as adorable as always. Theresa continued to be pointless until the part where she became a downright obstacle. Sigh. At least now we all have a legitimate reason to want her gone. 

Brenda and Horhe were difinitely captivating additions to the story. 

Overall, there was so much new and exciting information to process in The Scorch Trials movie - new memories, people and places that just kept the pace of the plot running along. Basically? Go to the theaters and go have fun. 

Rating:


Happy movie watching and Dylan O'Brian lusting!
Love, 
Esty 

Review: Legend

Legend
Marie Lu
Dystopia

From different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths...

Until June's brother is murdered, and Day becomes the prime suspect.

In a shocking turn of events, the two uncover what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths to which their country will go to keep its secrets.

Years ago, I had borrowed my friend's ARC of Legend, then with a black temporary cover and no colored fonts. I remember being like, I don't know what this is, but DAMN it's good. 

I have only recently gotten a hold of this series for myself, and since it's been so long and I didn't remember much of the plot I've decided to review it despite being a reread.

Legend is just awesome. Truly. The concept is one I've looked for in dystopia since the start of the genre - society divided based on intelligence. I've since seen it only in Pawn by Aimee Carter. It is done in the world of Legend masterfully, and you can't help but root for Day.

As for June- she grew on me, but it took awhile. Before she rebels against the Republic I couldn't help but hate her for her ignorance despite being so smart. Granted though, she is 16 and has been sheltered her whole life, so when she starts to change and develop she becomes really likable.

The romance - ehhhhhh. I was not feeling the sparks. There just isn't enough reason in approximately  the week they've known each other to like each other all that much.

Aside from the above, all I can say is READ THIS BOOK. Dystopia has been an annoying, overdone genre since after The Hunger Games, but Legend is one of the few that hasn't disappointed me. Rating:

Happy weekend! First of the school year for me. What will you be reading?
Love,
Esty

Review: Ignite Me

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)
Tahareh Mafi
Fantasy, dystopia

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

You can read my reviews of Shatter Me and Unravel Me here.

Shatter Me - a promising debut series off to a really strong start, and like most promising debut series, falls to a disappointing end.

If Unravel me was annoying, Ignite Me was pretty pathetic a lot of the time. 250 pages in, and we're still dealing with Juliette/Adam drama. The war? The big, epic battle we've been building up to for 3 books? Only started at page 369. Out of 408 pages total. Which is to say, nothing actually happens for most of the novel. 

Spoiler + Rant: The character of Adam is completely destroyed in this installment. And despite the fact that I was team Warner, this royally ticked me off. I HATE IT when authors do this- making a totally lovable character become a jerk just to solve a love triangle. It's cheap and crowd-pleasing, not to mention unrealistic. If Adam was a sweetheart for two books straight, he would not become a total ass at 20 something years of age out of nowhere.

It would seem that the whole focus of the story was Juliette's love life drama - the book didn't even pretend to care about defeating the Reestablishment. It was done at the end as an afterthought, and not even properly. Yup, the job wasn't even finished. In Unravel Me, the only reason they didn't kill Anderson was because of the other Supremes, and now they just kill him in 5 seconds flat without a care in the world. Ooooooook.

Oh, and Juliette decided she is qualified to run the world. She makes this decision all on her own, with no plan or something resembling a justified reason to do so. AND EVERYONE JUST ACCEPTS THIS. The entire sector just follow her unquestioningly when she says, let's just kill the ruler and I'll lead instead. WHATEVER. 

Warner explains himself a lot, which is nice, as I always thought he was better than Juliette thought him to be. However, he never DOES answer Adam's totally legitimate accusation of WHY (if he is not evil) did he torture Adam. And no one tells James the truth, nor is the Warner's mother's death addressed by Anderson. In fact, NOTHING is addressed by Anderson. Juliette walks in, shoots, book over. Why does JULIETTE get to kill him? I felt that both Warner and Adam had better claims, and usually in books this kinda thing is symbolic. 'Cuz honestly, Anderson had nothing to do with Juliette's tough life. He never hurt her directly at all...

I did like Warner a lot in Ignite Me (which reminds me- the tattoo was never explained either!!), and Kenji, of course, was the love of my life. The book overally was stupid, but I guess I had a good time reading it. Rating:

Happy weekend!
Love,
Esty

Review: Unravel Me

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)
Tahareh Mafi
Dystopia

tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.


You can read my review of Shatter Me here. As you can see, I adored the first book in this trilogy. However, Unravel Me fell short of my expectations.

Shatter Me end off with Juliette, Adam and Kenji arriving at Omega Point, so naturally I was excited. It's always so much fun to arrive at the center of the resistance in dystopian novels. When you start reading Unravel Me it becomes clear that Omega Point is a whole lot like District 13- right up to the dubious, supposedly good-intentioned leader. While that sounds good, I was actually really annoyed. The whole book played out like every. other. dystopian. novel. ever. 

And worse, so much happened for no. reason. whatsoever. Like, you have the supreme leader all incapacitated at your feet but instead of capturing him, you'll take the son hostage. WHY. I'd write more examples of this but I don't want to be too spoilery. Basically, I''ll tell you I rolled my eyes a lot.

Another thing that bothered me in both the books was how attracted all the male characters were to Juliette. I mean, COME ON, the girl has been isolated and starved in a cell for 3 years, how good can she look? And even after that - she has no access to any hair products or hair removal techniques, and is constantly on the run in all sorts of conditions. I refuse to believe she can constantly be so pretty. Or at least, to the point where EVERY MALE CHARACTER HAS TO COMMENT ON IT. MULTIPLE TIMES.

Also, in every chapter, Juliette would make some sort of resolution to be more helpful, to accept herself, to stop whining over her problems with Adam and see the bigger picture. Usually these promises were after an inspiring speech from Kenji. AND YET, EVERY TIME, she would find herself doing the exact thing she said she wouldn't do about 3 pages after she said it she wouldn't. IT WAS SO TIRING. 

Despite all this, I did find myself enjoying Unravel Me. Kenji is my love, and curiosity about Warner fueled my desire to keep reading. Rating:

Love,
Esty

Review: Wither

Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)
Lauren DeStefano
Post apocalyptic dystopia

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. 

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape - before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

Hi all. Back from insane exam season for a quick review (:

Since 2011, when this book was all over the blogoshpere, I couldn't wait to read it. I picked it up after a hard week expecting a cool, Divergent-y dystopia to take my mind off things.

Boy was I wrong. 

Wither was DARK. Truthfully you can deduce that from the blurb, but lots of books advertise themselves like this so I didn't think much of it. I was scared and creeped out, for practically the entirety of the book, so on that front it was a total success - just not if you were looking for something light. 

I LOVED the character complexity in the story. Jenna and Cecily felt real, and I came to love each girl and her tragic story. I did not know what to think about Linden, which I think was the desired effect for our clueless captor. And of course, Housemaster Vaugn gave me chills. 

The writing, too, was pretty flawless. Everything flowed quickly and thrillingly. The trapped feeling of being stuck in a glorious prison came across strong. All that was sick and wrong with the so-called 'marriage' was aptly described in way that was obvious to the reader but normal to Rhine, who grew up used to this world. I would have given Lauren DeStefano an A if not for some gaping worldbuilding problems:

WHY, if girls are so valuable for breeding, would the ones Linden rejected be killed and not sold to someone else? WHERE are the authorities in all this- they're running orphanages but oblivious to when said orphans are sold for marriage? HOW exactly did the world senselessly wipe itself out? WHY would North American women suddenly become victims in the legal system after World War III? If society is going to have a major regression like that, you're going to have to explain it. 

All in all, I still don't know how I feel about Wither. I think that had I read it knowing what to expect and at the right time I would have been raving more. As it is, I wasn't in the right state of mind for the story when I read it, and it would have been better with more explanation of the backstory. Rating: 3.5 stars

Book to Movie Review: Insurgent

Insurgent
Book by Veronica Roth
Directed by Robert Schwentke
Dystopia

Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side.

You can read my review of Divergent (movie) here.

Well. The trailers for this movie were pretty stupid in my opinion. I remember seeing lots of action and CGI, and overall being like whaaaaaat. 

And it turns out that feeling was pretty accurate regarding the entire film.

I did NOT come with expectations- one reason being the weird trailers, another being that I never was that invested in the trilogy originally, and lastly because I more or less forgot what happened in the books. 

All these would have served me well if the movie had been a bad adaptation, but enjoyable on its own. However, it was truly bizarre even just as a film. At any given moment something that did not make sense was happening. ENTIRE ILLOGICAL ELEMENTS WERE ADDED- just HOW exactly is a device supposed to say what faction you're in or how divergent you are?? WHY would Four wait until the factionless nearly killed them three times over to play his my-mommy-is-your-boss card? And there is NO WAY Four could have really made that jump in front of the train and survived. The plot stayed nonsensical all throughout. 

Cinematically, it was not a smooth watch. So many pieces were dream scenes or simulations that I was always second-guessing whether what I was watching actually happened. Also, I can't believe I'm saying this but... it was too dramatic. All the flying-burning-building shtick really took away from the characters and their stories- and they are not lacking. I think the movie would have been better had they given more time to Four's relationship with his parents, Caleb's betrayal, Christina forgiving Tris... I could go on. Potentially, Insurgent could have really tugged on the heartstrings. 

The good thing that I will say is that the actors shone more (than in the first). Miles Teller stole every bit he was in. Ansel Elgort was FUNNY (granted, that might be more due to bad acting than good... of maybe he will just always be Ansel in my mind) Shailene was amazing as usual. The biggest difference goes to Theo- I liked his character so much more in Insurgent. In Divergent, he was just a pretty face (and back). Now I felt and saw all his feelings more, and it was a real pleasure to watch him act and relate. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Love, 
Esty

Review: Four: A Divergent Collection

Four: A Divergent Collection
Veronica Roth
Dystopia, Companion 

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation's faction leader did the same. Tobias's transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened "Four," he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future--and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling divergent series, told from the perspective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here--The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son, and The Traitor--plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the Divergent trilogy.

You can read my review of Allegiant and Divergent movie here. 

We'll start with the cover- SOOOO PWETTY. I love the the dark blue color, the ferris wheel on fire, the shiny 3D covers all the Divergent books had. This book has been screaming at me to pick it off the shelf for months.

Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect. I LIKED the Divergent books, but I was never as crazy about them as everyone else. I found Tobias's POV in Allegiant kind of lacking. 

HOWEVER

I really liked him in this companion! Delving into his past and fears was truly a beautiful experience. You feel his pain and applaud his courage. His voice is much more unique here (in my review of Allegiant I ranted that he sounded too much like Tris). I even found myself liking Tris more after having read her through his eyes! 

Plot-wise, Four explains some things that happen in the regular series. This was nice and necessary (exactly what I would hope for in a companion)- so I was satisfied! It also features Shauna and Zeke(:

All in all, a quick and fun read, while also being Divergenty and suspenseful. Enjoy!

Love,
Esty

Book-to-Movie Review: Mockingjay Part 1

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

book by Suzanne Collins

When Katniss destroys the games, she goes to District 13 after District 12 is destroyed. She meets President Coin who convinces her to be the symbol of rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol.

IMDb, you continue to fail with these synopses. 

My review of the Catching Fire movie. 

As you can see in the above review, Catching Fire was pretty much unbeatable on every front. Lucky for me, I wasn't holding out for better than the second movie, but rather a REALLY GOOD ADAPTATION of what Mockingjay as an individual book and the series as a whole was all about. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

However if you didn't like the book you won't like this movie (I'm basing this on friends). I thought Mockingjay was truly a perfect conclusion to the trilogy- full circle (Prim's death, Coin's suggestion of a new Hunger Games). Therefore, I found the film to be a real success.

Just like in the first two movies, this one stays close to the book not only in dialogue and events, but in TONE AND FEEL. You experience everything Katniss feels right along with her. You can especially see this in the scene with the rescue mission for Peeta (a welcome addition that wasn't in the novel)- you're worried sick for BOTH Gale and Peeta, and at the same time listening to Finnick tell his story and absolutely destroying your heart. You're jumpy just like she is- the cat makes a little noise and the whole crowd got a heart attack. 

I missed Cinna and loved Prim. 

Effie and Haymitch. I actually applauded when they FINALLY got on screen. (quietly. Relax, I remembered I was in a theater) If nothing else, they are the reason I watch these films. 

The acting was SUPERB. I was peering through my fingers from fear in the scene where Peeta attacks. And Jennifer Lawrence gave me chills with her lines REPEATEDLY.

Mockingjay Part 1 was not a feast for the eyes the way Catching Fire was (in regards to the gorgeous shots) but it touched my soul in the way the book did and the previous movies didn't- the sirens, the bombings, the wounded, the bodies, the chilling shots of massacres and singing of The Hanging Tree (dear god that one is going to play in people's nightmares for a long time). Everything was so real and realistic. 

Amazing work, people. Now please hurry along Part 2. A year is too long a wait for me. 

Rating: 

Happy weekend!

Love,

Esty