Book Review: Alliegiant **SPOILER ALERT**

Did I mention **SPOILER ALERT** Because in this review there is a **SPOILER ALERT**

 Allegiant by Veronica Roth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What can I say about Allegiant? My least favorite in the trilogy. It started out clunky. Not because of the writing. I think Veronica Roth is a very talented writer. I did not understand the sudden POV shift change from just Tris to Tris & Tobias and at first it was confusing. I was so used to it being only Tris that I would start reading a Tobias chapter thinking it was Tris and be like, O.o until I figured it out. I did get used to it though eventually.

The storyline was kind of a letdown. I wanted the Divergent to be something more than they were I guess. Not just normal people. But, I know this is dystopian and in these worlds things are more bad than good and that’s just the way it is otherwise it's utopian. Still. If this were a standalone book and not related to the Divergent series at all, I probably would have liked this storyline better if that makes sense.

Let’s talk about the characters. I liked most of the new characters, save Nita. I thought she was an idiot. I really liked Matthew. Great addition. The author should have let him hook up with someone. Tobias/Four, I’m sorry, I fell in love with him in the first two books, but he was a little whiny in this one. There is a fine line between broody and whiny and he crossed it.

Evelyn threw down arms a little too quickly for me there at the end. “Hey mom, could you go make peace?” “Anything for you son.” Bam! Done. Really? After living years as a Factionless and planning the rebellion, a hate and vengeance growing deep inside her for her husband, she’s just going to roll over that quickly? I don’t think so. Yes, it goes along with the plot, I understand, but, sigh, for me it didn’t work.

Now let’s discuss the “shocker.” I get it. I do. Shit happens. The world isn’t perfect. Selflessness. Courage. Sacrifice for those you love. Yeah. It didn’t have to be Tris. That really could have been Caleb’s great moment of redemption. Or she could have done all that and survived it. She died of GUNSHOT WOUNDS for God’s sake. Not even from the death serum. Killing main characters is like sacrilege or something, well, unless that’s what your book is all about and your readers know. UGH! Veronica, I feel betrayed!!!

Here’s what it comes down to for me: I loved books 1 & 2 in this series. Not a Hunger Games love, but a close second.

Pluses:

Veronica’s writing is beautiful and flowy (yes it is a word I just made it up) when she needs it to be. Clear and concise when she doesn’t.

Her characters are well drawn, interesting, and unique. It is easy for me to picture them in my head and I’m in love with Four. Well the Four from books 1 & 2, not so much this book.

It is the 3rd book in a series in which the first 2 books won me over.

Minuses:

As part of the series, I was disappointed in the plot. If this would have been a standalone and not related to the series, I think I would have enjoyed it much more.

The shift of POV from the first 2 books was problematic for me at first, until I got used to it. It took me a bit though.

The ending. ROAR! The peacemaking too easy. Tris’ death. No likey.

I vacillated between a 3 & 4, but ultimately, I think I can only give this a 3.


View all my reviews

Hey it's Friday, I get to do the Scribbles!

Pandora queue song: Brick by Brick by the Arctic Monkeys on the Arctic Monkey channel

Netflix/movie of the Week: Have I watched anything this week? I think not. Hmmm. Still working my way through Sons of Anarchy. Last movie I watched was The Heat and last show on real TV I watched was Walking Dead. Shows you how much I watch TV/movies

Book of the Week: Now that I'm done with Allegiant, I've started Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith. I was lucky enough to get an ARC from Amazon.

Quote of the Week: I don't know how many times I've said this.

12 books

My reading plan this year is to read 12 books. I know that is a drop in the bucket to some of you, but for me, it's kind of a big deal. I get so caught up with life and writing and editing my own books, admittedly, I don't make enough time to read. I wish I did, but I don't.

I have one rule.  I'm going to take at least 9 of them from the books I already have on my shelves and not by more than 3 new ones. The majority of books I own, I've never read. There are just sitting there staring at me begging to be read.

So I'm going to break them down into months. I've not started January's book yet, but I'm heading on a long weekend this week, and I'm going to start (and maybe finish) then.

January: Insurgent by Veronica Roth. This of course is the 2nd book in the Divergent (on my shelf)
series. I LOVED Divergent, and it's time to finish the series.

War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

February: Allegiant by Veronica Roth. 3rd book in the Divergent series. See above. (to purchase)

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

Ooooooh. (shudders) Note: I cannot wait for the Divergent movie coming out this year.

March: The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner. Most of you who read my blog should know by now that Gae is a very good friend of mine. I have been waiting for this sophomore book of hers for what seems like forever (as have many). It sounds so amazing...you should put it on your list too. (not on my shelf, but pre-ordered so counting as already owned)

Summer has begun, the beach beckons—and Francesca Schnell is going nowhere. Four years ago, Francesca’s little brother, Simon, drowned, and Francesca’s the one who should have been watching. Now Francesca is about to turn sixteen, but guilt keeps her stuck in the past. At loose ends, Francesca trails her father, who may be having an affair, to the local country club. There she meets four-year-old Frankie Sky, a little boy who bears an almost eerie resemblance to Simon, and Francesca begins to wonder if it’s possible Frankie could be his reincarnation. Knowing Frankie leads Francesca to places she thought she’d never dare to go—and it begins to seem possible to forgive herself, grow up, and even fall in love, whether or not she solves the riddle of Frankie Sky.


April: Auracle by Gina Rosati. This is one of my 2k12 peeps. There are still so many 2k12 books I have to read (and 2k11 for that matter as that's where I started), but this one is next on my list. (on my shelf)

Trapped outside her body, Anna sees and hears but cannot touch the one she longs to hold.

Anna has a secret: she can astrally project out of her body. But when there's an accident and her classmate Taylor gets into Anna's body, what was an exhilarating gift threatens to become a terrifying reality. Anna and her best friend Rei form a plan to set things right, but they don't anticipate the feelings that are beginning to grow between them. Auracle by Gina Rosati is an exciting, sensual novel that explores the relationship between body and soul and the power of a single touch.

May: Something by John Green. I have a few books of his books on my shelf and I'm not sure which I want to read first. I believe I have Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, Will Grayson Will Grayson and Fault in Our Stars. I don't think I want to read the latter yet. Any suggestions on which I should read first? (on my shelf)

June: Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach. I read the first book in this series, Stupid Fast and LOVED it! Herbach is funny, but there is also an element of emotion and thoughtfulness in his writing. (to purchase)

Hey Aleah,
I miss you. Because there's some serious donkey crap going on right now. I'm supposed to be at football camp, but noooo ... Andrew had to go missing! So because of my stupid little brother, I'll probably lose my chance at a scholarship and end up being nothing special.

I'm pretty sure Andrew ran away to Florida, and now Gus and I have to drive cross-country to get him. Did you know Gus used to think

Miss Piggy was hot? Anyway, Andrew once told me I needed to get my head out of my butt. So that's what I'm trying to do. How about a kiss for luck?

Felton

July: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I heard this is a great story and has a cutting theme in it, so I thought I'd read it, since I wrote about a cutter as well. (on my shelf)

Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming.

August: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. This book sounded so cool. I bought it a couple years ago and never read it. It's time. (on my shelf)

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

September: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller. I met Trish through my ex-husband's cousin before either of us had book deals. Then as luck and coincidence would have it, our debut novels were both released in 2012. I've been wanting to read this for awhile. I'm going to read it this year. (to purchase)

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

October: The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride. I was introduced to Kristina by a mutual friend and writer, Brady Allen. He was one of Kristina's professors. She was part of the class of 2k10.  I've had this book on my shelf for a couple years. It's time I read it. (on my shelf)

When Tessa's best friend Noelle disappears right before the start of eighth grade, Tessa's life changes completely--she shies away from her other friends and stops eating in the cafeteria. Now, two years later, Noelle has escaped her captivity and is coming home, in one piece but not exactly intact, and definitely different. Tessa's life is about to change again as she tries to revive the best-friendship the two girls had shared before Noelle--now Elle--was kidnapped; puts up a futile resistance to the charming new guy at school; pursues her passion for photography while trying to build the bravado to show her photos to the public; and tries to balance her desire to protect and shelter Elle with the necessity to live her own life and put herself first.

November: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. I've heard so many great things about this book and it's set in 1986, when I was in high school. How can I not read it?

TWO MISFITS. ONE EXTRAORDINARY LOVE. 
It's 1986 and two star-crossed teens are smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love--and just how hard it pulled you under.

 A cross between the iconic '80s movie Sixteen Candles and the classic coming-of-age novel Looking for Alaska, Eleanor & Park is a brilliantly written young adult novel.

December: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Because it's about time. (on my shelf)

Sylvia Plath's shocking, realistic, and intensely emotional novel of a woman falling into the grips of insanity.

If I finish all these...I will start on these next...
Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
Where things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Very Bad Men by Harry Dolan
Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Breathe My Name by R.A. Nelson
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendara Blake
 

A new writing space

I got rid of my old desk. There was nothing wrong with it really. It just took up too much room in my office and for some reason, I didn't like to write there. I bought a new desk. It's smaller. It has a built in book case. Since it's smaller I also bought ANOTHER book case. My books overflow, so now I have room on my desk and a new four shelf book case to store them (I've yet to put the book case together.

My only challenge is to keep my office clean and organized. It's where I keep my filing. I think however, if I start writing in there instead of my kitchen table, I'm more apt to file things more efficiently and keep it tidier. *fingers crossed*

So here is the new desk I built last night.

 

On the desk itself I've got pictures of my kids. I have a hand stamped Sylvia Plath plate that sits next to my "Writer's (paper) Block" and 1969 replica Ford Mustang that represents Never Eighteen. There's also mug one of my kids made that holds my pens, a stuffed monkey from the book kit, I Love Monkey by S. Kaufman and some other office supplies.

That first book shelf holds To Kill a Mockingbird, A River Runs Through It and Fahrenheit 451, some favorite books I've read.

The upper shelf holds some favorite books and some on my 'to be read' list. Divergent and Insurgent are up there. I've read the former, the latter is next on my list. Then I have of Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, Paper Towns, and The Fault in are Stars by John Green, all signed by Green to me, all I've yet to read. On the other side are Catching Fire and Mockingbird and my friend Gae Polisner's Pull of Gravity.

On the very top is a vintage typewriter, sock monkey, a picture from my trip to NY with friends Tracy Walshaw, Gae Polisner, Lori Landau and Christine Beth Reish, and set of gel pens.

Yes, I think I can finally write in that room. At least I'm willing to give it a try. What do you think?

I hate John Green

Did that get your attention? 

I don't really hate him of course, I don't even know him. In fact, he seems like a really amazing guy and I have a pile of his books on my shelf, signed to me, I might add, waiting to be read (after I finish Divergent and read Catching Fire, yeah, I'm a little behind in my reading. Bite me)

So why do I mention John Green? Well, I was on Goodreads the other day *dun duh dun dun*, yeah, yeah, Goodreads doesn't bother me as much as it bothers other writers. Bad reviews don't make a dent in my skin anymore. They make me learn, laugh or say "Dafuq?"  I hardly go to Goodreads any more, only about once a week maybe, just to accept friend requests, check on my little book.

Anyway...

With many of my reviews, there seems to be a reoccurring theme: John Green's, The Fault in our Stars. I've not read it. It's one of the books that sits on my shelf, signed, waiting to be read. Yeah,I know they're all signed, but I bet yours doesn't say, Dear Megan, blah blah blah, Love, John Green. 

Why you ask does TFIOS pop up so frequently in my reviews? If you know anything about young adult literature, you know that his book is about teenagers with cancer. And if you read my blog, you've heard a million times that my book, Never Eighteen is about a teenager with cancer.

I don't mind being lumped into the same breath (sentence, keyboard stroke, whatever) as John Green, whether the review is flattering or not. Mostly, they are just stating that they like these kind of weepie books (sick lit as they're called now), and since they came out at the same time, many of the bloggers read them about the same time. 

I even had some bloggers say they liked mine better than Greens. Okay, one. Maybe it was one.

It was the last bad review I got that had me thinking (I really don't normally like to talk about my bad reviews, but I have a point here I think is interesting). "I’m sorry, but I think it was an awful version of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. I didn’t find anything different in its plot."
  
So, with that said, this is my train of thought. Number one, it's obviously not a "version" of Green's book because I've never read it. Which is really not my main point at all, here's my main point.

My publisher HAD to have known Green was coming out with a cancer book, right? Same time, right? Would it not have made more sense to put mine out BEFORE his than after? It's been a little over a year since NE has come out and this has never really crossed my mind. But all these book releases are announced in Publisher's Marketplace. If a big name is releasing, wouldn't you want your title to come out first if it's on the same subject matter?

I don't know. My mind was just wandering since reading that review.

Anyway, on to more important things. Which Green book should I read first?

Looking for Alaska
An Overabundance of Katherines
The Fault in our Stars
Will Grayson Will Grayon or
Paper Towns

What do you think?

Okay happy Friday here are my scribbles!!

Next Pandora Song: Born to Die by Lana del Rey

 
Book of the Week: Since we're talking about it. The Fault in our Stars, John Green

Netflix of the Week: A friend told me about a movie called The Horseman yesterday, and though I've not watched it yet, I trust his judgement and it's on my cue.

Quote of the Week: "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." ~ Gandhi 

Inspired by Reading

I finally started reading Veronica Roth's, Divergent. I've been wanting to read it for a really long time, but I've been reading friends books, and writing, and you know, there's that thing called life, but on vacation, I finally had some time to actually sit down and relax.

So far, I love it. I'm a big fan of dystopian stuff anyway, so it's a no brainer for me really as a best seller. But the other thing about it is it's made me excited to work on my own dystopian books. I have one adult I started ages ago and one trilogy I'm writing based on the first novels I ever wrote. Last night I got up to 5k on the first book of the trilogy.

I love how reading inspires and I realize how much I miss it when I haven't done it in awhile.I miss the escape, and let me tell you, if anyone needs to escape from life it's me.

Are there any books that have inspired your writing? Tell me.