ARC Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Requiem by Lauren Oliver,
finished paperback edition book cover

Requiem

by Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium #3

Genre: YA, dytopian

Editions available: Hardback, paperback,

Kindle, ebook, audiobook, audio CD

Expected publication: March 5th 2013 by HarperCollins

Source: Publisher - HarperCollins International
Pre-order now: Barnes & Noble * Book Depository *Amazon

Blurb (Goodreads):

As her country erupts in open rebellion, Lena fights for the resistance and must make a heartbreaking choice between two loves.

After saving Julian from a death sentence, Lena escapes with him and other members of the resistance. But as she embraces her love for Julian, a boy from her past returns and causes her to question everything. 

In the meantime, Lena's best friend, Hana, is engaged to Portland's young mayor and is living a safe, proscribed, loveless life. The story is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view.

As Lena struggles to save the people she loves, everything comes to a head in this exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's epic trilogy. REQUIEM is a sophisticated, wide-ranging novel that explores the large issues of society, government, and resistance, and of course, there is romance.



My Thoughts:

*This review is based on the advance reading copy the publisher sent me. There might be some changes with the finished copy.

Love is not a disease. Love is a natural feeling one deserves to feel. That's the knowledge Lena kept fighting for all throughout the trilogy, along with the other Invalids. 

Requiem is the much-awaited last installment of Delirium trilogy. I've been waiting to read this book the moment I finished Pandemonium, the second book of the trilogy. Like Delirium, Pandemonium has its killer cliff-hanger. The stakes became higher and love has never been so difficult. Could it be Julian or Alex?

Requiem is told in two POVs: Lena's and Hana's (Lena's best friend). On Lena's POV, she continues to live in the Wilds together with her Invalid friends and Julian and Alex. She struggles to be with the two guys that she loved, and choose one from them. Moreover, she also met a person she didn't expect to meet again, and together with the Invalids, runs and hides from the government while planning for their attack. While on Hana's POV told her life as a Cured with her guilt, her past and her struggle to be the perfect girl her family and community wants her to be. Both related, both confused, both trying to prove their worth, both have a hard decision to make but both willing to fight.

This book took me by surprise. Mainly because I didn't expect anything. Well, maybe the more complicated life of our dear main characters and their fight for their freedom. But yeah.  This book is really good. Bettttter.

As always, Lauren-Oliver style, this book was written intelligently. The scenes, the twists and add ons are well-thought. Requiem also contains a well-defined Lena. She becomes braver, risk-taker while being the same old sweet Lena. She's grown and I couldn't imagine her as the old Lena: afraid of breaking the rules, and always hiding behind Hana's shadow. What I didn't liked about her is her fast change of feelings about Julian and Alex. When one is gone, she likes the other and forgets about the other one. It's confusing me and doesn't convince me that much when she says  she love this guy, later on.

Alex is back, of course. But I kept on searching for him. There are changes about him and he didn't received any highlight in this novel. It's like he's there but I want to feel him. I hope he had more spotlight since he disappeared in Pandemonium. Julian is pretty cool. And cute. I want to give him a hug and I want to be a fairy godmother so I can give him a happily ever after (don't freak out; he's not dead or something!). It's just I want to do those things when I think of him.

I can really say that Requiem got really better. Very nice. Exciting. I didn't even realized the time and how much pages I've turned til the sun dropped down the horizon and I barely have a light for reading. I'm totally absorbed. The ending is unbelievable in a it-cannot-end-that-way-I-need-to-know-more way. I want more than the ending the author gave it. It doesn't have to be that way, can it? I mean, I'm not asking for one more novel, but an e-novella's not a bad idea! I want to know what happens.  To their community and the lovely characters. I want to congratulate Hana and smile at Grace. I kept imagining things what happens to them. Or maybe that's what Lauren Oliver thought to do--keep us thinking and never forget this last novel. Of this trilogy. Because you know what? I wouldn't.

Rating:

Take a look on my Delirium trilogy collection! They're so nice to look at, now that they're complete--all protected with a cover (I always cover my books). I bought the first two books and I'm so lucky to receive an ARC of the last book. Thank you so much again, Christine of HarperCollins International!

Check out my review of Delirium and Pandemonium.



Aaaand. Don't forget to check out the e-novellas!

Annabel (Delirium #0.5) - a short story about Lena's mother, Annabel
Hana (Delirium #1.5) - a short story about Lena's best friend, Hana
Raven (Delirium #2.5) - a short story about Raven, the fiery leader of a rebel group in the Wilds

WWW Wednesdays (23) / Waiting on Wednesday (25): Not A Drop To Drink

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?






Currently Reading:

I'm on page 120 of Black City by Elizabeth Richards and so far, I really liked it. I'm also currently reading Perception by Lee Strauss. I wasn't at the half of the book so I can't tell how I'm feeling about it. Both books are for tour so expect my reviews on first week of March!

Finished Reading:

I finished Requiem by Lauren Oliver (ARC) last Monday and I can say that it got really better. My full review will be posted tomorrow, Thursday, so don't forget to come back!

To Read:

Maybe I'll start The Boys of Summer by C.J Duggan (for blog tour as well) or Harry Potter and the Chamber of the Secrets by J.K Rowling. Or both. What do you think? ;)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on.


Not A Drop To Drink
by Mindy McGinnis

Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books

Blurb (Goodreads):

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water. 

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.



A very interesting story and creeps me at the same time. I WANT to read this book!

*****

I've been really happy about my reading progress and I can't wait for our summer vacay to come--which means: MORE reading time!

Tell me about your reading schedule: are you wishing for more time, like me? Or do you have the time of your life? What books are on your list for this week? Share them all below! :)

Blog Tour (Guest Post + Excerpt + Giveaway): Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan

Hey everyone! Rachel McClellan, author of Fractured Light, is back on the blog today for a guest post, excerpt and a giveaway of Fractured Soul, as a part of the FS blog tour!

The Author of Our Lives

Guest post by Rachel McClellan 

     So I had one of those moments, you know where the sun is setting, birds are singing, kids are strangely and happily quiet, and for just a second there's no pressure to get things done? I took advantage of this moment and thought about the main characters in my current project. Specifically, what do they need to go through before they reach their full potential? This made me feel sorry for them 

because I know it is going to be tough. They are going to experience a lot of pain and heartache throughout the novel, but I have to give them these challenges,

 otherwise they will never become the strong characters I know they can be. 

 

     This got me thinking in another direction. Do you ever feel that we are all just characters in a book and there's an "Author" guiding us down a specific path with specific challenges? I've felt like this at different points in my life, very recently in fact. During these "trials" I often want to take the author's pen and cram it up a cram hole, but afterwords, when I can see how much I learned and grew from the hardship, I am humbled and grateful. 

     Maybe the Author knows what He's doing after all...

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

Excerpt:

     As soon as the Vyken appeared in the doorway, I tossed a ball hard. He dodged it by jumping up along the side of the wall, his nails and bare toes somehow finding a hold in the thin cracks of the wall. I threw another one, but he was already moving, scrambling alongside the stones like a spider. He was grinning. 

     I rolled away from the wall until I was in the middle of the room. I lost sight of him for just a fraction of a second, but that was enough. The Vyken was gone, or, I should say, hiding. He was still here. I could feel him. I looked up toward the rafters of the tower roof. It was pitch black. At the bottom of the tower, I heard Christian begin to ascend the stairs. “I’m coming, Llona!” he yelled. 

     Still staring up, I created Light again in the palm of my hand and willed it to rise. The closer it got to the rafters the faster my heart beat. Sweat rolled down the small of my back. 

     Light began to fill dark spaces, exposing that which wished to remain hidden. My Vyken was there, but he wasn’t alone. Another sat crouched on a beam. Where his left eye should’ve been there was an empty hole. 

     I screamed when my Vyken dropped from the ceiling, extinguishing the light. He fell onto my stomach, pushing my shoulders into the floor. I tried to create Light, but it was as if he knew what I was going to do because his hands slipped up and pinned my wrists together. He bent forward and inhaled my skin. The warmth of his breath steamed my ear when he said, “I’m going to eat every part of you.”

Fractured Soul
(Fractured Light #2)
by Rachel McClellan

Published February 12th 2013 by Cedar Fort Books

Blurb (Goodreads):

Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!

What others are saying:

“I love these books! A kick-butt heroine and a hottie love interest, with a refreshingly original concept. Be prepared—once you start, these are hard to put down.”

—Paula Cotton, book reviewer at ReadingLark.blogspot.com

“Fractured Soul is a brilliant sequel, exceeding even the remarkable first book in the series. It will haunt your every waking moment between the times you’re reading it, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished. It’s an amazingly well written and engrossing story that I highly recommend—after you’ve read the first one, of course.”

—Cindy Bennett, bestselling author of Geek Girl and Rapunzel Untangled

About the Author:

Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural

creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...

Facebook | Blog | Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Book Trailer

About Fractured Light

(Book one of Fractured Light series)

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they

would eventually come for her too. She can’t take any chances. But when she starts to make

friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.

As an Aura, Llona can manipulate light and harness its energy. But if she wants to survive,

Llona will have to defy the Auran Council and learn to use her power as a weapon against the

Vyken whose sole desire is to take her light. Now she’s caught in something even bigger than

she can understand, with a power she can’t wield, and no one she can trust, except, just maybe, a mysterious stranger.

Buy Fractured Soul now!

GIVEAWAY!
One hardback copy of Fractured Soul is up for grab for all of you. Yup, it's open internationally! Enter the Rafflecopter below and good luck! Contest ends March 13th.


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Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, harcover book edition book cover

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games #3

Genre: YA, dystopian, action

Editions available:

Published: August 24th 2010 by Scholastic Press

Source: Borrowed

Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
* Book Depository * Indiebound

Blurb (Goodreads):

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe.
The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

My Thoughts:

*Spoilers might be sprinkled to some parts of this review. :)

I do not understand why people didn't liked Mockingjay. I was thinking..maybe because the Games didn't appeared this time? Or Peeta was nowhere to be seen til halfway through the book and when he came back, he lost his memory? Or because there are events that happened they did not liked? Or because in the ending, Katniss ended up with the guy they didn't want for her?

I don't understand them. Because I loved Mockingjay as much as I loved the first two books. True, I've been frustrated with the events, what happened to some people, but oh God. It was amazing. Breathtaking and unforgettable.

It wasn't easy to say goodbye to a series, especially if that series was the most amazing set of books you've ever read. Well, one of. :) The Hunger Games was a bomb into my reading life. It was one of the books that I didn't saw myself reading and loving at the same time. Catching Fire was an AH-MA-ZING sequel to THG and I thought it was the most amazing thing ever. Did I use "amazing" two times in one sentence? There you go.

Mockingjay was the perfect series ender. I couldn't thought of better scenes, events or alternate ending. And I loved the guy Katniss end up with. Until the end of the book, there's still the mystery of what life they will be having after freedom. Suzanne Collins seriously rocked this trilogy. And I want to ask for more. Please, more from her, if not THG.


Rating:

WWW Wednesdays / Waiting on Wednesday: Towering

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?






Currently Reading:

I'm finishing Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. My thoughts about it so far? I'm loving it. ;)

Finished Reading:

A Song For Julia by Charles Sheehan-Miles (Thompson Sisters #2)
- A tear-jerker romantic new adult novel. Check out my review soon!

To Read:

ARC of Requiem by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #3) and ebook copy of Perception by Lee Strauss

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on.


Towering
by Alex Flinn

Expected publication: May 14th 2013 by HarperTeen

Blurb (Goodreads):

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Alex Flinn knows her fairy tales, and Towering is her most mind-bending interpretation yet. Dark and mysterious, this reimagining of Rapunzel will have readers on the edge of their seats wondering where Alex will take them next!



Guys. GUYS! I can't even. GAAAH!!!
Alex Flinn, everybody. With another sure-amazing re-telling of a fairytale. I love this. And would you read the sypnosis?
"..her most mind-bending interpretation yet". If I think her past re-tellings are gorgeous and the latest, Bewitching, was perfect... Well. I can't imagine how truly amazing this one will be. I want this. Now, please. Let it be now. NOW.



Pre-order Towering now!


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Tell me about your awesome picks for this week! ♥