Juliette’s touch is lethal and powerful, but to her, it is just a horrible curse, one that got her locked up in a tiny cell in an asylum. She is extremely lonely, lacking parental love and the ability for human touch. She feels forgotten. It seems as if though as long as she is locked up, no one cares to give a second thought to how she is doing. Now, The Reestablishment that destroyed everything under the guise of making it better wants to use Juliette as a weapon.

Tahereh Mafi did not provide too much detail on The Reestablishment, which was fine with me because getting into the nitty gritty can sometimes be distracting and superfluous. Basically, society went down hill and The Reestablishment said they could fix it when in fact, they made it worse. What Juliette does not know is that there are rebel groups that are very organized and are waiting for the opportune moment to strike back. It was obviously a dystopian society, but the book did have some paranormal elements with Juliette’s ability.

The plot was good and I loved Adam, Kenji, and I even had a cautious fascination and hate of Warner, like Juliette did. It was really hard to just dismiss the guy as an evildoer, which he was, but he was so charismatic. Go Tahereh! 

Where was I? Oh, plot. A teenage girl who can kill with her touch is just fodder for a good story and there was so much more to her than that. I believe Shatter Me was a good introduction to the characters, story, and trilogy, but there were a few things that bothered me.

The incessant strike-throughs (you know, these) drove me a bit crazy. I thought the were superfluous rather than clever even though I know they were meant to demonstrate Juliette’s thought process, as well as the lack of commas where needed. And honestly, the first twelve chapters were not as exciting as I had hoped them to be and I was beginning to despair as I read. Around chapter thirteen, Shatter Me became more interesting to me and by chapter nineteen I was definitely more into it.

So to sum it up, Shatter Me started too slowly for my liking but it picked up and I ended up enjoying the story. The grammar evened out as I read on (or maybe I did not notice it as much anymore) and the characters really interested me, especially the boys because each of them was so different, all wanted Juliette for different reasons, and I just wanted to dig deeper and learn their motives.

Recommended for young adult readers sixteen and older who are fans of dystopian fiction like Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky and Possession by Elana Johnson.

Rhine and Gabriel escaped the mansion only to run straight into another trap in the form of a decrepit carnival run by a first generation woman. Rhine is not the type to give up and she is determined to get to Manhattan and to her twin brother, Rowan.

This story has lost some of its charm for me since Wither despite my excitement for the second installment. Fever began with an old carnival and it seemed like it would slowly take up the whole book. I found myself hoping that Rhine and Gabriel would be wandering around  more and moving forward rather than being caught stagnant again.

But as Rhine worked to gain Madame’s (the woman in charge of the twisted carnival) trust and the old woman’s fantasies played out, I became more interested in the world Madame built around herself. Just as that happened, though, was when things changed.

Also, I do not know if others have or will notice this, but I felt like the many variations of the word “wither” seemed forced. I kept noticing it throughout Fever. 

Something that may seem weird but that I liked was the feeling that I was trapped in some half nightmare, half dream. I hope that was what Lauren DeStefano intended, but I do not know for sure.

The end of Fever was very exciting and closed on a bit of a cliffhanger that might make readers shriek a little bit, but which will also make readers want more immediately.

Recommended for young adult readers who are fans of dystopia and of Wither.

The idea of a United States of America is a mere tale, one that nobody believes was every real. In its place are the Colonies and the Republic, which covers the former western United States. Fifteen-year-old June is a member of one of the wealthy families of the Republic and a prodigy on her way to being the youngest new star of the military. On the other side of the tracks, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal, not because he is dangerous, but because his identity is unknown and he makes the government look bad.

After June’s older brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect, their paths cross as June seeks to avenge Metias’ death, while Day is intent on his family’s survival. The more June digs into Day’s past and into Metias’ journals, the more dread claims her as she realizes that Day and her beloved Republic are not what they seem.

I read Legend in anticipation for the Breathless Reads tour stop in Bethesda and actually finished it the morning of the event.

Legend alternates between Day and June in the first person and if you have the print version (not sure about the digital one) you will notice that Day’s point-of-view is in one font and color while June’s is in another font and color. I thought this was both fun and useful. If something distracted you from reading, you could resume without having to flip back to the beginning of a chapter to verify which character’s thoughts you were reading. I wonder why this idea is not used more often.

There are really only a few points I want to mention about Legend:

• I could see the world Marie Lu built as I read as if I were daydreaming. I just hope that if it makes it to the big screen (there are talks) that the movie people will stay true to the book.
• There was a moment towards the end with Day and his older brother John that brought tears to my eyes, particularly this: 

• What John did for Day moved me and saddened me so much. I was in shock and I could feel my eyes stinging but no tears would come. It was crazy. It was heartbreaking.
• There is so much pain on both sides in this book and it brought tears to my eyes yet again not far from the end.

Legend is definitely a worthwhile read. Do not let the possibility of tears or sadness deter you. I might not have picked it up before I knew I was going to the Breathless Reads tour, but I am very glad I did. No worries - it is the first in a trilogy, so there will be more!

Recommended for young adult readers fourteen and older who enjoy their post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels with a smidge of romance. If you like Possession by Elana Johnson or Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie, check out Legend!

Seventeen-year-old Amy Martin is about to embark on a journey that will take her to a whole new world. Literally.

Along with her parents, she is cryogenically frozen and placed upon the spaceship Godspeed with ninety-seven other frozen people from Earth. The ship is traveling to a new Earth-like planet on an exploratory mission and it will take three hundred years to get there - hence, the freezing.

But Amy is unfrozen fifty years too early, by an inhabitant of the ship intent on killing the frozens. Not only has she lost the chance to be with her parents again, but she also has a murder mystery on her hands that Elder, the sixteen-year-old future leader of the ship (and boy she develops complicated feelings for), may be involved in.

The first chapter of Across the Universe is horrifying. It is not that anything bad happens, but that the whole process described is just scary and nothing I would ever want to go through, except for maybe…maybe if I were in Amy’s position.

I feel like Across the Universe is very character-driven (which is not a bad thing) and I say that because I did not find myself taking many notes on the plot. I felt like this 2011 debut was all about introducing readers to the characters and life on the ship. There are a lot of characters, but only a few sentient ones that really drove the action: Elder, Eldest, Amy, Harley, Orion, and Doc. Elder is the indecisive, inexperienced future leader and Eldest is the tyrant who still manages to keep things from falling apart. Orion is the mysterious record-keeper and Doc is the doctor with no bedside manner. Harley is the creative artist with a different way of seeing the ship and he was probably the coolest and my favorite character. Amy is the one from Earth who sticks out like a sore thumb and who often came off as child-like despite her seventeen years.

As for the story, it was good. I really enjoyed it. There were a lot of twists that kept me on my toes as well as lots of horrifying revelations. It was like thing after thing happened or was revealed and just when I thought there could not possibly be anything else to throw me a loop, there was - and I loved it.

I really felt for Amy. Even though she seemed very young at times, she still handled herself rather well. I would probably have gone off my rocker if I were in her situation.

Across the Universe is the beginning of a twisty, mysterious, imaginative science fiction trilogy.

Recommended for those sixteen and older who enjoy young adult fiction, particularly science fiction and dystopia. There is a lot of sex in the book that is not super graphic but graphic enough. There is also attempted rape, some violence, and no language but in context it is not gratuitous. For mature readers. 

The Seeds of Wither is an eBook sampler I recently discovered and bought to tide me over until Fever is available. It includes the first few chapters of Wither (which I skipped since I have already read it), an exclusive, never-before-published short story titled The First Bride, and the first chapter of Fever.

The real pull of this sampler for me was the short story and the sneak peek of Fever. The First Bride was a lovely short story told from Rose’s (Linden’s first wife) point-of-view. Lauren DeStefano’s writing flows beautifully in the same tone she used for Wither. Despite the horror of the reality of this world, the language and description of simple things is beautiful. Rose is an interesting character with a beauty, poise, and calm that resonated through the few pages she had to tell us her story. I enjoyed learning more about her past with Linden as well as her grief and her selflessness. And, of course, the orange grove.

The first chapter of Fever was really good as well. It does pick up where Wither leaves off. I think that is important. The outside feels both safe and scary to Gabriel and Rhine. The chapter also comes off as surreal, especially towards the end. That is what I enjoyed about Wither - the surreal quality.

For fans of Wither!

Birthmarked and Prized fans know all about Gaia Stone and her life, personality, and views. Fans also know of Leon through Gaia’s eyes, but we never quite knew what happened to him between books one and two…until  now.

What happened to Leon? Well, there is not much I can say without ruining this short bridge story for you all. I can tell you that Caragh O’Brien wrote Tortured in the same style as her other books and that it is awesome. I found Leon’s voice and story intense and interesting. It is a nice story to hold me over until the third book arrives. I am sure that any fan of Caragh O’Brien’s work will enjoy Tortured.

For those fourteen and older who enjoy YA dystopia and Caragh M. O’Brien’s books.

Insider Information is a short story that takes place prior to Possession. It follows a fourteen-year-old Zenn Bower when he was still Jag Barque’s second-in-command in the Resistance. He is on a mission to save some people who were taken from the Goodgrounds and he is upset at all the risks Jag is taking by ordering this operation. Although Zenn disagrees with Jag’s methods, they share the same goal; to fix society. While he waits for his turn to teleport, his thoughts shift to Vi and how their relationship has changed, blossomed into something more than friendship. Vi has become the most important person in Zenn’s life.

The director, however, is one step ahead of Zenn and the Resistance. Director Myers taunts Zenn, giving him an ultimatum and hinting that terrible things could happen to certain people Zenn cares about. Zenn cannot continue to have things both ways and finally has to choose his side.

Rather than Vi’s perspective, the reader gets to experience this dystopian society through Zenn’s eyes. It provides key information that explains where Zenn’s mind is and his actions in Possession. Poor Zenn becomes outwardly cool to everyone but Vi, but here the reader gets to be inside his head and learn how much he cares for Vi, as well as how tormented his between-a-rock-and-hard-place situation makes him.

Insider Information is a great supplemental story to the Possession series that every fan should read.

For YA fans fourteen and older who enjoy dystopian fiction and Possession.

Sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, began to doubt the Enclave and her own life outside of the wall the night she advanced her first baby…and found out that the Enclave had imprisoned her parents. Now, after losing both of her parents and Leon, but gaining a baby sister, Gaia sets out into the wasteland for the fabled Dead Forest.

Just when things seem to be coming to an end for Gaia and her newborn sister, Maya, she is rescued by a man on horseback who takes her to Sylum, a place just as backwards as the Enclave, but not as powerful. The women rule although the men greatly outnumber them and the littlest contact initiated by a man to a woman is considered a heinous crime. The female leader of Sylum takes Gaia’s sister away, promising a reunion if Gaia submits to the social code at the expense of her sense of self.

Prized is a fantastic follow-up to Birthmarked, which is fantastic itself. Caragh M. O’Brien’s well-developed world of dystopian societies is imaginative, well-written, and a must-have series for every young adult reader’s bookshelf.

Gaia is an amazing young woman. She has been through so much and still manages to go on despite all of the obstacles that stand in her way. In Sylum, the leader, Matrarc Olivia, is very strict about the laws and needs to feel she is in control when it comes to those who contradict her. For that reason, she and Gaia have a rocky relationship. Gaia abides by what she knows is right while Matrarc Olivia abides by the law, whether it is right or wrong. The Matrarc is not all bad however; with the men outnumbering the women, I can see how some of the laws came into being.

Plenty of new characters are introduced in Prized, but probably the two most important ones are brothers Will and Peter Chardo, who both subtly help out Gaia. In fact, between those two and another young man, Gaia is caught up in a love quadrangle. Part of me wonders if O’Brien added this on her own or if it was a suggestion by an agent or publisher, but it works out well. It allows Gaia to analyze her previous, but underdeveloped feelings for Leon back in the Enclave as well as her current feelings, and though she feels confused, she is smart about sorting things out. The quadrangle, though upping the romance factor in this sequel, does not fuel the story; rather, Gaia’s survival and her fight for her principles does.

Birthmarked was originally intended to be a stand-alone novel, but most readers would never realize that with the way Caragh M. O’Brien seamlessly continued the story in Prized. In this latest installment, Gaia comes closer to the underlying problem with both of the societies she has been a part of: genetics. It seems to be the root of all problems even though Sylum and the Enclave branched out in two completely different directions. I cannot say enough how much I love Prized. It is brilliant. I hope you all will read it.

For YA readers who are fans of dystopian novels, fourteen and older. Really, go read it. Now.

Cassia and her family have fallen out of the Society’s good graces. Cassia has been placed in a work camp in the Outer Provinces and her family has been relocated. At the camp, Cassia bides her time as she waits for the opportune moment to escape and go after Ky, who has been taken to the border with other male Aberrations to act as decoys for the Enemy. The boys are sitting ducks and their purpose is to die.

When Cassia finally gets word of Ky, it is only to find out that he has escaped, but at least he left clues as to where he went. Her days in the wild make her more confident in choosing Ky, but the game is not over for Xander, who may be more like Ky than Cassia thinks.

The story of Matched has evolved into something with more depth and dimension with the addition of Crossed. Ally Condie introduces new characters who may or may not have ulterior motives and reveals hidden depths in the main cast of characters of Cassia, Ky, and Xander, especially by adding Ky’s voice to the narrative. Matched was Cassia’s story, but Crossed is as much of Ky’s story as it is hers. Their lives are intertwined.  I wonder (read: hope) if Xander’s voice will be added to the third and final installment. The reader needs to know his story in his own words and it would add to the continuity of the work as a whole.

The mood has also evolved between the two books into something more mature and serious. There is no Society to make decisions for Cassia and she gets a thorough taste of the death and destruction in Ky’s world and the underbelly of the Society.

The new characters in Crossed served to show Ky’s compassion and the loss of Cassia’s naïveté about the people on the fringes of the Society. Out of Indie, Eli, Vick, and Hunter, I enjoyed Indie and Vick the most. They were the strongest of the new characters. 

I enjoyed Crossed much more than its predecessor. Crossed has ensured that I will read the third installment. There was a big twist (at least for me) on page 285 and chapters 21 and 22 were absolutely beautiful and moved me. If you have not read this series, go for it. If you read Matched, and like me, thought it was okay, read Crossed - it will turn you around. Crossed still leaves some questions unanswered: I have no greater sense of who the Enemy is and I know little more about the Rising, which may or may not be a good “organization”. But Ally Condie definitely improved her writing and story with Crossed. It has a lyrical, poetic feel that reminds me of Maggie Stiefvater’s work. Do not discount this trilogy until you have read Crossed!

For YA fans of dystopian fiction fourteen and older. Also for fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s work.

The Society makes all of the decisions. It tells its people how to dress, what is acceptable entertainment, and what to believe in. And it is always right.

So when Cassia Reyes attends her Matching ceremony and learns her Match is her best friend, Xander, she is pleasantly surprised and completely confident in the Society’s decision.

That is, until later when she views the card that has all of Xander’s information on it. His picture fades and for an instant she sees Ky Markham’s face. Doubt begins to seep in as Cassia finds it difficult to get Ky out of her head. Instead of exploring the new turn in her relationship with Xander, Cassia finds herself drawn to Ky and begins to fall for him.

But falling for Ky is against the rules and when it makes her question everything else about the Society, she may not ever be able to go back to her old normal.

It took me forever to read Matched - not my actual reading time, but the months and months I have heard about it and planned to read it and just never got around to it. But the release of Crossed finally got me in gear to find out what the hype has been about. It always seems to be fifty-fifty with hype, does it not? Sometimes the hype pays off and sometimes it disappoints. Matched’s hype did not quite pay off but it is still a likable book.

I found the Society and how it worked interesting. The Society did its due diligence to keep its people ignorant. Not only did the Society take everything away from its citizens to make them as equal as possible (except when it came to work), they also destroyed all of the previous culture so that no one would be able to pass down memories of songs or poems other than the hundred of each that were chosen and deemed appropriate. Because of that, when the Society makes decisions for people, the people are happy.

Knowledge is dangerous for the Society. It would disrupt the perceived equality of its people and it would make certain citizens more powerful. But after what I read, I have to wonder if those at the top abuse their power in private. They definitely have more knowledge than the other people and access to resources that the others do not have.

Cassia is a likable character. In fact, they all are: Xander, Ky, and the side characters. Likable, but hard to connect with, I think, because of the world building and the dominance and focus on the Society and its cover-ups, which were more interesting.

The love story was okay. Another love triangle. Sometimes they work and sometimes they do not. I know it is hard to get away from because a lot of authors are writing at the same time and cannot know that when their book comes out, there will be a lot of others at the same time with love triangles in them. Still the love triangles are getting old more often than not, so maybe the next trend will be just two people falling for each other without the complications of a third person. I do have to say that I like Cassia better with Ky, at least so far.

Bottom line: Matched was interesting but just okay.

For YA fans of dystopian books who are fourteen and older.