Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Summary:
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I can't believe it took me so long to read Allegiant! It probably had something to do with the fact that so many people told me that they hated it... So I never felt compelled to finish the series. But I'm glad I finally did because I didn't think it was too bad.

I'm pretty far removed from reading Divergent and Insurgent so I'm not as invested in these characters as those who read all three books in a row. So when they act out-of-character or are just annoying (read: Tobias) I wasn't that upset. I was mainly focused on the plot, which I'll admit was pretty far-fetched but I still enjoyed it. All that "science" about genetics is clearly not based in fact, but I just took it at face-value.

The only thing that super annoyed me was Tobias's reaction to one of the twists and then how Tris started becoming a Mary Sue. She even got mad when Tobias didn't do exactly what she wanted and then she got to throw the "I told you so" in his face. That left a bad taste in my mouth.

Now everyone is up in arms about the ending, which I understand. Everyone on GoodReads says that it would have been okay if it was actually needed. I didn't mind it too much, because like I said before, I wasn't really invested in the storyline. I see why Roth wrote it that way and I see why everyone's mad. So you'll just have to read it yourself to see if you like it.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/Katherine Tegen Books/526 pages

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Summary:
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. 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.

"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I FINALLY read Insurgent! I've been waiting to read it since it was released almost a year ago. It's actually okay that I waited because now there isn't that much time until the conclusion is published. I have a few thoughts on Insurgent but I can say that I enjoyed it.

Looking back, I didn't realize that it's been over a year since I read Divergent. Normally I don't have a problem jumping back into a series, but this time I was so lost. There is not recap at the beginning of Insurgent and I was really hazy on minor characters and plot details. A lot of the names of Tris's friends and peers went right over my head. I couldn't even remember who Will was, and he was such a huge part of Tris's development in this book.

I can definitely tell that Insurgent is the middle book of the trilogy, because it wasn't as good as its predecessor and there is a lot of set-up for the last novel. There is still action and plot twists, but it's nothing like the whirlwind exciting ride that was Divergent. 

The whole book is centered around this "secret" that is the reason why there are factions in the first place and  explains why their community is fenced it. That detail was something that I totally forgot. Luckily at the end you find out the secret, and now I'm really excited to find out what happens next because the book ends on a cliffhanger!

So overall I liked Divergent a lot better but Insurgent was still a quick and enjoyable read. I can't wait to see how everything wraps up for Tris and Tobias!

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: Christmas gift.

2012/HarperTeen/525 pages.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Summary:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I've been wanting to read Divergent since before it was released and I can't believe I waited until to finally get it. It's no surprise that I absolutely LOVED Divergent and think that it was one of the best books of the year.

Everything about Divergent appealed to me: the factions, the dystopia, the fact that Tris is different than her peers, the romance, the impending war between the factions. I thought the factions were really clever and I could definitely see why a society might want to encourage certain traits in its members. Even though you are born into a faction, at 16 you still get to choose which one you want, which was pretty nice. It would be so hard to choose, because if you pick a different one than the one you were born into, you never get to see your family. Looking at the factions, Dauntless would be my last choice and Erudite would be my first, which is funny when you see what happens in the book.

It was interesting to watch Tris change and develop from a meek little girl in Abnegation to who she becomes in her new faction. Some of the changes were good, some not so much, but I understand why she changed the way she did. I also thought it was interesting that even though the factions stand for good characteristics, the end up bringing out the bad side in its members. For example, the Dauntless are pretty violent, the Erudite are arrogant and the Candor are insulting. It's funny how good traits can turn bad.

Besides its action and romance, Divergent also provides commentary on human nature and things such as facing your fears, being brave in spite of your fear, and what it means to have multiple traits working together. I thought the author wrote Divergent magnificently and I never wanted to put the book down. Now I can't wait to read Insurgent!

Rating: 10 out of 10!!!
FTC: borrowed from library.

2011/Katherine Tegen Books/487 pages.