Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Summary:
Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole? (from GoodReads)

Review:
I loved Birthmarked and I've been waiting a long time to read this. I'm very glad to say that I enjoyed it a lot, even though it was very different from its predecessor.

In Birthmarked, the reader is introduced to a new, dystopian society and the same thing occurs in Prized. Obviously, it's the same world, but the society is extremely different. In Sylum, the women are the rulers and the only ones allowed to vote, which is especially important because men outnumber women nine to one. Propriety is taken very seriously and men and women are not allowed to touch. Even though I don't like the harsh rules in Sylum, I do understand why they have them. With so few women to go around, I can see how things might get crazy.

Like the readers, Gaia is very confused in Sylum, since it's so drastically difference than the Enclave. She has to make certain decisions regarding her behavior and do things she might not agree with to achieve her ultimate goal, which is to fit in and have a life in Sylum. It was interesting to see Gaia's struggle because I think I would have the same issues as she does.

Most novels these days have a love triangle, but Prized goes the next step and employs a love square. Yes, three men are vying for Gaia's attentions, which is a little ridiculous if you ask me. Because there is so much going on, one of the men is only a minor romantic interest, so Prized had more of a love triangle. I did like the romance in this book, especially because the characters were so different. I pretty much knew who Gaia was going to choose but it was still nice to see the other characters anyway.

The only thing that I didn't like (and this also occurred often in Birthmarked) was that Gaia figured things out so easily. Letters written in code? Decoded within a day. Male infertility in Sylum? Gaia finds the cause. The acclimation sickness? Gaia also finds the cause and the cure. Besides attracting the entire male population, she also is a genius. Obviously, the book moves faster when characters aren't dwelling on solving all these little mysteries, but it would be nice to allow some issues to develop more before Gaia pulls the answer out of thin air.

Besides my issue with problems being solved so quickly, I still enjoyed Prized a lot. It was very different than Birthmarked, but in a good way. I'm definitely excited to complete to the trilogy and can't wait to read the next book.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library.

2011/Roaring Brook Press/368 pages.

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose

Summary:
As a sophomore at Brown University, Kevin Roose didn't have much contact with the Religious Right. Raised in a secular home by staunchly liberal parents, he fit right in with Brown's sweatshop-protesting, fair-trade coffee-drinking, God-ambivalent student body. So when he had a chance encounter with a group of students from Liberty University, a conservative Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia, he found himself staring across a massive culture gap. But rather than brush the Liberty students off, Roose decided to do something much bolder: he became one of them.

Liberty University is the late Rev. Jerry Falwell's proudest accomplishment - a 10,000-student conservative Christian training ground. At Liberty, students (who call themselves "Champions for Christ") take classes like Introduction to Youth Ministry and Evangelism 101. They hear from guest speakers like Mike Huckabee and Karl Rove, they pray before every class, and they follow a 46-page code of conduct called "The Liberty Way" that prohibits drinking, smoking, R-rated movies, contact with the opposite sex, and witchcraft. Armed with an open mind and a reporter's notebook, Roose dives into life at Bible Boot Camp with the goal of connecting with his evangelical peers by experiencing their world first-hand.

Roose's semester at Liberty takes him to church, class, and choir practice at Rev. Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church. He visits a support group for recovering masturbation addicts, goes to an evangelical hip-hop concert, and participates in a spring break mission trip to Daytona Beach, where he learns how to convert bar-hopping co-eds to Christianity. Roose struggles with his own faith throughout, and in a twist that could only have been engineered by a higher power, he conducts what would turn out to be the last in-depth interview of Rev. Falwell's life. Hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking, Kevin Roose's embedded report from the front lines of the culture war will inspire and entertain believers and non-believers alike. (from GoodReads)

Review:
When I first stumbled upon this book on Amazon, I was extremely intrigued. Just by reading the synopsis, I felt a connection with the author right away. We're both sophomores in college and we were raised very similarly and have similar beliefs. Since I'm not very religious, religion fascinates me so I knew I would like The Unlikely Disciple.

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but The Unlikely Disciple read just like a fictional story or novel. I could not put this book down. It was extremely engaging and I wanted to know what happened next. I also thought it was very thought-provoking and I loved that Kevin was able to remain open-minded and respectful of religion during his entire semester at Liberty. I hope that I could be as open-minded as he was if I was ever put in a different culture, so to speak.

I liked that Kevin tried to bridge the gap between the two cultures of Evangelical Christians and non-Evangelical Christians. He was able to show that you can still get along with and still like people that have different beliefs and opinion. A lot of the people met at Liberty were extremely nice and friendly, a lot friendlier than the people at my school it seems.

Kevin was able to go to Liberty without sacrificing his own beliefs as well. He didn't like the overt homophobia that could be found there and never justified other people's prejudiced opinions. Liberty seems like a nice university, but I could never go to a school where everyone is expected to believe the same things and classes are taught with one set of beliefts in mind.

Overall, The Unlikely Disciple was interesting, funny, thought-provoking, introspective, and engaging. I would suggest that everyone read it because it really is a great book.

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

2009/Grand Central Publishing/324 pages.

Waiting on Wednesday - 66

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about yet-to-be published books.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. (From GoodReads)

This sounds really interesting! I'm not sure if it's historical fiction or fantasy, or maybe a mix of both. I'm looking forward to finding out though! The Selection will be released April 24, 2012.

Top Ten Tuesday - 13

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for those who like books and lists!

Top Ten Books of 2011

*I'm only including books published in 2011*

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
This might be my favorite book of the year. It's so hard to pick! But I loved the factions and the romance between Tris and Four. Great read!

2. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Another amazing dystopia. This one had such a wonderful premise; it was very bleak and hopeless, but that made the book so much better.

3. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
This was very original and very engaging. Although the style of the writing and the purposeful misspellings could make it annoying, I thought it added to the overall story.

4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Love as a disease? I loved it! Can't wait to see what happens next.

5. Stay by Deb Caletti
Deb Caletti is one of my all-time favorite authors and everything she writes is gold.

6. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
I adore Cassandra Clare as well and enjoy her two series. I'm looking forward to reading Clockwork Prince.

7. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
I was pleasantly surprised by this! Especially since I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy. It's an awesome book though!

8. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
This combined science fiction and mystery so I knew I was going to love it.

9. Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
I thought this was going to be very similar to Across the Universe but it ended up being different and held its own!

10. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
This was a controversial book on incest but I still enjoyed it. I think it's an important book everyone should read.

Frost by Marianna Baer

Summary:
Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night? (From GoodReads)

Review:
I love thrillers and spooky stories, so I was really excited to read Frost. I haven't read a thriller in awhile because sometimes they aren't that good, but I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed Frost!

Frost does a good job of starting out slowly and drawing the reader in. Everything seems fine at first and then little things start happening, but they are things that could be explained by natural causes. All the weird stuff that happens usually targets Leena's new roommate Celeste. Frost was different than other supernatural stories because in the beginning Leena is strangely immune to the odd occurrences. She actually feels safe in the house, which is the opposite of Celeste. But the secure feeling that Leena gets in the house starts turning creepy, like how she is drawn to the closet and likes to sit in there.

There is kind of a triangle between Leena, Celeste and Celeste's brother David. They are super close so when Leena starts falling for David, it makes things a little weird between her and Celeste. I liked David and I liked how much he cared for his sister; I thought it was sweet. But Leena thought it was annoying how he wanted her to be his personal updater on his sister's life.

What I really liked about Frost is that the ending could go several different ways. Was there a scientific explanation for the happenins in Frost House? Was the house haunted? Was it an effect of mental illness? It's very open-ended so the reader can decide what ending they think fits best.

That being said, I enjoyed Frost a lot. The boarding school setting is always fun and the spooky happenings make Frost a great novel to read when you're home alone at night. Or maybe you'll want to wait until it's light out....

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library

2011/Balzer & Bray/400 pages.

Contest Reminder & Extension

Hey guys!

I just wanted to remind everyone that I'm hosting a giveaway for a copy of the audiobook of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan!! Here is the link to the giveaway.

The contest was supposed to originally end tonight, but I'm adding an extension to get some more entries. You will have until Thu Dec 29 at 8 pm EST to enter!! All the details are on the link above.

Good luck! :)

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.