GUEST REVIEW: Requiem - Lauren Oliver

GENRE: Dystopia

PAGES: 352

PUBLISHER: Hodder

FORMAT: Paperback

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

It is the rule of the Wilds You must be bigger, and stronger, and tougher. A coldness radiates through me, a solid wall that is growing, piece by piece, in my chest. He doesn't love me He never loved me. It was all a lie. 'The old Lena is dead', I say, and then push past him. Each step is more difficult than the last; the heaviness fills me and turns my limbs to stone. You must hurt, or be hurt. Lena can build the walls, but what if there's no one left to take them down?

REVIEW

Requiem is the third and final book for the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver. If you haven’t read the first two books of the series, I suggest that you do not read this review as THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS. (If you are unsure about reading the series, check out my review for Delirium and Pandemonium). Lauren Oliver writes this book in the same way as she has done in the previous books; gripping

So Requiem is written differently from the previous books as it is in the perspective of Lena and Hana which I really like as it shows that the book series goes in a full circle and we get to see the girls reunited again. It also gives the story extra depth as we get to compare a life with love and a life without love.

Lena’s POV: In Pandemonium, we see the rebellion underway and in Requiem, we see it turn into a full out revolution with Lena (of course) being in the centre of it. As you know, in Pandemonium, Alex returns and he is angry and cold at the fact that Lena has moved on from him, when Lena was only trying to forget him as she thought he was killed when he got captured (*sighs due to feelings*). Even though Lena does love Julian, the more she interacts with Alex, the feelings and memories are resurfaced and the guilt and pain of moving on gets to her, especially she sees Alex moving on himself with a a girl called Carol (WHY CANT REAL LOVE PREVAIL?). Trying not to show her jealously, Lena pushes her feelings to one side and tries to keep her family safe and also develops her romantic relationship with Julian.

Hana’s POV: In Portland, Hana has been cured and is planning her wedding with Fred Hargove, her pairing. Even though she is cured, and in the government’s eyes, her life is now ‘perfect’, she is afraid as new feelings are developed, and she relives her memories, she thinks of; Lena, her old life, how she resisted to be normal, being her own person and the feelings of regret, guilt and unhappiness of not doing something hits her hard. She is surprised when she sees Lena, part of the resistance and even more shocked when she finds out that she ran away from Portland, to fight the DFA. Hana also see a different side to her fiancé, which is very frightening and she feels that her life is in danger. She finds out that her fiancé had a wife called Mealana who was sent to prison for being ‘psychotic’, when actually Fred tried to kill her. When Hana and Lena do meet and Hana reveals something which takes this book into a whole new level.

Main Characters:

Lena Haloway: I love her character. Honestly. She gets put under so much guilt by Alex (I love you Alex but sorry you are stupid) and I feel so bad for because she has been told, once you’ve been captured by the government, the chances of you surviving (and escaping) are next to nothing, so of course she automatically thought that Alex and her were never going to meet again. she may have got over him a lot quicker if she fell in love with someone else so she seemed determined not to put herself through the misery she would have faced grieving Alex, so she was going to find some happiness so she moved on to Julian. I love the fact that she is so strong and so willing to put herself in front to defend in what she believes in.

Alex Sheathes: ALEX IS BACK, YAY!! I love Alex, I honestly do but he is a big, fat douche. When he was going out with Carol, all I kept thinking was, it should of been Lena (I am a Alena/Lenex shipper). I am upset in a way because I don’t like how his character develops.

Julian Fineman: JULIAN OMG!! I feel so sorry for him, I honestly do. He is an absolute cutie and he gets heartbroken. I don’t like what happens to his character so I prefer Alex over him.

Hana Tate: I don’t like Hana. I do feel sorry for her but she does something that disturbs my happiness (that’s not cool).

Overall I was disappointed with the ending (The ending was meh) because it didn’t live up to the hype and expectation I thought it to be. This book is my least favourite in the series however it is still beautifully written.

- Ambi.

GUEST REVIEW: Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver

GENRE: YA/Dystopian

PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Hodder
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Unflinching, heartbreaking and totally addictive, this novel will push your emotions to the limit. Lena's been to the very edge. She's questioned love and the life-changing and agonising choices that come with it. She's made her decision. But can she survive the consequences?

REVIEW

Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, so if you haven’t read the first book, I advise that you do not read this review before you have read Delirium as there are SPOLIERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK. (My previous review is about Delirium go check it out). This book was very unexpecting and Lauren writes this book in a very interesting way.

At the end Delirium, Lena has runaway to Wilds whilst Alex is caught and possibly dead. At the beginning of Pandemonium she is in The Wilds alone, however soon after she meets a group of Invalids and they become a family. One girl she encounters with is Raven. Raven is the leader of her family in the Wilds and Raven orders Lena to complete a mission in the outside world. Lena was warned by Raven to look out for the ‘Watch the DFA. Observe. Blend.’ She is supposed to blend into the society that she left when she ran away to the Wilds. The DFA stands for Deliria – Free America and this is what Lena and the Invalids are against. Raven also tells Lena to keep on the DFA’s son; Julian Fineman. Lena doesn’t know why she must keep on eye on Julian however she goes along with Raven’s orders. The family is then attacked and Lena and Julian are both captured as prisoners. Her and Julian find a way to escape and she develops unexpected feelings for Julian but will this turn into a romance after Alex or is someone/something going to shake up her feelings?

Main Characters

Lena Halloway: Lena’s character development from Delirium to Pandemonium is exceptional. The way she handles with the grief and heartbreak of Alex to getting thrown back into the real world is amazing and Lauren really shows what a true woman can do and that women are strong human beings. Lena’s character also develops romantically with Julian, however you feel that she still has a connection with Alex therefore her relationship with Julian is bit more strict due to her feelings for Alex.

Julian Fineman: Julian is absolutely adorable however I find his character very confusing. One minute, he doesn’t want to know Lena, the next he is pouring his deep and dark secrets out to her and then is back to not wanting to know her. I did fall in love with Julian however I didn’t agree with some of the choices he makes during the book because I feel they are harsh to Lena and also I personally wouldn’t make those decisions.

Lauren writes the series from Lena’s perspective and this book jumps from the present time to the past and then back again, which means you have to concentrate on the book but I think that this gives the book a whole new depth because you get to feel Lena’s emotions from past and present. I love the direction that the book turns to with the insanely annoying (yet amazing) cliffhanger at the end, with big reveals and emotions flying everywhere.

This book is second in the trilogy and the third Requiem. There are also short stories. For me the order you should read this series, including the short stories is; Annabel, Delirium, Hana, Pandemonium, Raven, Requiem, Alex.

- Ambi
(http://anahal.wordpress.com)

Lauren Oliver Signing

Bestselling author of the Delirium series, Lauren Oliver, will be in store answering questions and signing copies of the paperback of Panic!

Here's the deal:

An utterly gripping thriller from bestselling author Lauren Oliver. Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them-and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most. In this gritty, spellbinding novel, bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.

The signing will be in store on 14th August at 7pm. Tickets are  £3 and are available in store or on 0121 633 4353. 

GUEST REVIEW: Delirium - Lauren Oliver

PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years suffocated by a lie. There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. Then, at last, they found the cure.

REVIEW

I read Delirium by the talented Lauren Oliver, (Lauren also wrote the book Panic; read the fabulous review by my talented friend Sofia) and this wasn’t a book I would expect myself to read and it isn’t a book that I would particularly enjoy however, I really did enjoy this book.

This book is about a girl called Lena Haloway and in her society, amor delirium nervosa (love) is forbidden. The government thinks that love is a deadly disease which destroys a person and takes over them. However there is a cure. When you turn 18, you undergo an operation which destroys the feelings of love. Lena is 95 days away from being cured from amor delirium nervosa. In the book, The Safety, Health, and Happiness Handbook (written by the government, also known as The Book of Shhh) it states that this operation is necessary so that people do not catch the symptoms of amor delirium nervosa. Lena thinks that she will be happy once she is cured however this changes when she meets Alex and suddenly she is feeling vulnerable and now she is developing the symptoms of amor delirium nervosa (mentioned in The Book of Shh). Suddenly, all the lies have been revealed and with her new found love for Alex, she is finding it very difficult to make the decisions. Will she go ahead and undergo the operations or will she and Alex make the daring and illegal choice and escape?

Main characters

Lena Haloway: Lena’s character changes throughout this book. At the beginning of the book, she is a goody two shoes. She never missed curfew, she never went against The Book of Shh, she always did what she was told. However once she meets Alex, she slowly becomes more rebellious which has a massive play on the ending and the rest of the series. I absolutely love Lena as later on she becomes braver and Lauren Oliver really lets her character develop and unfold.

Alex Sheathes: Alex.Oh.My.God. The love I have for him is substantial. I love him to the end of existence. His cuteness with Lena just kills me, he is just perfect and I love him. He is strong, beautiful and just amazing. The love that he shares with Lena is real and raw. Alex is just amazing you will fall in love with him.

The reason why I really enjoyed this book was the fact that it showed me that even a world with misery and corruption, you can find love and once you are in love, it becomes your whole life. The way Lauren writes this book makes you feel all the emotions that the character is feeling. She allows you to create a vivid image in your mind when you are reading and this book is just amazing.

This is book is part of a trilogy, where the story continues of Lena. The second book is Pandemonium and the third Requiem. There are also short stories. For me the order you should read this series, including the short stories is; Annabel, Delirium, Hana, Pandemonium, Raven, Requiem, Alex.

- Ambi.

(http://anahal.wordpress.com)

GUEST REVIEW: Panic - Lauren Oliver

PAGES: 416
PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them-and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most. In this gritty, spellbinding novel, bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.

REVIEW

I am a big fan of Lauren Oliver’s writing having read her Delirium trilogy which I absolutely adore. However going into Panic I was a bit hesitant since it hadn’t had the best reviews. However, I did end up really loving it. Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and the plot and I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. Let’s start with the full spoiler-free review.

Panic is all about a series of tough challenges that are created to make the competitors, well panic. Reading about these challenges terrified me because they were all so scary! I couldn’t even begin to imagine doing them for myself. This may have been just me, but when they starting doing the challenges I was always confused with what they had to do. It might have been just me not paying enough attention but I kept saying “Why are they in water?” and “What is she doing in the road?”. Carrying on from that, the start of this book really confused me because it started out during a challenge but then went back in time to the start of the challenge. The first few pages were confusing but once I got past them, I was so engrossed and I didn’t want to put it down. The challenges made the book suspenseful and intense and I loved that!

Heather was an excellent main character. She was strong and she dealt with all the various issues she had to deal with throughout the whole novel. Participating in Panic, she went through quite a lot with the tough challenges. On top of that she also went through a lot of personal issues in her life. I really admired the fact that she could deal with both challenges at the same time and not go crazy.

Since it is a Lauren Oliver book, there was a range of amazing supporting cast such as Nat and Bishop. But the other main character was Dodge. Dodge I didn’t really understand and whenever it was one of his chapters, I was counting the pages until Heather’s next chapter. I probably would have enjoyed this book a lot more if it was just in Heather’s perspective. Dodge does go through a lot and he is probably the most determined to win but I just couldn’t connect to him. All of her characters had their own unique story and I loved that. Bishop was a great character and I honestly wish we knew more about him and I wish we explored him better. Actually I would have liked it, if the book was split between Heather’s and Bishop’s POV instead of Dodge’s because it would have given us as readers a sense of dramatic irony.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the lack of romance. Most YA books have a romance as a central story that keeps popping up everywhere but in Panic the romance was very much on the down low. There still was one but the book focused more on the challenges and I loved that. When I went into it, I wanted romance since I’d been reading romance for a while beforehand but there was simply no space for anymore romance in the story when most of the story is all about tough challenges.

For anyone who has read Requiem, you will probably have experienced the fact that Lauren Oliver isn’t exactly the best at writing endings to stories and this unfortunately showed in Panic. I found the ending to be a bit of a cop out and slightly rushed. If the book was a little bit longer, it could have been almost perfect.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and Lauren Oliver’s writing but I wanted a better ending! A solid 4 out of 5 stars to this novel and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes action and suspense.

- Sofia.

(http://fifisofa.wordpress.com)