Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Characters I Would Crush On If I Was Also A Fictional Character

After a few weeks of what have been easy topics for me this weeks topic from The Broke and The Bookish I found quite difficult. I think because a lot of the male characters I read about are seen from a girls point of view and many are the romantic interest in the books so they are written to be crushed one. However I tried to imagine me as a fictional character with all my interests in a boy and how characters compared to that and I do have a list, just not quite of ten.

• Xander from Matched by Ally Condie Although I appreciated that Cassia was in love with Ky for me Xander would have been the one I think. There was just something about him and the way he thought that drew me to him and I liked that he had made the decision to be part of the rising before anyone else. He was clever and I like clever boys.
• Edward Cullen from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Edward was my very frist fictional crush. I am quite old fashioned and his traditional views on relationships won me over straight away. Don’t get me wrong he frustrated me too but I saw so much of the guy I fancied at the time in him too that I definatly crushed on him when reading the books and I’m sure would if I was in then.
• Peeta Melark from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins This is a bit of an odd one to admit if I am honest becuase when I read the books I wasn’t convinced who I liked. When he lost his memory however I realised just how much I like his devotion to Katniss and I missed their romance. Its this devotion and his innocence that would make me fall for him if I was a charcter but it also helps his actor in the film it really cute. 
• Alex from Angel by LA Weatherly Alex is probably the only real bad boy on my list and he isn’t really that of a bad boy. I just enjoyed reading about him when I read the books. I was furious when Seth was introduced because to me Alex is so lovely and the person I think Willow should be with.
• Mikey from You Against Me by Jenny Downham Mikey is just a really good guy. He wants the best for his sister but also the truth. I think I could easily fall for him.  
• Adam from Before I Die by Jenny Downahm I am unsure about putting Adam on my list because I think he is partly here because of the gorgeous actor that plays him in the film. However in the books he is also lovely and I feel like we could help each other through this madness of making decision about uni. 

Which Fictional Characters Do You Have A Crush On?

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Reached

Book Blurb

After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

My Synopsis

In the final part of the Matched trilogy all three of our characters are in someway or another back in the society. Now however they are following new orders. 

Xander has his final work placement. He has been helping the rising by changing the medication given to protect new-borns however people are starting to get sick and he knows this is the sign.

Cassia is working as a sorter but also continuing to trade for information from the boys. The museums are no longer open however and have been walled off as the society tries to hide that more and more people are becoming ill.

Ky is working as a pilot back at base looking forward to seeing Cassia again. This is the moment however The Pilot chooses to start their take over and he finds himself reunited with Indie to take the cure into another province. 

Although they are all doing what they can for the raising and believe that it is right Cassia still hates being separated from Ky and she missed Xander. As the illness begins to brought under control she embraces the new freedom by bringing together words, picture and music. But these as well as her trades bring her to the attention of the Pilot and although she finds herself reunited with both Ky and Xander and other people from her past she realises not everything has gone to plan and there is a lot more still to be done and learn about herself.

Review

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book. The situation they are in and the lack of knowledge about the Rising from the previous books made it difficult for me to predict how this book would turn out and I felt that it was actually resolved in a more peaceful way than I could ever have considered. There was some quite exciting moments throughout the book that kept me reading and I felt that we finally learnt a lot about the people each of our main characters had become as well as the pasts of people important to them. 

Having the three points of view in this story really worked for me. I think that although I agree with the way each book added a new character in it was always a story about all three of them and as this book emphasises more than the others they all had important roles to play in not shaping the future of their society. I found it very easy to like Xander in particular as I think his story was the hardest. He has had the easiest life and yet he couldn’t get the one thing he wanted, Cassia. Yet he still had hope and he believed in her and Ky and the Rising. 

For me there was a lot in this story that talked about the how countries are fun and about power and how it is used, controlled and passed on. All of this was really interesting and of course really important but there was also the continuing theme about culture and creativity. The use of poetry and paintings, the desire to be able to sing and dance and teach everyone in the world to write. These added a new dimension to the story and you really felt that these actions where a powerful expression of the people’s right to choose. 

This has been an enjoyable series to read. As with all dystopian novels it has got me to think about things in our lives now and consider how things could become and the problems with it. Although it was a love story, and this part is resolved in the book what I liked was that with many similar stories the society is left about to begin rebuilding itself and it is the feeling of hope that you are left with when you close the book. 

Crossed

Book Blurb

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky – taken by the Society to his certain death – only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander – who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart – change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

My Synopsis

Ky has returned to the outer provinces and though he is living through hell again he can see the Carving in the distance where he remembers his father trading and plans to run away into them to try and find his was back to Cassia. 

Cassia with the help of her family and Xander had been moving about working trying to find the perfect time to make a run for it herself. Although she wants to find Ky she has also learnt of a movement trying to stop the rules of the society, the Rising. As much as she tells herself getting back with Ky is the most important thing she finds herself driven to also find the Rising. 

With the help of knew friends the two teenagers find more about their world as well as each other. The discover secrets about the society that continue to fuel their hatred of it and push themselves to limits that, Cassia particularly, never thought would ever be possible. 

Review

In the second book of the series we get to hear from both Cassia and Ky point of view. This brings a whole new perspective to the story as we also get to fins out about a different side to the society. We learn Ky’s story, how his life was so different to Cassia’s and importantly about his interactions with Xander that make him fear loosing her. 

The travelling aspect of this story made it really interesting for me. It allows for more description of the world that they are in and this is something I enjoy reading. The characters in this book I also find a lot more interesting, with a young character you want to mother and one to be suspicious of. 

I felt the Cassia was trying to find herself as well through this book. Having put faith in the society for so long in the last book her world came crashing down and you can feel her using her journey as a way of rediscovering herself and what she wants to believe in. 

For me this book was as good as the first one and as good as the first time i read it. I am really exciting to read how the trilogy is going to end too and I am assured it is worth the wait. 

Matched

Book Blurb

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate… until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My Synopsis

Cassia has always dreamed that her she might be lucky enough to have her matching banquet on her 16th birthday and when this happens she feels her future is going to be perfect. She is well on the way to becoming a professional sorter and everything else in her life is perfect. When her best friend Xander is announced as her match although at first a little take a back she continues to put her faith in the rules of the society.

When she puts her microchip in to see what is says about Xander however the face that flashes before her is not his. It is of someone else she knows. Ky. 

For Cassia this is a seed of doubt in her mind that is about to grow into many questions about how good her society really is. Slowly but surely things begin to change around her. She can’t keep herself away from Ky and the more time she spends with him the more questions she has. However she is about to see different sides to all the people in her life and how their love for her will help her achiever her new desires.

Review

The society in this book I find very easy to imagine. It has worked out the prime of everything, from putting together couples at the right age to food and exercise and even the perfect life span. As with everything though it too has it’s flaws. Cassia describes in the book that they have a good control over people because they give them just enough freedom to reign people in when they feel least faith in the system and that for most people providing the optimum conditions for living prevents people questioning the rules. The mistakes that leads to Cassia’s lack of faith however begins to show the flaws in their perfect world. 

I like the way the characters are introduced in this book. We are aware of many of them from the start but their stories are slowly dripped in and allow us to appreciate them all as interesting people. They all have their own story and I think these are really important to Cassia because she learns that it is ok to doubt and that she is still loves and surrounded by love. 

This is the second time I have read this book and I am re-reading it so that it is fresh in my head for reading the final book in the series. I’m not sure if I found it as good as the first time I read it but I just enjoyed it and I’m excited to read on.

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List

All though we have snow on the ground spring is just around the corner and so this weeks topic from The Broke and The Bookish is our Top Ten book on my Spring TBR list. This was easy for me because I have a plan for my reading over the next few months. I need to catch up on my Dystopian Challenge Reading so with new book in series around I’m going to be doing some re-reading but I am also trying to catch up on John Green reading as a recently joined Nerdfighteria.

• Matched, Crossed & Reached by Ally Condie                                                                                         
• Slated & Fractured by Teri Terry                                                                                                                   
• Looking For Alaska by John Green                                                                                                             
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green                                                                                       
• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan                                                  
• Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire                                                                                                             
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak                                                                                                                   

What Books Are You Excited About Reading This Spring?

Dystopian Reading Challenge 2013

 

So after not very much consideration I have decided that I am going to challenge my love of Dystopian and take part in Blog of Erised’s Dystopian Reading Challenge 2013. The aim of the challenge is to try and read 24 dystopian novels between 1st January 2013 and 31 December 2013 although there are different levels and badges are gained as you reach each one.

Levels

Level 1: Recruit (1 to 6 books)

Level 2: Rebel (7 to 12 books)

Level 3: Revolutionist (13 to 18 books)

Level 4: Leader (19+ books)

I am hoping that I can reach at least REVOLUTIONIST as I have plenty of dystopian books on my to-read list and I am hoping to re-read some of my favourite series as new books and films are released.

As with all challenges there are a few rules set by the host;

• The challenge will run from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. Each month will have its own link form so you will be able to share your book reviews. You do not have to review the books you read to participate, but only those who read/reviewed at least one dystopian book will be able to participate in the giveaway (you can track your reading without the reviews with Goodreads, Shelfari etc.).
• Books that count in this challenge must include any form of post-apocalyptic theme (book sites like Goodreads are good sources of genre information). The books must be full-length.
• All formats allowed.
• Rereads allowed.
•  It does not matter whether it’s a series or a stand-alone book.
•  If you are participating, grab the challenge button from below and post it on you blog. You can also make a post with the header (the code is also below). Please include the link back to this post so others will be able to participate as well.
• If you will participate, put the sign-up link to your blog post (about the challenge) or blog (for the button) directly into the linky below. Sign-ups will be open until December 20, 2013.
• You do not have to list your books in advance, go and do as you please. Read as many as you want (you can read more than 24!) and whenever you want, as long as you have fun!
• Info about the giveaway will be available in December 2013.

If you want to join in you can sign up here where you will also find a list of some of the dystopian novels you could read for the challenge.

I can’ t wait to get started on this challenge and I have created a  page  for this challenge where I will put links to the posts of the books I have read as I review them.

So far I have a rough idea of the books I want to get through for the challenge. There are a lot of next books in series coming out and even a few films so I am going to re-read whole series. This means a lot of them so far on my list are re-reads but you can’t beat a great dystopian novel.

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mokingjay by Suzanne Collins
4. Slated by Teri Terry
5. Fractured by Teri Terry
6. Matched by Ally Condie
7. Crossed By Ally Condie
8. Reached by Ally Condie
9. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
10. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
11. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
12. Divergent by Veronica Roth
13. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
14. Next in Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
15. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
16. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
17. Sever by Lauren DeStefano
18. The Giver by Lois Lowry
19. Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden
20. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
21. The Program by Suzanne Young
22. The Declaration by Gemma Malley
23. The Resistance by Gemma Malley
24. The Legacy by Gemma Malley

This list covers me for the challenge but I do have other dystopian novels on my to-read list that I may get into instead or as well.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books In The Dystopian Genre

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish is the Top Ten Books of ‘x’ genre. I have decided to go for Dystopian. This may be a popular one but it is the books I have been reading most of recently and I do really really enjoy them. For a change I am also going to put these in order of my favourite first too.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth I have already blogged about this book on my page, however in a brief summary, it is a society of 5 factions and one girls choice of which to belong to. I really enjoyed this book, I wasn’t really sure what to expect but it was interesting from the start and not like others I had read. 

2,3. Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie This series is still in progress and I can’t wait for the third one. In these books, the heads of society control everything about it’s member lives however an experiment leads to the main character feeling uneasy about how they live and causes problems for everyone involved. 

4,5,6. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins This is another unusual idea, where the members of society are split into 12 districts and two tributes a year a expected to fight one another to the death to remind them of the power of the capital. In these books however things don’t go to plan and it makes for an exciting trilogy.

7. Bumped by Megan McCafferty This is the most like our lives. However there is a virus that prevents adults (18+) from becoming pregnant. As a result people pay teenagers to have children for them. There are two main characters in this story, and when their lives come together everything begins to go pair shaped for them both. 

8. Ugliest by Scott Westerfield This book started off my liking of this type of series of books. I have only read this one, out of the four but I am about to read them all. The story finds us in a world where children are kept together as ‘uglies’ until they are old enough to be made pretty and go out into the real world. It is something the main character has never been happy with and when a new girl come to her dorm her live turns around. 

9. The Declaration by Gemma Malley This was another book of this genre I read early on. I liked the idea of it, however it is my least favourite of the genre. I haven’t read the second one yet but this one as many of the other see’s the main characters life turned abound when a new person arrives in her life. People are not allowed to have children in this society, as they have worked out how to live for a very long time, so children that are born are taken away to live in boarding school type places and learn to be useful, 

I know this is only 9 but I am still reading books from this genre. I am about to read the rest of the Scott Westerfield books, I will probably read the next two books in The Declaration series ( The Resistance and The Legacy)  and I would also like to read Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. So I guess having this Top Ten unfinished is just a sign that there are still books to read and that may fit in this list.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Front Covers

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish (http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/p/features.html) is Top Ten Front covers. They are in no particularly order but I have given some, if poor, reason as to why I like them. ( P.S. I never did last weeks Top Ten as I found it too difficult in to short notice)

1.  Twilight I am ashamed to say that the reason I bought Twilight was because I liked the cover. So for that reason it has to be on here. 

2,3,4,5    The Saga of Darren Shan (trilogies) I like the way that the land on the trilogies joins us, but I also enjoyed speculating who the character in the front was. I guess it is meant to be Darren but it could easily be Mr Crepsly or Des Tiny ??

6,7  Matched and Crossed I love how these covers portray the overall idea of the story. They are very pretty but also symbolic. I hope the third one keeps to the same theme. 

8   Switched I read this book before it was published as a paper book and it was the first of those covers it came with, however I love the new cover now she has them out in shops. I don’t know if this should count as two but it’s the same book so tough.

9  Forbidden I love this cover, it is so simple but shows just how complicated love can be, it is both strong and dangerous.

10  Private Peaceful I think this cover very respectful portrays that the story is about war without putting of the younger readers it is aimed at. It isn’t the cover on the copy I read but I find this one far nicer.