Review: Veronica Roth has outdone herself with the continuation to Carve the Mark. I was one of the few that actually loved the first book and I ended up enjoying The Fates Divide more than the first!

What Worked:
01. The new perspectives. In this novel, we were introduced to not one, but two additional perspectives (Cisi and Eijeh Kereseth). I was immediately concerned because in Roth’s book Allegiant, the additional perspective of Four was included for a very tragic reason. I won’t reveal why Roth included Cisi and Eijeh’s perspectives, but I did think that they contributed a lot to the story by filling in some of the plot holes from the first book.

02. The plot twist. I was absolutely shocked by what was revealed in the middle of the second book. It was very well set up, the roots tracing back to the first book and I was surprised that I didn’t catch on to what Roth was doing earlier. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that you will not be disappointed by the surprises Roth has in store. I’m still in disbelief! The impact was incredible!

03. Different planets. What differed in this book from Carve the Mark is that we were transported to the planets that Roth spent time developing from afar in the first novel. I felt immersed in the culture she created and it was nice to see how the main characters reacted to their change in environment. As a reader, I was exposed to new plant life, creatures, weather, clothing, architecture, languages, and more. The additional perspective from Cisi Kereseth also helped me to further picture her home planet of Thuvhe. I will say that the universe Roth created is very similar to that of Star Wars, but it wasn’t something that I minded.

What Didn’t Work:
01. Pacing. Once again, my only complaint is the pacing with this book. The story started where the first book left off and it took a while before it began to pick up. I had to be very patient as I made my way through the first few chapters.

Jess Approved?: ✓

Review: I first came across Tintera’s book Ruined after searching for new royalty books online! I was so excited to come across it and find that it had been reviewed by Kiera Cass, who wrote my favorite series The Selection. I was looking for romance and royalty and this book did not let me down!

What Worked:
01. The main character is a strong, empowering female. I really appreciated reading a story told through the perspective of a female character who is absolutely fearless and a master with the sword. The best part was figuring out that amongst fantastical beings relying on the power of magic, Emelina Flores, the main character, is a human being. Born to a royal family dependent on “ruined” magic, it was interesting to see she turned her flaws into strengths.

02. The romance. I came for the romance and that’s definitely what I got! I found myself quickly rooting for the two main love interests, Emelina Flores and Prince Casimir, as I progressed throughout the story. By no means was it the best relationship I have ever seen crafted. The two characters fell in love with each other rather quickly, which seemed unrealistic, as Em was quick to overlook that Casimir’s father slaughtered her people. For Em to give up her revenge plot that easily was a bit off-putting, but I was pleasantly surprised by how things had developed when I got to the end.

03. Pacing. Ruined is an incredibly fast paced book which helped to further immerse me into the storyline. I had no trouble getting hooked as the first few chapters included action and adventure surrounding Emelina Flore’s plot to get revenge on the kingdom of Lera for driving the people of Ruined near extinction.

04. The familiar storyline. Ruined is very similar to other young-adult novels that I have read, including but not limited to Red Queen and Throne of Glass. I found this to be a positive and a negative. Looking on the positive side of things, I know from reading other books like Red Queen and Throne of Glass that I like the type of stories that feature a protagonist infiltrating enemy territory to seek revenge, only to end up falling in love with a monarch. This story definitely fulfilled that storyline.

What Didn’t Work:
01. Looking on the negative side of things in terms of Ruined having a familiar storyline, because I have read other stories that feature a protagonist infiltrating enemy territory to seek revenge, only to end up falling in love with a monarch, Ruined was nothing new. I found myself comparing it to the other books I had mentioned and it was very much weaker in comparison.

02. The world-building was extremely vague. I was very surprised to not see any type of map included at the front of the book. Tintera tried to build a world with four different kingdoms: Ruina, Lera, Vallos, and Oslo. I had absolutely no idea where one country stood from the other, only being able to distinguish one land from another by it’s characteristics. Lera is apparently very bright and has beautiful beaches and lavish fields. Ruina has bad farming land and is very dark. Oslo has a large mountain range. Other than that, it was hard to determine the shape of Tintera’s world and where one kingdom stood from another.

03. The ease with which the main character was able to carry out her revenge plot. I don’t want to dwell too much on this so as not to spoil what happens, but I will say that either Emelina is incredibly good at infiltration and has practiced sneaking into palaces in a past life or the Lera guard is not as good as Tintera makes them out to be...

Jess Approved?: ✓

Review: Avenged is the second book of Amy Tintera's Ruined series that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on! I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel Ruined, so I was excited to find an even more exciting tale in the second novel.

What Worked:
01. The constant action. One thing I really loved about the first book in this series is that it is very fast paced. Avenged is no different. There is a lot of action and adventure packed into this 432 paged book and I felt my heart racing with each chapter I zipped through. If anything, I would argue that I enjoyed the conflict more so in this novel than the first and the adventures the main characters pursued were very much thrilling and exciting. There is really a lot going on between Em and Cas’ romantic dealings, a brewing war, and dangerous alliances.

02. The new perspectives. I really appreciated the addition of both Aren and Olivia’s character perspectives in this book. Olivia is, quite frankly, insane, so it was interesting to see her character motivations and how she views the world around her. She is one who craves revenge and does not feel remorse for the way she goes about disposing of human beings. Aren is, like Olivia, a very complex character. In the first novel, I perceived Aren to be guarded and not one to show emotion. I was surprised to get a look through his point of view and see the soft person he truly is inside.

03. The character development. This novel spent a lot of time developing Cas’ character who I viewed as weak and unobservant in the first novel. Cas experiences a lot of hardships and attempts on his life as the King of Lera. As a reader, we are able to watch him go through the lowest points of his life, but find the motivation to pull himself together to defend his country. Though the romantic in me wanted Cas to give up everything in order to prioritize his romantic connection with Em, I ultimately admired Tintera’s decision to have Cas discover that he can no longer think about himself with his country on the line.

04. As I mentioned in my review of the first book, Em is a strong, empowering, female lead. Nothing changes in the second book, she’s still the badass we all know and love. Learning to deal with her revenge filled sister and the prince of Otho who wants so desperately to steal her throne, Em is able to conquer anything and anyone who stands in her way. I admire her ability to negotiate and recognize her place as the newly crowned Queen of Ruina. Let’s also not forget, she is still an expert when it comes to the sword!

05. The diverse representation. I really appreciate Tintera for including diverse characters in this book. There are several characters who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, one of which being specifically bisexual and the other being gay. I loved seeing their storylines play out as the novel progressed, especially their dealings with romance. I also loved the inclusion of all different skin tones. Many of the Ruined are dark-skinned, like Aren. Some have an olive complexion like Em’s character. Nothing felt forced or out of place and I congratulate Tintera for that.

What Didn’t Work:
01. The start was slow. Unlike the first novel, the beginning started off quite slow and it took a little bit of time for me to get into things. I think that the reason is mainly that the story starts with Cas and Em being apart. I was dreading their separation for the entirety of the novel, but they reunite fairly quickly, which helped me to really dive into the book.

02. No recap of book one. This is only a minor critique, but I noticed that what happened in book one was left in book one. This wasn’t an issue for me, as I got ahold of the second book fairly quickly, but I could see this being an issue for those who aren’t able to read the books in sequential order in a small period of time. I would have appreciated if there was more a of a recap to refresh my memory on the events that transpired in the first novel.

Jess Approved?: ✓

Review: Allied is the final book in the New York Times bestselling Ruined series, which I started in early June. It was sad knowing that the series would be coming to a close, but I couldn’t resist zipping through Allied.

What Worked:
01. The character development. As Tintera’s series came to an end, I took the time to reflect upon the development of all of the characters I know and love. From the very beginning, the main character Em demonstrated her ability to be a great leader. It was fantastic watching her grow from someone full of revenge and hatred to a woman valuing logic and reason. Though she is “Useless” in Ruined standards for not having gifted abilities, it was heartwarming to watch the community look past that and embrace her differences.

Casimir grew up in a life of luxury as the Prince of Lera and as readers we got to see him grow as a person after experiencing the loss of his parents. Rather than repeat history, Cas made the decision to go against everything his parents stood for in order to be the King his people needed. Dealing with the trauma of attempts on his life, the pain of nearly losing his country, the fear of going to war, and the heartbreak that came with losing his parents, it has been a pleasure watching Cas grow and develop into a strong and just King who only wants the best for his kingdom.

At the beginning of the series, Aren was a very closed off, tough individual. Dealing with the loss of his parents and the pain of his battle scars, it made sense for Aren to build up walls. As the series progressed, I enjoyed getting to know the real Aren, who is strong, goofy, and very conscious of his own abilities. Rather than abuse his powers, Aren uses them for good and I wouldn’t have known this without other characters like Iria and Galo who were able to break down those walls. I really love who Aren turned out to be and I am so happy he was able to find love and create such a beautiful friendship with Galo.

02. Like the last novel, Allied includes new perspectives. I loved getting a glimpse of Galo’s life as a soldier. The additional perspective helps to lay out Galo’s family situation and also explains his loyalty to Cas and what his relationship with Mateo is like. In this novel, we also receive Iria’s point of view. While I don’t think Tintera necessarily needed to include it, I will say that it was fun to see things from the perspective of another strong, independent woman.

03. The villains. I won’t give away too much, but Tintera spent a lot of time creating the antagonists in the story and it was entertaining to see them in action. I appreciated that they did not back down from their twisted points of view and did not change no matter how much the protagonists wanted them to.

04. As a whole, Allied deals with many complex topics such as genocide, war, toxic living situations, painful relationships, coming to terms with trauma, forgiveness, responsibility for one’s actions, and loss. I really appreciate how these topics were woven into the storyline along with bits of humor and romance. I think that there is a lot to be learned from this series and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who love young adult books.

What Didn’t Work:
01. The buildup to the end. I was expecting that KABOOM moment where everything is complete and utter chaos. I didn’t really get that from this book. I felt like it was smooth sailing all the way to the end. I did really enjoy how things ended, but seeing that the entire book built up anticipation of a war, I was expecting to feel more on edge.

02. The final battle was a bit lacking. I don’t want to say much about it, but I will say that it occurred within the blink of an eye and did not give me the goosebumps that I expected. I wanted more from Em.

03. There were many dry patches in this book that dealt with side adventures such as saving a minor character that was kidnapped or plotting to win the war against Olivia. I felt like I was watching the characters constantly travel back and forth as they discussed different strategies that didn’t even work by the way. I just felt that there was maybe too much filler.

Jess Approved?: ✓

Review: Finally, after reading Warcross last fall, I had the opportunity to read Wildcard. I personally, LOVED Warcross, so I was worried about how Wildcard would turn out. Warcross ended on such a cliffhanger and I didn’t think there could possibly be any more surprises, but boy was I wrong. Wildcard is definitely a must-read for all lovers of young adult fiction.

What Worked:
01. The twists and turns. Like I mentioned earlier, Lu hit her readers with a giant cliffhanger at the end of Warcross, the first book in the duology. The ending absolutely blew me away and I was doubtful Wildcard could outperform its predecessor. I was wrong. The plot twists in this book hit me out of nowhere and had me racing through each chapter trying to figure out what was happening. From exploring Sasuke Tanaka’s past to who figuring out the motivations of the Blackcoats, my head was constantly spinning as I dove further into the madness. Lu’s writing is addicting and this book proves that.

02. One thing I really enjoyed about Warcross were the worlds that were created within the realm of the game. They were just so beautifully described in the first novel that I felt as if I were actually interacting with the game myself. Because of Hideo’s decision to remove Emika from the games in the first book, I was afraid that the Warcross world I came to know and love would not appear in the second book. I was pleasantly surprised, however, by Lu’s determination to make the Warcross games play a huge role in the larger picture. I was immersed in new worlds with fantastical creatures like dragons and even more power ups. The imagery was phenomenal and helped to create an interactive atmosphere that in reality is more dangerous than it looks.

03. The villain. I appreciate good villains. In this story, Zero remains the antagonist and we learn a little bit more about his backstory. In the first novel, it is revealed that Sasuke Tanaka is Zero, but we are left in the dark when it comes to how he transformed into one of the most dangerous hackers in the Warcross realm, why he would try to derail his brother’s creation, and why he conceals his identity. I really enjoyed Zero’s storyline, especially putting the puzzle pieces together to try and uncover what happened to Sasuke that fateful day he disappeared at the park.

04. The added depth to the characters. Another thing I really loved about Wildcard was learning more about the characters. is much darker in nature, therefore revealing aspects such as the conflicts within each character and justifications for certain motivations. We were also introduced to new characters, such as Jax, and learned how their histories played a role in the story as a whole. I appreciated the new layer of darkness shrouding each character and the mystery surrounding Zero and his organization.

What Didn’t Work:
01. Emika’s dependence. I was very underwhelmed by Emika’s role in the second book. In Warcross, Emika Chen was the girl who miraculously hacked into the Warcross games after trying to steal a power up that she wanted to sell on the black market. She made money by zipping through the streets of New York City hunting bounty with her stun gun and didn’t let people push her around. In Wildcard, she merely served as a passive character carrying out the will of others. Her motivations were driven by the desires of both Hideo and the Blackcoats and it was frustrating not seeing the Emika I came to love in the first book who always made her own decisions.

02. The disappearance of The Phoenix Riders. In Warcross, The Phoenix Riders were Emika’s Warcross team who she could trust and depend on. I valued the diversity of the team, featuring characters of different ethnicities and sexualities. When Emika was dismissed from her team in the first book, it was almost as if Lu decided that the team didn’t have to make many appearances in the second one. The Phoenix Riders provided a space where Emika was forced to act on her own accord. Without her teammates, I missed the action and group work. Emika became a passive character that strictly believed that she had to pursue things on her own, getting rid of the trust established in the first book.

Jess Approved?: ✓ 

Review: I first read the Legend series back in middle school around the release of Champion in 2013. I remember being absolutely devastated after the series conclusion, my soul crushed under the weight of my favorite ship being teared apart. Over time, I came to appreciate the way Marie Lu brought Day and June’s story to a close. I moved on. Then Rebel was released in October. I bought it the day it came out... but I didn’t get to it until now. I guess I was skeptical, as I didn’t see the need for a fourth book. I didn’t want my love for my absolute favorite series to unravel if things didn’t turn out the way I wanted to with this fourth book. After finally getting to Rebel, the fourth book in my beloved Legend series, here are my thoughts.

What Worked:
01. The return of June and Day. Rebel takes place ten years after the time period established in the novel Champion, so I was eager to see how all the trauma they experienced with the fall of the Republic would effect their adult lives. I was especially curious about how June and Day would cross paths again, as Champion ends with the duo parting ways. I was not disappointed. Lu did an astounding job capturing the moment June and Day reunited for the first time in nearly ten years. My heart ached as Lu described Day piecing his memories together to discover how June played a role in his life. The numerous amount of times my heart beat against my chest as I had to watch the two start from scratch to become comfortable with each other, trying to serve as each other’s support system to calm the inner demons plaguing them from their time under the rule of the old Republic. It was almost as if I was witnessing Day fall in love with June all over again and that made reading Rebel all the more worthwhile.

02. In this novel, we got the perspective Eden, Daniel’s brother, which I thought was very interesting. In the Legend series, we know Eden to be the brother who was struck down by the plague, later allowing the Republic to experiment on him to find a cure for the very plague he was infected with. Eden’s perspective allowed me to get a glimpse of how he himself was effected by the revolution that saved the Republic of America. I had been so focused on June and Day’s storyline, that I hadn’t even considered how Eden might have felt after the dust settled. Like Day, he lost a brother to death by firing squad and witnessed his mother’s murder. He was on the brink of death after catching the plague and had to worry about his only remaining family member, Day, who nearly died due to the Republic’s tampering with his brain. Lu shed light on Eden’s struggles with fitting in, the constant nightmares about the death of his family, and living in his older brother’s shadow. This perspective really added a lot to the novel and helped me to better understand his relationship with Daniel.

03. Rebel’s ending. I intend not to give away what happened at the novel’s end, but I will say that it was extremely satisfying. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

04. The relationship between Daniel and Eden. I thought the Daniel and Eden’s dynamic was very interesting. Lu characterizes Daniel as overprotective brother figure. This makes sense to me, as Daniel nearly lost his entire family at the beginning of the series. For him to constantly keep watch over Eden just goes to show how afraid he is of his past. Naturally, Eden views Daniel as a “helicopter parent” who will not allow him to do anything on his own. What caught me off my guard was Eden’s annoyance with being in his older brother’s shadow. I thought that was an interesting concept to explore. Rather than being referred to as Eden Wing or Eden the extremely intelligent individual who is at the top of his class, many simply call him “Day’s brother.” This is what actually creates the divide between Eden and Daniel. Eden believes that his legendary brother has moved on from the past and does not experience the same trauma that he does. Daniel, however, does not confide in his brother about the hauntings of the past in order to shield him from dangers in the possible future. I love how Lu built up the conflict between the two and how they eventually let their walls down.

What Didn’t Work:
01. Rebel didn’t offer anything new to the table. Sad as it was, the ending to Champion was beautiful, dare I even say perfect. Day and June meet again in the epilogue after ten years spent apart and we are left feeling hopeful. Though it isn’t explicitly said that the two will have a happily ever after, it’s something we can infer. We are left on the edge, fighting for more even though we cannot have it and I love endings like those. Endings where things aren’t neatly tied up in a perfect bow. What bothered me about Rebel was that it practically repeated everything that had been established within Champion and even "Life After Legend" with the addition of a predictable storyline and the perspective of Eden. To make matters worse, the ending to Rebel was nowhere near as powerful as Champion’s epilogue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for the book, but I think it would be better suited as a spin-off than an actual novel in the series.

02. Eden’s story is just not as compelling as the stories of June and Day. When Lu announced that she would be releasing a fourth book in the Legend series, it felt as if my prayers had been answered. I had always wondered what happened to my favorite couple after the conclusion of Champion and I was hoping for a happy ending to their story. As the release date drew near, I discovered that Rebel would be primarily Eden’s story, not June and Day’s. It pains me to admit this, but I was saddened by the loss of June’s perspective in the novel. Eden’s point of view could not live up to June’s. I found myself completely ignoring Eden’s side of things in favor of focusing exclusively on June and Day’s side story. Therefore, I have to agree with many fellow reviewers who have stated that Rebel should have been a novella. I would have enjoyed the story a lot more if Rebel had been a spin-off rather than an actual book in the series. A spin-off would have allowed for Lu to strictly tell Eden’s tale in a manner that would have been short and to the point, without my mind rushing through Eden’s chapters to get to Daniel’s.

03. Eden’s perspective. What baffled me was Eden’s behavior. Being a twenty-one-year-old, I did not expect him to to act so childish. He would purposely get himself into trouble to punish Daniel for being overprotective and lash out at him for not understanding what he was “going through.” I will admit, that there were aspects of his story that I really enjoyed, but some of the justifications for his actions did not make sense to me, thus painting a picture of an annoying little kid.

04. The plot. Rebel just did not have the most complex, interesting plot. It pales in comparison to its predecessors. It pains me to say this, but I was not impressed by the villain, nor was I impressed by the predictable storyline that had me frustrated at times.

Jess Approved?: ✓