Dystopian… (Summer reading begins now!)

{book art courtesy of Goodreads.com}

First it was a magical world. Then it was a vampire world. Now it’s a dystopia world. Actually I don’t know what really came first but in the world of Amber (that’s me), Dystopian novels seem to be the new “it” novel genre.

And for those who are new comers to my world (and a bunch of other seventeen year old girls, or thirty-somethings who sometimes still think they are seventeen), “dystopia” is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopia. If you’ve read novels like The Hunger Games, or The Maze Runner, those are dystopian novels. When I first heard about this genre I thought it wouldn’t be for me, but throw a good love story in there, and I can read just about anything.

My sister Heather is my book recommending guru. She reads a book (almost weekly), loves it, calls me up, tells me to read it, I do, I love it and then we talk and talk and talk about it. Our husbands tease us about our conversations on the phone about these people we refer to by first name that have abnormal lives. Especially when we talk about “Edward” or “Peeta” or “Gale” or “Henry” or “Thomas” or…the list goes on ;)

Summer vacation officially started today! Appropriately, Heather sent me this email today—such a good guru (and sister too.)  Apparently I have some reading to do!

…

Amber, here are a list of dystopian novels you need to read ASAP! I listed them below with my review and below that I pasted their Goodreads link and the summary from Goodreads:

Blood Red Road is dark and moody. The girl has major hate issues, but still, I liked her. And I have questions that I need answered. I need someone to talk to about it. I think you will like the main guy, but there is another guy in the story that we only get brief glimpses of and he makes things intriguing. After you read it you can read my review to see the questions I had. The next book comes out in October.

Divergent is also kinda dark. There is some violence (like fight training), but the story is definitely interesting and not all full of gushy romance. I think it has some good potential, even though I think the ending seemed rushed. The next book comes out soon. It might already be available.

Legend I think was written more for a young audience??? Or maybe not. The story seems mature, but the main characters are kinda young, and yet they are mature for their age. It is good though and I really like the main character (even though the way she describes him is confusing to me). Next book comes out in January next year.

Enclave was one of those books that when I finished it I was like "What? I have to wait a whole year for the next one?" It reminds me of the movie with Will Smith: I Am Legend (which was based off of another book) - in that there are zombie-like people. Again, like two of the other books I listed, this chick has some issues and all she knows how to do is fight. But it kept me entertained and I was kinda freaked - like scared while reading parts of it. Next book comes out in September.

Right now I just started reading Across the Universe. It's an eBook and so hopefully I'll get it read before my three weeks are up.

Below are the Books I mentioned above.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young :

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917938-blood-red-road
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Divergent by Veronica Roth:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent

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.

Legend by Marie Lu:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legend

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137327-enclave

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

The End.

For now.