Cornerfolds Dystopian Reading Challenge 2016 - Book 6: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: February 7th, 2012

Publisher: Atom

Pages: 374

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers. - Book Details Courtesy of Goodreads, INC. 2016

What  book! Not even sure where to start this review.

You meet Aria, a "typical" teenager living in a world where she knows nothing outside of the pods she was raised in...and by pods, I mean virtual realms.  Somethings are real, but mostly lives are lived in the realms.    She is trying to find information on her mother Lumina who is working off at another pod after she has not heard from her.  She tries to get on the good side of the counsul's son by going into a restricted space and this is where her world changes.

After they boys go crazy, she awakes to the news that only her and the counsul's son survived the fire.  And of course, who is going to take her word against his?  She is made to believe she is being transported to her mother when she is shoved out the door and into what is called the Death Trap during an ether storm.  She sees a figure running towards her and realizes it's a savage.  What does the savage want, are the stories true?  Little did she know they had met before.  In the end they are both searching for someone.  Will either of them find who they are looking for? Guess you need to read and find out.

I loved this book and the character development of Aria and Perry.  They are both headstrong individuals and both afraid of letting people see who they really are.  I'm pretty excited to read the second book.  Definitely leaves you slightly hanging at the end to see who she was running towards, though it's not hard to figure out.

Cornerfolds Dystopian Reading Challenge 2016 - Book 5: Champion by Marie Lu

  

Title: Champion (Legend #3)

Author: Marie Lu

Publication Date: November 5th, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Pages: 369

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. 

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. 

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

- Book Details Courtesy of Goodreads, INC 2016.

What an absolute crazy ride this whole series has been.  Kind of sad that I've finished this series.

Readers meet up with Day and June and the Republic as they continue to fight against the colonies.  Day is growing weaker from his condition and it is finally revealed to June of how serious his condition also is.  The colonies are now wanting a cure to a plague they claim the Republic gave to them.  That if they do not produce it they will revolt against them.  Little do they know the colonies are not exactly being honest with how the "plague" truly got its form.

The colonies are now invading and it's up to June, Day and Anden to find a cure, which could be linked to Day's brother Eden. Could he actually hold the cure?  

The book's ending, to me is just heartbreaking.  If you want to read the book, then I suggest you not read this any further because it is a spoiler. I actually cried at the end when Day is dying and then again when he wakes up months later and cannot remember anything about June.  I wanted to scream "Why let them have all of that and then not remember her!!!"  Though I also feel like there was an opening left at the end.

Such a great series.

Apocalypse Training - Squad Goals

Seeing how we are all in a dystopian state of mind, we want to know what 5 characters you would want by your side to help train you for the apocalypse?

Well, first of all, that is a very hard task to decide.  There are so many great dystopian characters out there.  After careful thought and consideration, here are my five:

1. Isabelle Lightwood - I loved her character all throughout the City of Bones series.  She trained hard and knew what she was doing.  She also had the really awesome whip.  So I would need her to train me to defend myself.

2. Katniss Everdeen - One of my favorite dystopian series introduced me to Katniss Everdeen.  I would want her to train me to make and shoot a bow and arrow.  That way I would have means to get food.  She also knew about the plants and what berries were poisonous, so that would come in handy.

3. Inej Ghafa - Now we all know that in a apocalyptic situation, you are going to need to know how to not be seen.  I recently read Six of Crows and after reading about how sneaky she could be and how she could have a knife to your throat without warning, I decided she would me my person to train me on stealth.

4. Kaz Brekker - Bet you were wondering if I would have an all female training crew huh?  In any apocalypse situation, you need to be smart, cunning, slightly manipulative..I mean your survival is at stake here.  I would have Kaz teach me all his tricks.  How to outsmart and be one step ahead and even slightly ruthless.  It's all about surviving.

5. June Iparis - Last, but not least, rounding out my crew would be June.  She is the prodigy and the youngest officer of the republic.  She is smart and loyal.  She also keeps close tabs of the world around her.  She notices things and knows how to figure out solutions to problems.  She also has skills with survival and can trick people.

Hopefully, this crew would give me the necessary skills in order to survive the apocalpyse.

So tell me, if you had to create a team of 5 people to train you to survive the apocalypse, who would you choose?

Cornerfolds Dystopian Reading Challenge 2016 - Book 4: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched (Matched #1)

Author: Ally Condie

Publication Date: November 30, 2010

Publisher: Dutton Books For Young Readers

Pages: 369

In the Society, officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one…until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic. -Book Details courtesy of Goodreads, INC. 2016

This book really ended with a bang.  I felt like, for me, it was a slow start.  I actually became very interested in the book more towards the end.  I felt like it was slow getting to the point.

Readers meet a girl named Cassia, who lives in Maple Tree Borough in a futuristic society.  They have their whole lives controlled...where they live, what they do, who they marry, what they eat (which is the same thing for everyone).  No one is allowed "independent thinking" because that causes a disturbance and earns you a citation.

Cassia is 17 and heading to her match ball where she will be matched with a male who she will get to know and eventually "marry."  The whole world starts changing for her the next morning when her chip malfunctions to reveal a face that should not be there.  Readers will follow along as Cassia begins to realize the horrifying truth of her society and starts to think on her own.  The book ends with a disappearance and banishment.

The end of this book has made me interested to see what happens in the rest of the series.

Cornerfolds Dystopian Reading Challenge 2016 - Book 3: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title: Prodigy by Marie Lu (Legend #2)

Author: Marie Lu

Publication Date: January 29th, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Pages: 371

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games? - Book details courtesy of Goodreads, Inc. 2016

What a thrilling ride!  I was so excited to get started on this book after reading Legend (book 1 of the Legend trilogy).  I loved how at the end of Legend it left it open for the character development between June and Day.  And lets all admit we were interested to see where Marie Lu would take their characters as the trilogy progressed.

I always deem a book good when it brings out my emotions, whether it makes me mad, frustrates me, gets me excited, etc.  This book did exactly that.  As you see a lot of people say these days, it had all the feels.

Again, the story is told from dual viewpoints, Day and June taking turns.You join up with June and Day as they continue to flee the republic after June saves Day from his execution.  They finally make it to Las Vegas where they are trying to locate the patriots so Day can find his brother and rescue him. Will they find the patriots? Will the patriots finally convince Day to join their cause against the Republic? 

The book really picks up in intensity about halfway to three-quarters through.  The twist in the plot she throws will leave you grasping your seat.

January Snowflake Wreath

Being in a relationship can often make you more crafty...well in my case it has.  Since dating J these last almost 6 months, I've put 3 wreaths on his door.  My newest wreath is for January.  So in case you might want to make one too, I've decided to show you how.

I love using grapevine wreaths.  Generally they are not that expensive and you can buy them at Hobby Lobby.  I purchased some of the "snow in a can" as I call it.  Though you do need to be careful because sometimes it will not dry properly.  The snowflakes I picked up at Dollar General after Christmas and got a good deal.

The snow can be a bit messy, so I put it on newspaper to spray.  Be sure to spray outside because you need to have ventilation.

I did not overly spray the wreath, just enough to give it a dusting.  Then I took it inside to sit for around a day.

Before I glued anything on, I decided to place the snowflakes around the wreath to get the idea of how it would look before actually attaching them.  I didn't want it overly decorated, so I did not use all of the snowflakes I purchased.  I used a hot glue gun to attach my snowflakes to the wreath.  I will give a tip in saying that you need to make sure you put glue on both the back of the snowflake and where you are placing it on the wreath.  Then once it is on there, be sure to hold it down for a few seconds while the glue sets.

Give the wreath a little "breathing time" and allow the glue to fully dry.  Then you can either use ribbon or just work the wreath where it is hanging on the door.  Then enjoy your wreath.  

Cornerfolds Dystopian Challenge 2016 - Book 2: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Title: The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1)

Author: Rick Yancey

Publication Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 457

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. - Book Details courtesy of Goodreads Inc. 2016

What an crazy read...crazy in a good way.  This book was a page turner from the start.  I planned on reading this book already, but really moved the book up on my list after seeing a movie preview for it recently.

The Earth has been invaded by aliens and you do not know who is human and who is an "other."  You get a little bit of a pre-story before really diving into the main part of the book.  Cassie is seen as the books heroine, fighting against the others after her brother is taken to a camp.  Readers are also introduced to a few other main characters, two of them being Zombie (Ben) and Evan Walker.  Throughout the whole book you jump back and forth between Cassie and Zombie mainly, with other characters joining the story.

The story gets intense in the second half of the book when Cassie starts to figure out who is not really who they are pretending to be.  Zombie will come to a huge realization that will forever change how he thinks the order of the world is setting up to be.

Will they survive the 5th Wave, well read it and find out.  Such a great read.  Also, don't forget, the movie version of the book is set for release on January 22nd, 2016.

Cornerfolds Dystopian Challenge 2016 - Book 1: Legend by Marie Lu

Title: Legend - Legend Trilogy #1

Author: Marie Lu

Publication Date: November 29th, 2011

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Pages: 305

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. - Book Details courtesy of Goodreads Inc. 2016

I have been meaning to read this book for awhile.  I just always had so many other "to-reads" in front.  My interest in Dystopian books keeps growing.  I really like this genre.  Though, often enough, they are all similar in the story.  I was curious to see where this book would go once I started it.  This book definitely became action-packed. 

I read legend via audio book.  I like to listen to them when I walk in the mornings.  In this audiobook, you have two different people reading.  A guy reads the part of Day and a female reads the part of June.  I really grew to like both of these characters as the book progressed.  June is a young, aspiring officer in the Republic and Day is the Republic's number one most wanted.  

Their paths originally cross when June is undercover hunting Day for a crime she thought he committed.  The plot thickens when she is rescued by Day and then feelings develop.  They cross paths again later on in the book when she essentially returns the favor.

I love the development of June and Days characters towards the end of the book.  The second book I think will be just as good as the first.  If you like dystopian books with a little bit of a love aspect, you should definitely read this book.