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 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.