A Letter to Lena Haloway

**Heads up - this little letter has plenty of spoilers for the Delirium trilogy. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled!

You can also check out my spoiler-free review of Requiem (although it will spoil you for Pandemonium and Delirium).

Dear Lena,

I hope you know that I mean all of this in the best way possible, after we have gone through so much together. All the way from Delirium to Requiem, and the novellas in between.

I'm always rooting for ya. I GET WHY this was so hard for you. You try to escape with the love of your life, he gets shot and you run away. You're convinced he's dead, only for him to miraculously show up again when you're with the rebound boy with no explanation as to WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO HIM. Then he continues to ignore and shun you, as if this is all your fault somehow?

I don't get him either.

But that's exactly the point. We don't GET him or why he's acting that way. I do get you. I read three books from your point of view. The thing is, the two of you would benefit so much from a little heart to heart. A little bit of give and take. Although it's likely going to take a lot of GIVING from both of you.

I really don't get why you're complaining about Alex sitting with some girl, when you're the one hanging off of Julian and engaging him in PDA whenever Alex walks into a room. At that point, I can understand why he'd try to stay away from you.

Also, for future reference: the worst time to have a heart to heart is in the middle of a battlefield in your old hometown. Probably not the best idea. Just my two cents.

I can understand being drawn to Julian at first. He's definitely likable and curious enough. When everything HURTS SO MUCH and you can't have what you really want, my gut reaction is to seek out any kind of comfort at all. But let's call a spade a spade, and acknowledge that Julian is the rebound boy, yes? He may be a pretty fantastic rebound boy but there was never any chance to get away from either boy.

Maybe it really is true that Alex has changed so much and so have you, that the two of you aren't the same and won't work the way you did in Delirium. (But I don't believe that.) And you may have TRIED to ignore the Alex-thoughts in the back of your head (and your heart) but you kept coming back to him, even in Pandemonium. And it just isn't fair to Julian, in that case, like you acknowledge at one point. But I just don't see how this is second love at all- it barely looks like love at all, beyond friendship.

xoxo,

Review: Requiem

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver
Release Date ~ March 5, 2013
HarperTeen ~ HarperCollins
ISBN13: 9780062014535
ARC received from HarperCollins Canada 

Goodreads Synopsis:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

You can also read my review for Delirium (on audio), Pandemonium, Hana's novella, and the reasons why I love Delirium so much. 

I had a significant number of worries coming into Requiem. This book was easily my most anticipated read of 2013; I've invested so much emotion and energy into this story and its characters. Delirium easily stands as one of my favourite books ever.

But there was so much riding on this one little book! I'd say that Alex, rather than Lena, is my favourite character of the bunch and Pandemonium just didn't seem to set things up for the ending I wanted to see. And there's always something heartbreaking about the ending of a series; bittersweet, like saying goodbye to old, familiar friends.

I'll say right away that I was not nearly as disappointed or as devastated as most other readers seemed to be by Requiem. It made me look at the trilogy from a whole new light, and I'm curious to see how I'll feel after re-reading the three books. Also: this review is the hardest one I've ever written, hands down.

1. A story about love that's about more than romance:
   
   One thing I've noticed is how easy it is for us readers to get caught up in the Julian/Alex debate. But while reading Requiem, I soon became aware that this was not the biggest focus of the book or even the series. I'm so appreciative that Lauren Oliver took the chance to explore other avenues of love, from the relationship between Lena and her mother, to her best friend Hana, to the deep, life-altering friendships she makes in The Wilds and within the resistance. I think it's easy for us to focus so much on these swoon-worthy boys that we miss some of the other heartbreaking moments; for me, it was notably the deterioration of Lena and Hana's friendship and Lena's lack of a relationship with her mother, Annabel. And you know what? I was honestly & pleasantly surprised by how much Requiem didn't focus on the romance. That's a blessing in YA these days and really great for those who want to see more from a book than just romance. Yet it still has some of the best romance I've ever read about (in the series, as a whole).
2. Lena's epic character transformation:
   
   I'd hate to call this "character development" because it's much more than that - rather, it's more like an evolution. When you compare the old Lena from Delirium to the changing Lena in Pandemonium with the new Lena in Requiem, it becomes apparent how drastic these changes have been. Yet, one thing I noticed re-reading Delirium is that the seeds of change were already planted in Lena before Alex ever came along. I might even say that she's more like her mother than she may ever realize. But I believe it is entirely consistent with her character and who she is for this transformation to take place.
3. A world falling apart:
   
   One of my favourite parts of this series is that Lauren has so much attention on the world she's created, and really works to bring it to life through her stories. I found Requiem to have a bit more of an emphasis on this, and we really get to see a society that's crumbling apart. I'm incredibly curious to know what happens in the future, but I think it's clear that big changes are coming for society.
4. Hana offers a fresh perspective to the book:
   
   Hana is easily one of the most interesting characters from the Delirium cast, and I think this is another reason in support of saying that by Requiem, it's very clear that the books are about so much more than a love triangle or even just Lena's life. While Lena is busy with the resistance, Hana is our insider view to Portland and the "upper class" of that community. I found Hana's story to have the potential to be just as heartbreaking as Lena's, and her voice stood out so much from Lena's narrative that it was a great way to freshen up the series. 

I'll also admit that it would take a lot for me to truly hate this book - I'm well aware that I'm biased (and maybe partially blinded?) by my love for these books. And I can understand why so many readers may be disappointed by how few plot elements are actually wrapped up. That is disappointing, but I can see how the open-endedness works well too. (For me, I'm happily convinced that Alex and Lena are together forever and have ten happy little babies and they spend a lot of time reading poetry and kissing. It doesn't matter what happens in these books, that has always been the ending I invented.) 

I was, however, a tad disappointed with Lena at a few points. I was surprised by her reactions a few times, particularly when it came to Alex and Julian because most of that felt so immature. While something so big is happening with the resistance, it didn't fit to have so much angst between a handful of characters about personal problems. Maybe it was the stress of it all that brought out their worst, but it largely felt out of character to me (and yes, I'm pointing my blame-finger at you too, Alex). 

I've tried my best to be spoiler-free here, but I have a lot of ideas and thoughts I'd like to discuss more in a spoiler-friendly format. So expect a spoiler-y letter where I vent all my feelings to Lena for catharsis. SOON.

And I'm most excited to read the special short from Alex's POV in the first edition Requiem books! I'm hoping that it will give me my necessary dose of Alex Sheathes <3

Pandemonium Read-a-long: Week One!

Today's the day! ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS I AM?!

Christa from More Than Just Magic hosted our Delirium read-a-long for the past two weeks as the Requiem Club prepares for Requiem's release (which is only ONE WEEK away now)!

Delirium is by far my favourite of the trilogy (and one of my favourite books of all time) but in Pandemonium we get to see a significant number of changes, and I think there's so much to talk about here.

So whether you haven't read Pandemonium yet, or you're wanting to re-read it before Requiem, or you just want to discuss parts of the book with other readers - make sure you join in! I'll be covering Pandemonium for the next two weeks - and all posts will be located in this post as I'll just update it as we go along.

**Heads up, friends - these posts will be filled with spoilers for Delirium and the parts of Pandemonium we've read. But I won't spoil the end of the book or Requiem**

Day One - First "Now" & "Then" Chapters - Pages 1-45

Quick recap: Lena has escaped from Portland after the disastrous events at the end of Delirium (including Alex being shot and captured/killed). She's delirious, and wakes up in an unfamiliar home where she meets a group of people living in the Wilds who have cared for her after finding her. She meets Raven, who continuously tells her to let things go and move on from the past. 

First of all, can we note how sad I am reading these first pages? My heart is breaking all over again, and it's amazing how well Lauren Oliver picks up right where Delirium left off. Everything that happened in that last chapter of Delirium feels so fresh and newly wounded still. And it is for Lena, even if it isn't for the reader.

One of the key themes of the series that is emphasized a lot in Pandemonium is this idea of new life or rebirth. Lena mentions a number of times that "the old Lena" is dead, and there's only "the new Lena" left. In these first two chapters, she mentions it mostly as she remembers Alex being shot and her escape from Portland. That is her moment of rebirth, but I think looking back we can all see how that isn't exactly true. The beginnings of change had already taken root - I'd say before Lena even really met Alex, but definitely by the time they become friends. And I think possibly it was there inside her all along. Also, I really love the fiery imagery Lauren gives us here; it makes me think of Lena as a phoenix, rising from the ashes. Which I think is pretty much a perfect description of her.

"Fire tearing through every nerve and cell in my body. That's how I am born again, in pain..." 

Another recurring theme throughout the books is this idea that no one is really what they seem. This is hinted at through Delirium, and I think most notably through Alex. Lena sees him as an invalid, and wild and dangerous. Then she gets to know him and realizes... he's nothing really like that. He's sweet and caring and beautiful and thoughtful and brave and.... *sa-wooooon*

But by now this is so clear to Lena. She remembers Portland and the officials there, and she's seriously doubting everything she's ever believed in. She meets some of the people living in the Wilds and things change. for her.

"The animals are on the other sdie of the fence: monsters wearing uniforms. They speak softly and tell lies and smile as they're slitting your throat." 

This is such a hard book for me to read. I think that's partially because everything that happened at the end of Delirium was so dreadful and permanent and all you can do is wish that it will go away and you'll wake up and realize you were dreaming the whole thing. But you can't do that. I can remember a handful of times I felt the same way, and I think that feeling is something all of us can relate to. It's hard, and it stirs up those same feelings.

Day Two - Second "Now" Chapter - Pages 46-58

Quick recap: Lena fills us in a bit more on the super secret spy mission she's doing in New York for Raven. We hear about her attempts to fit in at the school she's attending and her involvement with the DFA to collect information. And while at a big DFA meeting we meet the leader of the movement, Thomas Fineman, and his son, Julian Fineman. Julian gives a speech about how he's willing to risk his life getting cured and what it's been like to nearly die at a young age. 

Confession: I completely forgot all about this side of Julian. I may have been a little bit harsh towards Julian the first time I read Pandy, so it was very eye-opening to re-read this chapter. He is completely different from my recollection of him, and I feel very sympathetic. And I can totally get why Lena is so curious about him, because he really is fascinating with the whole child cancer bit and commitment to the DFA movement by risking his life to get cured. He's a symbol for cureds, and you can tell.

Also, I never took notice of how much info we get about New York and the world outside Portland before. Lena mentions how different it is to have automobiles running because there aren't very many in Portland. Which makes it even clearer how different Porland is from other cured cities - this has been hinted at before, but without Lena experiencing anything else we don't get to see much of it. I really like that Lauren Oliver included this bit to give us a glimpse.

Day Three - Second "Then" and Third "Now" Chapters - Pages 59-86

Quick recap: Lena finally decides to start pulling her weight and really join in with the Raven & Co. group. We see a bit more of their daily lives and see some glimpses of their characters. Lena also realizes that Hana has now gone for her procedure and is coming to terms with Alex's death. But the biggest thing comes in the newest Now chapter where Lena has to go back to the DFA meeting auditorium to retrieve her glove - where she realizes that Juliane Fineman may be hiding some secrets of his own. She notices that he's looking at pictures of far away places all by himself, and he catches her watching him. They have a very brief discussion where neither one likes each other very much.

Lena starts to realize that she has to move forward with her life. Just step by step, day by day to get through it. We see the beginnings of her letting go of Hana and Alex, but she's still grieving over losing them in two very different ways. The Alex-loving part of me is admittedly pleased to see her snub Julian a bit. He really does come across as cold here, doesn't he? It makes sense but still.

One of my favourite quotes is from page 75 - I think it sums up Lena's struggle very well.

"But here's the thing: When I'm running, there's always this split second when the pain is ripping through me and I can hardly breathe and all I see is color and blur - and in that split second, right as the pain crests, and becomes too much, and there's whiteness going through me, I see something to my left, a flicker of color (auburn hair, burning, a crown of leaves)  and I know then, too, that if I only turn my head he'll be there, laughing, watching me, holding out his arms. 

I don't ever turn my head to look, of course. But one day I will. One day I will, and he'll be back, and everything will be okay.

And until then: I run."

I can't get over Lauren's writing. It's gorgeous. Lines like this make my heart stop for a moment.

Day Four - Pages 87-118

Quick recap: Hunter and Lena become closer friends; he shows her how they receive messages from "zombieland" with the birds and the painted nests. She's really throwing herself into life in the Wilds. The group makes plans under the leadership of Raven and Tack to relocate South. then moving back to the present, Lena attends a huge DFA rally with Tack and Raven where she's told to keep an eye on Jlian at all costs. However, Scavengers attack as soon as the rally begins and Julian is taken into the subway by his bodyguards where Lena follows them. She finds Julian's two bodyguards dead and the chapter ends!

I'm so heartbroken every time Lena thinks of Alex and Hana (or even Grace) and how hard she has to work to push them out of her head! I know there's a lot of focus on Alex and Lena's relationship, understandably, but it really becomes clear that Lena has lost more than just him.

Also, I found it interesting that at the DFA rally there were protest groups. We tend to think of the cureds as being one cohesive group, but I think it makes the world here a bit more dimensional to add in this aspect. They don't agree on everything, and we can really see how precarious the situation is for society.

Day Five - Next four chapters - Pages 119-159

Quick recap: Things are really picking up speed now - Miyako is one of the last to get sick in the Wilds and she dies just before the group relocates. The scouts don't come back on time, and Lena discovers the nests have turned red - moments before their area of the Wilds is bombed and the group takes off (minus Squirrel and Grandma who they don't believe made it out of the house). Meanwhile, Julian and Lena in the present end up in a locked room together. Julian finally seems to be letting some of his guard down and Lena eventually does too. 

The most notable part of these chapters for me was probably the bonding between Julian and Lena. You can just see glimpses of friendship taking place there, and Julian is a little bit less flat as he asks Lena to tell him stories and shares some of his own. And I'm realizing he isn't exactly what he seems like at first glance - cold and brainwashed. But there's still something about him that feels a little immature, you know? He just feels so young, although maybe that's just compared to Lena.

I also find it amazing to see how different Lena is between the "Then" and "Now" chapters. Drastic, drastic changes and it's so interesting to see the development.

Announcement: Delirium Trilogy Read-a-Long!

Super exciting announcement time!

Last year, I was lucky enough to host Pandemonium Club with a few very close friends of mine who also happen to be great bloggers.

In anticipation of the third and FINAL release in the Delirium Trilogy, a few of us wanted to put together something else to celebrate Requiem and the series we've loved since day one.

Angel, Christa and I are hosting a read-a-long for every single book in the series starting next week!

We'll go through each book together, and we want YOU to participate with us. We'll spend two weeks on each book so you have plenty of time to read the books with us, and this is a fabulous chance for those of you who haven't read the books yet to get caught up and it will be a chance for some of us who have already read and loved the books to re-read them before they come to an end. (SOB!)

The read-a-long will kick off on February 11th and Christa from More Than Just Magic will be hosting the read-a-long for Delirium.

On February 25th you'll want to head back here to my blog so we can discuss Pandemonium at Esther's Ever After.

Finally, we'll finish off by reading Requiem and Angel from Mermaid Visions will be hosting that beginning on March 11th. The book comes out on March 5th, so that gives you time to pick up your copy of the book!

And YES - there will also be a fantastic prize which participants can enter to win. More on that later!

I hope you're as excited as we are! It's no secret that Delirium is one of my favourite books ever, and in my opinion Requiem is a FANTASTIC end to a dynamic series. There's plenty to talk about in these three books.

So mark your calendars and get your copies of the books ready!

How many of you have read any of the books in the Delirium trilogy? Are you as excited/sad as I am to see it come to an end?

Kindred Reads {12}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature highlighting YA book recommendations based on their similarities to each other. Each week a theme or idea is chosen, and a few books will be highlighted for dealing with that theme.
This week's theme: Revolutionary dystopian heroines
I LITERALLY mean revolutionary for this one. These girls all end up breaking out of society's expectations for them and end up fighting against the society for what they believe in.

Eve (Eve #1) by Anna Carey
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My review for Eve.

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My review for the audiobook of Delirium.

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie
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 review for Crossed (Matched #2).

All three of these books have strong lead female protaganists who ultimately make a decision that will not only change thier lives, but the future of their society altogether. If you're a fan of stories like this, then make sure to check out all three for more! (Although I have to say that Delirium is my favourite by far!) So, so good.

Let me know what you think of any or all of these books if you've read them!

Pandemonium Club: Delirium Audiobook Review

Do you know what week it is? PANDEMONIUM WEEK brought to you by the #PandemoniumClub!

See, a while ago there were a few of us blogger friends who used to jokingly refer to ourselves as the Delirium Club while we were anxiously awaiting Pandemonium... so we decided to do something fun to share our love for Lauren Oliver's dystopian series.

This week, a new post is going to be shared each day on a new blog  highlighting the series and why we love it! We even have a fun, fanmade playlist and interview with Lauren!

And of course, a little giveaway.

HarperCollins Canada has very generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for one winner! The details are pretty simple and straightforward.

Open to Canadian residents only (sorry!)

The prize is a copy of Delirium AND Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver! So if you haven't picked up a copy of them yet, here's your chance!

To enter: all you have to do is leave a comment on the Pandemonium Club posts with your e-mail address. That's it. You can comment once on each separate post, for a total of 5 entries. Good luck!

And now, for my special contest I'm doing a special review for the audiobook of Delirium, which I listened to as a reread of Delirium a few weeks ago :) This is perfect for those of you who haven't read Delirium yet and want to know what you can expect from it without getting any spoilers!

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver ~ audiobook
Release Date ~ February 1, 2011
Harper Audio ~ HarperCollins
Narrated by ~ Sarah Drew
Length ~ 11 hours and 41 minutes

Goodreads Synopsis:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

"Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t."


I somehow thought (perhaps naively) thought Delirium wouldn't be as heartbreaking the second time around as it was the first time I read it. I thought that it would be less shocking, less gripping, less everything. That's my confession, coming from someone who picked Delirium as her NUMBER 1 book of 2011. Of that whole year.

And I can now absolutely, confidently say that I was wrong. If anything, Delirium is even worse when you're rereading it because you remember just enough of what to expect from it.

It's like getting on to that really big, really scary roller coaster for the second time. No, it isn't quite like the first time where every drop startles you but you know it's coming, and even though you're expecting it the ride is still THAT intense. That's Delirium for you. That's exactly what it will do to your emotions.

1. A unique dystopian:
   I had read other dystopian books before Delirium, but this is the book that really sold me on them. And Delirium still stands out even among the numerous others currently being cranked out. Rather than focusing on daring action scenes, most of Delirium is a fairly quiet plot. Lena is a rather quiet, obedient introvert. She has no desire to do anything else besides what she's been told she will do and that day (the day she'll be cured) is coming soon. Delirium is different because it goes so far as having others try to control what's inside you, as well as everything surrounding you in society. Love as a disease? That's scary. Just think about it.
2. Lena's growth as a character:
   I can't stress this enough, but Lena changes SO MUCH as a young woman over the course of Delirium. And that continues into Pandemonium (hint), but it all makes perfect sense. Her development is so gradual and natural that you barely notice it and there really aren't any sudden, jarring changes that don't add up or conflict with her character. Lena, along with Alex and Hana, are all very well-done characters and I love getting to see the different sides of them.
3. Alex:
   I know I'm biased because I'm a total Alex fangirl BUT I really do think that Alex is reason enough to read Delirium. Just give it (him) a chance. Alex is like the perfect dream boy, and I just love him as a YA romantic interest! He walks that fine line between being brave and protective, but without becoming overprotective and controlling. He's thoughtful, and such a warm person. He's just the perfect boy to balance out Lena. He just steps into a scene and does something cute, and it's like "ALEX!!!!! *swoon*". Constantly.
4. Perfect heartbreak:
   If you've heard anything by now about Delirium, I'm sure you've heard mentions of a totally emotional, shocking ending. It might be less so because you've just heard SO much about it by now, but this book is awful when you can't stop thinking about it and how sad it is, and you can't possibly imagine how things will ever work out. EVER. But you want it to happen so badly. And I'm a total baby and sobbed after reading this one. Both times.
5. The ultimate forbidden romance:
   I know there are plenty of these out there. There's no shortage of forbidden romances in pop culture, and we just eat them up. Romeo and Juliet. Buffy and Angel. Now there's Alex and Lena. Seriously, when you can't be in love because one of you is about to undergo a surgery to remove your capability to love, and love is seen as a disease, a SICKNESS (among other things) and you happen to be in love... well, that's really forbidden. Pure treason right there.

My love for this book is undying. I almost feel like I've been ruined for other books, because I really do have a hard time seeing how another book could ever impact me as much as this one. It's definitely a slower paced book, but just go with it. It will pick up. And it needs that slowness to set the stage for everything that's about to happen. And of course, Lauren's writing style is just as beautiful as ever. It's impeccable and everything about it makes the story just feel right somehow.

Thoughts on the audio:
I wanted to listen to the audio as a reread of Delirium since I hadn't found time to read the actual book yet. and I ended up really enjoying it!

Sarah Drew is a fantastic pick to narrate Lena's voice, and I loved how put together she sounded at times but then you could still hear the anxiety and frustration and love sickness in her voice at other times. She also does a GREAT job doing voices for the other characters, especially Hana, although I was conflicted over her voice for Alex. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, and seeing as Alex is my favourite character I was definitely hoping for more. But sometimes his drawl just didn't come across right and it just sounded odd. And because Alex has so many lines towards the end, you get to hear that odd voice a lot. But that was really the only thing that ended up taking away from the overall experience for me, and sometimes she really nailed Alex's lines. Especially the whispered ones. Oh my, those ones gave me such chills listening to them!

Review: Pandemonium

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver
Release Date ~ March 6, 2012
HarperCollins ~ Harper Teen
ISBN13: 9780061978067

Goodreads Synopsis:
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
THERE ARE NO WORDS. I will NEVER be able to properly express my love and adoration for this series. NEVER. Lauren is brilliant, and I am infected with deliria for these perfectly captivating books.

Delirium was my FAVOURITE book of 2011 and it absolutely blew me away. I just sobbed after I finished it, for all its emotional turmoil and the way Lauren Oliver managed to wring my heart like a wet towel. So of course, I have been anxious for Pandemonium and I devoured it as soon as I got an ARC in the mail.

How am I supposed to express my thoughts on this book?? I can't write reviews that will do Lauren's books justice. I just can't, I'm actually incapable of doing that. Because Lauren's book consistently affect me in such a personal, INTIMATE way.

But I'm going to try. Because everyone needs to read these books!

1. Sobbing, tears, forever crying:
   Delirium, as a series, is incredibly heartbreaking. A world where love is treated like a disease? SCARY. And Lena struggles so much, both physically and emotionally. She's particularly fragile in Pandemonium after what has occured in The Last Chapter of Delirum (capitalization is clearly required, as those of you who have read it know). Pandemonium is tragic in its own way, as Lena is so desperately trying to cope with the events and changes which took place in Delirium. It isn't easy. But what can you expect?
2. Stunning, lyrical writing:
   I'm convinced that Lauren is a sort of author genius. I have yet to be unimpressed by anything she's written!
   
   "I wonder if this is how people always get close: They heal each other's wounds; they repair the broken skin." And everything has such meaning and depth behind it. Nothing is just said casually, and it is all so thoughfully laced with emotion and words to draw you in to the story itself. Pandemonium is another indication of extreme talent on Lauren's part.
3. Two timelines:
   I'm not usually a fan of books written with two alternating timelines from chapter to chapter, but I was really impressed by how it was done in Pandemonium. Normally I find it to be confusing, and unnecessary as it doesn't seem to add much to the story. However, Lauren would finish a chapter from the past and then carry over the same atmosphere and feelings into the new chapter based in the present. And THAT impressed me and really made the story flow well. Yet it all felt very natural, so I'm not even sure this was an intended result of the writing style.
4. Those hints and teasers which made fans worried...
   We've all heard the nerve-wracking hints and teasers about Pandemonium; and I know I'm not the only Delirium fan who was dreadfully worried about the direction Pandemonium would take. I refuse to give anything away and confirm one way or another, but I can say that I was utterly surprised by what Lauren included in the story but was still very impressed with how it was handled. And that left me feeling extremely satisfied overall.

Now, I will say that Pandemonium did not leave the same impact on me that Delirium did. I found it harder to relate to some of the new characters introduced, and I so dearly miss Alex. I ADORE Alex. It's forever Alex for me <3

But I can say with complete confidence that I'm going to be counting down the days to Requiem, very very soon and I cannot wait to see how this series ends! Totally one of my favourites in YA and dystopian.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5

Review: Hana

Hana (Delirium #1.5) by Lauren Oliver
Release Date ~ February 28, 2012 (released early on MTV.com on February 14, 2012)
HarperCollins
ASIN: B005MMNZYE
Read online at MTV.com

Goodreads Description:
The summer before they're supposed to be cured of the ability to love, best friends Lena and Hana begin to drift apart. While Lena shies away from underground music and parties with boys, Hana jumps at her last chance to experience the forbidden. For her, the summer is full of wild music, dancing—and even her first kiss.
But on the surface, Hana must be a model of perfect behavior. She meets her approved match, Fred Hargrove, and glimpses the safe, comfortable life she’ll have with him once they marry. As the date for her cure draws ever closer, Hana desperately misses Lena, wonders how it feels to truly be in love, and is simultaneously terrified of rebelling and of falling into line.
In this digital story that will appeal to fans of Delirium and welcome new admirers to its world, readers will come to understand scenes from Delirium through Hana's perspective. Hana is a touching and revealing look at a life-changing and tumultuous summer.

I think by now it's fairly well established that Delirium is one of my favourite books EVER. I love it. Adore it. And reading Hana was a little bit different for me since I'd already read Pandemonium and was curious to see how Hana would line up with it. By the way, Hana really does fit in neatly just before Pandemonium. There isn't any overlap.

Hana is a lovely little teaser of another perspective in Lena's story, and adds more depth to it overall. Ideal for fans, but I would hold off on reading it if you haven't read Delirium yet.

1. Hana's perspective:
   
   This is definitely the top reason to read Hana, as we get a very intimate look into her life and what was happened with her while Delirium focused on Lena. The story ends up being really fleshed out, and we have a far better idea of the relationships and characters involved. Plus Hana was just such a fun (and different person from Lena) that she deserves a story all on her own.
2. Novella that packs a punch:
   
   Even though the short story is only about 70 pages long, it isn't lacking in any way. Lauren's writing is as gorgeous as ever, the voice of Hana is heard loud and clear, and as always the ending is a killer one. We should honestly stop being surprised by this with this series.

Whilethis is such a worthwhile read, it is so short that I'm really not sure you can get more than 2 reasons out of me for this one ;) but it's a grand novella, very well done and put together. Perfect for fans, and I'm happy to see that it was released for free on MTV just before Pandemonium comes out.

Kindred Reads {7}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. There's a mix of popular books, and fairly unknown authors and indie books as well. This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!

These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the stories. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book.

If you like... Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Then you might want to read...

Matched by Ally Condie

I want to make it clear that I was really hesitant to compare any books to Delirium, simply because of how much I love it and how I really don't think there's anything quite like it. But I can say that about any books I truly, deeply love (including the Hunger Games) and sometimes that just doesn't feel like a fair comparison.

But I do think that some books out there share similar charactersitics, and I found Matched and Delirium to be two books like that. At a very basic level, and on the surface as well, they're similar books although their exexcution is very different. These are stories of literally forbidden love; a dysoptian world where the government controls everything right down to their conception of love. It isn't fair, and it's up to the characters to decide how much their willing to fight for it.

Eve by Anna Carey

As soon as my review goes up, you'll see that I didn't love Eve. But I didn't hate it either. To me, it really felt like a Delirium story that just fell... flat. There wasn't quite as much passion, but it's the same idea of overprotected girl meets rebellious boy, but it just really isn't done as well. But if you're as much of a fan as I am of these kinds of stories, then it's worth a read even just to satisfy your hunger for more of it (and while you're anxiously awaiting Pandemonium... ahem).

Delirium Winners!

Last week I posted about Delirium by Lauren Oliver and how much I adore it, along with the opportunity for some of you to win a copy of it as well.

I was totally blown away by your responses- I'm so happy to see that a few of you were so excited to read it! I've chosen five people to win copies of the special edition, and I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did!

Dayse
Michelle
Audrey
ebaker
and Bethanie!

I'm just about to send an e-mail to each of you, and remember that you have 48 hours to respond! Congratulations!

Delirium: have you caught it yet?

I selected this post to be featured on Book Review Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

This past Friday, I was just hopping along the blogsphere reading the answers to the various blog hop questions for that day.

And to my dismay, I discovered just how many people haven't read Delirium by Lauren Oliver (yet).

I suppose this really struck me, because I loved Delirium. I can't even tell you how much I loved it, because there's just no way to describe it. Regardless, I'm going to attempt to do this.

I'm going to step out on a limb here and say this: Delirium was by far the best book I read in 2011 (and yes, I did read Divergent by Veronica Roth. No contest, in my humble opinion). I'm also aware that people are going to disagree with me on that, and that there are people who didn't enjoy it as much as I did. That's okay- I actually bought it as a birthday present for a good friend of mine and she did not share my enthusiasm for Delirium.

But for those of you who HAVEN'T read it yet... well, I'm writing this for you. I really want to encourage you to pick it up and give it a try, and then come back and tell me what you thougt of it. Comment on my blog, e-mail me, find me on Twitter... I don't care! I really want to hear how you felt about it. (And for those of you who have read it, I want to hear your thoughts as well! Positive and negative!) Plus, I want all of you to join with me in the agony that is anxiously awaiting Pandemonium's release. I would do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to time travel to the future just to read it. Seriously. That's how much I adore this series/book.

So, just stick with me here for a minute. And allow me to try and persuade you to read Delirium:

1. The very premise of this book terrifies me. A world where love is a disease to be destroyed? Um, that's scary. Really scary. Scarier-than-vampires scary. Because I CAN see how people could view love as a weakness.
2. Lauren Oliver's writing is brilliant. If you've read any of her other books, you know this. I've only read Delirium, but believe me, I have plans to read the rest of her works as well.
3. I cried after reading Delirium. No, scratch that. I SOBBED. I had to text my boyfriend to make sure he still loved me, I was so heartbroken. Then he asked why I was upset, and I had to explain that I had just finished the most beautiful, most incredible book. He didn't get it, but he supported me anyways <3 (he isn't a reader like I am).
4. If Alex wasn't so madly in love with Lena, I'd steal him away. He's just so brave and gentle, all at once, and completely swoonworthy.
5. Did I mention the action yet? There are some INTENSE scenes in this book, and I can't wait to see how all the mysteries and secrets unravel in the rest of the trilogy.
6. Do you have any idea how badly I want to read Pandemonium? If you've read Delirium, then I bet you do, because you're probably in the same boat as me! March 2012 simply CANNOT come soon enough! There are so many things I'm looking forward to, and although I was wary of the description at first after I read Lauren Oliver's blog post on Pandemonium I felt more relaxed and assured that I'm going to love Pandemonium just as much (if not more) as Delirium. You should absolutely go pre-order this item (or maybe start with Delirium first...) But warning: once you pick up Delirium, you will be hooked. Plus, look at how pretty the cover is:

So, have I convinced you to at least give it a try now? I normally don't go for the whole "Romeo and Juliet" vibe in a book, but this one surprised me. I actually bought it for my Kindle, and then I just ordered the new special edition hardcover just because it's so pretty and I like to have books I love sitting on my shelf so I can lend them out to people. And yes- I do already have a lineup of friends waiting to borrow my copy. So unfortunatley, no, you cannot borrow my copy.

BUT! Never fear! I loved this book so much that I want to share some of the love with YOU. I'm going to giveaway Delirium to some wonderful readers and commenters. But this is going to be a very different giveaway from my usual ones:

• Regular rules apply- check out my contest policy for those.
• It's international (as long as The Book Depository ships to you)
• You don't have to be a follower (but I love new followers too!)
• It isn't random- I'm going to be carefully selecting who wins a copy of Delirium. Your entry is a comment. That's all. Just comment and tell me why you want to read this book, and what you're excited for about this series. Leave me your name/alias and an e-mail so I can contact you. And since it isn't random, you better give me good reasons to impress me ;) CONVINCE ME TO BUY YOU THIS BOOK! Or just talk to me about it :) I enjoy that as well!
• I don't know how many people are going to win copies yet. It might be one, it might be two, it could be three... we'll see once I start reading your comments (and see what my bank account allows!)
• Contest will end at 12:01 a.m. on September 13th when I will announce the winners.