GoodRead - Inside Divergent Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity

Ok, I am trying something new here. I am putting together two short-ish reviews on two books I got from two lovely publishers (thank you HarperCollins and Quirk). The main reason for this is because I'm not certain I could write "real" reviews on them so am hoping this mini review mashup will do the trick!

The two books in question are Inside Divergent: The Initiate's World and How To Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity.

Inside Divergent: The Initiate's World is a small book that brushes over Veronica's Roth's dystopian Chicago. With photos from the movie, the book explains the five Factors, a few characters within the story and explains the steps the initiates take from the aptitude test to Choosing Day and beyond.

Ok, let me state this now. If you have read Divergent or the whole trilogy, you do not need this book. This book gives you information that you have already read from the trilogy. So, you don't need it. Borrow it from your local library if you can as you will want to see the photos used (my fave is on page 42 and 43, solely because of the woman's facial expression. Thank you nameless extra!)

However, if you haven't read the trilogy, then this book will help you get a better understanding of the movie. It doesn't matter if you wish to read this before you watch the movie or if you read this afterward your viewing, this helps give information that was either hinted at within the film or will help you get a better grip of why the film is the way it is.

A nice book with great photos, but more a must read for those curious over the movie than the people who have read the trilogy.

And now, How To Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity. This book is giving you tips, advice and ideas on how to make your cat the next viral hit on the Internet and how you can become rich beyond your wildest dreams.

I have to admit this now, I was reading this and I was on the edge of a reading slump (I hate it when that happens!), but I really liked how this book has its tongue firmly in its cheek over all cat videos online. It was a fun read, coming from a place of "Hey, you're reading this because you love cats. So do I! Let's read about cats and plot world - ok, internet domination together!"

I love the photos in this book (one of this book's real advantages), but there was times I did feel like skimming it. Maybe it was because I did feel like I was going to enter a reading slump. Not sure why.

But this is a short, coffee-table book (Never thought I would be typing that) that you would give to that mad cat friend of yours or a great little stock-filler for Christmas (yes, I said Christmas. In July! OH DEAR HEAVENS, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!)

GoodRead - Free Four

Dear readers,

If you are reading this review, please be warned that there will be a rant involved and it will NOT be aimed at the author (so Veronica Roth, if you are reading this, please don't worry. I love you very much and I hope you never stop writing!)

Ok, now I have that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk Free Four, shall we?

Free Four is an eNovella that tells the famous knife throwing scene in Divergent, but from Four's point of view. It's a short fast read and I really liked it. Like I said earlier on, I love Veronica's writing and it gives a new insight to Four, who we only really hear speak in Allegiant and we can all say that there were moments he wasn't himself...

Ok, now the ranty part. This is aimed SOLELY at the publishers. I have been watching this eNovella for quite a while as I do want to read this (Again, big Veronica Roth fan here!). It was first released on Veronica's Facebook as a thank you to all her fans (for free, by the way), then it was released as an eNovella for £1.99. The price then dropped for 49p and, when I downloaded this, Free Four was free (hence the title. Oh, the irony!). And, if I had bought this for either price, I would have been either very upset or very angry! The rest for this is because of this: the story was only 22%. It's not even a 1/4 of the download. 4% was the title page and author's note. 22% was the story. That leaves around 76% of the download which was the opening chapters of books one and two within the series: Divergent and Insurgent.

And most readers who will buy this eNovella would have ALREADY read either both stories or Divergent. I know I do turn round and say these eNovellas are great for people unsure over whether they want to read a series. But, with all the eNovellas being £1.99 and I heard that this trick is being used on this on each story...

Now you see why I warned you guys at the start of the review.

So, in short, really liked the story, really dislike the attitude from the publisher over how they could/would exploit fans for money...

GoodRead - Allegiant

This is going to be a hard review to write. I finished this book late Tuesday night, writing the review Wednesday and am going to put this online on Thursday. So me writing a review this quickly is very rare, but I think I need to write this and share my feels towards you guys. I will try my UTMOST to keep this review of Allegiant as SPOILER-FREE as possible (but I might have to spoil over the previous two books within this trilogy, Divergent and Insurgent).

So... here we go.

After the shocking ending of Insurgent, all hell has broken loose. The factions have shattered, people are torn over what to do and Tris is stuck in the middle of it all. So when she, Tobias and a few others are offered the chance to escape into a world outside the city, she takes it. Maybe she and Tobias can have a life together, away from violence, deaths and betrayal.

Except that this new world is far more alarming than the one she left behind. New truths make old discoveries meaningless and will change the hearts of people around her. Soon, Tris has to fight once more...

Now, where on earth do I start?

This final book in the trilogy will divide the fandom. I stayed as far away from spoilers/reviews as much as possible (and I wasn't spoiled!) but I have heard that some readers who read this within days of release either really loved it or really hated it. The reason for this is because there is one HUGE twist and this twist is causing waves. I didn't see it coming (and I was trying to second guess what this twist was going to be!) and I can kinda see why this twist had to happen but I was there going "DID SHE HONESTLY DO THAT?!"

This book is a very different book compared to Divergent and Insurgent. It felt, to me, a little more political and a little more personal. We see Tris and Tobias talk and fight and make-up. This book dealt with this issues while moving at speed, though there were times the story did drag, if I am completely honest with you. Another problem with this is Four's point of view. At times, it felt like his story was slower pace than Tris's.

I am struggling to write this. Just so you know. This is HARD to write!

This series is wonderful. It's one of the best dystopian trilogies out in YA at the present moment. Maybe, dare I say it, even better than the Hunger Games.

If you are a fan of the trilogy, then you have to read this. This will be the most emotional of the three. Veronica Roth is a brilliant writer and I demand more from her (thank goodness for the Four: A Divergent Collection will be out in hardback next year!), but I think I need time to get over this book. I need to mourn this book and, maybe next year, I shall reread the whole trilogy.

GoodRead - Insurgent

I have to apologise in advance for this review as I am writing this when I'm not feeling 100% well (hence my Facebook/Twitter silence). But, here is my review of Insurgent, let's hit the ground running.

After the terrible events in Divergent, Tris is haunted by the past. Haunted by the pointless slaughter of her former Faction. Haunted by the death of both her parents. Haunted by her having to kill Will...

As Tris has to come to terms with her grief and guilt, she becomes more reckless in coming to terms with her past and her future. But, slowly, she realises that by doing this, she realises that the truth is still out there. And if she is going to discover what the truth is, she will have to make some shocking choices and sacrifices that could change everything...

 I'm going to say this now: I think Veronica Roth is trying to kill us.

 Seriously, she is! It's been a while since I have read a book that leaves me so breathless that I had to put the book down for a good few minutes to catch my breath. It never slackened its pace. Not for one page.

 It was interesting that Veronica made Tris suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and maybe Survivors Guilt, but it seemed perfectly natural to have Tris suffer with these and, because of these, to react the way she does in the situations that happen in this book.

 I don't want to reveal too much as I know there are many of you that want to read this book and are probably screaming "ENOUGH! ENOUGH!" but I have to warn you about the ending... Oh, the ending... That last few chapters will knock you all for six and will completely change the ball game. And Veronica does it in such a clever that you will not see it coming...

The only snag I had is that there was no catch up. You were thrown straight into the world (which is always a good thing) but you had no catch-up. After a year for most people, it's hard to remember which Faction means which virtue and it takes a while to go "Oh!" over it.

However, Insurgent. This is one breathless read that will leave you hunger for the third and final book in this trilogy. And we have to wait a year for it. A YEAR! *sulks* But still, we can reread Divergent and Insurgent. Just as long as we can put the books down everyone once in a while to caught our breath...       

(PS - quick thank you for Rosi at HarperCollins for letting me have a copy early. Not sure that was a wise decision, but I thank you nevertheless!)

New DIVERGENT & INSURGENT UK Covers

Yesterday, the lovely Rosi sent out the new UK covers for Divergent and its sequel, Insurgent, by Veronica Roth. And here they are!




Now, I love the original cover of Divergent and I am really like the US cover for Insurgent. But, I get why Harper Collins decide to change the UK covers. These covers look more Hunger Games-like and as most of us bloggers raved that Divergent is the next Hunger Games, it's easy to understand why HarperCollins went down this route.

I do like the new cover of Insurgent with the burning leaves. Though I do think this is a grower of a cover.

But what are your reactions to the new UK covers?

Cover Reveal - Insurgent

Yesterday, EW revealed the cover for for Insuregent, the sequel to Veronica Roth's Divergent! Now, I love the cover to Divergent so am very excited about this and here is the cover...



AREN'T IT BRILLIANT?! And, for those wondering the tree logo is, as Veronica Roth said on her blog, is the symbol for Amity. And it's just as awesome as of the firey symbol on Divergent.

But what do you guys think???

Divergent's Book 2 Title Reveal!

Now, yesterday, while the world exploded with the news of JK Rowling and her mysterious PotterMore (the truth about it will be revealed in 6 days time - click here for PotterMore's website, Twitter and the countdown!), Veronica Roth released the second title to her Divergent trilogy.

Now, as you guys know, I LOVE Divergent and I believe that this trilogy is a MUST READ to all Hunger Games fans so discovering Veronica Roth revealed the title got me very excited!

Ready? Book 2 in the trilogy will be called...




Do you like? I LOVE IT! It fits perfectly for what happened at the end of Divergent and might happen next.

If you want to read Veronica's blog post about the reveal, click here! Now GIVE ME THIS BOOK!!!

Is It Me...?

Is it me or does the firey logo on the cover of DIVERGENT by Vernoica Roth look scaryingly like the eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings...?




I asked this on Twitter last night and the author of Divergent herself, Vernoica Roth, replied back saying "It is not just you. Many people say that to me. As a Giant Nerd, I enjoy the comparison."

GoodRead - Divergent

I got this book from a competition from Cicely Loves Books blog so thanks to her for running the competition. I was told from the peeps on Twitter that this book was "The Next Hunger Games" and, when I got it, I was halfway through another book, I gave it to a pal of mine to read (who read the Hunger Games and loves the series). Within days, I got texts and chats from this friend, who was reading it madly and going "This is SO MUCH BETTER than the Hunger Games!"

High praise! But does it live up to the hype?

In Veronica Roth's debut novel, we are in a dystopian future of Chicago where society is split into five fractions - Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice is about to turn 16, which means that she (and other teens that age) must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. So, she could stay in her fraction and stay with her family or change and never see her family again.

Whatever her choice, the events will shock her. But will she live long enough to regret her decision...

I have no idea how to write this review, seeing as I finished it in a mad rush this afternoon then rushed onto my mobile, chatiing to my friend, going "Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!"

Expect with this - the rumours are true. This book trilogy IS the next Hunger Games. Heck, it might be even BETTER than the Hunger Games! The unexpected romance that I was warned about I spot a mile coming, but who cares!? The book never lost its fast pacing and set everything up perfectly for what happens next. It's full of twists, turns, gasps and edge of your seat moments.

I ADORE this book and I hope you guys love it too. Now, to wait for book two in this trilogy. BRING IT ON! I WANT MORE!

*

Now, this is usually the part of the review where I put Book Trailers and Music that I out with this book. Weirdly, I didn't listen to any music while reading this book, so I have no idea what would be a good song to use here... am listening to some now, but am putting my first thought/choice here. Hope you like...!