Waiting On Wednesday #34 - Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken, Champion by Marie Lu, & Allegiant by Veronica Roth

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I have 3 this week again that I can't wait to read as they are continuations of series that I have started. 

Title: Never Fade

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: The Darkest Minds, #2

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Title: Champion

Author: Marie Lu

Series: Legend, #3

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

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

Title: Allegiant

Author: Veronica Roth

Series: Devergent, #3

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Are you looking forward to any of these? What's your Waiting on Wednesday pick this week?

Top Ten Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic discusses what Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012

This is actually kind of hard as nearly every book I've read this year was a new author to me and there were very few books out of those that I didn't like. 

This is the first ten that come to mind, though I know there are others that I loved.

Honourable mentions: Suzanne Young, Hannah Harrington, Kat Zhang, Sarah J. Mass, Lissa Price, Rebecca Lim and Meagan Spooner.

What is your top ten this week? Leave me a comment so I can visit yours. =) 


** All book covers link to their goodreads page if you would like more information on them**

Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 1st, 2012

Genre: Young Adult - Post Apocalyptic, Action/Adventure

★★★

Read from July 04 to 11, 2012

First of all, let me say that this was a great sequel. It was interesting and you were able to get to know the characters better. 

I was really keen to read Insurgent. I started as soon as I finished Divergent, I just had to know what happens to Tris. 

Now bare in mind, if you haven't read it, this does have some spoilery elements as it's hard to say what I don't like without mentioning parts of it. So consider this your spoiler alert :)

While I enjoyed Insurgent, there were a few things I didn't like.

Tris was not my favourite character in Insurgent. The strong, awesome character she was in Divergent just wasn't here this time. I understood what she went through, and how that would affect her, yet it was tiring hearing the useless, giving up actions and how it influenced every action she did. No matter what, I expected better of her then the rash, careless decisions she did this time round. 

There was also the irrational decision to help Marcus. He didn't trust her enough to share details, she hates him for what he did to Four, yet she helps him. 

Now we learn about the Outside world, and the factions and waiting for the divergents to emerge. To save humanity. :/ I'm not sure how that's going to work and will have to wait for the next in the series to find it out I guess. 

Romance wasn't a priority in Divergent but there was a heavier focus in Insurgent.  

Insurgent didn't grab me as much as Divergent but I didn't hate it. It is still a great read and I'm looking forward to the third instalment in the series to see where this goes. 

Divergent (Divergent #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011

Genre: Young Adult - Post Apocalyptic, Action/Adventure

★★★★

Read from June 29 to July 04, 2012

I really enjoyed this book and I've been thinking about this review for a couple of days but I'm none the wiser about what to say.

In a dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions. Candor (honesty), Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (peacefulness), and Erudite (intelligence).
Once a year all 16 year olds need to select which faction they wish to live in for the rest of their lives. Once selected they go through an initiation with there new faction. If unsuccessful they live amongst the factionless.
Our protagonist Beatrice is from Abnegation but doesn't feel she belongs there because she isn't selfless enough. She has a difficult choice but chooses to go to Dauntless (and have a name change to Tris) who have a highly competitive initiation - which Beatrice does well in ;)
The characters are well defined with Tris being a strong, interesting lead.
After the initiation the story takes an interesting twist.
Divergent is well written, and filled with action.
My challenge with writing this review is that although I really liked it, and wanted to read it, I also had no problem putting it down and not picking it back up again until I had time, which you can see by how long it took me to read it. Normally if I really like a book I have trouble putting it down. That being said I have started Insurgent straight after and I know it is because I want to know what happened to Tris.
Either way, I'd recommend this to any dystopian fan to read.