Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Title: Panic
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Contemporary
Format reviewed: e-galley

Blurb:
Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most

Review:
Having read all of Lauren Oliver's previously published YA novels, I was looking forward to reading Panic and expecting it to be as amazing as her other books. I was not disappointed.

Similar to her first contemporary novel, Before I Fall, the characters in Panic were very well-developed and honest. There was not one I liked more than the rest (although there was one I was rooting for above the others), but this is not a fault I find in the book. I enjoyed that the characters each had obvious flaws and made mistakes. Like real human beings, none were perfect, and all had their secrets, as well as their own motivation to participate in the game of Panic.
I find this to be lacking in contemporary YA, and enjoyed the refreshing and honest take on teenaged characters Lauren Oliver writes.

The book was full of suspense, and though I had a feeling for who might come out on top, I did not feel that any part of this book was annoyingly predictable. Oliver's superb writing kept me guessing and second-guessing myself. As one who does not enjoy contemporary as much as I do other genres in YA, I loved Panic, and want to read more contemporary (and other genres) from this author. She is definitely one of my favourites, and I cannot wait to see more from her.


Keep an eye out for this gem from Lauren Oliver!
Panic will be published March 4, 2014
You can pre-order the hardcover from the following retailers:
Chapters/Indigo/Coles
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

Or you can pre-order the e-book from the following e-tailers:
Kobo
Nook
Amazon Kindle

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Title: Requiem
Series: Delirium Trilogy
Placement in Series: Book 3/3
Author: Lauren Oliver
Description:

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.

Review:

I first read Delirium back in January 2012, when I was going through my 'what to read after The Hunger Games' kick (all right, I admit I'm still on a dystopian/post-apocalyptic kick, one that I'm not sure will end!) and it quickly became one of my favourite series. I had high expectations for Requiem, especially considering how much I loved Pandemonium (my first review on this blog!) and the direction it seemed to be taking the series. While I was on hiatus from here, I read a lot of reviews and opinions on the final book in this trilogy, and it seemed people were either disappointed with the ending, or they loved it. I, personally, loved it to the core. Below I have written why, but proceed with caution: if you have yet to read Requiem, there are some (major) spoilers below.


What I liked about Requiem:
As in the previous novels, Lauren Oliver's writing remained poetic and perfectly descriptive. I was there with Lena and with Hana in every moment. I understood them both, even though my feelings toward Hana are not the greatest (although I came around in the end).

I also liked that half of the book was written from Hana's perspective. After reading Hana's short story, it was pretty much necessary. It was certainly something that I, as a reader, wanted. Hana intrigued me, and it was important for me to see how Hana had changed (and not changed) after she received the Cure. I am glad she redeemed herself after what she did in the Hana short story (which, by the way, if you have not read before reading Requiem, I think you should).


What I did not like about Requiem:
There was very little that left me dissatisfied when it came to this book. There is a small part of me that wishes there were a few more loose ends tied up by the end of Requiem, but at the same time...


What I loved about Requiem:
Basically everything, but the ending was my favourite. Lauren Oliver had a lot of expectations to live up, and it is certainly not possible for her to end this series in a way that will satisfy every reader, but I was definitely one of the satisfied ones.

I loved how there were loose ends. I loved that I was left with questions. What happens to Portland after? And the rest of the world seeming infected with Deliria? And what about Hana? Where does she go? Does she survive and does she ever meet up with Lena? I like to imagine that she did. I like to imagine that they find each other in the future, while the world is being rebuilt, and that they are still a part of each other's lives. I like to imagine that, if their friendship is not rekindled, they at least are near each other and can exist for each other, especially considering how important they were to eachother before everything that happened happened.

And what of Lena's relationship with Julian and Alex? Who, ultimately, did she choose? There were strong reasons for her to choose Alex. There were strong reasons for her to choose Julian. However, I think if she did choose by the end of Requiem, it would have been too soon. So many characters in YA seem to make rushed decisions (which is understandable considering they are teenagers; however, Lena has grown up a lot since Delirium, and it is no longer in her best interest to make such hurried decisions). The way I see it, she waited a while longer to make her decision, perhaps until things were a little less hectic. After all, she has a lot of other things to worry about. Like repairing the relationship with her mother, mourning Raven, and helping rebuild (at least) Portland.

But again, these are all questions I was fine with having been left unanswered. If they all had been, the ending would have been too rushed. Like author John Green said: "Books belong to their readers", and in this case, I am very glad to have been able to make my own theories. There are some books that need loose ends like these tied, but Requiem is not one of them.

Requiem rating: 5/5
Series rating: 4.5/5


And you? How did you feel about Requiem? Agree with my review? Disagree?
Discuss in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday #9

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly blogger meme started by Breaking the Spine. If you want to check this meme out at its origin and particpate, just click here.

Every time I read the blurb for this one, I squeal a little and bounce a lot. I CANNOT WAIT.

Title: Requiem

Author: Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium trilogy

Blurb:

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. 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.

I'm not sure what part of this book I am more excited for: the anticipated conclusion or the fact that it's told from Lena AND Hana's point of view. Also, the cliffhanger we were left with in Pandemonium (read my full review of Pandemonium here) was absolutely brilliant.

I can't believe we still have to wait until March 5th, 2013 for this one. Thankfully there are other books to read in between to keep our minds off the wait, huh?

So what books are you guys waiting on this week? Link me in the comments!

Cover Reveal: Requiem

The final book in the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, Requiem, is due out in March of 2013.
The cover for Requiem has been revealed. Let's stare at it and admire its beauty for a moment, shall we?

I must say I'm a little disappointed. It looks gorgeous, but in my opinion it's far too similar to the cover of Pandemonium.
Let's take a look at the difference in colour scheme between Delirium and Pandemonium:

These two are pretty different with Delirium featuring cool colour tones and Pandemonium featuring warm colour tones. But then Requiem also features warm colour tones, which makes it look far too similar to Requiem.

It should not matter, but it does bother me slightly. At a closer look, there are obvious differences in the detail, such as the flowers. But I don't know... A flower and a few shades of difference in colour don't really do it for me. When I looked at the Requiem cover for the first time, I felt like I was already very familiar with it.

Still, it is gorgeous, and I am super excited to find out what happens in the final book! Pandemonium was my very first review here on this blog, so I cannot wait to get my hands on Requiem. March could not come sooner! (Especially since I would LOVE to skip the cold winter weather, haha).

What are your thoughts on the Requiem cover? Love it? Or do you have reservations like I do?

And I'm curious: do covers matter? How much of an influence do covers have on you when you're checking out a new book/series to read?

I'll admit, if a cover looks too juvenile or too generic, I might not feel any inclination to read the synopsis. Bad, I know. But sometimes visuals really help. That's what the cover is there for, right? To capture our attention.

Leave your thoughts in the comments :)

Review: Pandemonium

Book: Pandemonium
Series: Delirium Trilogy
Author: Lauren Oliver
Goodreads link: Pandemonium on Goodreads
Rating: I give it a 4.5/5 - but the ending deserves a 5/5.

Review:

Such a cliffhanger that’s slowly killing me (I had trouble sleeping because my emotions and feelings for the characters were going haywire. I couldn’t keep track).
Oliver’s writing, like in Delirium, was again up to par. Poetic with tonnes of show. I was IN New York with Lena. I WAS Lena. I didn’t have a big connection with her in Delirium, but Pandemonium really brought her up to the plate. I won’t spoil, but she changes. A lot. But that’s what stuff like this does to a person.
I was very pleased with how Lauren Oliver had Lena grow. It didn’t happen in a split-second. She switched back and forth from ‘then’ and ‘now’, giving us a look into how Lena changed as well as showing us her change. But she continued growing and developing, even in the ‘now’. It was brilliant. It really was.
For those who did not enjoy Delirium very much, I highly recommend you read Pandemonium anyways. I rated Delirium on goodreads as 3/5, I believe. Delirium is filled with more romance and innocence, which might not have drawn readers in like faster-moving dystopias (such as The Hunger Games and Divergent) did. It’s Pandemonium that really gets the ball moving, especially once you read the middle of the book.
As for the cliffhanger ending… Lauren Oliver has a skill. And evil, evil skill. She made us pine for Pandemonium at the end of Delirium, and now she’s got us craving Requiem.
Let’s hope our hearts don’t break completely before then.