Review: MATCHED - By. Ally Condie

Heidi Cheramie

Matched Review
Ally Condie-Author
Dutton Books-Publisher

BLURB:

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.

REVIEW:

Matched has been crowned the new IT book in the YA genre. I actually read a review in Entertainment Weekly praising it and printing the huge payment the author received for this book which is the first in a trilogy. The article already mentioned movie rights so I thought not another cloying Twilight.

I am also a huge fan of The Hunger Games trilogy so I was a little hesitant in reading another YA about a dystopian society. However I downloaded the E book figuring I would start reading it one day. I read the first page then couldn’t put the book down.

I am pleased to state that I really enjoyed this book. The dystopian society initially appears as a utopian world but you soon realize it is as horrifying as The Hunger Games society. The Heroine, Cassia Reyes lives in a world where the government controls everything. Everyone wears uniform clothing, eats meals prepared by the government so no one is too thin or too fat, regulates personal belongings, euthanizes the elderly, controls what job you will do and decides who your perfect spouse will be and matches you to them.

The story begins with Cassia on her seventeenth birthday attending her Matching Banquet. Ally Condie’s description of the banquet is what hooked me. I found the ceremony where the government matches people according to their shared interests, personalities and characteristics similar to Facebook or dating websites today. Scary! Also all the citizens carry pills with them so they never have to experience strong emotions especially anxiety. Very similar to our societies use of antidepressants and anti anxiety drugs today. This controlled, futuristic society was another character in the book and I found the idea of people giving up all control over their lives to avoid any discomforts or twinge of worry extremely appropriate to today's issues.

Cassia is matched to her childhood friend, Xander and everything seems perfect. Xander is a very likable, intelligent young man. When Cassia plugs in her data card to see Xander’s information another face pops up. A boy named Ky. Ky is a boy from the Outer Provinces that is an aberration. This means he can not be matched due to some infraction to government rules in his past. Quickly the officials explain to Cassia that it was an error and she was never matched to Ky.

Cassia is soon torn between Xander and Ky and begins to question her society for the first time. The suspense builds as the government seems to know everything Cassia is going to do. Whenever she does something out of the ordinary an official states they predicted she would act that way.

There is very little action in this book. It is not the Hunger Games which is non stop action and fighting. I expect a lot more action in the second book. However there is plenty of internal struggle and this book really made me think. Made me ponder many moral and ethical issues. It raises many philosophical questions.

I enjoyed Cassia, Xander and Ky and the characters seemed much more realistic to me than the cloying, obsessed Twilight trio for example. Matched is romantic, suspenseful with a touch of mystery. I am looking forward to the second book and I enjoyed Ally Condie’s use of poetry and the power of words. Matched is about freedom of choice and how individualism should be prized not discouraged.

I give Matched 4 STARS!! Enjoy!



Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; First Edition edition (November 30, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525423648
ISBN-13: 978-0525423645
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches

Review: Atlantis Betrayed by. Alyssa Day

Reviewer: Heidi Cheramie
Review: Atlantis Betrayed
Author: Alyssa Day

Blurb:

Poseidon’s warriors have learned that the battle to protect humanity produces unexpected enemies--and alliances. And one of the most powerful of all Atlantean warriors will soon find both…in one daring beauty.


A warrior’s mission, a woman’s desire…

What could Christophe, powerful Warrior of Poseidon, have in common with Fiona Campbell, prim and proper Scottish illustrator of fairytales by day and notorious jewel thief known as the Scarlet Ninja by night? Answer: The Siren, a legendary Crown Jewel that Fiona has targeted for her next heist. It’s said to be worth millions, but to Christophe it’s invaluable. For the Siren also happens to be one of the missing jewels from Poseidon’s trident.

And the unnatural evil that could destroy them both...

But breaking into the Tower of London is a two-person job, so Christophe and Fiona team up to commit the crime of the century. As newfound passions fire their motives--and cloud their judgment--they realize they aren’t the only ones after the priceless gem. A dark force is shadowing their every move, and threatening to shatter their trust with revenge, betrayal, and a haunting revelation about the past.


Atlantis Betrayed Review:

I loved this book! Atlantis Betrayed is Book Six in the Warriors Of Poseidon series but this is my first Alyssa Day book. I will read books one to five in this wonderful series. Christophe is a Poseidon warrior and his duty is to protect humanity. Christophe doesn’t really like humans but he does his duty. He is a grumpy, sarcastic, alpha male with a tortured childhood and it makes him slightly antisocial. I adored him! This book is full of humor, sexy chemistry, likable characters and a wonderful storyline.


Lady Fiona Campbell is the feisty heroine. She is a gentle children’s book author by day and the infamous Scarlet Ninja by night. She is a famous thief that steals from the rich to give to the poor. A wonderful take on the Robin hood story. Fiona is as lovable as Christophe is sexy.


Christophe is given the assignment to steal the Siren, a jewel of Poseidon from the British Museum. Fiona has also decided to steal the jewel and the characters meet while trying to steal the jewel from the sword of William the Conquerer. Alyssa Day writes a wonderful, exciting and humorous scene when the two thieves meet each other for the first time while both are trying to steal the jewel.


Fiona and Christophe’s emotional connection and budding love for each other is wonderful and I cried and laughed with them both. Also the sexual chemistry is hot! Fiona is a kick ass heroine as well as a polite lady of the manor. Christophe is the perfect alpha male with just the right mix of tortured soul, humor and hotness!


The setting is London and the book opens with Christophe ‘s encounter with a vampire while sitting on Big Ben. Funny! All the secondary characters were great and interesting from Fiona’s butler/ mentor that reminded me of Alfred from Batman, Fiona’s younger brother and Denal the young Poseidon warrior who has an interesting interaction with the Fae queen. Also enjoyed the Unseelie Fae and their friend/foe relationship with Fiona.


The third party trying to steal the jewel is the antagonist and he is a dangerous evil enemy. Fiona and Christophe must work together to defeat him and return the jewel to Poseidon where it belongs. I give this book FOUR STARS!!! Enjoy and Happy Reading!


Product Details
Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Berkley (September 7, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0425238105

ISBN-13: 978-0425238103

Review: When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

Reviewer: Heidi Cheramie
Review: When Blood Calls
Author: J.K. Beck



When Blood Calls Review

Sara Constantine is a prosecutor in the D.A.‘s office and after winning a big case she meets a sexy man in a bar. They have a passionate one night stand. The next day, Sara is promoted to work in a hush-hush division called Division 6 and assumes it is homeland security. Her life is turned upside down after finding out the division is the governing agency for Paranormals. A strong element is this book was the very complex, governing body called Division 6.

Sara doesn’t have time to get over the shock of a world full of vampires, werewolves and all types of supernatural creatures before she is told she will be prosecuting Lucius Dragos. He is a vampire and the sexy man she had a one night stand with. Except for his cheesy name Lucius was an interesting, compelling hero. However, his brooding and obsessiveness over his ward, Tasha was irritating. I never felt comfortable with his relationship and deep feelings for his mentally unstable ward.

Sara is presented as a strong, competent woman who sees the world in black and white. Her career is all important to her so it seems strange that she jeopardizes her career over lust. My biggest complaint with this book was the romance. I never felt the deep emotional connection between Sara and Lucius. Lust- but nothing deeper. Because I didn’t feel the main characters emotional journey it made the love scenes boring for me.

J.K. Beck’s world building was fantastic and that is what kept me reading this book. Several of the secondary characters were extremely interesting and their relationship with Lucius more compelling than his connection with Sara. Ryan Doyle was cool and we never found out why he hates Lucius and what destroyed their friendship. I also wanted to know more about Serge and his tortured journey dealing with his inner Daemon. I liked vampire, Nick Montegue a lot. The alliance between the werewolves and vampires also was intriguing with lots of mistrust and politics.

I felt the world building took a little too long in this book and it was complicated. There were lots of secondary characters. Maybe too many and too many points of view. Because the author had to take a lot of this first book to build the complex world I think the relationship between Sara and Lucius suffered. So I will read the second book in this series called The Shadow Walkers. I am hoping one of the books is about Doyle and that the emotional, romantic aspects of the story will improve because the world J.K. Beck has created is quite exciting. I give this book 3 STARS with high hopes for Book Two.


Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Bantam; Original edition (August 31, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044024577X
ISBN-13: 978-0440245773

Review: Heidi Reviews Linda Castillo's Sworn To Silence & Pray For Silence

Heidi Cheramie
Review: Sworn To Silence
Review: Pray For Silence
Author: Linda Castillo

SWORN TO SILENCE AND PRAY FOR SILENCE

Linda Castillo, a successful romance writer has entered the mystery thriller genre with an interesting protagonist. Kate Burkholder, the police chief of Painters Mills, Ohio. Kate was raised Amish but left the Amish community after a horrible incident that occurred to her and her family when she was a teenager. This tragedy was kept secret by her Amish family and Kate has been living with this secret her whole adult life.

Kate is now thirty years old and has returned to Painters Mills to take the job as police chief. The setting of this northern Ohio Amish town is another character in the book. The story takes place in the dead of winter and you shiver feeling the cold in the icy Ohio snow. The author handles the Amish community with respect and sensitivity and this made the book very interesting. I enjoyed learning more about Amish customs and beliefs.

The book begins with a grisly homicide. A brutalized body of a young girl is found lying in the snow. Striking similarities to a serial killer that had killed sixteen years before is haunting. Is he back? And what is his connection to Kate’s past?

This book is a page turner, well written with many twists and turns, a well crafted plot, and maintains a high level of suspense throughout. The secondary characters are captivating and fun. They complement the main characters.

There is another main character in this book. It is John Tomasetti. He is a rogue state criminal investigator from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.(BCI). John is sent to assist Kate with this murder. She doesn’t know he is sent to Painters Mill as a punishment and with the intent of driving him out of the agency. John has experienced a tremendous tragedy and is addicted to pain killers and alcohol. He is a flawed and very interesting character. John and Kate have a complex relationship in this book. I really enjoyed their relationship and it adds a bit of romance to a grim plot.

I enjoyed Sworn To Silence very much and recommend it as a quick, suspenseful read. A good book for a long airplane trip. This is also a good mystery to pass on to friends and actually it has been read by four of my co-workers. The book just keeps getting passed on and everyone has enjoyed it.

I was excited to pick up Linda Castillo’s second Kate Burkholder book, Pray for Silence. This thriller begins with the horrific murders of an Amish family of seven. They are found bound and slaughtered in their home and barn. I enjoyed this mystery but not as much as the first book. This time I felt Kate did several things that made her appear a little foolish. She beats up a suspect who insults her, drinks in a bar in uniform, investigates a crime scene alone in the middle of the night.??? Also John Tomasetti is on a psychiatric leave and currently can’t work but shows up to assist Kate with this murder. I felt that was unprofessional and put the investigation in jeopardy.

Having said that I am still a fan of these novels and will read the next book in this series. People are flawed and certainly not perfect so I will forgive John and Kate since it makes them real, imperfect people. Pray For Silence was compelling and the mystery was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat. However I felt the murderer needed to be better developed.

Looking forward to the next Silence book and will keep cheering for Kate and John, the flawed emotionally damaged main characters. I give both books FOUR STARS! Happy Reading!



Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (May 25, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0312374062

ISBN-13: 978-0312374068





Hardcover: 320 pages


Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1 edition (June 22, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0312374984

ISBN-13: 978-0312374983