Book Nerds Across America

Flo's Review
Oh Lena, we have been on a journey with you. Remember how we all read and loved Delirium? And then we all read and didn't love Pandemonium? And then how the cliffhanger at the end of Hana left me disbelieving for days?! Well, we have finally made it. We have come to the end of another beloved-by-the-Book Nerds trilogy. I have to admit, I was hesitant about this book after Pandemonium. When I started reading it, I noticed how the dual narrators in Lena and Hana reminded me of the Then and Now in the second book that I did not really enjoy. But it worked in this book. I was as engrossed with Hana's story as I was with Lena's, if mostly because {Delirium spoiler} I was intrigued to see the point of view from someone who was cured. At the end of my Pandemonium review I said, "this is a rare instance when I don't have a clear favorite." I was referring to what happened at the end. Well, I had a favorite in this book. But I don't feel I can say anything more without giving anything away.

The best part about this book was how easy and fluidly it read. I just kept wanting to turn the pages. And the scene where, as the book's Goodreads description says, Hana's and Lena's "stories converge"? So interesting to read. Not how I pictured it at all on one side, but still so fascinating to read. Overall, I can say that I am satisfied with the ending. It had the perfect balance of closing stories as well as leaving things open for the readers interpretation and prediction.

And P.S. this was one of my #ChallengeOf3 books! Woo hoo!

Jacque's Review:

I have to agree with Flo about the dual narrators.  The "Then" chapters in Pandemonium were very slow for me, but I really enjoyed both Lena and Hana's stories.  Once I FINALLY received my copy from the library, I flew through this book. 

By the start of Requiem, Hana has been cured and is getting ready to marry her "match" Fred, who will be sworn in as Mayor shortly before their wedding.  He is working tirelessly to strengthen the borders and fight the resistance.  Hana is conflicted about what she should be feeling after her procedure.  While she feels different, she is still having dreams and feelings about the past...which cured aren't supposed to have.  Did the cure work? Is she defective?

You all know that we Book Nerds like to select teams.  I was on Team Alex after Delirium.  Then I was on Team Julian after Pandemonium.  I was conflicted for most of Requiem, but I did settle on a team by the end.  I can't think of another series in which I bounced around like this.  I usually find my Edward and stick with him throughout the series.  No way would I join Team Jacob just because Edward left...so I have to give Lauren Oliver credit for creating two amazing characters both Lena and I couldn't help but love.

I was very surprised by many of the events that transpired in this book.  There is loss and struggle on both sides of the fence.  Neither side is perfect, but they are both fighting for what they believe in.  I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more closure to this series.  The ending was a bit abrupt and there were a lot of loose threads.  I was left thinking, really??? That is the end?  Am I missing a chapter???  I guess this is Lauren's way of keeping everyone happy.  As Flo suggested, we can all write our own perfect ending. 

So, I have been noticing a bad rut that I've gotten myself into. As you all know, a lot of great books come in 3s these days. Trilogies are the way to go, and I love them -- I do. But what I've noticed lately is that I will read the first book and most often love it. I'll read the second book and I'll either love it or I'll think it got the Middle Book Syndrome. (I can expand on this point, if you'd like to know more of my thoughts here -- just ask :) Then I'll have to wait the year for the final book to come out. And by that point, I've already been wowed by a shiny new trilogy. And while I may have absolutely loved the first two books, for some reason, I never make it to reading the third.

So, with all of YOU as my witness, my 2013 Book Goal is to conquer the Challenge of 3. Below are a list of  trilogies in which I have read the first two books, but not the third. Honestly, this list is kind of embarrassing. I know for a fact that I'm going to get called out for not having read some of these yet. But I will endure that, because I need the motivation to make time to get them read! So, without further adieu, here are my books on the Challenge of 3:

Boundless by Cynthia Hand
Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Reached by Ally Condie
Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter
Sever by Lauren DeStefano

So, my vow is to have all of these trilogy conclusions read by the end of the year. I'll be hashtagging it over on our Twitter #Challengeof3. Do you have any trilogy conclusions that you haven't read yet? Let me know in the comments if you're up for the challenge and/or tweet us @booknerdsblog with the hashtag #Challengeof3.

Amazon's Description:


“Jared paced, brooded, and once in a while, when his thoughts were particularly tormented, he winced. The color had long left his face as he played back the different scenarios in his mind. Back and forth he paced, so many times that I watched the floor, wondering when he would wear a trail. His inner turmoil could have set the room on fire. It was unbearable to watch, but I couldn't leave him; not when he was planning my death.”

Dreaming of the dead might mean a restless night for anyone, but for Nina Grey it was a warning. 

Still healing from her last run-in with Hell, Nina struggles with not only her life as a Brown University student, but also as an intern at Titan Shipping, her father's company. Recurring nightmares about her father's violent death have become a nightly event, but being overwhelmed with guilt from Ryan's unexpected departure to the Armed Forces, and heart ache over Claire being across the ocean to protect him, Nina believes her sleepless nights are the least of her problems—but she's wrong.

Worried about Nina's declining health, Jared must steal back Shax's book for answers. Fighting new enemies, and with the help of new friends, Jared's worst fear comes to fruition. Desperate, he is faced with a choice: Fight Hell alone, or start a war with Heaven.


Requiem is the highly anticipated second installment of the Providence series by breakout author Jamie McGuire. Fans who fell in love with the descriptive prose, delicious suspense, and surprising twists and turns of Providence will not be disappointed as they continue in the journey of star-crossed lovers Jared and Nina.


REVIEW:


You thought that Book 1 was all about twist and turns, well you have not seen anything yet!
I knew that Jaime McGuire was a talented author, but ... OMG .... she proved that "talent" was an understatement.  This author has a gift!

Nina and Jared have enough going on their lives but it just keeps coming!  Nina can not sleep because of these strange dreams that she is getting about her father's death.  Jared is trying to get the book back from Shax and figure out the dreams and the "prophecy". On top of that Nina is still in school, trying to work at her father's company (which she will take over), and somewhere in all that have a "normal" relationship with Jared.

Like I said before I have a obsession with religious conspiracy theories and Jaime sucked me right into this series with it.  I loved how she mixed everything together.  I never got bored with the story.  There were no "slow" parts, every ounce of the book was incredible.

Onto Book 3 - Eden!