[Review] Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Publication: 12 December 2010 (UK/AUS)

Publisher: Razorbill (Imprint of Penguin UK)

Review Copy: PB, Won (Thanks Between the Lines!)

Pages: 360

My Rating:

Blurb:  

ON HER SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY,
CASSIA MEETS HER MATCH.  SOCIETY DICTATES
HE IS HER PERFECT PARTNER FOR LIFE.

EXCEPT HE'S NOT.

In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love.
How many children they have.
Where they work.
When they die.
But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own.
And that's when her whole world begins to unravel . . .

My thoughts: 

It is so very hard to read similar books so close together, because it inevitable leads to comparisons. I probably would have enjoyed Matched that little bit more had I not read Delirium by Lauren Oliver earlier. On its own, Matched is a beautifully heart-breaking and poignant portrayal of a futuristic world. But more than that; the themes that are explored can inherently be universal. It all boils down to: How legitimate is the word of the "Society", the dominating forces of the community? That said, Matched is so much more than the love story that it is being pinned down as, though it is pretty much love that drives the whole story.

I'll try my best not to spoil anything, and anything that could be classified as big plot points have been mentioned in the blurb, so it's not a spoiler by technical standards.

Cassia Reyes is a seventeen-year-old girl who has been Matched with her best friend, Xanda. Things couldn't have gone more right, the one girl in the local Hall wearing the pretty green dress gets to spend the rest of her life with a guy she knows. However, a glitch in the system - when the wrong face appears as her match, just for a second - lets Cassia's mind wander to dangerous fields.

Cassia was a bit annoying, but it was kind of justified due to circumstances (falling in love with someone who is not her match). She constantly went on about Ky, and it was painful to read about because Xander is such a sweet guy. Ky lets Cassia be free, whereas Xander is strong and they've been best friends for ever. I have always gone with the best friend, rather than the new guy (though in this case, Ky was in their group of friends too, but Cassia never knew him that well until the events in Matched). I'm a bit torn between the two. Hopefully I can make up my mind in the next installment...

After having read the whole book, the cover bears so much more symbolism and importance. I love those kinds of covers! A bit slow at times, to the point where I wouldn't feel the absolute need to stay up even later to read a couple more chapters. However, all in all, a good read.

Matched is an evocative novel set in a world that was familiar yet entirely different; with beautiful prose that was both expressive and easy to read. It is refreshing, and ultimately, at its core, a reflective take on society and how messy love can become even in the midst of autocratic control.

Really sorry I couldn't write a better review. It was really hard, but I tried. Bottom line: I enjoyed it, a lot.

Trailer:

Other Reviews:
Please only include reviews to MATCHED in this links list. This is BETA, meaning that if not many people, or if many people just link their sites I will not be doing this in the future.


Buy:
Live in Australia?
Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

I am in no way affiliated with the above sites, nor with Condie or the publisher. I do not receive any money for reviewing or linking.



Links:


Official Website
Author Website

Learn more about Matched and read more reviews at Goodreads! 

It's going to be okay. (+ Harry Potter movie!!)

I'm not really in the mood to even attempt a vlog for this week, so I'll do something next week for y'all.

I'm not sure how I feel about being so personal on my BOOK blog (my only blog) , but I feel the need to lay it all down.

Okay, so my formal for year 12 is on Tuesday. Bottom line: I went with my sister to the shops to get some help with all that beauty crap. You know, hair, makeup, whatever. What do the shop assistants say? They point out all of my shortcomings, speaking as though I'm not even there, topping it all off with, once my sister says that it's for a year 12 formal (I was furious by that time), "Wow! You're still a baby!" I don't think I've ever felt so inadequate before.

I just hate how there's so much pressure for girls to look a certain way: plump lips, shaped eyebrows, straight hair, tall and skinny figure, long nose . . . the way our society is now, girls and women are just, by default, expected to be as such. What if being "beautiful" by their definition isn't top priority for me? What if I just want to throw something on and go? I'm not trying to impress anyone, so why have I allowed them to take away my sense of pride in living outside the lines?

Thankfully, I've been given some time to myself, and have just been browsing around. I feel better, thanks to a few Yahoo answer pages and Youtube. Here are some links for whenever you're having a rough day, if you're feeling "ugly".

SONGS

A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU by Jonny Diaz
Song | Lyrics

BEAUTIFUL SOUL by Jesse McCartney (laugh all you want)
Song | Lyrics

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER by Jon McLaughlin
Song | Lyrics

BEAUTIFUL by Christina Aguilera (of course, and yes, I bawled my eyes out, and also did so when Mercedes sang it on Glee)

Song | Lyrics

BLOGS

http://missjadedvixen.blogspot.com/

I love this blog. She's a fellow Aussie, and she posts really cool stuff.

Body Love | Mermaids vs. Whales

http://www.beautifulyoubyjulie.com/

Also Aussie. This one is moreso on loving yourself. I just found it.
Smiling Through the Staring | Self Love Lessons | Pressure on Women | Perfect

http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/

Yes! This one is book-related! A bunch of authors who live their lives outside the lines! ;D

If you'd like to send more links and stuff, please send them along. You can never have enough of this stuff! Especially in this day and age, when "beauty is everything", but remember: Beauty is skin deep; only inner beauty can stand the test of time. Stay strong and who knows? Maybe Definitely things will get better.

Don't worry. These kinds of posts will not happen often. I'm hoping this will be the only one. I think my posting this, even if no one comments, will allow me to just accept what is. I am blessed with what I've been given, and nothing that anyone says should affect me. Now that I've come to terms with this, I think I'm going to go crack open a book or something. I'm hoping The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams can pull me out of what you might call a "reading slump".

On a much more awesome note...

Who here has watched Harry Potter 7 Part 1?  How intense was it? I watched it 12 hours after it came out. :) Though if my friends weren't huge HP nerds I wouldn't have seen it so soon. I'm now determined to finish off the series. I quit at Book 5, because it's so long, and school got in the way; a few months later, when I wanted to pick it back up, I'd forgotten the whole beginning and gave up. I'll pick up Harry Potter again when/if I finish reading Jane Eyre, which won't be for a while.

Anyway, I liked the overall mood of the movie. From the beginning, the first 10 seconds, you knew that this was going to be a bone-chilling experience. I like the tagline "It all ends here". I really can't wait to finally get to the end and be able to compare book with movie.

Blog Hop (11) || Follow Friday (8)

Hey fellow bloggers and/or readers,

Thanks for hopping along to my little blog. :) Hope you enjoy your visit, and like what you see. If you do, feel free to follow.

If you'd like to hop around, too, then visit Jennifer at Crazy for Books for all the details! 

Here's this week's question:

COMING SOON

Hosted by Parajunkee's View, another feature meme through which you can discover new blog sites. :) If you follow me, comment and I'll follow you back without fail.

Here's this week's question:

How long have you been book blogging?

My first blog post was in mid-June. I've been blogging for 5 months now--my blog is about as old as my dog, Tofu. It's funny to think that it's been so long already, and yet there are people who have at it for YEARS. I can't wait to hit my 1st blogoversary. :)

 Stick around for . . . 
(weekly)

Good stuff. :P

[Review] The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Title: The DUFF

Author: Kody Keplinger

Publication: 7th October 2010 (US)

Publisher: Poppy (Imprint of Hachette, Little Brown)

Review Copy: HB, Bought

Pages: 280
Series: Standalone

My Rating:

Blurb (From GR):

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My thoughts: 

Sex. Swearing. If any of those two words make you squirm in your seat there's a chance The DUFF won't be for you. Kody Keplinger tells it like it is, the true beauty that is contemporary YA fiction. The DUFF is raw and inspiring and packs a damn powerful punch. I knew what I was getting into when I read the synopsis, when I saw the cover, when I read the reviews, when I bought my own copy, when I cracked open the book for the first time and just read. Did The DUFF live up to my expectations? No. It was even better. (cue cheesy music phrase here)

Bianca Piper is a strong, independent girl who, one night when "out" with her friends (they're partying down while she's chatting with the barkeep), is called "The DUFF" (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by the "hottest" guy in the school, womaniser Wesley Rush. The womanising playboy he is, he's chatting to her in hopes of getting freaky with one of her best friends. Disgusted, what more does she do than this:

With one swift motion I jumped to my feet and flung the contents of my glass in Wesley's direction. Cherry Coke flew all over him, splattering his expensive-looking white polo. Drops of dark red liquid glistened on his cheeks and coloured his brown hair. His face glowed with anger, and his chiseled jaw clinched fiercely. (p.7)

Yes, this girl is gutsy, and prefers to stand away from the crowd. After being deemed worthy of the DUFF status, what does she do next time she sees Mr Dreamy? She kisses him--which instigates the complex relationship that transpires between the two. Kody Keplinger has delivered a story that explores the inner psyche of teenage life: Everyone has felt like the DUFF and Distractions in hopes of running away catches up with you.

The story just plays out so nicely, though nice is definitely not the word that should be associated with The DUFF. I was pleased with all the side-plots, too.
Yes, there is swearing. However, in most cases, the swearing works so well. Without it, I'm sure Bianca's voice wouldn't be so authentic. Plus, at seventeen-years-old, swearing is heard on a daily basis. Hats off to Keplinger for creating such a realistic portrayal of teen life.

The characters are unique and developed thoroughly, given its rather short length. While I didn't feel I could relate to any one character on a personal level, Kody gave me reason to care about them. Even Wesley, who is presented as a complete jerk in the beginning, became someone I could sympathise with.

Cover: Bold and bright, The DUFF makes its presence heard, loud and proud. Pink and yellow has never looked so good together, and the letters DUFF sprawled diagonally across the front . . . extremely effective. The model is so Bianca. The cover is one of the main factors why I became obsessed with obtaining a copy.

Conclusion: The DUFF rocked my world. It's one of those books that I just couldn't put down until I was done, and so few of them can successfully do that, considering my short attention-span.

Buy:
Live in Australia?
Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

Live elsewhere?

Amazon | The Book Depository

I am in no way affiliated with the above sites, nor with Keplinger or the publisher. I do not receive any money for reviewing or linking.




Other Reviews:
The Story Siren | Persnickety Snark | Pure Imagination | The Hiding Spot

Links:
Kody Keplinger's Blog
Kody's Twitter

Learn more about The DUFF and read more reviews at Goodreads! 

Waiting on Wednesday (15): From Bad to Cursed

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

Title: From Bad to Cursed {goodreads}
Author: Katie Alender
Release Date: June 2011

Why? I vowed to WoW the book the week the cover was released. I really liked Bad Girls Don't Die, and Katie Alender is a lovely person. I can't wait to pre-order my copy of the book and return to the world. Also, the creepy theme returns! I'm really curious how Katie has chosen to extend the series, considering it was intended as a standalone. I'm sure the two books (BGDD and FBTW) will look great together, as well. I love owning books that are part of series, and books from the same author. :)

No synopsis just yet.




Thanks for visiting my weekly WoW post. ♥

What are you waiting on this week?