Book Review: The Pledge

Title: The Pledge

Series: The Pledge #1

Author: Kimberly Derting

Release Date: November 15, 2011

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution.  

Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed.  

Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

My Thoughts:

Magic, dystopia, mystery, romance - this novel has it all!

Charlie was a great character. She was caring and loving, but she wasn't weak or stupid. She didn't trust anyone - even if they were hot and charming.

Charlie wasn't the only good character in this book - I liked them all! Protective and noble Max,  mysterious and conspiring Xander, the sweet and helpful best friend Aron, and Brooklynn the beautiful girl with hidden depths. Derting made me care for each character, and she made them all likeable and interesting in their own way (Queen Sabara was not likeable of course! She was pure evil, so the feelings I got for her were more like hatred).

Although this is a dystopian novel, that part didn't take overhand. I am sure the great characters and the sweet romance will win readers over - dystopian fans or not!

I liked The Pledge far more than I liked The Body Finder, Derting's first book. And I am already awaiting the sequel, which i'm afraid won't be published until next year at the earliest...

Cover Thoughts:
Absolutely stunning! Definitely one of my favourite covers this year.

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Book Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Published: 2010

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew—just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident.

So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident.

Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road—diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards—this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! It was so sweet and fun. My three favorite ingredients; love, summer and road-trips, where all in there. Seriousness, pain and sorrow where mixed together with love, friendships, easygoingness and laughter into a perfect blend.

Amy and Roger were very likeable and realistic characters, they both had problems and flaws. I loved how they grew close to each other during their road-trip. From barely talking the first time, to sharing their emotions, opinions and thoughts on any matter.

Amy was, as the summary says, devastated about her father's decease, and she was blaming herself for his death. Even if her sorrow always was present in the book, it was far from dominating the story.

The icing on the cake for me was all photos, playlists, receipts and drawings inside the book (see photo above). This definitely added something extra to the book and made Amy and Roger's tour seem even more realistic. What is more, it also made me dying to go on a road trip myself! There are so many places to discover!

Rating: 4.75 of 5

2011: BEST SO FAR

Six months of 2011 have already past by, and it's time to sum up the best books I've read so far! But first, some stats:

47 read books,

7 of them were written by debut authors.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Die For Me by Amy Plum
Odd Girl In by Jo Whittemore
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt