Book Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

      Finally a super up to date book review! I just finished Prodigy by Marie Lu, the second book in the Legend trilogy. It is super fresh in my mind so this book talk shouldn't leave anything out :D

Goodreads Summary: "Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?"

Rating: 5/5 Stars!!!!



SPOILERS! *If you haven't read Legend, turn back. There is no way to give even a summary without spoiling Legend for you. 



My Review: This book picks up pretty much right where Legend left off. Day and June are making there way to Las Vegas, Nevada to find the Resistance and get help for Day's injury. As soon as they reach Vegas, the action picks up and NEVER lets up. NEVER guys. There are  so many twists and turns in this book. It keeps you on your toes at all times. The political drama is still prominent in this book, but the romance plays a bigger role. I am so glad the love between June and Day was stepped up some. 
   It's not often that you find a sequel that is at least just as good as the first book, and this one is definitely just as intriguing. This series is amazing. I'm so glad I picked it up. I LOVED this book! It was just as good, if not better, than the first book. Legend was really gripping, but it took several chapters for me to become engrossed. This book on the other hand, had me from the very first page while still maintaining all of the good things about Legend , like the kick butt characters, and I couldn't put it down for anything. This book deserves the best ratings across every board. I definitely recommend this series! It is one of the best Dystopian series I have read in a long time. 



Spoilers ahead for Prodigy!!! 




- So when the resistance hideout ended up being in the middle of a army barracks, I knew something was up. It was too fishy. At some point the identity of the rebels would have to have been questioned. It did make sense that an officer was heading the resistance though. 

-I didn't like Razor from the very start. 

-When Thomas told June that he had strict orders from the state to kill Metias I freaked. I thought it was only Commander Jameson that wanted him eliminated. 

-Plot twist: Metias was in LOVE with Thomas?! WHAT?! So unexpected for me. 

-Tess and Day is not allowed to be a thing. She's a pain in the dang butt. She's rude about June just because she's jealous and I can't stand that. 

-June and the Elector I can definitely see happening. I like him. He's sweet and so different from his father. He has a crush on June, and I definitely don't disapprove of a relationship developing there.

-So now theres a love square/rectangle....the struggle. 

-I love the part when Day gives June the ring made of paperclips, and June pretty much loses the ability to talk. It's so cute! (I would swoon over a paperclip ring if I were her) 

-When Kaede flies the jet at the end of the book, I was pretty much biting my nails from the excitement/stress of it. It was epic. 

-Kaede's death broke my heart since she was such a huge help to June and Day escaping the Colonies. 

-Plot Twist: The Colonies are pretty much just as bad as the Republic....:( 

-Plot Twist III: Um...Razor was hired by the Republic to assassinate the Elector by way of the Resistance.. Like.....what even! It was so unexpected. I knew that Razor was messed up. The whole deal was just suspicious. 

- Plot Twist again: When Day is diagnosed, I cried a little. I had to put the book down for a minute to process it. I hope he doesn't die in Champion. It would be so wrong. Especially since he has his brother back. 

- The end was so sad! When Day leaves June with just a kiss and barely an explanation, I was angry, then I was just sad because June was really falling for him. She doesn't know what to do without him. She tries to convince him at first that it could work and she would stay away from the Elector if it would make it easier for Day. It was just hard to read. 

     Once again, I really recommend that you read this series. I hope that you've enjoyed this book talk/review and I appreciate you stopping by! Until next time....

XOXO,
Eden 

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Helloooooo readers!!!


Today I have a book review/book talk for you guys! I'll be discussing "Legend" by Marie Lu. I finished this book over my Thanksgiving break and I want to get this out to you and get all of my reviews caught up.

Goodreads Summary: 

"What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets." 

Favorite Quote:
"Each day means a new 24 hours. Each day means everything is possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment. You take it all one day at a time."

Review: 5/5 Stars!

CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead

My Thoughts:

I have no idea why it took so long for me to read this book. It has been out forever and I just picked it up. Ugh! I was missing out for quite a few years. I'm pretty mad at myself for it. But anyway....

This book is told from both June and Day's POV. It was necessary for this story and I enjoyed both POVs. You could tell who was who without looking.

So basically, a civil war has divided what is now the US into two different sides: The Republic and Th Colonies. In the Republic, children are made to take a test when they reach a certain age, and their scores determine where they end up working and living as adults.

June made a perfect score on her test, and she in in training for the Republic's military. She's very good at what she does. She has a brother who is an officer in the military and she is expected to excel. She has great character development. At the start she believes and does everything she is told, but over the course of the story she learns differently. This development begins at the point of her brother's murder. (I love the brother, Metias, and I wish he had been with us longer in the story.) June's reaction to his death was devastating to me. It broke my heart because he was all she had left in the world.

Day failed his test, so we think, and he was taken and experimented on. The things he endured are really awful. He managed to escape and he is now a rebel. He does everything he can to stop the Republic at every turn while also keeping his family safe. (His family has no idea he is alive, except for his big brother). His little brother comes down with a plague that is going around the poor sections of the Republic, and he breaks into a hospital to find a cure. On his way out, Metias tries to stop him and Day throws a knife that he is certain its Metias' shoulder. Because of this, we are under the impression that Day is the murderer.

I love that both of our main characters were so intelligent and that they were both such badasses (excuse my language) straight of the bat. There was nothing about June that was delicate like in a lot of stories. And Day was great.

I had suspected that the plague was being engineered and spread by the republic, but I was thrown off at the reason! I mean.....why would they test it for chemical warfare on their OWN citizens.....how stupid is that.....

I HATE Thomas. Spineless little punk..... He's a pervert and just all around disgusting. I hate him. Hate hate hate hate hate HATE!

I disappointed that the random numbers under the pier and under Day's house didn't play a bigger role. They only said that cattle and such was kept underground. Hopefully they delve into that a little more in the sequel "Prodigy".

At the end when Day's brother sacrifices himself to save Day and June made me cry. Heartbreak with REAL tears. It was so sad and hard to read.

I love the part when Day and June escape on the rebel motorcycles! It was like...."WOOOOOOO!" I was cheering them on until they were safe.

The end was sad, because June and Day had little to start with, and by the end they both had absolutely nothing left in the world. No homes, no family, no nothing.

I really liked this book! It was amazing! The action was wonderful, and the romance was great too. I liked that the romance played second fiddle to the political drama and the action.

If you haven't read Legend, please do me and yourself a favor and go get and read it ASAP. You won't regret it!

XOXO,
Eden