Audio Book Review - Delirium by Lauren Oliver

How did I come into possession of this book?
I had heard a lot about this book as a young adult, dystopia book. Of course this is one of the most popular genres right now and of course I was very interested in reading it. When I saw it available in audio form at my local library I didn’t think twice about getting it to listen to!

What is it about?
This book takes place in a future where they have found the “cure” for love. It was determined that all problems in their society could all be traced back to love and so by eliminating it they are a much more orderly, content, and safe society. The story follows a teenager who is set to accept the cure in the next few months. All her life she has awaited this and known the reasons for it, but (of course) she meets someone who turns her whole world upside down and makes her question her society.

What did I think?
I’m a sucker for these books so I read listened to it quickly and couldn't wait to get in the car so I could find out what happened next. But since I have read a lot of very similar books in this genre they all seem to meld together and have a very same feeling. This one felt very similar to Matched, and I feel like they could all be derived from The Giver (one of my favorite books of all time). Even though I eat these books up, I really want to find something new and good in them. This one didn’t seem to offer that, but don’t get me wrong I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

Who would I recommend it to?
If you read and liked Matched or any other YA dystopia with an emphasis on relationships you will like this book. It does feel very young adult, and I know that turns some people off, so avoid it if you don't usually like YA books because they feel juvenile. This one with the lack of love and then suddenly finding it can feel at times like a teenage romance. One thing that everyone can enjoy is the writing, even though the story might feel young it is written beautifully and you really won't be able to put it down once you start!

Disneyworld Vacation Part 1

We just returned from an amazing trip to Disneyworld.  It was my first time there but I have been to Disneyland (in California) at least 12 times.  Everyone had always said how much better Disneyworld was, but most of those people have never been to Disneyland.  I took this as a great opportunity to compare the two!  I will preface this with saying that Disneyland is still my favorite, there are quite a few reasons, but one of the main ones is probably because that was where I discovered how magical Disney is and holds a special place in my heart for remembering all the great trips there with my family.

Disneyworld did have some amazing things that I had never seen before, but there were a lot of rides that were the same as the Disneyland parks.  I’ll split it up into a couple different posts, let’s start with Epcot!

I think one of the best things about Disneyworld was the world showcase at Epcot.  However, this might not be appreciated as much if I were younger so I’m happy that I got to experience now as an adult.  And it’s not just the drinking (although drinking around the world was pretty great!) but see all of the cute setups for the countries and actually learning something about each of them.  We had snacks in many of the countries but had a nice late lunch in Italy at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar (which apparently just opened!) and it was delicious.

We also explored the futureworld area, which just seemed like another tomorrowland to me, but they did have some rides I hadn’t been on.  The ride inside the big golf ball was pretty cool, even though RoB was adamant that it was terrible and not worth the time, we went anyway and I laughed pretty hard at this video (sadly it didn’t capture my face but RoB’s is classic).  We also enjoyed Mission Space (Orange side) and Living with the Land.  Sadly, the Nemo ride was a disappointment and the really sad thing is I can’t really remember what happened on it, (that was not the drinking around the world, I swear!) it just wasn’t memorable enough for me.

The only thing that was the same in Epcot as Disneyland was Soarin’ Over California.  RoB wasn’t too excited about going on it since we had already done it in California, but we got fast passes (for 6 hours later) and went anyway.  The ride was exactly the same, but the line and building weren’t as cute or fun as it is in Disneyland.


RoB started telling his side of our trip in Animal Kingdom (our points of view will be quite different!)

Book Review - At The End by John Hennessy

How did I come into possession of this book?

This was another book I received in exchange for a review over at Jagged Edge reviews.  The author, John Hennessy, left me a personal note in the book which I thought was a great touch!  I offered to review this book since it’s a post-apocalyptic young adult book, one of my favorite genres.

What was it about?

Most of the human race is taken over the course of three consecutive nights.  The story starts with three young, somewhat geeky, teenagers trying to find out what happened and how to fix it.  They decide the best course of action is to head from Washington to Southern California and the JPL labs where they know there was research going on about extra terrestrial life.  Along the way they meet up with others and encounter what they soon find out are the creatures that have taken their families and friends.

What did I think?

I liked how this was a short quick read and it wrapped up the whole story by the end.  The glimpse you had of the world they were living in before the abductions was also really good and I felt like it some of it could actually be in our future.  I also enjoyed the narration switching between two of the main characters.  I wasn’t as big of fan of Darrel, but I really liked Maggy and always enjoy seeing a strong female character.  Also, almost all of the leaders mentioned in this book, whether it was the president or an army sergeant were all women which definitely wins points with me.  I do think it started a bit slow, but one I got into the meat of the story I finished it in one sitting.

Who would I recommend it to?

If you like YA dystopian or sci-fi and want a quick read that won’t throw you into a long epic saga, this is the book for you.  And make sure to give it a chance past the first couple chapters because the story seems to wrap up pretty quickly as soon as you are into it.