Allegiant by Veronica Roth Entry Three

After finishing the trilogy, there is no question that this series goes up there in the all time ranks of my favorite books.  It turned out that all the people whose unwanted characteristics were all gone were the ones who were divergent.  Those who are not divergent were considered "genetically damaged".  Eventually, Tris decides to let out a memory serum on the Bureau before the Bureau can let it out on everyone in Chicago.  The plan is to first release a death serum to kill everyone in the bureau who is divergent and then release a memory serum to cure all who are not divergent.  The plan goes into effect and Tris decides that it would be best to sacrifce herself, because if she inhales the death serum, she will die.  Somehow, she survies the death serum, and at this point I thought she would make it through the whole story, but unlike any fairytale in history, she is shot as she releases the memory serum.  R.I.P. Tris.  Towards the end of the book, Tris says "Maybe then we can find out if we do as well with the quiet moments as we have with the loud ones." (Roth 343).  This was a very different way to end the book.  As I said earlier, as soon as Tris survived the death serum, I immediately thought the fairytale ending was on, but very unexpectedly, Tris was shot and killed.  Then again, the whole trilogy is full of things that come completely out of the blue and are unexpected, so you just have to come to expect the unexpected from it.  This was a superb series that I highly recommend.  Do yourself a favor and at least see the movie.  Whichever you choose, enjoy!

- Sam

Allegiant by Veronica Roth Entry Two

The book begins with Tris in a prison within a prison.  She feels that she is finally ready to get outside of the fence-surrounded city.  She eventually tells a few lies to get out of jail and when she gets out she is approached by Allegient, a group that want to break out of the city.  Tobias as well as his sister Caleb join Tris in Allegiant.  They all escape by taking a train to a few buses on the edge of the city.  A few members are killed along the way by Dauntless patrol officers, but no one important to the storyline.  They get outside of the city and realize it is a lot like where they came from.  They later discover that the city they lived in used to be called "Chicago".  On the outside of Chicago, Tris is given an old photo of her mother and a guy, David.  They meet up and he explains how Chicago is a social experiment to correct damage caused by previous govenment experiments that had intentions to get rid of unwanted characteristics.  This was quite the thing to discover straight out of their old city.  At one point on the way out of Chicago, Tris claims "We don't know what's happened out there... We could be the last people left." (Roth 7).  This shows what the society in Chicago has done to members of the social experiment.  They have absolutely what is going on in the real world and will greatly struggle to break into it when they get there.  This, however, will just make the story more interesting because readers will be able to see how members of Chicago react.  Can't wait to finish it!
- Sam

Allegiant by Veronica Roth Entry One

Finally, I have made it to the final book of the Divergent trilogy.  The last book ended in a huge cliffhanger, where Tris is notified by Edith Prior that the whole "futuristic Chicago" city is an experimental attempt to save humainty led by the divergent.  This book looks like it will live up to the great hype it's getting for being a part of the Divergent trilogy.  There are so many ways Roth can go with this one.  I can't wait to get into the final third of the trilogy!
- Sam

Insurgent by Veronica Roth Entry Three

Wow, this book is really getting excited.  Last time I said that when this book's climax was going to hit, it would hit hard, and it surely did.  Jeanine discovers that Tris is divergent and, with some help from Tris's former freind, Peter, believe it or not, attempts to execute her.  Thanks to her new friend, Tobias, however, she was not.  Jeanine is eventually killed by Tori, who carries on the Dauntless and factionless war against Erudite.  Now, Evelyn reveals her big plans, which are to eliminate all factions.  Now, a women named Edith Prior (remember Tris's original name was Beatrice Prior) reveals that the whole idea of the city of "futuristic Chicago" is an experimental attempt to save humanity and people who are divergent will save everyone.  Tobias says "You die, I die too" (Roth 338) to Tris and by doing this it shows how far their relationship has come.  They now depend on each other to live in such a society that is later to be revealed to be an experiment.  What a cliffhanger!
- Sam

Insurgent by Veronica Roth Entry Two

The stroy does pick up right where Divergent left off.  It begins with Tris and her friends, fugitives at this point, escaping to the Amity compound.  There, Tris immediately cuts her hair short as one step to making it so people are unable to identify her.  Eventually, Erudite shows up with many Dauntless trators.  There, a fight breaks out and it forces Tris and her friends to run fugitive yet again.  They get on a midnight train to Geo, a safe and factionless place.  There, she is injected with a truth serum, which causes her to confess the many people she killed, which creates much tension between her and her friends, especially Christina, whose lover, Will, she killed.  She thinks to herself “People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets. You believe you know them, that you understand them, but their motives are always hidden from you, buried in their own hearts. You will never know them, but sometimes you decide to trust them.”  (Roth 234).  This shows just how deep tensions are getting in this book.  They are causing Tris to think deep into her mind anout the true meaning of everyday things.  There are getting to be many more signs of a climax in this book, and it looks to be yet another great one!
- Sam

Insurgent by Veronica Roth Entry One

This is the second book in the Divergent Trilogy.  They are all the same story continued in a new book.  The fist book in this series was very good.  It is a part of the dystopian society genre, which is always an interesting story.  I'm interested to see how this book will pick up from where the first one left off.  The first one left off in scenes of chaos and awe as the Erudite plan to take over the Abnegation government was put to a halt much to the thanks of the divergent Tris.  There are many ways Roth could go with this one.  Hopefully, she picked the most entertaining one.
- Sam

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks Entry Three

This book ends in what I'm sure most people always assumed who knew Alice.  An overdosage of heroin.  No surprises.  Whether it was suicide or not, however is undetermined.  This just goes to show that everything teachers nowadays is necessary.  Had teachers of tht day in age been the same, Alice would most likely still be alive.  A vital quote to the overall theme of the book is Alice telling her diary that "But I think when a person gets older she should be able to discuss her problems and thoughts with other people, instead of just with another part of herself as you have been to me."  This shows how badly her past drug experiences had made her inside.  The only way she could truly communicate her feelings was through a diary thtat only she, herself was able to view.  As I already stated, this does not surprise me , as well as most other readers, I'm sure.  This book just shows how help is always necessary, and as much of it that is needed should be gotten.
- Sam

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks Entry Two

This book has been much of what I expected so far.  It tells the stroy of someone, "Alice", who is a pretty common 1960's teenager who is experimenting various ways to turn in life, such as towards drugs, alcohol, and sex.  It begins by explaining how she must move because of her father's job.  When she gets to her new school, she runs in and out of drug addiction as well as partners.  She finally settles in San Francisco with her girlfriend, Chris, and there they become hooked on drugs together until their house is raided by the police.  They are sent to get psychiatric help to try to move them away from the drugs they were hooked on.  Although this has not surprised me too much so far, it remains interesting.  Someone's personal stories usually are.  It seems a bit cliché because of the time period Alice is in, however that cliché always makes a good story.  Alice claims at one point "I wish I were popular and beautiful and wealthy and talented." (Sparks 20).  This is the beginning before Alice starts her experimentations.  Although this was before that, theses types of thought from Alice are what eventrually leads her to life full of drugs, alcohol, and sex.  Alice is a very discombobulated teenager and in an era that caused many others like her, she just needs to find a way to avoid doing what popular and wealthy kids her age were doing during that era.
- Sam

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks Entry One

I don't know much going into this book.  It was recommended to me so I decided to give it a shot because it looks pretty interesting.  The author is anonymous but the main editor is Beatrice Sparks so she gets the credits.  So far, I know that the diary is from the perspective of a 1960's teenager.  The 60's were a time when in which the idea of hippies and everything they coincide with debuted.  I'm interested to see how Alice, whom I believe to be the protagonist, reacts to this pop culture.  I think she most likely will not as that will make for a good storyline for sure.  This book makes me specifically interested in the history of what was going on during the time it was written and how that affects the novel.  This looks like yet another promising book!

- Sam

The Catcher was a Spy by Nicholas Dawidoff Entry Three

This was a great read.  The stories of the life of Moe Berg are so intriguing.  It was very cool to see the stories from a new perspective, one which was perhaps better than my own.  In the end of the book, Dawidoff takes a bit of a new perspective by viewing things from a more psychiatric point.  He discusses how Berg was a bit of a madman throughout his life.  He ends the book by explaining how often nobody knew where he was, and that it is the same way now as his ashes are buried somewhere in Israel that no one knows.  At one point, however, Berg asks "... did Colonel Dix like me?" (Dawidoff 331) proving that Berg may have been a baseball player and a C.I.A. agent, but he was also a person like everyone else who was concerned about others' feelings towards him.  This book was certainly worth the time and was a great reading experience.
- Sam

The Catcher was a Spy by Nicholas Dawidoff Entry Two

This book has been very good so far.  The overview the author has provided of Berg's multiple careers side by side shows how tough his job surely was.  This style of writing has surely made the story more interesting than it already was.  By comparing and contrasting, he shows the many differences between being a baseball player and a C.I.A. agent.   How Berg did both at the same time is truly beyond me, how impressive it was.  Berg was well described as a "Shortstop Berg had always been too slow. Catchers, though, are notorious for trudging around the base paths, and Berg fit the essential criteria for the position: nimble reflexes, a strong arm, soft hands, and brains." (Dawidoff 59).  This well represents the ways in which Berg operated.  He didn't necessarily have the main qualities to complete tasks for the C.I.A. or in baseball, but he used the skills he was good at to complete them, and complete them well.  At this point, I am not able to predict much, as I know much of the story of Moe Berg's life already, however I am sure the aouthor will provoke the reader to learn more about Berg, just as he has so far.
- Sam

The Catcher was a Spy by Nicholas Dawidoff Entry One

Going into this book, I have a good bit of prior knowledge.  I am aware of the many achievements of Moe Berg's life.  He made a long career from his baseball skills, which was important, but not as important as his career working undercover for the C.I.A.  He was an interesting guy that spoke many languages and ventured to many places.  I'm very interested to see how this book relates to our current theme of the blurred lines between fact and fiction.  As a C.I.A. agent, what goes on in your job is not supposed to be known at all by the public.  There are many stories about Moe Berg, many of which cannot be proved true or not.  That will make the book one that surely looks like a great read.
- Sam

Divergent by Veronica Roth Entry Three

This book was truly a thriller and only the first part of a trilogy!  This was an extremely satisfying read.  When I learned of the Erudite plan to take over the Abnegation government, I knew I was in for a treat.  Tris's divergent features really helped her by making it so Erudite was unable to brainwash her, like they did to the rest of Dauntless.  Had it not been for that, the whole story would be different.  She ended up saving the society, other than her parents.  As it turns out, Tris could really be a part of Dautnless, based on the bravery of her actions to halt the Erudite plans.  Four once says "Because you're from Abnegation," he says, "and it's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest." (Roth 24).  This shows how factions must work together to do best.  When Erudit attempts to overthrow Abnegation's government, they do the opposite and prices are paid for that.  This was a great book that I strongly recommend to read.
- Sam

Divergent by Veronica Roth Entry Two

Divergent takes place in a futuristic Chicago.  This futuristic Chicago is split into five different factions that you test into as a sixteen year-old.  The main character, Beatrice's, test show that she is divergent, or does not fit into any faction.  Despite this, she chooses to be a part of Dauntless, which values bravery very high.  In Dauntless, Beatrice changes her name to Tris.  Stories like this are always interesting.  I am interested to see what goes on within each faction.  I'm sure there will be tension between factions, which will make a good storyline no matter the issue.  I was definitely surprised that Tris decided to become a part of Dauntless.  She doesn't seem like the person that is really willing to step up when it is needed.  At the same time, I was happy to see Tris go somewhere she may not fit in well because that will also surely make a strong storyline.  Tris says "'You're not a coward just because you don't want to hurt people,' I say, because I know it's the right thing to say, even if I'm not sure I mean it." (Roth 77-78).  This shows how unsure Tris is about simple things and how she may not be in the right faction because of this contradicting feature.  It will be vital for Tris to figure out who she truly is.
- Sam

Divergent by Veronica Roth Entry One

I am aware this book is currently very popular throughout America and will soon be hitting the big screens soon.  The author, Veronica Roth, is a young author who has written little other than the Divergent trilogy, by far her most popular set of books.  The genre of this book is sci-fi dystopian.  I have read books like this before, specifically the Hunger Games, and have high expectations for this book because of the standard seemingly alike books have already set for it.  I find the dystopian genre to be very interesting.  I love how the protagonist must rebel whatever circumstances their dystopian society puts them in.  The challenge of this is always a strong storyline.  I predict this book will live up to its lofty expectations.  I already know how well this book has sold, and I'm sure there is no way a book would sell as well as Divergent does if it was not well written.
- Sam