Tag Archives: Star-Crossed

The Selection by Kiera Cass (review by Nitya M. ’15)

The Selection (The Selection, #1)The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Selection is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, giving a handful of lucky girls the chance to escape their caste to rise up and become a One, the wife of Prince Maxon. For budding musician America Singer, however, the Selection is nothing more than a burden, forcing her to leave behind her secret boyfriend, Aspen, and loving, if poor, family for luxury, cut-throat competition, and danger she neither wished for nor accepts. But at the castle, America meets her potential husband, a man less like a prince, someone who she could love, and she is torn between her love back home and the willing prince who would give her anything if she said yes. Fast-paced and riveting, The Selection provides a detailed portrayal of characters in this dystopian world and provides a fresh take on the love triangle cliché. Yet, the book offers only a hazy view of the world these characters inhabit, and we are left at the end of the novel, only knowing the caste system that shapes society. Readers of romantic novels, as well as dystopian fiction like The Hunger Games will enjoy this first of a trilogy. – Nitya M. ’15

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Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (review by Nikita R. ’16)

Warm Bodies (Warm Bodies, #1)Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

R, a zombie living in apocalyptic world, finds himself unsure about the simplicity of his newly resurrected life. Unable to vocalize his doubts and beliefs, R continues to groan along with his fellow zombies for decades, until the day he preys upon a young teenage boy named Perry. Infused with Perry’s love for his girlfriend Julie, R rescues her. In an unlikely romance, R and Julie begin to teach each other the true meaning of living. Although a zombie book doesn’t seem sweet or profound, Marion manages to incorporate a touching romance inside of a book that questions every aspect of society. The illustrative language and complex characters will not disappoint readers. Warm Bodies will be appreciated by both teenagers and adults alike. – Nikita R. ‘16

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Captured by Erica Stevens (review by Anushka D. ’15)

Captured (The Captive, #1)Captured by Erica Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Aria, daughter of the head of the human resistance, is captured by members of the vampire race, she hopes for a quick death. Just as she is about to be sold to a malicious vampire, however, a member of the ruling class claims her for himself. Although she is curious as to his reason — he has no need for a blood slave — Aria is determined to hate him for the destruction his race has caused and for his princely title. But as he opens up to her and reveals a side that she never believed could exist in a vampire, she cannot help but fall for him even as she struggles to maintain her identity as a member of the resistance. Captured takes on a typical plotline: Human girl and vampire boy fall in love. While building a strong romance, Stevens maintains a focused, fresh and surprisingly interesting story line and fully develops her characters. Readers looking for a twist on the clichéd human-vampire love tragedy will enjoy Captured and will likely be hooked to follow up quickly with the second in Stevens’ series, Renegade. – Anushka D. ’15

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