[#23] Book Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither 

(The Chemical Garden #1)

by Lauren DeStefano

Synopsis

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

Review

Wither... Hell, why did I try to delay reading this book? This is a wonderful book, and I feel sorry that I didn't read it the moment I got my hands on it. Here's the summary of this review: if you love YA dystopians, then this book is absolutely made for you. I wish I could just end this review that way because for real, that's all, read it and find out for yourselves, but hey, I have so much to say, and this book kept me from reading my midterm reviewers, so bear with my rants. *lol*

The premise of this book was awesome, kind of reminded me of Shatter Me's. Anyway, I already mentioned that I didn't read this book right away, it practically been on my shelf for months. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. The synopsis was to be blame for that, aside from giving a creepy impression, it had a scific sound which I really didn't like. And the brother thing was not something to be excited about. So what happens to the old saying 'don't judge a book by its cover'? Now it's more like 'Don't just a book by its synopsis' *lol* (ok, i know, that's weird and nerdy xp)

The plot was truly unique so it’s no question that I was captivated by it. A lifespan of 20 and 25 was really distressing. How can one suppose to enjoy life or rather how can one be able to know what life is? Marriage and pregnancy at 13? Polygamous rich men-boys? Psycho father-in-law? And stupid genetics? Yeah, it's all a perfect mix *lol* Love it all!

Rhine's character was something I liked about this book. I love how she's not letting the circumstances ruin her and get hold of her life. Loved that she kept on fighting and absolute about her goal which is to reach her brother. Her relationship with Linden and Gabriel was both confusing, but 'hey, that's the reason I (we) love reading YAs, right?'.  

I really though that Linden was the villain in this book but it turns out to be the opposite, and I really don't know what to think of him. It sucks that he's so innocent and ignorant. 

Jenna and Cecily, perfect sister wives. Thinking of them makes polygamous marriage a little not so bad. 

So overall, it's really a nice read. And I really like how it ended, like it was saying "This is only the beginning."

How much I love it?

4.0 Hearts

[#19] Book Review: Requiem by Jamie McGuire

Requiem

(Providence #2)

by Jamie McGuire

Synopsis

Dreaming of the dead might mean a restless night for anyone, but for Nina Grey it was a warning.

Still healing from her last run-in with Hell, Nina struggles with not only her life as a Brown University student, but also as an intern at Titan Shipping, her father's company. Recurring nightmares about her father's violent death have become a nightly event, but being overwhelmed with guilt from Ryan's unexpected departure to the Armed Forces, and heart ache over Claire being across the ocean to protect him, Nina believes her sleepless nights are the least of her problems—but she's wrong.

Worried about Nina's declining health, Jared must steal back Shax's book for answers. Fighting new enemies, and with the help of new friends, Jared's worst fear comes to fruition. Desperate, he is faced with a choice: Fight Hell alone, or start a war with Heaven.

Review

Requiem... This is so much better than the first installment. The plot improved. And I was glad that this one, unlike the latter, was not 100% focused on the romance part.

Warning; this review may involve some spoilers, but I'll try to keep it in minimum. I just want to start by saying 'I am so right!!!' *happy dance* I told yah, there is gonna be something between Ryan and Claire (I wrote on my review of Providence my guesses about this book) Okay, so to be honest, I kind of finished this book faster than I should have because of Ryan and Claire. They interest me more than the lead characters. 

While the plot totally improved, the logic drastically when down. The dilemma is about the prophesy that Nina would give birth to a certain child. They needed to stop that, but it also came from the book that it is inevitable. And any couple who doesn't want to have a child yet would have thought of condoms or pills, right? What up with 'Rhythm method'?? That's simply hilarious. It's like 'What?!! You're telling me that is the best solution you can come up to?!'. They are so not gonna solve anything with that suggestion. LOL.

Sasha and Kim. So the Kim part was not so surprising, it pretty much easy to guess. Sasha, I'm waiting for her to be involved with the antagonist. She should have just put a banner telling that she's part of Shax minion. Wondering what she will do on the next book. 

Nina and Jared, so glad that McGuire decided to keep them separated for some parts. It helps to make the book far more interesting. Nina, I don't really like her character that much, even when she does something kind of useful, it just felt forced. Though, the effort on the last part was really good. I don't know but does she enjoy being on the dark? And the others, keeping her there? Jared, overprotective is an understatement to him. Their love keeps reminding me of twilight. 

This book came with ups and down to me. It's good and interesting but not exactly the book I would love. There are also some parts that needs editing. The cover is a little scary. Going to read the next installment soon. 

How much I loved it?

4.0 Hearts