Title: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Series: The Red Queen Series

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: library

About: This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart …

First: sorry I missed my review yesterday! Busy  busy stuff. But here it is today so I’ll get into it! 🙂 If you haven’t read Red Queen, you need to get on top of your game. I’m tellin’ ya, it’s the next big thing!

I was wary about it because… whale, I judged the cover. Because… BLOOD. I don’t do blood. It grosses me out and… no. I avoid it at all costs. I’m not touching a book with blood on the cover.

BUT. But. Secretly, just a little bit, but don’t tell anybody… the cover is kind of endearing to me now. Now that I’ve finished the book. And know what it’s all about. Because it’s kind of amazing.

There is an official book trailer, but ignore it because it’s not that great. Just watch this.

The beginning: I was hooked. Futuristic, dystopian world. Boy best friend & a supposedly “ordinary” teenage girl. Yes, a tad cliche, but what can I say? I’m a sucker for an old plot line.

So yes. I enjoyed it. Thoroughly, actually.

The middle was slow but there were cute boys (I have a vivid imagination) so that kept me reading. Buuuuut. Buuuut… I got bored. At times, there just WASN’T enough action and information! And I get frustrated easily. It took me six days to read this book, and only because I don’t like DNF’ing a book. And also maybe because I’m still (despite getting annoyed many many times over other certain books) a faithful reader and I hoped it would get better.

… And it did. Fifty pages before the last. Soooo that was frustrating. Yes, I was interested at some points throughout the middle of the book because. Well I can’t spoil anything. But TWO BOYS. Brothers, to be exact. A girl at war with her heart. And her country, for that matter. Which happens to be ruled by said two brothers. It wasn’t COMPLETELY dull. I was interested! Enough to keep reading!

And I just get too attached to characters in general. Any book, really. They can be sucky but I’ll love em.

And really, I’m giving this book the benefit of the doubt because it’s the first of a series (possibly a trilogy, to be exact, but I’m not positive and I’m too lazy to look it up.) The point is, it has a great plot set up. Most of the time, in series I get ridiculously involved in (The Selection, The Lunar Chronicles, The Ascendance Trilogy… the list goes on) the first book is never my favorite. So when we’re talking about the middle of the first BOOK, we’re really talking about only a sixth of the actual story. I’m giving it time. (Look at me being all giving & nice.)

The romance was squeal-worthy. Confusing. But squeal-worthy. A roller coaster, to be sure.

NOW. The plot twist. Ahhhhhh the plot twist. I spoiled it for myself.

I READ THE SYNOPSIS FOR THE SECOND BOOK WHYYYYYYY. Fair hint: DON’T DO THAT.

I wasn’t that surprised about it when I spoiled it for myself. First I was like: “OOHHHHH MY GOSH NO EMILY NO” and then I was thinking: “Daggumit no way jose.” And then: “I don’t think I would have seen it coming.”

It’s true. I’m far too gullible and trustworthy and it would have shocked me. So if you’re not a professional, no-emotions-must-not-get-attached-absolutely-no-way-kind-of-person… then you might see it coming. But if you’re trusting and naive like me, then you’ll be utterly shocked. To put it in a nutshell: it was a great twist. I didn’t – wouldn’t have – seen it coming.

Sooooo… minus one star for the slowness. And, as much as I hate to do it, minus half a star for the sort of same/same plot line. I’m getting a *little eetle weetle* sick of these books. C’mon, YA, I want new stuff.

BUT it does get 3.5 stars for the sheer wonderfulness of Victoria Aveyard. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

so what about you? do you want to read this book?