Wednesday, August 1, 2012

RTW: The best book of July

Road Trip Wednesday is a blog hop hosted by YA Highway!

This week's question...

What was the best book you read in July?

This is a really tricky one because I've been reading some truly incredible books lately of all different styles and genres. 

I think I'm going to have to choose Veronica Roth's Divergent.

 

I hadn't heard of this book until I stumbled upon it on Amazon, but it's a YA dystopian style novel (right up my alley). It's set in futuristic Chicago and followed 16 year old Beatrice, or Tris as she becomes known, as she chooses her place in society. Her world has been divided into four factions based on human virtues.

Abnegation is for the selfless; the people who do not concern themselves with their own wellbeing but will always put everyone else first. Dauntless is for the brave, those who strive to conquer their fears and are not afraid to take risks. Erudite is for the intelligent, if Hermione Granger lived in this world, I’m sure this is where she’d belong – “books and cleverness” as she’d say – those who value education and learning will be found in Erudite (pretty sure I'd be Erudite). Amity is for the peaceful; those who seek calm and tranquility. Amity is where you’ll find people who will go above and beyond to keep the peace. Candor is for the honest – You will not find a candor that can lie; they are consistently truthful and will always speak their mind.

Each year, the teenagers who have recently turned sixteen will undergo their tests to determine which faction they are most likely to fit into, then, at the choosing ceremony, they will make their choice. Some will abandon their families and choose another faction, while others are destined to remain in the faction they have always known. Tris’ decision puts in motion a sequence of events that will have you on the edge of your seat. The highly competitive initiation into her chosen faction, a potential romance with a mysterious boy, a growing conflict within her seemingly perfect society and a secret which if revealed could mean death pushes the story forward making it a true dystopian page turner.

The reason I chose this book as the best I've read in July is because I spent an entire weekend reading book one and two of the series. I barely emerged, all I did was read. I literally turned into a hermit. Then, when I was done, I recommended it to my friends, I talked to my FH (future husband) about it - in fact I wouldn't shut up about it. I wanted to be inside this world, to know Tris, to meet Four, to experience what they're experiencing.

If a book does that to you, firstly - kudos to the author, they've written a very compelling book; and secondly - you know it has resonated with you more than any of the other books you've read lately simply because you didn't bother to talk about the others.

Therefore, Divergent was the best book I read in July. It's also right up there alongside the best books I've read this year, and that's saying something!

What's the best book you've read this July?

11 comments:

  1. I absolutely loved DIVERGENT. Such a great book! I wasn't as head over heels about INSURGENT, but that doesn't change my love for Veronica Roth and her writing. I'm really looking forward to Book 3 and to see how she wraps this all up. :)

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  2. I really enjoyed Divergent as well, but haven't got my hands on Insurgent yet. Though, if I end up waiting a little, I'm fine with that. It's hard reading trilogies that aren't all the way out yet.

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    1. I agree, you get so 'into the moment' when you're reading trilogies and then you have to wait such a long time to finish the story. It's like watching a movie but hitting pause at one of the story twists and having to wait almost two years to finish the movie!

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  3. Sounds interesting. I've heard of Divergent but I haven't looked into it much. I'll have to check it out. Great post.

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    1. I look forward to hearing what you think of it!

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  4. Oh, I LOVE this book! And you MUST read Insurgent! Was just as good if not better!

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  5. Divergent was my fav last month. Hoping to catch up with Insurgent soon.

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  6. It seems like this was everyone's favorite YA book from 2011; I'm still getting through my 2011 tagged books to read, and I picked this up on paperback recently. Looking forward to it but figured I should finish the Hunger Games series first :)

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  7. This is a really great book. Insurgent is also really good. I cannot decide which one I like better. :)

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  8. Yeah I really enjoyed Insurgent too, but Divergent (in my opinion) was much better. Veronica Roth is so talented though, i'm such a fan girl!

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