My Thoughts: The End and Other Beginnings by Veronica Roth (Audiobook)

The End and Other Beginnings
by Veronica Roth
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Publication Date: October 1st 2019
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9780062796523
Genre: YA | Sci-Fi | Short Stories
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
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Bestselling Divergent and Carve the Mark author Veronica Roth delivers a stunning collection of novella-length stories set in the future, illustrated with startling black-and-white artwork.

No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers. (Goodreads)

It’s been too long since I last read a book by Veronica Roth, so when I discovered The End and Other Beginnings, a collection of short, futuristic stories, I knew I would have to check it out.

The End and Other Beginnings has six stories, all with different characters, and interesting futuristic storylines. Two of the stories are set in the Carve the Mark universe, which is a series I have not yet tackled, yet I am now super curious to check out. All of the stories were interesting, and definitely futuristic, which was pretty cool. (I think the first story in the book was definitely my favorite.)

Though I had an e-arc of the book, I decided to listen to the audiobook, which is narrated by Emily Rankin and MacLeod Andrews, who did a fantastic job telling the story. Though I definitely will be going back to check out the book soon, as I hear it has some pretty awesome illustrations as well.

Overall; reading The End and Other Beginnings was a really interesting read, and has definitely made me curious to pick up more by Veronica soon! As I mentioned above I have yet to tackle the Carve the Mark series, so I definitely plan to read that soon. I am also excited to check out her newest book, Chosen Ones, which just recently released, as well!

Waiting on Wednesday #246 - Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Carve the Mark
(Untitled Duology #1)
by Veronica Roth
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Publication Date: January 17th 2017
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780008159481


Available for Pre-Order:
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On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not — their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuve, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive — no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive — or to destroy one another. (Goodreads).

WHOOO HOOOO!

A new book by Veronica Roth!!
This book sounds really awesome, and I can't wait to check it out.
I'm super curious!!
I've already preordered my copy. Have you??

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant
(Divergent, #3)
by Veronica Roth
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Publication Date: October 22nd 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 526
ISBN: 9780062024060
Genre: Young Adult | Dystopian
Source: Own

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One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. (Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to starting Allegiant once I finished Insurgent, because I really wanted to see how the series was going to end.  I really don’t even know where to start with this review and I’m going back and forth between loving it and absolutely hating it and the way it has made me feel. Here are my spoiler-free thoughts on the book.

Allegiant picks up where Insurgent leaves off, and is told from both Tris’ and Tobias’ point of view. It was definitely interesting to see inside Tobias’ head, as I no longer see his as the all around perfect bad boy, but more of a guy with flaws, just like everyone else. As for Tris… Oh, Tris. She is a character that I’ve loved since the very beginning, when she was puny stiff chose to change her life with that very first jump. Some moments I wanted to smack her silly for the choices that she made along the way, and other times I couldn’t help but be proud for how she handled herself and all that she had been through. Veronica Roth made an insanely complex character when she created Beatris Prior. She is not a character I will soon forget.

Some of the secondary characters have turned into some of my most favorite characters. I love Christina and Cara, both were amazingly forgiving young ladies that will always stand up for what they believe in. I also want to say that Peter grew on me in this book. Towards the end, I really felt bad for him and even for Caleb as well.  We are also introduced to quite a few new characters in the book—some that you will love, and some that you will love to hate. I know I sure did! I love that I grew to care for these secondary characters just as much as the main characters. I could go on and on about many, many more characters, but you should just check out the book and meet them all for yourself.

There’s really not a whole lot of action in the Allegiant at all, we get more information than anything. (There is a decent bit of action in the book, especially toward the end, but it doesn’t seem to be as action packed as the previous books.) A lot of questions that I had were answered, but I was still left with a few unanswered questions that I really wanted to know the answer to. (Like, why was Tris so different from over Divergents?) Because of all of this information, I found the pacing of the book to be a bit slower than the previous books. That, however, could have just been for me.

I’m having a bit of love/hate relationship with the ending of the book. It was a big risk for Roth to take, and I guess it is really a more realistic ending. It’s just not what I had expected at all. It made me sad, kind of the same way the ending of Mockingjay made me feel. My feelings are all over the place, and it’s such a disconcerting feeling.  And even though it kills me, I can kind of see why she chose to end the book the way she did. But seriously, it’s going to take a while to sort through these emotions.

Overall; I really enjoyed reading this series. I would have to say that I enjoyed Divergent the most out of the series, but I think that all together, these three books make for one hell of a series. If you haven’t checked these books out yet, you definitely should. Just make sure you have tissues available when you start on Allegiant.

Happy Reading!





Books in this Series:



Divergent  |  Insurgent  |  Allegiant

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent
(Divergent #2)
by Veronica Roth
Author Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 1st 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 525
ISBN: 9780007442911
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Own

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One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. (Goodreads)

I read Divergent earlier this year, and really enjoyed the book. I kept putting off reading Insurgent because I knew it had one of those terrible cliffhanger endings that make you want to through the book, and it would drive me crazy having to wait on Allegiant to be released. After finishing Insurgent, I am definitely glad that I waited, but I’m also kicking myself as well for not reading this awesome book sooner.

I really enjoyed Tris’ character when we met her in Divergent. She was headstrong and strong willed, exactly the character that I love. She was a completely different person in Insurgent, which honestly was expected considering all that she went through in the previous book. Her growing despair was strong enough to impact a lot of the decisions that she made, and she was constantly throwing herself into dangerous paths.  While frustrating at times, I am glad that the author chose to write Tris this way, as it was definitely more realistic.

The relationship between Tris and Tobias/Four was a strained at best throughout the book. With both having trust issues and having gone through so much, this too was expected. We get to see many different sides of Four in this novel.  As with Tris, I really loved him from the moment I first met him. He is such an insanely complex character, what’s not to love, right? Through everything that they have been through, even when they can’t take anymore, they always find their way back to each other. Looooove!

The secondary characters—Oh my goodness, there are so many secondary characters that I love. There are some that we met in the previous book, and some that we met for the first time, (and sometimes only briefly), in Insurgent. They all managed to make an impact in some way or another. I could go on and on about each and everyone one of them, but this would be insanely long if I did so. Just read the book so you can see for yourself.

I love that we are given so much more information on each individual faction in this book. After reading Divergent, I was always curious for more information, and now I have it. I’m glad for that. I’m super curious to start Allegiant now to find out even more! I’m dying of curiosity.

Insurgent is full of action and suspense, and it will definitely keep you turning the pages! The book ends with a MASSIVE cliffhanger as well. I am SO not a big fan of cliffhangers, especially when you have to wait for long periods of time to get the next book. Thank goodness I have Allegiant to start on right away… Not knowing what is going to happen next would make me insane.

Overall, if you enjoyed reading Divergent, you will definitely enjoy reading Insurgent! It was a great addition to this intense series. I, of course, will be starting Allegiant right away!

Happy Reading!



Books in this Series:



Divergent  |  Insurgent  |  Allegiant