Review: DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver ****

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it.

Then, at last, they found the cure.

Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable ...

Yes, this book just came out and everyone and their monkey is reviewing it! Like everyone else, I can't help comparing it to its predecessor, Oliver's outstanding debut Before I Fall, which I absolutely adored and it just blew me away. I read it ages ago and have been looking forward to Delirium ever since. I was lucky enough to score shiny proof, but I admit I was a little anxious to read it because ... I mean, how could Lauren ever surpass the brilliance that was her debut?! I've also seen several mixed reviews so I had no idea what to expect so I figured I might as well give it a try and see what's up ...

Well, I wasn't disappoint, but I wasn't really blown away either (expect by the ending, but more on that later). As I expected, I didn't find it better than Before I Fall, but it certainly wasn't a bad read, far from it! If I had to use one word to describe it, I'd say it was POWERFUL and it had more of an effect on me than I thought initially ...

But let's discuss the plot first. I'm sure you aaaaaall know very well what this is about, set in the not-too-distant future when love is considered to be the most horrible disease and in order to prevent catching it, all the citizens have a curing procedure done at 18 - a sort of brain surgery that prevents them from not only falling in love, but it also erases on their emotions, both negative and positive ones. It's for their best, the (oppresive) society tells them, and everyone believes it. Lena, our heroine, is almost 18 and she cannot wait to have the procedure done and to be paired with her match and live happily ever after ... right? But then she remember her mother, who was apparently uncurable, and how she danced and sang, so unlike other robotic parents ... and how all her love was the end of her. She also learns about the world that exists outside the strict society rules and she can't help being intrigued. Lastly, there's also this boy ... But he's been cured so nothing will happen ... right? Before Lena knows it, her world is turned upside down and everything she's ever known or believed in turns out to be a lie ...

Lena, like the book itself, is a bit boring at first. I'll admit that I just couldn't seem to connect to either the story or her at first, but as things started changing, so did my feelings for it and as things kept happening and the story gained some depth and picked up the pace, I found myself really warming up to the characters. I loved how Lena slowly gained dimension and turned from this shy little creature into a fierce kickass girl who refuses to be held down and is willing to take risks and follow her heart.

There were a couple of really shocking twists along the way, which will hopefully be resolved in the next books, and the ending had me in tears. The final pages were incredibly gripping - I read them with my eyes and mouth wide open, and as I closed the book, I just started bawling my eyes out thinking, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, surely this isn't what it looks like?!?!?!?!" That ending just broke my heart and it was then that I realized how strongly I actually cared about the characters, which was a surprise to me too, heh.

The ending, as devastating as it was, really paves the way for the next book in the trilogy and I cannot wait to read it as there's just so much to be resolved!

All in all, this book is VERY different to Before I Fall, mainly in terms of the setting and characters, but what both books have in common is that a) they're both incredibly lyrical and amazingly well written, and b) that they creep up on you and though you may roll your eyes at both books at first, you'll find yourself head over heels in love with them by the end. But I guess that's the Lauren Oliver magic for ya! ;)

overall rating:
plot: 4/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 4/5

In My Mailbox #34

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers post about the books we've received in the past week. Here's what was in *my* mailbox this week:

LITTLE DARLINGS by Jacqueline Wilson - Yeah, I just decided to take a picture of the whole book jacket because I think it's great and very eye-catching and I love it! I may have mentioned before that I have a bit of a soft spot for Ms Wilson so obviously I had to pre-order her new book and now it's finally arrived, yay!

I also finally got my copy of BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver. Readers of this blog already now that I've read this book months ago (it's actually the only book I've ever read on a comp) and it was soooo good that I just had to get a copy so I did (I pre-ordered it ages ago).

The last three books came in a surprise package from the lovely people at Headline (thanks so much!) and so I got:
THE PERFECT LIE by Emily Barr - Haven't read anything by this author yet, but I've heard great things about her books so I'm excited to give her a try!
DESIRE by Luise Bagshawe - Same as above, haven't read anything by LB yet, but looking forward to! This is just another ARC and the finished cover is lovely!
TOP TIPS FOR LIFE by Kate Reardon - This appears to be non-fiction, but it seems pretty cute and useful!

What did *you* get? I can't wait to find out! :)

ps: Thanks so much to everyone who entered my Before I Fall contest! I'm afraid I've been rather busy lately and sadly haven't had time to do all the entries and everything, but I promise to sort everything out in the next couple of days so the winner should be announced soon, just bear with me! :)

Hope you're having a great weekend, everyone!

Interview: LAUREN OLIVER + Win a copy of BEFORE I FALL!

Today is a big day: March 2nd in the official publication day for BEFORE I FALL, an incredible YA debut by Lauren Oliver. The blogoshere has been gushing about it for months so if you haven't heard about it, you must've been living under a rock and you really need to get with a program - trust me, you do not want to miss this amazing book - scroll down to see how YOU can win a brand new copy of BEFORE I FALL along with some signed bookmarks!

Here's a quick plot summary:

"Sam Kingston is dead. Except she isn’t.
On a rainy February night, Sam is killed in a horrific car crash. But instead of seeing a tunnel of light, she wakes up in her own bed, on the morning of the same day. Forced to live through the same events – the drive to school, skipping class, the fateful party – she struggles to alter the outcome, but wakes up again on the day of the crash.
What follows is the story of a girl who comes of age in a matter of days. Who discovers, through heartbreaking insights, the consequences of her every action. Of a girl who dies young, but in the process learns how to live. And who falls in love . . . a little too late."

I got a chance to read it online (legally) on a HarperCollins site a few months ago. I wasn't supposed to review it, but the book affected me so much that I just could not resist, I had to get it all out of my system. I described it as a book with "NICELY COMPLEX PLOT, WELL STRUCTURED, WONDERFUL CHARACTERS, BEAUTIFUL WRITING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, EMOTIONAL - ALL IN ALL, AN OUTSTANDING DEBUT!" You can read the whole review here and this book honestly moved me so much that it ended up being my second favourite book of 2009 and virtually *everyone* who has read the book so far has been amazed by it - it's just the kind of a novel that really makes you think and stays with you forever.

Oh and guess what - the foreign rights for this book have already been sold to FOURTEEN countries even before this book was officially published. Yes, that's how good it is! :)

Both the UK and the US trailers have been released - they're both great so click here to watch them!

The woman we have to thank for this incredibly powerful book is LAUREN OLIVER (visit her official site), who is not only so very talented but also unbelievably nice! I was lucky enough to interview her and please find her answers below!

Let's start with the standard question: What was the inspiration for Before I Fall? It's such an original book so I do wonder how you came up with the idea for it!
Thanks! The idea for Before I Fall came from a bunch of different places. I used to spend a lot of time trying to imagine, in as much detail as possible, a “perfect” day: the kind of day I wouldn’t mind reliving forever. So I’ve always had that question in my mind. Additionally, I’ve always been interested in the mean girl phenomena and in themes of change and redemption—and ultimately, even though Before I Fall has a very strong narrative structure, I do see it as a character-driven book about change.

How long did it take to write the book? I imagine it must've taken a while since the story is so complex. Were there any particular scenes you were struggling with? How did you get published in the end?
You know, I was working from an extremely solid and intricate outline, and generating the outline was certainly the most difficult and time-consuming part of the process, I would say. The actual writing of the book only took about five-six months. It was surprisingly easy, actually, as was the publishing process; I believe my agent managed to get us a deal within a few days.
However, before people start throwing shoes at me, I will say this was not my first attempt at publication. I had previously completed two adult novels, neither of which was ever sold.

Can you tell us more about this "universe" (for the lack of a better word) where Sam finds herself reliving the last day of her life seven more times?
[SPOILER ALERT! PLEASE DO NOT READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK YET.]
Hmm. I mean, in some ways I envisioned it as kind of a limbo. She is able to effect changes in the lives of the people around her, and so alter the legacy she will be leaving behind, but ultimately she is still penned in by the ultimate circumstances of her death. I guess you could say that that—that event, that death—is the concrete limit, the axiom on which her other actions must be based. That’s why, for me, there was never a question of allowing her to live on at the end.

Which five words would you use to describe Before I Fall?
Redemptive; realistic; hopeful; sad. That’s only four but I think they are sufficient.

How did you decide on the title? Did you have any alternative titles in mind?
Originally we called the book IF I SHOULD FALL, but we felt it was somewhat too ephemeral and also very similar to IF I STAY, a book that was being released at the time. But it took us about 500 titles to get from IF I SHOULD FALL to BEFORE I FALL, if you can believe it! I'm terrible at titling. :)

Would you change anything about the book now if you could go back? Is there anything you wish you could've written differently?
There is much I would change on a line-by-line level. I feel I've already grown and developed as a writer, and there are certain phrases in the book that don't feel quite right to me anymore. But on the whole, no; I'm happy with the book's overall structure and content. I'm not one for regret, in any context!

The book will undoubtedly be a massive hit and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were turned into a film. Should that happen, who would you like to see starring in it?
Oof. I don’t know! I can only hope your predictions for the book’s success are correct. I actually can see Kristen Stewart playing Sam, and I’m not just saying that because she starred in Twilight! And I could completely see Dakota Fanning playing Lindsay; she looks just like the way I envisioned Lindsay in my hed.

What was the best and the worst thing you've heard/read about Before I Fall so far (in terms of reviews etc.)?
The best thing I’ve heard was that the book has caused a girl to reconcile with her mother, from whom she was semi-estranged; also, a blogger told me that the book helped her grieve the loss of a younger family member. People have been generous so far in terms of criticism, but probably what most aggravates me is when people think that I’ve included a superfluous quantity of drinking and drugs. We really did drink that much in high school! I was just trying to depict my experiences realistically. And besides, the whole point of the book is how unfulfilling those moments can be, and how what really brings happiness are moments of true connection and sharing.

What you working on now?
I am editing my second book, DELIRIUM, which will be released in early 2011. It’s very different from Before I Fall, a kind of dystopian Romeo-and-Juliet story, and I am very, very excited about it.

* * * * *

To celebrate this awesome day, I'm also hosting a CONTEST!
One lucky winner will win a hardcover copy of BEFORE I FALL and some *signed* swag! Here's what you have to do in order to be entered into this contest:

• you have to leave a comment telling me WHY you'd like to win/read this book (+1)
  
• you have to be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect (+1)

Those who are more determined and want to have more chance of winning can get more entries by:

• following Lauren on Twitter: @OliverBooks (+1)
• tweeting about this contes (provide link) OR simply re-tweeting my tweet (+2)
• posting about this contest on your blog sidebar (+2)
• dedicating a whole post to this contest (+3) along with one of the trailers (+5)

The contest is open WORLDWIDE and closes on March 10th at midnight your time.

ps: If you don't win, you can always get your own copy at Amazon US/UK or at Book Depository (free worldwide delivery, woo)!

_____

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Book Trailers: BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

Hey, remember a book called Before I Fall, which I *loved* so much that it ended up being my second favourite book of 2009? Here's what it's about:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last.
Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Trust me, the book is even better than it sounds! :)

Well, according to the lovely widget in my sidebar, the general public will be able to enjoy this amazing book in 29 days and now both the UK and the US trailers have been released - how exciting! Lauren posted them on her blog, but feel free to watch them below! The first one is the US one and the second one is the UK version - which one do you prefer?

And trust me, you want to read this book! Everyone who has read it so far has been amazed by it! I've read it online before and I already pre-ordered a finished copy on Book Depository! Has anyone else read it? Are you planning to? :)

Review: BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver *****

US: "What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing."

UK: "Sam Kingston is dead. Except she isn’t.
On a rainy February night, Sam is killed in a horrific car crash. But instead of seeing a tunnel of light, she wakes up in her own bed, on the morning of the same day. Forced to live through the same events – the drive to school, skipping class, the fateful party – she struggles to alter the outcome, but wakes up again on the day of the crash.
What follows is the story of a girl who comes of age in a matter of days. Who discovers, through heartbreaking insights, the consequences of her every action. Of a girl who dies young, but in the process learns how to live. And who falls in love . . . a little too late."


This extraordinary book doesn't come out till March 2010, but I got a chance to read the ARC thanks to the wonderful Kate (thank you!!!)! The plot description sounded intriguing, but I never really expected the book to be *so* incredibly amazing! I was kindly advised to postpone my review for a few months, but I'm afraid I just can't because I really feel the need to talk about this book. That's why this review will be a bit different - no regular plot summary with spoilers and perhaps a bit more vague because I don't want to give too much away - you just have to read this book and experience it for yourself, hehe.

Firstly, a quick spoiler-free summary: Sam is a high school senior and her life seems just perfect; she and her three friends (Lindsay, Ally and Elody) are the most popular girls at school and she's dating Rob, her long time crush and a dream come true. The story takes place on February 12, Cupid Day, and after receiving the most roses at school, the girls attend a party at Sam's old friend's house. When they're driving home from the party, the girls have an accident, which will change their lives forever ... Sam is convinced she's dead, but when she opens her eyes, she's stunned to realize that it's February 12 morning all over again. Soon she learns that the previous night wasn't just a dream and that she's given a chance to make things right and say goodbye properly, but before being able to do so, she learns a lot about herself and those closest to her ...

I don't even know where to begin with my review, there's so much that I want to say!
Well, I'll admit that I wasn't entirely blown away by the opening chapter - I thought it would be just another high school story and the characters seemed quite stereotypical and one dimensional, buuuuut little did I know that they were going to be subjected to massive transformations and development before the day is over - a few days later, haha. I didn't really like any of the characters at first, but whoa boy did I grow to love them by the end of the novel!

The story itself is really complex (but still easy to understand) and it really progresses, even though the date on the calender stays the same throughout the novel, but each of those days is completely different and packed with action. The main events are mostly the same, but each "day" there are various more or less important changes from the previous day that enable Sam to understand everything better and I suppose it's safe to say that she has a clear picture by the end of the novel when she finally gets her priorities straight just in time.

I thought the novel was really well written; the narration itself is fitting for a teenager but far from boring or plain, it's really quite beautiful. The novel is also incredibly well structured and I really liked how subtly layers hidden underneath the surface of people and events were revealed. I found it really fascinating how basically the same day was repeating itself, but all these slight changes and little things shed a completely different light on everything. I struggle to explain this properly, I was just amazed by how subtly and yet obviously the changes happened in this novel, but that's because of the structure and the writing. Trust me, the book is truly unputdownable - it's easy to read, but it will not let you out of its grip until you find out how the day ends and then you just want more, hehe!

Another strong point (out of shazillion) of this novel is that the emotions that Sam feels are also really well presented - her feelings of confusion, sadness, anger, determination, happiness, love and finally acceptance were almost tangible. As a reader, you're invited on this wild emotional rollercoaster ride and it's crazy right until the amazing bittersweet ending, which is beautiful but still sad, even though it shouldn't be really.

Ahem, right. Please accept my humble apologies for such a strange and vague review, but it's really hard to discuss it properly without revealing too much. I know reviewing it so much in advance is really quite pointless, but as I said, I just needed to get it out of my system somehow. I'm still amazed by how powerful this novel really is - I've finished it days ago and it still haunts me, I just can't get it off my mind ...

The novel is essentially YA, but it definitely has a crossover appeal as the themes it tackles are universal and so well presented that it will appear to everyone, regardless of age. The lessons Sam learns about her family, friends, foes, love and life are quite important both in the novel as well as in real life so the novel really makes you think ...

Whoa, this was longer than I intended, but still just a small bit of what I actually wanted to say. I suppose most people won't bother reading the review so here's a quick recap for the tl;dr crowd: NICELY COMPLEX PLOT, WELL STRUCTURED, WONDERFUL CHARACTERS, BEAUTIFUL WRITING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, EMOTIONAL - ALL IN ALL, AN OUTSTANDING DEBUT! Add this to your TBR list and grab a copy when it comes out, you won't regret it.

I just can't praise this book enough, I was honestly blown away and rendered speechless after reading it. Novelicious has read it over the past weekend as well and she described it as the best book she's read in ages and she stayed up whole night reading it - I know so because we discussed it briefly on Twitter and we were both amazed.

Finally, a couple of shocking facts about the author: this is her debut novel aaaand she's only 26!!! Trust me, you'll be amazed by that too once you read the novel, hehe! For more information about the author and her book visit Lauren's website. There are a couple of brilliant quotes there that I thought sum up the book really well (far more eloquently than I ever could) so I thought I'd share bits that I wholeheartedly agree with:

"Before I Fall is smart, complex, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Lauren Oliver has written an extraordinary debut novel about what it means to live—and die." & "This story races forward, twisting in a new direction every few pages, its characters spinning my emotions from affection to frustration, anger to compassion. You’ll have no choice but to tear through this book!"

Since finishing the novel, I've also spoken to the author over email and she really is the most wonderful person ever, honestly, just as amazing as her debut! She has kindly agreed to do an interview with me, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait for that until February 2010 or so! Sorry to keep you in suspense, but I just needed share my love for this book, even if a few months too soon, but at least my impression of it is still fresh and strong, hehe.

overall rating: 5/5
plot: 5/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 4/5

ps: Another person who adored the novel is Sharon, who's kindly giving away her advanced copy. For a chance to win it, click here and good luck!