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Celestine is Flawed to the very backbone, according to The Guild. She went against society and assisted a Flawed man – going against every value a Perfect citizen should hold. She was branded as flawed, not just the maximum of five times, but a sixth. Now, she finds herself on the run from The Guild and their Whistleblowers, an attempt at freedom that a Flawed citizen should never have.
Perfect is the second and final book in Cecelia Ahern’s Flawed series.
I read Flawed, the first book, a couple of years ago now. It’s the first book I had ever read by Cecelia Ahern, and it’s what made her writing stand out to me. However, for whatever reason (I can’t remember now) I’d put off buying Perfect. And when I did finally buy it, it sat on my bookshelf for ages. That was until the other weekend when I finally made the decision to read it.
I forgot how immersive the world Ahern created was. I was straight into the book as it jumped straight into action, and found it really easy to remember everything that had happened in the previous book.
Perfect is a fast paced novel, that never really slows down for a second. I found myself finishing it in just a couple of days, and really couldn’t put it down. It was addictive and kept me wanting to know what happened next.
I love Celestine as a character. The fact that she points out that she’s Flawed, but likes that part of herself because it makes her real is one of my favourite ideas of the whole book.
Celestine is strong and confident, and doesn’t need to have anyone by her side to help her get her way. She’s the perfect independent protagonist and I love her for that.
The focus on an over-controlling society where if you do the slightest thing wrong, you’re branded for life was really interesting. It makes you question whether a person can really be fully bad, and whether a person’s past is really different to who they are in the present day.
It’s definitely a thrilling book with some of the best characters you’ll find in YA. I would usually comment about how I’m not really into YA or Dystopia, but I’m not because I’m now definitely a convert and really enjoying the genre.
Perfect is the second and final book in Cecelia Ahern’s Flawed series.
I read Flawed, the first book, a couple of years ago now. It’s the first book I had ever read by Cecelia Ahern, and it’s what made her writing stand out to me. However, for whatever reason (I can’t remember now) I’d put off buying Perfect. And when I did finally buy it, it sat on my bookshelf for ages. That was until the other weekend when I finally made the decision to read it.
I forgot how immersive the world Ahern created was. I was straight into the book as it jumped straight into action, and found it really easy to remember everything that had happened in the previous book.
Perfect is a fast paced novel, that never really slows down for a second. I found myself finishing it in just a couple of days, and really couldn’t put it down. It was addictive and kept me wanting to know what happened next.
I love Celestine as a character. The fact that she points out that she’s Flawed, but likes that part of herself because it makes her real is one of my favourite ideas of the whole book.
Celestine is strong and confident, and doesn’t need to have anyone by her side to help her get her way. She’s the perfect independent protagonist and I love her for that.
The focus on an over-controlling society where if you do the slightest thing wrong, you’re branded for life was really interesting. It makes you question whether a person can really be fully bad, and whether a person’s past is really different to who they are in the present day.
It’s definitely a thrilling book with some of the best characters you’ll find in YA. I would usually comment about how I’m not really into YA or Dystopia, but I’m not because I’m now definitely a convert and really enjoying the genre.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Allegiant (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
The third film in the popular “Divergent” series is here and will follow the pattern of recent book based films of splitting the finale into two films. In “The Divergent Series: Allegiant Part 1”, we catch up with Tris (Shailene Woodley), and Four (Theo James), shortly after the events of the previous film.
The wall has been opened and residents seek to leave the city and see what lies beyond. This is cut short when a power grab arises as Four’s mother is putting people on trial for supporting the last regime and executions or a common place as mob mentality has arisen.
Risking it all, Tris, Four, and a few companions make a daring brake and discover a wasteland beyond the wall before being taken in by a seemingly ideal community under the leadership of David (Jeff Daniels). It is learned that via sophisticated technology, they have watched Tris and the others as well as their society for ages as they were conducting a social experiment to undo evils of the previous world which lead to war.
Tris is highly prized as she is seen as genetically pure and David hopes to find out why and how so it can be replicated for the betterment of humanity. Naturally things are not always as they appear and before long, Tris, Four, and the others are forced to pick sides especially with a civil war brewing back at home.
The movie has some decent visuals but relies on the characters to carry the film. In many ways this is the downfall of the film as Woodley simply does not emote and James is very one-dimensional. Only Miles Teller and Jeff Daniels show any real or sustained emotion throughout the film.
There is also the matter of plot holes such as a society which amazing surveillance technology but they could not see a fairly obvious and common effort used during the finale of the film.
The movie is setting up the finale which hopefully will bring some advancement and satisfying closure to the series and characters. For now the film is a flawed but at times entertaining entry which should keep fans happy until the final film arrives.
http://sknr.net/2016/03/18/divergent-series-allegiant-part-1/
The wall has been opened and residents seek to leave the city and see what lies beyond. This is cut short when a power grab arises as Four’s mother is putting people on trial for supporting the last regime and executions or a common place as mob mentality has arisen.
Risking it all, Tris, Four, and a few companions make a daring brake and discover a wasteland beyond the wall before being taken in by a seemingly ideal community under the leadership of David (Jeff Daniels). It is learned that via sophisticated technology, they have watched Tris and the others as well as their society for ages as they were conducting a social experiment to undo evils of the previous world which lead to war.
Tris is highly prized as she is seen as genetically pure and David hopes to find out why and how so it can be replicated for the betterment of humanity. Naturally things are not always as they appear and before long, Tris, Four, and the others are forced to pick sides especially with a civil war brewing back at home.
The movie has some decent visuals but relies on the characters to carry the film. In many ways this is the downfall of the film as Woodley simply does not emote and James is very one-dimensional. Only Miles Teller and Jeff Daniels show any real or sustained emotion throughout the film.
There is also the matter of plot holes such as a society which amazing surveillance technology but they could not see a fairly obvious and common effort used during the finale of the film.
The movie is setting up the finale which hopefully will bring some advancement and satisfying closure to the series and characters. For now the film is a flawed but at times entertaining entry which should keep fans happy until the final film arrives.
http://sknr.net/2016/03/18/divergent-series-allegiant-part-1/
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Branded (Sinners, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="Branded by Abi Ketnet and Missy Kalicicki" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/07/blog-tour-branded-by-abi-ketner-and-missy-kalicicki-review.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Note: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> A copy was provided for free by the author for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
So. Branded. It has great potential as a series, and it takes quite a different twist from other dystopian books like The Hunger Games and Divergent. It's the first in the Sinners series, and is about a girl named Lexi Hamilton wrongly accused who lives in a futuristic society where there is no equal justice and a Commander who believes the Seven Deadly Sins are the downfall to society. Those who are accused are taken to live in a place called the Hole and branded with their sin. With danger lurking at any corner, those branded have to fight for their survival every single day.
Branded didn't exactly feel like the first of a series. It felt more of a second, or second to last, or maybe even the last with a possible spin-off in a series rather than the first. For some reason, it felt as though there was another story prior to Branded, even though Abi and Missy gave a decent explanation to Lexi's past that filled in most of the blanks throughout the book.
I loved most of the supporting characters, such as Alyssa, Bruno, Keegan, and Zeus especially (no, not the Thunder God... unless he decided to take on a different form other than human), but the romance between Cole and Lexi also seemed much too quick for my taste (I usually like a good build up, with a few exceptions).
Overall, Branded has a great potential, and would be a great book and series with a few tweaks here and there. It doesn't have a lasting or major impact on me or the type of book where I'll be miserable not knowing what happens for at least a year as I was hoping for, but I do hope that in the end, the innocent peeps in the Hole receive a happy ending (no guarantees. I'm not a mind reader, but it never hurts to hope).
Note: Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> A copy was provided for free by the author for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
So. Branded. It has great potential as a series, and it takes quite a different twist from other dystopian books like The Hunger Games and Divergent. It's the first in the Sinners series, and is about a girl named Lexi Hamilton wrongly accused who lives in a futuristic society where there is no equal justice and a Commander who believes the Seven Deadly Sins are the downfall to society. Those who are accused are taken to live in a place called the Hole and branded with their sin. With danger lurking at any corner, those branded have to fight for their survival every single day.
Branded didn't exactly feel like the first of a series. It felt more of a second, or second to last, or maybe even the last with a possible spin-off in a series rather than the first. For some reason, it felt as though there was another story prior to Branded, even though Abi and Missy gave a decent explanation to Lexi's past that filled in most of the blanks throughout the book.
I loved most of the supporting characters, such as Alyssa, Bruno, Keegan, and Zeus especially (no, not the Thunder God... unless he decided to take on a different form other than human), but the romance between Cole and Lexi also seemed much too quick for my taste (I usually like a good build up, with a few exceptions).
Overall, Branded has a great potential, and would be a great book and series with a few tweaks here and there. It doesn't have a lasting or major impact on me or the type of book where I'll be miserable not knowing what happens for at least a year as I was hoping for, but I do hope that in the end, the innocent peeps in the Hole receive a happy ending (no guarantees. I'm not a mind reader, but it never hurts to hope).
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Imperfect Women in Books
Sep 17, 2020
An engaging and suspenseful look into the power of secrets
Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary have been best friends since they met at Oxford. But then Nancy is murdered, leaving behind an adoring husband and a daughter. Her life, from the outside, was seemingly perfect. But Eleanor knows that the night Nancy died, she was going to meet her lover, hoping to break it off. And as the investigation into Nancy's death continues, both Eleanor and Mary struggle with their grief, the memories they have of their friend, and what her death means for those left behind.
"Eleanor felt a jolt of terror pass through her as she realized that everything about Nancy's death was worse than any other death anywhere. They would all suffer, and nothing would ever be the same again."
This was a truly fascinating book: it's part character-driven mystery and part insightful look at the role of women in society. It's told from the point of view of the three friends, but not the usual quick back and forth: we get large chunks of the story told from one woman at a time. Truths unfold slowly, as we learn bits and pieces about Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary--from themselves and each other.
The focal point of the story is Nancy's rather gruesome murder, but Hall fills her tale with thoughts and ruminations on women and how they are seen in society--and how they feel they are perceived. In some ways, it felt like a bunch broad generalizations applied to women, yet as I read, I found that most of them really rang true. I was furiously highlighting passages, nodding my head yes!
At times, it was hard to see where this book was going. Murder? Deep thoughts? It certainly straddled the line on both. In terms of Nancy's murder, I had a good chunk figured out early on, but the story certainly kept me engaged, reading and wondering if I was right. All three flawed (imperfect, indeed) women were interesting in their own way, and I liked each woman's section. I found this to be a very well-written book, but it's not a snappy thriller.
If you want a fast whodunit, this isn't for you. But if you want a well-done and thoughtful read, I recommend Hall's latest. It's a suspenseful and insightful look at love, marriage, and friendship. 4 stars.
"Eleanor felt a jolt of terror pass through her as she realized that everything about Nancy's death was worse than any other death anywhere. They would all suffer, and nothing would ever be the same again."
This was a truly fascinating book: it's part character-driven mystery and part insightful look at the role of women in society. It's told from the point of view of the three friends, but not the usual quick back and forth: we get large chunks of the story told from one woman at a time. Truths unfold slowly, as we learn bits and pieces about Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary--from themselves and each other.
The focal point of the story is Nancy's rather gruesome murder, but Hall fills her tale with thoughts and ruminations on women and how they are seen in society--and how they feel they are perceived. In some ways, it felt like a bunch broad generalizations applied to women, yet as I read, I found that most of them really rang true. I was furiously highlighting passages, nodding my head yes!
At times, it was hard to see where this book was going. Murder? Deep thoughts? It certainly straddled the line on both. In terms of Nancy's murder, I had a good chunk figured out early on, but the story certainly kept me engaged, reading and wondering if I was right. All three flawed (imperfect, indeed) women were interesting in their own way, and I liked each woman's section. I found this to be a very well-written book, but it's not a snappy thriller.
If you want a fast whodunit, this isn't for you. But if you want a well-done and thoughtful read, I recommend Hall's latest. It's a suspenseful and insightful look at love, marriage, and friendship. 4 stars.