Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth 2.5 Stars

Tris and Tobias find themselves not happy with the outcome of their fight for freedom. Tobias' mother Evelyn takes over the tyrant role. Soon war is brewing once again. They now find the option of leaving the city as a viable option that must be explored. Leaving the city could have other unforeseen consequences and could further shatter the way of life they have always known. Sometimes finding out the truth is what destroys you, rather than setting you free.
I was a little disappointed with this book. It just did not captivate as the previous two books in this series did. I almost felt like the last three quarters of the book was not needed. The plot just seemed like it was not filled out like it should have been, and seemed rather forced at times, as if she was not sure what direction to take. Veronica Roth jumping back and forth from Tris to Tobias' perspectives was kind of distracting and annoying. If she wanted to do this then she should have written the series in 3rd person perspective to allow the freedom to do this. In fact this may have been the better way to write this anyway, it would have filled in details where they lacked. The characters as per usual for her writing, were very deep, and felt very real. I did not like the ending of this book either, it just felt dragged out, as if Veronica Roth could not decide how to end the book.
Overall I think this book actually turned me off of the whole series, this book is one I would not recommend.

Insurgent By Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (4 Stars)

Tris finds herself in a fight again, this time a completely different kind of fight. Instead of fighting to get into a faction, she is fighting to find out the truth, and free society from the lies that have kept them enslaved. Tris is willing to give up everything to stop Jeanine from keeping the truth from them; Tobias, family, factions, friends, and her own life. Her sacrifices could mean freedom, or a future unknown.
The plot just gets thicker in this installment to the Divergent series. Veronica knows how to make you twist and turn with every page. She keeps you on the edge of your seat. Her characters have depth, and change as the story line demands it. I do agree with her assessment that Tris should have shown much more grief over the loss of her parents, even the betrayal of her brother. That being said, everyone grieves in different ways, so it is hard to bottle up reactions and say everyone should react in this way. I love the ending as it brings things together and sets up for a dramatic next novel.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (3 Stars)
Hazel has been battling cancer for quite sometime. Unable to breathe on her own, she relies on a breathing apparatus to help her do what most take for granted. She is in a routine that works for her family, until she meets Augustus Waters. He has been cancer-free for a while, at the cost of his leg. He provides her with happiness, something she did not even realize she was missing. Wrapped in an author who may not be what he seems, they find comfort in his novel. Life seems to be looking up again, until it all fall apart.
This is the second John Green book my wife and I have read together (Paper Towns being the other), both books seem to have the same basic issue; John Green likes to use big words. His use of big words distracts from the plot, his characters use these words in sentences where people would not use them, and he makes it seem commonplace. In the end this just comes across as ostentatious and pretentious. Rant over.
His characters are well rounded and have depth rarely seen in novels these days. The situations they are in are heartwarming at times, and heart wrenching at other times. Loved the overall plot and how things flowed. I do wonder what his obsession with his characters egging cars is? Although in this novel it was rather amusing. I must say with both this book and Paper Towns,  I enjoyed the movies more than the books, a rarity for me. 
Would I pick up another one of his books? Probably not, although I know many out there who would disagree with that!

Book Review- Joseph Finder- High Crimes

Joseph Finder- High Crimes (Avon Books 2002) 4 Stars

Claire Heller Chapman, hotshot attorney, has her life shaken up one evening when FBI agents suddenly try to arrest her husband and he pulls moves she did not know he was capable of to escape. When they finally bring him in, she must defend him against charges only a maniac could be responsible for. Could it be that her husband is someone she doesn’t really know? Everything is at risk for her and someone unknown seems to be pulling the strings on this classified, high profile case. She begins to realize that she may have gotten herself in too deep, the question now is can she save both herself and her husband?

High Crimes is an exciting thrill ride through the courts of American military justice. I have ordered the movie version as well and am anxious to see how Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman portray this great novel. I enjoyed the twists and turns and although I saw a bit of the ending coming, I did not see all of it. The plot and storyline were very well done and held onto my attention all the way through. I also really liked Claire Heller Chapman’s character, although slightly naïve at times, she was still a great main character.

I recommend High Crimes to anyone looking for a good courtroom drama or an intriguing thriller.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html