Review of Enclave by Ann Aguirre

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.


As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known.

What if all of your favorite post apocalyptic and dystopian books were able to marry and produce offspring? The outcome of such a phenomenal mash-up would have the potential to be the most uber fabulous, end all of end all stories. It would have action, adventure, struggle, zombies, sickness, corrupt leadership, strong protagonist, and amazing characters. In fact, it would be exactly like ENCLAVE.

This book has it all and then some!

At first I feared that there was too much going on in the book and fought the urge to compare it to other popular books in this genre. But, sooner rather than later, I forgot why I was so skeptical and surrendered all to the plot. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

The story is really made of three different parts. The first (and longest storyline) focusing on the people who have been surviving the apocalypse underground for centuries--never setting their eyes on the sun and everything "top side". Underground they have developed a type of government and assign people jobs (this was very reminiscent of City of Ember). Some people are born to be breeders, some builders, and others hunters. The Hunters are the group of people that go through the tunnels and collect food and try to remove "The Freaks" which are zombie like creatures that live underground and one of the threats to the settlement. However, there is another threat to the long term survival of the enclave and that is their life spans. For an unknown reason, most likely from nutrition or lack of sunlight, the people born and living in the underground enclave's do not live long, in fact their Elder is 25 years old.

This first part of the book not only introduces us to the characters and their way of life underground, but also to the relationships that become very important through out the rest of the story. In particular that of Deuce, the huntress, and Fade the orphan boy who joined the enclave only years earlier. It is the bond between them that leads us to the second part of the storyline. Together they are exiled from the enclave and forced to try to make it "top side" where gangs of boys are the main threat (this part reminded me of The Hunger Games where Peeta and Katniss are in the arena).

The third part focuses on Deuce, Fade and a couple of new friends and their journey to find a safer place to take shelter. As they travel North we see how the stress and uncertainty of the journey effects their bonds and how they strive to persevere in a hostile world.

Though there are lots of things that on their own would and have already made interesting stories, joined together they made something really awesome. I was very sad when it ended because I wasn't ready to close the book. I was pleased to discover that there is another book in this series coming out in 2012...it just can't get here soon enough!

2011 is definitely proving to be full of amazing books and ENCLAVE is one of my favorites!!!

Matched by Ally Condie (my review)

*This review was originally posted on Paperback Dolls

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

I'd heard of this book sometime last year and had seen reviews for it on other blogs, but for some reason or another I hadn't pre-ordered it or picked it up on one of my trips to the bookstore. When winter break for me came along I had a long list of books that I wanted to read while on vacation from school and was already reading those when I started getting headaches and was unable to read as much as planned. But that didn't stop me, I had some credits saved on audible and got some audio books to entertain me and Matched was one of them.

I fell in love with this book instantly. I found myself sitting and just listening to this book even when my headache had gone away. I couldn't do anything else while in the midst of this story but listen to the narrator tell Cassia's story. Her voice was so sweet and clear, it was like I was listening to a friend (my age) tell me about her life and I was enchanted by every word.

At the heart of the story is a very real kind of love triangle and contrary to the way I normally despise these types of plots, this one I didn't mind. Both potential suitors are equally good, in very different ways. The way the author introduced Xander and Ky to readers we feel the same uncertainty and confusion that Cassia does. It was very interesting and full of mystery because we as readers aren't positive what is real and what is simply orchestrated by The Society (government officials that are in charge of practically everything). I found I was putting myself in the heroine's shoes and wondering what I would do and feel in her place.

By the end of the story I had fallen in love with the characters and anxious to find out what happens next. Matched is such a thought provoking read that has just enough feeling of "what if" and "it could happen" that makes everything so believable. It made me stop and think about things in ways I hadn't since reading Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy, but in less violent and graphic ways. This book really showcases what a world *could* become if the government forced everyone to be more equal and stripped the individual ways we can express ourselves. Good stuff!

Peace & Love
~Desilula

The next book in the series is due out November 1, 2011.
Visit Ally Condie's WEBSITE to learn more about her works.