"Reached" by Ally Condie

Warning: If you haven't read the first two books I'd wait to read this review on the third one.

Reached by Ally Condie is the third & final book to the Matched Trilogy . This book threw in a third point of view into the mix. We get to know Xander a bit more. Seeing things from his perspective along with Cassia & Ky's. I can honestly say I loved this trilogy from beginning to end. One of the best things about it is that even though there are some sad parts the ending is relatively happier then any other dystopian novel I have ever read!


 Cassia and her friends journey is nearing the end. After they joined the rebellion after what seems like ages they're finally striking. They use the disease the society made and use it against them. The Pilot. The Rebellion. They're the only ones who have a sufficient amount of the cure. Everything is going smoothly, they're gaining control of the city, but then it happens. The disease starts mutating and the cure is uttered useless. Cassia got the the disease and was cured before it mutated therefore she can't get it again, however; some of her friends and family weren't so lucky. Cassia, Xander, and the people from the stone villages are raising against the clock hoping to find a new cure in time.


This book and the Matched Trilogy in general had me from start to finish. Ally Condie is definitely one of my favorite authors now. To be honest there was one thing that slightly bugged me. The trilogy didn't leave me completely hanging, but if Ally wanted to she could definitely write a fourth book. Like seriously! What exactly is in the "other lands"? Is Matthew still alive? Who won the election? What will happen to the city? These questions aren't really important, they're very minor to the actual story line, but I just have to wonder. Regardless I can say that  if you're looking for a new trilogy to read I recommend this one.

                                                                                                                                                                                             Rating 4 out of 5
                         

"Crossed" by Ally Condie

Warning: If you haven't read the first book Matched I would not read the review for it's sequel, Crossed.  

Ally Condie continues Cassia &  Ky's dangerous journey with Crossed.  Something I really loved about this book besides the first person perspective, was that there was more then one perspective. I loved that one chapter was from Cassia's view, then the next was Ky's view. This way even though they were separated you still knew what was going on. 


 The first book ended with Ky and the other male Aberrations being sent away to play decoys in the middle of a war zone. The officials promised full citizenship status back to those who served out there for six months, however; the Aberrations aren't fools. No one survives in the outer provinces that long. Ky's memories of Cassia is all that gets him through the day. The dream of one day seeing her again.  Ky makes a couple new pals all longing to escape. How would they though? There's no where to run. No where, until they get stationed at a certain camp. Ky's original home before he moved to the inner provinces, and he remembers something. In order for there to be any chance of his plan working he'll have to leave almost everyone behind to die. Can he do it? Back in the inner provinces Cassia left Xander behind and is still trying to escape the city and go after Ky, however she's running out of time. Xander's still holding on to hope he can eventually win Cassia's heart, but he understands the importance of finding Ky so he gave her some things she could use on her journey. However the things he gave her are questionable. Will they help or cause more harm?
Cassia is staying at a reformatory work camp, when officials come for Aberration girls making them go play decoys right in the middle of the war zone too. In which Cassia finds her way out. She pretends to be an Aberration  War zone or not she knows Ky has to be out there some where. The only question on her mind now is, once she is outside the walls can she stay alive long enough to find him? 


This book is a little more suspenseful the the first one, but just as enjoyable. How many more secrets is the society hiding? Just like the first book I'd highly recommend this one too! The rebellious nature, the realization of how many choices were really taken away, the love story is just precious, but how long will it take for this love triangle to really be solved?  How much would you risk to get the ones you love back? 

                                                                         I'd rate this 4 out of 5.

"Matched" by Ally Condie

     
 Ally Condie created the perfect dystopian love story. I'm not usually very big on the whole romantic aspect of books, but this book and it's sequels definitely held my attention. One of my favorite things about Matched was the writing style. It's from a first person perspective so I get to read it as myself. I sincerely love books written in a first person perspective because it makes it that much easier to really put yourself into book & connect with the characters. 

Teenage Cassia Reyes believes she lives in the perfect society. You never have to feel the weight of being pressured by anything because the officials choose everything for you. EVERYTHING. They choose when you eat, what you eat, how much you eat, where you work, when your free time is, what music you can listen too, who you get to fall in love with, and when you should die. What's not to love right? Assuming you get to love at all, they might just nominate you to be a Single. Forever Alone. The match system is perfect. The officials match you once you turn seventeen. You get a big banquet, then they pair you off with someone you've never met. You get a microcard to study up on your match. Matched at seventeen, marriage contracts at 21, and you can have two kids as long as you have them before 30, and you die on your 80th birthday. It's all based on genes & common interests. Don't get to many citations though, they may just write you up as an aberration or worse! An anomaly. Luckily for Cassia she knows her match. They're best friends actually, grew up in the same borough even. Very rare. A couple to be jealous of for sure. Everything was just perfect until there was a mishap with her microcard. When she plugged it in, her match didn't come up. Another boy did. The irony is that Cassia realizes she knows this boy too. She knows the microcard was an accident, but she still can't help, but be curious. She sets off on a path of forbidden interests, only to discover how unperfect the society really is, and the dark secrets it harbors. 


 In my opinion Matched is a must read, it's not as gory and gruesome as other dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games Trilogy or The Maze Runner Trilogy , but it's still plenty action packed. It has a good subliminal message & it's one of the cutest love stories.
                                                      
                                                                                Rating 4 out of 5.