REVIEW: PANDEMONIUM (DELIRIUM #2) by Lauren Oliver



Goodreads

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

 

Hardcover, 375 pages

Published February 28th 2012 by Harper Teen

My Thoughts:
This is quickly becoming my new favorite series. I absolutely fell in love with Delirium, and I've been so excited to read Pandemonium. I actually re-read Delirium and then read Hana just before reading this one, and I'm so glad I did. The wounds from the 1st book were still fresh, just like Lena's pain, and it made the events in Pandemonium that much more intense.

Pandemonium is formatted a little differently than Delirium, and it really works best for the telling of this part of Lena's story. The chapters alternate between when Lena first arrives in the Wilds and events happening in the present, which is 6 months after she flees Portland.

Lena's whole life changed after Portland. Nothing is what she was expecting, and surviving the Wilds without Alex is excruciating. She learns to push back her past. Hide it. "The old life is dead" as her new ally Raven says. She learns the harsh realities of the Wilds, the secrets and fears of the homesteaders. She becomes one of them, and then, she becomes part of the Resistance.

The Resistance has picked up and events are happening all around the country in which they are staging explosions, freeing prisoners, and generally starting unrest. Lena's in a new city, with a new identity, a new past, and a new purpose. But when things go wrong at a rally, Lena is faced with difficult circumstances, and her past begins to resurface. She loved someone once. Can she love again? But most importantly, can she hold on to love, or will it once again be ripped from her?

This sequel is packed with more suspense, more deceit, more uncertainty, and more exhilaration than book 1. The new characters in Lena's life all play their roles, while she finds some surprising connections, she also uncovers some serious information. And the ending will leave your heart racing and begging for book 3!

Buy the books:

Delirium paperback

Pandemonium hardcover

Hana e-book

REVIEW: HANA (Delirium 1.5) by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver's riveting, original digital story set in the world of her New York Times bestseller Delirium.

The summer before they're supposed to be cured of the ability to love, best friends Lena and Hana begin to drift apart. While Lena shies away from underground music and parties with boys, Hana jumps at her last chance to experience the forbidden. For her, the summer is full of wild music, dancing—and even her first kiss.

But on the surface, Hana must be a model of perfect behavior. She meets her approved match, Fred Hargrove, and glimpses the safe, comfortable life she’ll have with him once they marry. As the date for her cure draws ever closer, Hana desperately misses Lena, wonders how it feels to truly be in love, and is simultaneously terrified of rebelling and of falling into line.

In this digital story that will appeal to fans of Delirium and welcome new admirers to its world, readers will come to understand scenes from Delirium through Hana's perspective. Hana is a touching and revealing look at a life-changing and tumultuous summer.


My Thoughts:

Some of you may know that Delirium is one of my favorite books. It is beautiful and scary and inspiring and Lauren Oliver brings all of those things to her short story Hana.  We get a unique glimpse into Hana's world while Lena is falling for Alex.

It was really fascinating to find out what was going on in Hana's life during Delirium, and also eye opening. Throughout Delirium Lena feels that Hana is more beautiful, more daring, more brave; however, after glimpsing Hana's story, it's more like the opposite is revealed.

It's a short story, so I do not want to give anything away even though it retraces the time period of Delirium there is a brand new view here. And after all is said and done, I'm so sure I like Hana anymore.

This is a must read for Delirium fans and I strongly suggest reading it right in between Delirium and Pandemonium.

Get Hana Here

REVIEW- Delirium by Lauren Oliver

You can view the synopsis for Delirium by Lauren Oliver (via Goodreads) by clicking the title.

 A few weeks back, I had a nine hour drive home from Atlanta, Georgia. Good thing I downloaded the audio book Delirium, by LaurenOliver, narrated by Sarah Drew- who did a fabulous job narrating. Good thing I listened to it. I was quick to realize the entire buzz that had been buzzing about this book!

Can you imagine living in a world without love? In Delirium, the government has banned love and is considered taboo, a disease called deliria. You are given the cure by your eighteenth birthday. You better hope you don’t catch the disease until you receive the cure are you’re in a world of punishment. Before the cure, you are interviewed then matched to an arranged marriage. Once you get the cure (works in most cases), you don’t know what love is, what pain is; no sentiment what so ever.

Lena was excited about receiving the cure, until she met Alex that is. Alex is such a total knight and shining armor kinda guy with a total yum factor! And that’s when the story got intense and I was clenching my hands against the steering wheel anticipating on what happened next. Can Lena fight the disease or will she surrender?

Wow Ms. Oliver… look what you did to me: The ending nearly made my ass wreck... seriously not joking! I was all like what the frickin' fruck and I nearly missed my exit and had to slam brakes on the interstate. Needless to say I scared the shit out of myself, almost gave my mother a myocardial infarction, and burned rubber off my brand new tires! Thank the Interstate God there wasn’t a vehicle on my rear, or it would have been straight up it. Yep... so Delirium officially burned rubber on me. *sings song*

Soooo… holy freakin’ heart attack, this book was Tony the Tiger grrrrrrrrrrreat and I give it 5 stars. Code blue, code blue… I need Pandemonium, book 2 STAT!!

Kimberly