Book Review: Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

Author: Bethany Hagen
Publisher: Dial
Pages: 384

Series/Standalone: Series

Synopsis:

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.

IN A NUTSHELL

A dystopian that's far more sophisticated than most.

Although I haven't read the Selection series I see Landry Park as being somewhat like that book. The elegance, ball gowns, and the I-am-better-than-you attitude. Like I said I could be totally wrong.

SETTING

The setting was much like most Dystopian-ish worlds. By that I mean you have the people who think they're better then everyone else, and then those who live poorly. (I guess you could say it's much like the real world) We did get to learn some about how Madeline's world came to be. What made them think they were better than the others. The world-building was nothing spectacular, but that's just my opinion. Take it for what it worth, which is probably a grain of salt. :)

While the world building itself wasn't my cup of tea although the sophistication was there (they weren't having kids kill kids) They let the poor do jobs that would eventually make them sick. They let the world itself do the killing. It's a step up from people killing people right? No.

CHARACTERS

I had a hard time believing I would love the characters from the beginning of the story what with the holier than thou attitude, but I grew to enjoy a few of them as the story neared an end.

Madeline at times definitely had me wondering if she would go with her gut feeling, and be true to herself. Sometimes I felt she'd do what was easier, but eventually she picked where she wanted her loyalties to lie. I believe she will definitely grow to be a strong lady.

David frustrated me so much because he was either hot or cold with Madeline and I hate when they play games with each other. Pick one girl or the other fool. :P I will say it does eventually work itself out, and we see some twists. :) 

ENDING

It's not really what I was expecting. Then again some parts are exactly what I wanted.

Book Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 320

Series/Standalone: Series

Synopsis:

Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

MY THOUGHTS

Is it wrong to say I love Ally Carter? I don't think there's one book of hers that I didn't enjoy.  That's saying somethin because according to goodreads she's my most read author with 9 books. Nine books! I haven't read that many from Richelle Mead and she's my favorite (or so I thought). 

Anyways,  All Fall Down really couldn't of come at a better time for reading because I just finished her Gallagher Girls Series, and was wondering if I would get anymore of her quirky , on the edge, lovable characters like Cammie, Bex, Macey, Liz, Katarina, Hale, or Zach. While they're different stories with different problems they definitely have the Ally Carter-ness to them. :)

We go from Spies, to thieves, to con artists, to a diplomats grand-daughter which I guess could be very similar to the afore mentioned. 

All Fall Down has a bit of a dystopian like feel to it. The world in set up differently. I mean you still have the US and other countries, but it's different.

I liked Grace as a character she understood that sometimes you got to fight for what you believe. 

I liked that the other kids around her also tried to help her figure out who this person was.

Things happen that you definitely don't see coming (or maybe you're more perceptive then me and do). Either way be ready for for a shock. ;) 

The ending was a killer, and I don't know if I can wait for the second book to come out. This...this is why I try and wait to read the first book.