Reddit reviews Legend (A Legend Novel, Book 1)

Legend (The Legend Trilogy) by Marie Lu##

Click here for the book.

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The YA sci-fi books I've read recently have spread out in several directions, not just the space opera type. All published and read recently:

• Across the Universe series by Beth Revis
  
• Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis, which was kind of a sci-fi/fantasy mashup, though closer to real-world portals.
  
• Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. Sci-fi/fantasy mashup also, but more steampunk than anything else.
  
• Legend trilogy by Marie Lu, closer to the Hunger Games dystopian feel
  
• Adaptation by Malinda Lo, set in 2015, I think? Not far in the future.
  
• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, another near-future dystopia with fairly modern tech
  
• Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci, which was totally Titan A.E. + religious cults
  
  You could possibly jam books like Matched and Delirium under the sci-fi label, but they didn't go into the tech much.

big chefin.

Working as a barista I burn myself a lot. One time the espresso machine was on the fritz and the steam wand sprayed hot milk all over my face. I have also accidentally spilled an entire cup of hot coffee down my shirt.

At home, I remember the first time I ever cooked bacon. I had it on too high and the oil was starting to pop. I went to turn it down lower and it let out a huge pop and sprayed hot oil all over my arm.

When I was a kid I put my hand down on the stove without realizing my mom has just used that burner. My entire finger was one big blister. It was disgusting and so painful I had to keep ice on it even when i was in the shower.

I am very accident prone.

Item. If the price raises then anything else on my list is fine too. Thanks for the contest!

11-14

• Hatchet, about a boy stranded in the Canadian wilderness.
  
• Holes, about a boy cursed with bad luck who ends up in a prison camp
  
• Leviathan trilogy, a retelling of WWI where the Austro-Hungarians have mechas and the British have genetically-engineered whale blimps. This is evenly split between a male and female perspective (and a huge hit in a relative's special ed class for the same age group).
  
• The Ranger's Apprentice, introductory medieval fantasy about a boy training to be a ranger.
  
• Incarceron, about a steampunk labyrinth prison and the fake medieval world outside.
  
• The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, about mutant detectives in future Zimbabwe.
  
  15-18
  
  
• World War Z, about a zombie apocalypse and how different countries and people deal with it. Has a lot to say about geopolitics. (Not necessarily YA, but popular in that age group)
  
• Feed, where everyone has the internet in their heads from birth. While partying on the moon, boy meets girl who didn't get the feed until age 6.
  
• John Green's other books, like Looking for Alaska, etc all have male protagonists.
  
• Little Brother, about a teenage hacker swept up by the Department of Homeland Security after a terrorist attack on California.
  
• Legend trilogy, about a dystopian United States and a police prodigy trying to track down another 15-year old rebel. This is another one split between a male and female perspective.
  
• Kurt Vonnegut and Tim O'Brien are technically adult authors, but very accessible and popular in that age group.
  
  Would also second Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson, Ender's Game, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that other commentators mentioned.
  
  Also, you may be interested in /r/YAlit and /r/YAwriters.

I saw that you're always looking for YA with strong female characters? Let me crack my knuckles, I love exercising the Masters degree I never get to use.

• Legend by Marie Lu is hugely wonderful. It's a 3-book dystopian trilogy, but the girl is kick-ass. This is probably my favorite YA dystopian.
  
• Matched by Allie Condy - in case you haven't picked this one up yet, it's a dystopian "arranged marriage break out of your shell" bit. It's pretty good.
  
• Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. This was SO GOOD. Everyone needs to read this book. It's got a kick-ass heroine, a hilarious and dry wit, it's soulful, it's sweet, it's got twists I actually DID NOT EXPECT!! A+ would wipe my memory and reread. (she's a female paladin, need I say more?!)
  
• You gotta have the Vampire Academy series as well. I thought it was just going to be a silly "vampire boarding school" book but it's actually a whole lot more.
  
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is an amazing YA book dealing with living overseas, finding love and home ... it's pretty great. Its sequel (Lola & the Boy Next Door) is also great, for different reasons.
  
• Love Letters to the Dead is about a girl who writes letters to deceased celebrities, and it helps her cope with her older sister's death. A really relateable read.
  
• My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick is a lovely, sweet book about finding family everywhere.
  
  I could keep going if you want, just let me know! :D

This is the first book that made me start questioning life. I mean if the leaders in his world could do so many awful things under the guise of harmony, what could my own leaders being doing? I'd like to read this book because I still love dystopian society books.

Midnighters are tonally different than the Unwind series, but I still recommend it to anyone who's fine with reading YA. It's a pretty classic good versus evil story. If you like Unwind then I recommend Partials, which is fun commentary on the dangers and advantages of genetically engineered human beings. I also recommend Legend by Marie Lu. But basically everyone recommends Legend.

I'll stop reccing books now. But in theory you'll eventually run out of books and you're welcome to come back for more recs. I will have them. [It wasn't until this thread that I realized how many books I actually so read.]