Book Recommendations…”Matched” by Ally Condie”

Yes, I’ve decided not to call them “book reviews” any longer.  I think it’s better for me to call them book recommendations and then only let you know about the books I would actually tell someone to read.  It’s not that there aren’t books I don’t like, I just don’t want to publicly say bad things about other authors or their work.  Heck, if I’m lucky, I might meet some of them someday.  On Goodreads, I do rate books, and some have higher ratings than others, so take that however you want.

Anyway, I have a list of about seven or eight books I’ve read and haven’t posted here.  I’m going to start today with “Matched” by Ally Condie.  Here’s the blurb from Amazon:

For Cassia, nothing is left to chance–not what she will eat, the job she will have, or the man she will marry. In Matched, the Society Officials have determined optimal outcomes for all aspects of daily life, thereby removing the “burden” of choice. When Cassia’s best friend is identified as her ideal marriage Match it confirms her belief that Society knows best, until she plugs in her Match microchip and a different boy’s face flashes on the screen. This improbable mistake sets Cassia on a dangerous path to the unthinkable–rebelling against the predetermined life Society has in store for her. As author Ally Condie’s unique dystopian Society takes chilling measures to maintain the status quo, Matched reminds readers that freedom of choice is precious, and not without sacrifice.

I really liked this book a lot.  It was written well and kept my interest.  It is very similar to “The Giver” by Lois Lowry if you’ve ever read that.  This felt very realistic, and the world was easy to get into and enjoy.  I also liked the main characters and their interactions and how they dealt with the issues that faced them.  Some really rose above and I found myself really rooting for them.  I’m excited for the second book in the series and would recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian, and even those who don’t.

If for no other reason, read it just because the cover is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!