Plot Synopsis:

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths. 

Until  June's brother is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect.

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.


I always found these in my local bookstore and last month I bought one because "Eh, might as well, her book signing's coming up soon anyways." And what a good buy it was!

With this book series's two-perspective writing style, I'm a bit worried that it'll end like the Divergent series; with a damnable twist that'll leave fanboys and fangirls in ruin. Hopefully not.

As the story progresses, I can see Marie Lu's inspiration for this book become more and more apparent. A modern take on Victor Hugo's behemoth of a novel Les Miserables: A misunderstood criminal with good intentions being hounded by a prodigious detective/law-person  all for stealing the proverbial bread. A what if Jean Valjean and Javert were teenagers in a dystopian world and what if they fall in love? Ok, I admit, that's a terrifying image! XD But it's a somewhat original concept and it's one of the things that captured me.

June Iparis seems to be the perfect protagonist, a prodigy, perfect Trial score, and fast reflexes among other considerable traits. She follows the law (to some extent). But she is also a teenager, meaning she is also susceptible to things that affect teenagers. Like love.

When June Iparis goes undercover to track down the Republic's most wanted mysterious criminal Day, the mysterious most wanted criminal who's identity the Republic doesn't even know, who supposedly killed her brother. Instead of a grimy-looking bastard, she meets an attractive street-urchin who fits Day's description all too well,  she finds that she can't take her eyes off him, that she gets a shiver every time he touches her. She's fallen in love with the criminal she needs to turn in.

But Day is in desperate need of plague cures after is little brother is struck with it. It's life or death. Together with Tess, they search all over Los Angeles for a cure.

Day found Tess when she was nine-years old and scavenging for scraps just to servive. She was at first reluctant at Day's generosity at taking her in, but she grows to like and trust him.
And ever since then, they only had each other.

Tess really, really cares for Day, how many times has she saved his ass before? And Day cares deeply for her too.


But she swore revenge against her brother's killer.

“You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my mind, I make a silent promise to my brother's killer.

I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.”

But when she finds out that this boy is the one she's tracking during a "Skiz" fight, will she choose duty and turn him in to justice, to be executed, or love and run away with him, away from the Republic's watching eyes and atrocious secrets. Secrets that can either destroy or keep "order" that keeps their brittle society intact.

What is this plague that is haunting Los Angeles and killing hundreds of people each year? What happened with the United States of America? Where do the people who fail their Trials go to really? Is June really the only prodigy in the Republic to score a perfect 1500?

This novel gave me a Dystopian Halo-esque feel to it, military academies, their sceneries, the Republic of Los Angeles against the Colonies and the Patriots.

Novels like this is what fuels the Dystopian genre to popularity. This book is not as grimy as, say, The Hunger Games but not as dystopian in the sense of the word as Divergent. Fans of dystopian books will rejoice in this novel of love and action!

“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means every thing's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”

“I don't know if anyone's ever told you this", he begins. He doesn't blush, and his eyes don't dart away. Instead I find myself staring into a pair of oceans - one perfect, the other blemished by that tiny ripple. "You're very attractive."

I've been complimented on my appearance before. But never in his tone of voice. Of all the things he's said, I don't know why this catches me off guard. But it startles me so much that without thinking I blurt out, "I could say the same about you." I pause. "In case you didn't know."

A slow grin spreads across his face. "Oh, trust me. I know.”