Book Review: When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

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When I Kill You  by B.A. Paris  opens with Nell Masters feeling as though she's being watched, possible by someone connected to her past. She tries to convince herself it's al in her head, brushing it off as paranoia. But, is her past truly coming back to haunt her? B.A. Paris is one of my favorite authors from across the pond, so when I saw she had a new novel coming out, I knew I had to request an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) from NetGalley. When I received the approval, I was overjoyed. A big thank you goes out to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. Going into  When I Kill You , I knew absolutely nothing about the synopsis before requesting it and diving in. At first, I did struggle a bit to get into the story. Part of that was because the writing didn't feel as strong as I've come to expect from the author; it came across as a bit juvenile. That said, the further I read, the more the wri...
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Book Review: Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth

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The Running Bibliophile Book Review Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth explores a world where choices have consequences and loyalty is constantly tested. With the factions in turmoil and war looming over Chicago, Tris, Four, and several others seek temporary refuge with the peaceful Amity faction. But, safety is fleeting. When members of the Erudite and Dauntless factions arrive in search of refugees, whom they view as traitors, Tris and her allies realize they can’t stay hidden for long. Forced to move on, they join forces with the factionless, only to uncover shocking truths that change everything they thought they knew.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth took me only six days to read, and while I genuinely loved the sequel, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor, Divergent. That didn’t really surprise me, though, because I tend to feel this way about sequels. I had similar reactions to New Moon by Stephenie Meyer and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, where the second book just didn’t quite capture the same magic as the first.

One of the main reasons I didn’t enjoy Insurgent as much was that certain parts felt a bit slow. There were moments where the pacing lagged, which pulled me out of the story slightly. Another reason, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, is that while I love romance as part of a story, I don’t want it to overshadow the plot. In Insurgent, I felt like the romantic elements sometimes distracted from the larger stakes and action, rather than enhancing them.

insurgent veronica roth book review
That being said, there were so many things I loved about this book. I appreciated that the story picked up immediately after the events of Divergent, which made it feel like a true continuation rather than a disconnected sequel. I also loved how nothing was ever quite what it seemed, and the massive reveal about Four’s backstory was especially compelling. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything for readers who haven’t experienced it yet, but in my opinion, it was a powerful and memorable twist. And the ending, oh my goodness, was absolutely fantastic. I didn’t see it coming at all, but when I looked back, it felt like the only way Insurgent could have ended.

Even though I gave Insurgent three out of five stars, I truly adored this book. Considering that I don’t usually gravitate toward dystopian novels, that says a lot. If you’re a fan of the first Divergent book, young adult dystopian fiction, or fast-paced stories filled with action, secrets, and emotional stakes, I definitely recommend reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth.


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