Review: Pandemonium [Delirium #2] by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium
[Delirium #2]
Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 28th 2012 by HarperTeen
( Barnes & Noble / Goodreads )

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push, push, push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
-Goodreads

*I won an ARC copy of this book from HarperTeen*

Thoughts/Review:

If you are looking for a book that will leave you on the floor screaming at the top of your lungs with your hand clutching your heart then look no further readers. Pandemonium is the most kick ass sequel I think I have ever read and it left me hanging so bad I swear I have whiplash. If you have/had any doubt in your mind about Lauren Oliver delivering a knock out sequel to her trilogy then push that thought out of your mind NOW! I promise you, Pandemonium will leave you screaming for more and then some. A year is an excruciating wait after that ending.

The thing I really enjoyed about this book [and was super worried about how Oliver was going to do it] was how the chapters are told from alternating times. Every chapter flips between Now and Then and was the perfect way to show how Lena has grown since she jumped the fence and left her old life behind forever. We definitely get to see a new side to Lena that never existed before. While Delirium was all about love, Pandemonium is all about hate and anger. Anger towards herself, anger towards others and the hate she has in her heart for the things that went wrong. In order to grow and move forward you have to come to terms with the past and that is exactly what Lena is forced to do.

Now, I really wish I could babble on and on about all the things that shocked me, stole my breath, and caused me to faint but I can’t.  What I can tell you is that Lena is one bad ass chick once she finally starts to grow into herself and you are all in for one crazy heart wrenching ride. A new book comes with new characters and new problems to face and it was done magnificently. Now, I KNOW you all don’t want to hear this, but there IS a new man in the picture. Before you flip out and pull all of your hair out, just breathe! You have to read it for yourself and make your own opinion but boyyyyyyy are you going to be torn and confused and pissed off at yourself for enjoying a certain shower scene that shouldn’t make you smile [but totally does anyway]. Curious?! You should be!

I know I have been entirely vague but you will thank me when you read the book for yourselves. I need you all to make your own opinions on this one because I am so torn I feel like the other half of myself is floating off somewhere. Deep down I KNEW it was going to end like that but nothing compares with actually reading and feeling it. Lauren Oliver I just have one thing to ask you…Do you enjoy stomping on my heart and then making me wait a year to fix it?! All I have to say readers is buckle up. You are in for one intense ride. Pandemonium is all you could want in a sequel and more. Heartbreak, loss, determination and a drive that will inspire you to go beyond what you think you can do. Say goodbye to everything you knew, because nothing will ever be the same.

Rating:

★★★★★

Five Heart-Stopping Stars

[Seriously, a year?! I have to wait a YEAR?!]

**** **** **** ****

Uh people. I finished this book a month ago and I STILL feel my heart breaking. The only problem I think you will have with this is the fact that you will have to wait A YEAR to see what happens next. Seriously folks. Get ready, your world is going to be turned upside down.