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Review copy provided via NetGalley

Why I Read this Book: I’m going to be honest, when I first heard about Delirium from those who had attended BEA 2010, I had no interest in reading this book. Yes, I had read Before I Fall and yes, I thought it was a great, moving read. But for some reason or another I wasn’t immediately captivated by Delirium. Then I started seeing the reviews and that’s what got me. Next thing you know, I was itching to get my hands on this book.

What I Liked: At first, the premise for Delirium didn’t really catch my attention. But as I started reading more dystopian novels, I’ve come to learn that I enjoy reading books from this genre. Before I Fall was well-written, not just as a debut novel but for a novel that focused on retelling the same day over and over � and over again � seven times. That’s a hard feat to accomplish without losing a reader from boredom!

I liked that the pacing with Lena and Alex’s relationship was believable. If there’s one thing about YA novels that annoys me, it’s those rapid fire I Love You’s exchanged by the main characters after only a week of dating. Lena and Alex are both likeable characters, and each in their own way. At first, Lena is a sheep; she goes along with the program of ‘love is bad�. But thanks to Alex, she reassesses her opinion and starts to think for herself and begins to have her own opinion on the matter. Alex is a very appealing character; he’s the forbidden bad-boy. But he’s the guy that makes you question all the rules.

The ending � OMG! � the ending! It sucker punched me. The whole time I was reading the ending, I was thinking No, no. no!!! It felt like I couldn’t breathe. My head was spinning. Delirium put me in a funk for a few days. It’s hard to let go of these characters.

What I Didn’t Like: Delirium was a slow starter for me. It’s told in first person narrative, from Lena’s POV, so there’s a lot of thinking and analyzing going on. Because of this, I wasn’t pulled in right away. Delirium didn’t grab me until page 131, about 1/3 of the way into the book. But after that, I was hooked.

Overall Impression: Delirium will leave a long lasting effect on your heartstrings. It doesn’t just pull on them, it YANKS them. This is a book that will have you thinking and it will affect your emotions. It will take you a while, perhaps a couple of days, to recover. Be prepared for the anxiety that is sure to come after you read Delirium and as you wait for Pandemonium, book 2 in this trilogy. It will eat at you for days. Delirium is a definite must-read for YA readers. Fans of Before I Fall will definitely enjoy reading Delirium. I also think fans of Matched will enjoy this book as well.

Note to self: Re-read the last chapter in Delirium before starting Pandemonium.