YA Book Pick: CHAMPION

On the second Monday of every month, we choose an outstanding YA book to review. We want to spotlight books of interest to aspiring writers, as well as highlight some of our favorite books and authors!

This month's book pick is CHAMPION (#3 in the Legend series) by Marie Lu.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

First Line: "Out of all the disguises I've worn, this one might be my favorite."

For fans of the series, this line puts you right back into the world of dystopian intrigue. I knew immediately that this was the voice of Day, the male POV character.

Highlights: I reviewed the first book in this trilogy, LEGEND, two years ago (back when this was a brand-new blog!). As you can see from that review, I was absolutely blown away by the tight writing and pacing.

It's hard to sustain reader interest all the way through three books, but Marie Lu accomplishes it by raising the stakes substantially with each book. In this one, the nations are at war, which changes everything the characters have ever known. 

She also expands the world we've come to know in a fantastic scene where some of the characters visit another nation, one that couldn't be more different from the Republic or Colonies. I'm not going to spoil anything, but suffice it to say that the culture of this other nation was fascinating and well-thought-out.

Notes for Writers: It's tough to wrap up a trilogy with characters readers have come to love in a way that's satisfying, but still believable. I thought the ending of this book hit it right on the money. It's bittersweet, but with the same note of hope for a better future that was a common thread throughout the series.

A Good Read For: Writers working on a series. The whole trilogy is an excellent example of the right way to maintain forward momentum and reader interest over the course of a series. And judging by the reviews on Goodreads, I wasn't the only one who thought so!