Rachelle Dekker

2016 Christy Award Winner! (Young Adult category) 2016 Christy Award Finalist (First novel category) Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she'd spent a lifetime preparing for--her Choosing ceremony--to end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she'll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it's her duty to follow the true way of the Authority. But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. Though the whispers contradict everything she's been told, they resonate deep within. Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she's always dreamed of, yet she can't shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

The Choosing

Mary Horton

Um...WOW. I've got to admit, I actually did not expect to like this book. (Hey, don't look at me that way--everyone has books they think "won't be their thing.") The cover is amazing, the plot intriguing, but...it's dystopian. And I know from experience that I typically don't jive well with that genre.

Welllllll...MAYBE THAT'S NOT TRUE. 

Because oh my word, this book blew. me. away. 


  Lovely Things:


- The characters. OOOOH YES. I've heard some reviewers say that the themes overshadowed the character development, but I actually think that they enhanced it. Rachelle Dekker did SUCH a good job creating believably amazing/horrible characters. You have Carrington, whose journey discovering her identity was extremely touching. Remko, the SWEET ADORABLE GUY WITH THE STUTTER. (Can I have him pleaseeee?) Helms, the hilariously full-of-himself bestie of Remko. Larkin, the strong, dependable girl who became a friend to Carrington when she had none. AND THEN THE VILLAIN EEEEK. He was absolutely revolting. The worst part about him? He actually thinks what he's doing is ridding the world of evil. Just...*shudders* HE WAS A MAJOR CREEP, OKAY?

- The writing style. For some reason, I totally clicked with the writing style. The author chose such interesting, unique words to describe things; and for whatever reason, I looooooved her writing style. (Also, news flash: not all dystopian novels are written in first person. XD)

- The themes. *sighs contentedly* This was one of my favorite parts about the book. Finding your identity in Christ--who created us all beautiful in His sight--is such an important thing to realize. There were moments that brought me to tears, moments that struck so close to home. I struggle a lot with identity issues so this book was a huge blessing to me. 

- The plot.  It was extremely good! There weren't a ton of surprises, but there were a few twists at the end that I didn't expect. Lots of action/suspense near the end that had my heart racing. ;)


  Not So Lovely Things:


-  The romance was a bit rushed.  Don't get me wrong, Carrington and Remko are adorable together...but I did feel a little taken aback by how quickly they were "a thing." 

-  It was a little disturbing.  Obviously, this is dystopian so I expected creepiness. It didn't really bother me, per se, but I can see how it would affect other readers. Also, the way they twist God's Word to form the Veritas was very unnerving. Which I guess is the point. 

All in all, I LOVED this book! I have the second one staring me down right now, and it's tempting to read it right away. XD

4.5 stars!

Aleena Korell

This is such a beautiful story. Rachelle brings some of the most unique characters together to tell about the struggle of identity-- something everyone faces. She mixes an intriguing story world with very real characters that are very easy to fall in love with. It's different than anything I've read yet has an undertone of familiarity-- something that people can connect to and understand. 
I read it all in one day because I didn't want to put it down :) I'm not going to write a lengthy review because I think you should stop reading this and just go read it yourself!! It's worth it, I promise!

Nickie Mohler

After the Ruining wiped out much of the world's population, The Authority became the power and the law. Girls were raised with the dream of being Chosen. When they are 17, they have their choosing ceremony. If they aren't chosen by a man, they are sent to the stacks to work with no hope of any other kind of life. The whole idea of this archaic nonsense made me mad! That is like putting "obey" back into wedding vows. Gah!! That being said, it was a very good story and I found myself rooting for Carrington and hoping for the demise of all those in power. I plan to continue on with the series.

The Choosing

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