The Pledge (The Pledge, #1)

Nov 09, 2012 Laura Newcombe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: most-anticipated, memorable-covers, everybody-is-raving, blinded-by-cover-lust, 2011-reads, 2012-reads, 2011-release, life-is-full-of-disappointment

After reading:

When I decided to finally read The Pledge last year, it was partly because I was beginning to enjoy The Body Finder series and partly because THAT COVER IS AMAZING. But, honestly, I didn’t understand this book. I didn’t understand the political system (to be fair, I get that that is kinda the idea of these books, but I like to be able to grasp the basic concept of these things), I didn’t understand the country or its history, and I certainly didn’t understand Charlie and Max’s rela...more

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Oct 28, 2011 April rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, dystopian, ereader, for-review

The Pledge is Kimberly Derting’s latest book. It’s a dystopia. Democracy has fallen. Nations are ruled by matrilineal queens. In Charlaina’s society citizens are divided and stratified by language. Englaise is the common language spoken by all classes. Each class has their own language as well, so for example the vendor class speaks Pashon. Charlaina, Charlie for short, can understand every language, even though it is against the law. One is not supposed to acknowledge or look up when another sp...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Blythe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, didn-t-see-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, gimme-the-next-book, i-totally-saw-that-coming, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, project-dystopian, surprised-i-didn-t-hate-it, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, read-reviewed, caught-in-a-bad-romance

Kimberly Derting's The Pledge has a lot going for it: it has an interesting and original concept, fascinating (albeit mostly lacking) world-building, great writing that allows the novel to flow easily and makes for a quick read, some interesting relationship dynamics, and an explosive ending making way for an interesting sequel. However, that being said, The Pledge also has a lot that is not going for it, most prominently the characterization, the predictability of the plot, and, last but certai...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ebook, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

In Kimberly Derting's The pledge, we embark on a fairy-tale like story set in a dystopian future where language dictates your class standing. I was first attracted to this book by it's intriguing premise and original setting. Unfortunately, I found myself unable to connect to the characters nor was I very invested in the story.

As a reader, I'm very character oriented. I feel the need to be able to relate to the characters. Feel their emotions, understand their decisions and connect with their pe...more In Kimberly Derting's The pledge, we embark on a fairy-tale like story set in a dystopian future where language dictates your class standing. I was first attracted to this book by it's intriguing premise and original setting. Unfortunately, I found myself unable to connect to the characters nor was I very invested in the story.

As a reader, I'm very character oriented. I feel the need to be able to relate to the characters. Feel their emotions, understand their decisions and connect with their personalities. I didn't feel any of this with Charlie, the protagonist in The Pledge. I felt very detached from her. She didn't have any distinct traits or strengths. I also never felt the connection between her and Max - the love interest. It was never clear why Max was so infatuated with her. She simply "intrigued him", whatever that means. The one part I did enjoy was Charlie's relationship with her sister. She was deeply devoted to saving her sister and making sure she was ok. I was also happy about the presence of the parents in the book.

Charlie has a big secret, she can understand all languages. In this world, if you even look at a person while they are speaking a language of a higher class, that is punishable by death. I did find this to be a bit harsh, but not necessarily unrealistic. If we take the present, there are already a lot of problematic prejudices caused by language, so I could see, in a dystopian future, that it could come to this. The part about the world building that I had a problem with was that I couldn't fathom how society would put a full worldwide matriarchy in place of a democracy. It wasn't very well explained, how it came about. World building is especially important in a dystopic setting, and The Pledge did not have me convinced.

I was never surprised by the events that occurred during the story. It was as expected and went in a fairly straight route. The pacing was pretty decent, but the action was mild and the excitement was short lived. I never felt especially alarmed during the book, neither did I feel intimidated by the Queen. It was over fairly quickly without much aftershock, and we barely got any details regarding the magic. Why was Angelina not speaking? What's the point of Charlie's abilities? She never really took advantage of them which was pretty disappointing. I guess a sequel may cover it, but It felt strongly like a stand-alone novel. I'm not sure if a sequel is planned, but I can't see where the plot would go from here.(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Juhina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, dystopian

I have been hesitant to read The Pledge because I have not read that many great reviews, but when I found it in audio, I just had to give it a try, and i am SO GLAD I did because this book was incredible! The light dystopian element, the historical themes, the revolutionary plots. Every single minute of listening to this audio kept me on the edge! I would stay a couple of minutes in the car after I parked because I just didn't want to leave this world. In the end I ended up getting the ebook and...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Hayden Casey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, history-with-author, own-it, ending-rocked, mega-awesome-cover, thank-god-it-s-a-stand-alone

I wasn't all that impressed with THE BODY FINDER, and I was pretty hesitant when THE PLEDGE showed up on my doorstep. I wasn't sure Kimberly Derting deserved another chance. If I didn't like her first novel, what were the odds I'd like the first book in a totally different genre? How big were the chances I'd find the experience of reading her third novel like I did her first and give up on her in general? Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I'm glad I did end up giving it a chance, because it wasn...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Najla rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dystopian fan

Recommended to Najla by: Worood

Shelves: reviewed

I was drawn to this book by the concept that Democracy has fallen and Monarchy has taken place. Ludania can only be ruled properly as a Kingdom, or more precisely as a "Queendom" at which only a queen can rule the lands and any male royal has no place as an heir to the throne.

The present queen is a strong cunning woman but she is too aged. She's vicious more than anyone can imagine and old more than anyone can imagine, so she has a difficult job of finding a new queen with royal blood after lo...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Jona Romulo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, book-boyfriend

Captivating. Moving. Engaging. This is a really good dystopian world. However, I was a bit surprised to know that it has fantasy in it. It reminds me somehow of Cinder by Marissa Meyer, they both have the same heroine, hero and villain qualities.

This book is hard to review without spilling some spoilers. Ugh. It has all a dystopian world can have - war, resistance, ruler, and danger. It's one dangerous world. But I love everything about it. I can't believe how I easily became attached with all t...more

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Nov 28, 2011 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I think this was a great start to a promising series. I really enjoyed it!

Seventeen-year old Charlaina, Charlie, lives in the kingdom of Ludania ruled by cruel and ancient Queen Sabara. Her subjects are divided by classes, languages, and strict rules that govern them. A person can be put to death for small infractions, so all must be careful. The country is currently in turmoil because there is a war going on. There are revolutionaries that have risen up to change the oppressive conditions. Char...more I think this was a great start to a promising series. I really enjoyed it!

Seventeen-year old Charlaina, Charlie, lives in the kingdom of Ludania ruled by cruel and ancient Queen Sabara. Her subjects are divided by classes, languages, and strict rules that govern them. A person can be put to death for small infractions, so all must be careful. The country is currently in turmoil because there is a war going on. There are revolutionaries that have risen up to change the oppressive conditions. Charlie can speak and understand all languages, and that is strictly forbidden. Charlie must never let on that she understands any but the languages of a daughter of a Vendor.

Charlie however, starts to attract the attention of a newcomer to her city, Max. She hears him speaking in a language that she's never heard before, and this fascinates her. Somehow, Charlie senses that Max knows she can understand his language. She wants to stay away from him because this frightens her. Max for his part, knows that Charlie has some secrets, but he has a few of his own. But the chemistry between the two is undeniable, and they can't seem to stay apart. I loved this quote:

He disarmed me by smiling. Then, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, his voice rumbled low, caressing my heart. "I would have found a way for us to be together even if you'd been a servant's daughter, Charlie. You do intrigue me, but not for any reasons you suspect." He leaned in then and kissed me again, sweet and soft and tender, silencing my arguments and stealing my breath, making me wonder how one simple gesture could be so tragically lovely.

I know this book was labeled as a dystopian novel but I felt it had a fairy-tale quality to it with the evil queen, and the magic element. I enjoyed Charlies's relationship and devotion to her friends and family. My favorite was the shared affection and love between Charlie and her sister, Angelina. It really touched my heart. I also liked her best friend Aron and his loyalty. Brooklyn, I'm still on the fence about her. I liked that there was no love triangle in sight, those have really been grating on my nerves lately! I also loved that this didn't end on a cliffhanger (thank you Kimberly!). It did however, leave you with the threat of something sinister to come. I guess we'll find out in the next book.
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Jan 06, 2012 Tara Parsell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Set in a post-apocalyptic society--in what I can only assume used to be the United States--17 year old Charlie has a secret. Unlike everyone else in her class, or in any other class, she understands other languages--a sin punishable by death if discovered. It's a secret so important, she hides it from everyone, including her two closest friends, only to be discovered by someone else who could be more dangerous that she'd like to admit.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's the fir...more Set in a post-apocalyptic society--in what I can only assume used to be the United States--17 year old Charlie has a secret. Unlike everyone else in her class, or in any other class, she understands other languages--a sin punishable by death if discovered. It's a secret so important, she hides it from everyone, including her two closest friends, only to be discovered by someone else who could be more dangerous that she'd like to admit.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's the first book by Kimberly Derting that I've read, and it won't be the last! I happened to come across this book by chance at the library, and picked it up by chance. Boy, am I glad I did. Kimberly trusts that her readers are smart enough to pick up the clues she leaves for them, without explaining everything she writes right away. Her way of describing the scenes she lays out is detailed enough that you can picture the world that Charlie is in, without overdoing it.

Time after time, the plot would twist just enough to catch you by surprise, but after remembering the clues she left for you, it's not entirely unbelievable. In fact, once discovering these truths, the book as a whole is even more enjoyable. I was a little disappointed by the conversation that seemed to happen throughout the book between Charlie and Max. ("What's going on?" "I don't know" "Yes you do") I feel as if she could have showed the readers what she was getting at there more than these blatantly obvious conversations. Other than that, I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns in the plot ,rather than expecting the ending as soon as I figured out the plot (I promise you, you'll be surprised at least once).

I would love to give it 5 stars, especially since this is my first book review, but I can't. The ending just seemed to quickly resolved. This is a complaint I have for most YA novels. There is a lot of buildup, figuring out the characters, setting the scene, etc. However, once everything is in a place, it feels like a race to the finish line, and "TA-DA!" The End.

Least Favorite Character: Charlie's Parents.
Why? They weren't really in the story enough for me to form an attachment to them. I feel like the only interaction I had with them was through Charlie's memories, and once instance in the very beginning of the book. Other than that, they were pretty much non-existent until the very end. I don't think I would have disliked them as much if they weren't such a big part at the end, but they were a big part of Charlie's motivation, that I just couldn't go along with. There was also a memory of her father that was never explained. It was just one sentence, and not at all important to the story, but I remember it because she mentioned it in a way that made it seem like she would get back to why that memory was so important..

Favorite Character: Max.
Why? Kimberly kept you guessing. Like most YA books, he's the hot guy who likes the girl no one has noticed before...but he has a reason. It's explained why he shows an interest in her, while keeping his own secrets hidden. There's tension between the characters as they both struggle to figure out the other, and keep their own secrets hidden. It was also a roller coaster ride for me as I tried to figure out his character...could he be trusted or not?

My Blog: http://yamagicpages.blogspot.com/(less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Leigh Herondale rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

I started reading The Pledge by Kimberly Derting a few days ago and honestly I got bored with the first 4 chapters I think and ended up putting it on hold for a day and decided to read Shatter Me again. Just to be ready for the release of Unravel Me. Obviously, dystopian is my favorite genre. Well anyway, after finishing Shatter Me again, I decided to give this one another try and I'm so glad I did.

To be honest I felt like Charlie lacked personality during the first few chapters. Probably the re...more I started reading The Pledge by Kimberly Derting a few days ago and honestly I got bored with the first 4 chapters I think and ended up putting it on hold for a day and decided to read Shatter Me again. Just to be ready for the release of Unravel Me. Obviously, dystopian is my favorite genre. Well anyway, after finishing Shatter Me again, I decided to give this one another try and I'm so glad I did.

To be honest I felt like Charlie lacked personality during the first few chapters. Probably the reason why I almost gave up on the book. But as the story progressed I think her character developed beautifully. I started seeing the personality that was lacking at the beginning. I love the fact that she somehow breaks minor rules to be able to help others. I felt really bad for her whenever she got reprimanded for 'being so obvious' with her gift. It is hard enough to listen to people who talk trash in your face even if you can't understand them but it definitely is harder to listen to them when you do. I salute her for having that awesome self—control. If I were in her place I would have talked back and eventually reveal myself in the process.

Then there's Max. I find him alluring even in he was just full of mystery in the beginning. I liked the fact that the mystery behind him was dragged on towards the middle of the book. It actually kept me hooked since I did find him intriguing. It was actually Max who kept me glued to the novel as the story progressed. I did think that his relationship with Charlie was a bit cliche. I felt like the development of their relationship bordered on insta—love which made it cliche for YA's nowadays. But whatever. He did intrigue me and by the end of the book I just wanted to be Charlie and have Max.

To be honest, the book started a bit slow for me. I did put it on hold for a day but resumed and ended up finishing it in a couple of hours. I love the suspense, the mysteries and the connections of everything and everyone. A lot of the revelations made me say WTF?! Seriously? or Whoa. I think it's just awesome when books make me say these things. The surprise factor definitely amped up this book. I do appreciate the fact that there weren't any love triangles since that would definitely be too cliche together with the insta—love. Anyway, even if it did start a bit slow I ended up reading this in a day when I started again. I couldn't put it down towards the middle and I will definitely read The Essence once I get my copy.

Rating: 3.75/5 stars(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Merary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantastic-fantasy, awesome-villains, paranormal, dystopia, i-was-expecting-better, that-s-why-i-hate-boys, activate-insta-love, stalkers-creep-me-out, most-anticipated, ya, royalty, why-are-you-a-love-interest

I've never read The Body Finder and I don't have any intention to do it. When I realized that The Pledge was from the same author, that didn't discourage me to read it because the plot premise sounded interesting.

One thing needs to be clear: This is not dystopian and shouldn't be considered as such.

Do I see paranormal powers in a distant future? Eeeh, I don't think so. Division of people by the language they speak? Possibly.
This is plain fantasy, period.

And also, monarchy in the distant future i...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Kate (Nomalicious Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-releases, own, reviewed

More reviews can be found at my blog: Nomalicious Reads

I was instantly attracted to the synopsis of The Pledge after I read it and was excited when I was able to get a copy of the ARC from galley grab.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out the was Kimberly Derting who wrote The Body Finder series, since I've been meaning to get my hands on it for quite some time now, I was glad to give her work a try with The Pledge first... I'll just say that I'll be getting The Body Finder a lot sooner than I...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

First off, tell me the this cover is not gorgeous!! I love it :)

Second, I need to tell you how cool I think this story idea is! The plot revolves around this world (in the future) where humans have been forced to speak only one language - the language of their class. The servants speak one language, while the vendors speak another, and royalty another, and so on. The point being, that if you can't speak another language, you are stuck in your class forever, and more importantly, humans will neve...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pulse-it

I really really liked the idea for this story. It's set in a world where classes are divided by what languages you speak - and Charlie can speak and understand them all. I was disappointed in this book though. I didn't connect with any of the characters, except maybe Angelina. After about the halfway point in the book, I could predict all the twists before they happened.

The romance was disappointing also. I feel like I've read this same romance a million times before: Girl meets mysterious boy...more I really really liked the idea for this story. It's set in a world where classes are divided by what languages you speak - and Charlie can speak and understand them all. I was disappointed in this book though. I didn't connect with any of the characters, except maybe Angelina. After about the halfway point in the book, I could predict all the twists before they happened.

The romance was disappointing also. I feel like I've read this same romance a million times before: Girl meets mysterious boy with a secret, and he's attracted to her for reasons that are never explained, other than "You're special! And hot!" (well, not exactly, but you get the idea). Girl tries her *best* to resist, but she somehow just can't manage it. Then, two days later, it's LOVE! Yeah, no thank you.

Charlie is just an okay main character. Pretty average. And she does that thing where she complains about the hot guy being so interested in her. Boohoo, that sounds horrible, Charlie. I really disliked Brooklyn in the beginning, but I grew to like her a bit more after a certain twist that I didn't see coming involving her. Aron is my favorite, and he was hardly in the book at all. In my humble opinion, he'd make a much better love interest for Charlie than Max did.

I was a little confused about the time period this is all supposed to be set in. It felt medieval to me, what with the queens and magic, and just the general feel and the way the characters speak. I think it's supposed to be dystopia though, because of references to how everything went wrong when there was democracy and men ruling countries. I don't get why most technology would be gone if this is supposed to be a dystopia though. Confuzzlement.

The Pledge had a great idea, but it just didn't get to its full potential for me. This isn't a bad book, and it's pretty well written, but it's just average. This is the beginning of a trilogy, and while I don't think there's any need for a sequel, I'll probably pick the next one up. Partly because I have this obsessive need to finish any series I start ( I'm up to number 8 in House of Night D: ), partly because I did like the world that was introduced, and hopefully the sequel will be better.

*Also posted on my blog Girl with the Books (less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Lily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reseña publicada en: http://eldesvandelosuenos.blogspot.co...

El juramento es la primera entrega de una nueva trilogía distópica. Sin embargo, para los que huyen despavoridos de las sagas tengo que decir que si queréis leeros solamente esta novela y no seguir, es posible porque a mí me ha parecido un libro autoconclusivo. De hecho, no he sabido que tendría continuación hasta que he buscado los datos para incluirlos en la ficha. Por lo que en ese sentido, luz verde.

La novela está dividida en dos p...more Reseña publicada en: http://eldesvandelosuenos.blogspot.co...

El juramento es la primera entrega de una nueva trilogía distópica. Sin embargo, para los que huyen despavoridos de las sagas tengo que decir que si queréis leeros solamente esta novela y no seguir, es posible porque a mí me ha parecido un libro autoconclusivo. De hecho, no he sabido que tendría continuación hasta que he buscado los datos para incluirlos en la ficha. Por lo que en ese sentido, luz verde.

La novela está dividida en dos partes. En la primera la autora nos presenta los lugares, la sociedad, las normas, las limitaciones y los personajes. Se nota que la autora se toma su tiempo para contar lo que quiere, ni más ni menos. Sin embargo, en la segunda parte los acontecimientos se precipitan y esto resulta un arma de doble filo: sin duda, la trama se vuelve mucho más interesante y las sorpresas no paran de sucederse pero, en mi opinión, la autora no ha sabido manejar toda esa cantidad de información apresurando los descubrimientos, apurando las relaciones personales. Creo que en este punto podría haberle sacado mucho más partido a las ideas plasmadas en el papel.

La historia se centra en el reino de Ludania y, concretamente, en la ciudad llamada Capitolio, que es donde vive nuestra protagonista. Esta ciudad es la más cercana al lugar de residencia de la reina y está empezando a sufrir los ataques de ejércitos enemigos que desean derrocar el régimen autoritario de la anciana reina. La sociedad está divida en clases (Comerciantes, Consejeros...) y cada una habla un idioma distinto... por decreto real. Está terminantemente prohibido hablar en otra lengua que no sea la que corresponde a la casta de cada uno o la lengua común, el englaise.

Y así debe ser para todos. Menos para una joven, Charlie, que nació con el don de entender cualquier idioma que escuche, lea o toque. Sin duda, es una extraño don y por ello, sus padres deciden que tanto ella como su hermana, Angelina (quien también posee habilidades especiales), deben pasar lo más desapercibidas posible y no revelar jamás, bajo ningún concepto, lo que son capaces de hacer.

Brooklynn es la mejor amiga de la protagonista desde que eran pequeñas, van juntas a la Academia para Comerciantes y confía en ella plenamente. La chica es jovial, dicharachera y aparentemente despreocupada, a pesar de la difícil situación que vive en su casa. Su círculo de amigos lo completa Aron, un joven de carácter noble y honesto, que no llama demasiado la atención pero que siempre está cuando se le necesita.

Sus vidas son tranquilas hasta que en un club clandestino comienza a conocer a personas que le cambiarán la vida por completo. Max es un misterioso joven con el que se encuentra en Presa, el club, y, desde el primer momento, su mirada la persigue hasta en sueños. Habla un extraño dialecto que la joven entiende pero del que no reconoce su procedencia, no es una lengua que hubiera escuchado anteriormente. Tengo que reconocer que Max fue uno de los personajes que me intrigó poderosamente desde la primera vez que su increíble porte aparece en las páginas del libro. Y es que hay demasiados interrogantes alrededor de él, demasiadas cosas que no cuadraban y, desde luego, este chico sí que sabe cómo sorprender a una dama. Por lo que la autora dejaba caer intuía que tenía mucho potencial pero no me esperaba que tanto: me dejó literalmente con la boca abierta cuando supe la verdad sobre su historia.

Pero no es el único que es una caja de sorpresas. Hay más personajes, algunos que he nombrado y otros que no que me dejaron alucinada cuando descubrí todo lo que ocultaban. Y un personaje en concreto (no diré cuál para no desvelar demasiado) que no me caía demasiado bien al principio y me parecía demasiado típico, me sorprendió muy gratamente con un giro de los acontecimientos que no suele darse en este tipo de novelas.

El juramento se enmarca dentro de la novela distópica, pero a mí me ha parecido, sobre todo por los acontecimientos finales, que tiene también bastante de cuento de hadas. Es una historia sobre el clasismo y la lucha de clases, sobre la defensa de los valores, sobre la amistad y sobre el amor. Y de todos estos temas, el que peor está desarrollado, bajo mi punto de vista, es la relación amorosa. En general me ha gustado porque soy una romántica y cualquier chispita dulce me ilumina el libro, el galán es un verdadero amor desde el principio y la autora nos deja gestos preciosos entre sus páginas, pero si tengo que ser crítica creo que de aquí también se podría haber sacado más jugo, una relación más consistente y no tan rápida: amor-a-primera-vista-todo-es-precioso-moriría-por-ti-te-defenderé-con-mi-vida-si-es-preciso. Sí, no voy a negar que es una ternura de chico, pero démosle tiempo para sentir todo eso.

En resumen, el libro me ha gustado porque la historia que se desarrolla en sus páginas tiene consistencia y sus personajes merecen mucho la pena. Espero que la continuación salga pronto para ver cómo se desarrolla la situación del reino.(less)

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May 04, 2012 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, fantasy, young-adult, series-i-will-finish

I do so like being surprised. I have been buried under an abundance of sub par literature and books that can be summed up by one simple sound...meh!!! So imagine when my joy when I began reading this, when slowly and steadily it began drawing me in. It took a little while, but soon the well formed, fleshed out characters and intriguing story had me hooked.

I will admit, I wondered at the idea of this being a mix of both Fantasy and Dystopia. In all honesty this is more of the latter, the only hin...more

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May 21, 2012 Liza rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult, library, reviewed, series-dropped

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 07, 2012 Katerina (Kathe) rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those into the idea of a dystopian monarchy, royalty, people with special powers

Shelves: in-my-bookcase

Find the review HERE at Good Lit and Green Tea.

In a country once racked by civil war and now ruled by a lone queen with an iron fist, people are divided into social classes, and those in each social class can only speak in one language and the universal tongue of Englaise; looking up at a person speaking another language is punishable by death. It is a harsh world, one strictly regulated by checkpoints, the holding of a Passport, and a rigid military force in the service of its monarch.

Charlaina...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Tashy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: discontinuing, lost-cause-series

I had high hopes for this book. I love fantasy books and the description sounded really good. (oh and the cover is so pretty...) And then I started reading. All this book did for me was reinforce the basic check list for most dystopian books.

I had many problems with this book. It was pretty inconsistent and it seemed as if Kimberly Derting tried her best to incorporate every point on the check list, but all that did was cluster around the book, floating without any use.

I. Max -- I mean, his char...more I had high hopes for this book. I love fantasy books and the description sounded really good. (oh and the cover is so pretty...) And then I started reading. All this book did for me was reinforce the basic check list for most dystopian books.

I had many problems with this book. It was pretty inconsistent and it seemed as if Kimberly Derting tried her best to incorporate every point on the check list, but all that did was cluster around the book, floating without any use.

I. Max -- I mean, his character has it all. He's HOT, he's mysterious, and he seems to be really into our protagonist. But where did it come from? He literally dropped into the book and started liking her. I get it, he had his suspicions and saw how "special she was", he's the first person to acknowledge her beauty, and so on, but there really wasn't any build up. It happened so randomly, I was waiting for a reason for them NOT to be together. For a second I thought they may be siblings, but only Cassandra Clare can do that so effectively. Honestly, his love blind sighted me, so I have no idea why it didn't creep her out a little bit. I mean, come on! She goes around saying she doesn't like the attention like Brook, but isn't she being a little hypocritical for not being a little more defensive?

II. Aron -- I really liked him at first. He's clearly the "second guy" in this epic love-triangle, but he was so insignificant in this book, I felt bad for a fictional character. They mentioned his over protectiveness and then it was done with. I don't know. I guess more will happen with him later on in the series, but for an introduction book, it wasn't that great.

III. The "hangings" -- this was mentioned to back up the accusations of a corrupt government. But seriously, in a book, you can't just mention it. It doesn't do us any good! You have to do something more than mentioning hangings and why you get hanged, and so on. I just didn't like this. Its like she threw it in there for an added effect.

IV. Sydney -- her change from bitch to bff was random. But I guess this, among other things, will be elaborated in the next books.

Overall, it was an okay book. It's basically on the pile of books that may get better as the series progresses. If you like predictable plots, random romantic encounters, and monarchistic governments, you'll like this book! To me, a good book doesn't just tell you that the government is corrupt, it shows you, it terrorizes you, you feel like Stephen Harper is doing a great job after reading it. All I got from this book was this:

The queen is crazy. There are rebels trying to take her down. People are distinguished by rank not class. You'll die if you go against it.

Cool.

Basically, she focused too much on the romance.

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Nov 10, 2011 Misao rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-could-be-better, love-the-cover, dystopian, annoying-characters, annoying-male-character, great-worldbuilding, just-entertaining

Me ha parecido muy original el tema de las lenguas que ha tratado la autora en este libro. Cada clase habla su propia lengua como símbolo de distinción social y los nombres me han parecido de lo más curiosos.
Se suponía que pintaban este libro como un libro distópico pero a mi no me lo parece en absoluto ya que contamos con la presencia de la magia en él.
Charlie ha sido una protagonista femenina que me ha gustado de principio a fin. Es una chica valiente que se preocupa sobre todo por el bienesta...more Me ha parecido muy original el tema de las lenguas que ha tratado la autora en este libro. Cada clase habla su propia lengua como símbolo de distinción social y los nombres me han parecido de lo más curiosos.
Se suponía que pintaban este libro como un libro distópico pero a mi no me lo parece en absoluto ya que contamos con la presencia de la magia en él.
Charlie ha sido una protagonista femenina que me ha gustado de principio a fin. Es una chica valiente que se preocupa sobre todo por el bienestar de su hermana pequeña, Angela pero que le es fiel a sus amigos Brook y Aron que siempre está ahí para ayudar a sus padres con el restaurante.

En general los personajes están bastante bien definidos aunque he sentido cierta decepción con Max. ¿Por qué? Uno de los secretos que se desvelaban sobre él no me lo esperaba para nada (puede que nadie se lo esperase o es que yo soy un poco corta de entendederas) pero no es por eso sino porque su fascinación por Charlie me parece un tanto... precipitada. No me resulta creíble que la vea y que se quede prendado al instante por ella. Creo que ese es el aspecto más flojo del libro, en mi opinión ya que la historia de amor al desarrollarse con tanta rapidez (no hablo de que empiecen asalir en cuanto se ven) le resta un poco de credibilidad.

Una de las cosas más destacables y curiosidad del libro es el hecho de que la autora nos muestra cuatro perspectivas distintas. Por un lado está la perspectiva de Charlie, narrada en pasado y primera persona y cuyos capítulos están numerados. Por otro tenemos a la Reina, narrado en tercera persona. No son capítulos propiamente dichos sino más bien pequeñas situaciones que nos ayudan a conocerla. Luego está Max, que al igual que la reina, está narrado en tercera persona y tiene unas pocas intervenciones y Xander, un personaje que resulta misterioso en su primera aparición en la historia pero que luego hace acto de presencia como dios manda. Este persona apenas tiene 2 o tres intervenciones.

En conclusión, un libro recomendable por sus personajes y, sobre todo, por ese argumento tan currado aunque la historia de amor es lo que más cojea. Habrá que ver cómo avanzan las cosas en los siguientes libros aunque para mí tiene un final bastante cerrado, sobre todo con el epílogo.

Leer a Kimberly Derting me ha dejado con ganas de probar su otra saga, The body finder, ya que tiene una buena pluma y una escritura sencilla y bonita que no se detiene mucho en descripciones y que sabe hacer un buen uso de las palabras.(less)

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Nov 13, 2011 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, galley-grab-arc, sci-fi, series-ongoing, young-adult-fiction, dystopia-or-postapocalyptic, 2011-reads, 2011-reviews, reviewed, coverlove, arc, you-call-it-love-i-call-it-hormones

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

The Pledge was a struggle for me to read through, in several ways over several days. For all that I enjoyed the story while I was caught up in it and reading, once I'd set it down for the day, there would be a definite lull before I felt the urge to pick up the novel once again. I just expected more from this author and this novel, if I am being honest, for in several aspects Ms. Derting's world is a shallow reflection of the possibilities for the s...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

The Pledge was a struggle for me to read through, in several ways over several days. For all that I enjoyed the story while I was caught up in it and reading, once I'd set it down for the day, there would be a definite lull before I felt the urge to pick up the novel once again. I just expected more from this author and this novel, if I am being honest, for in several aspects Ms. Derting's world is a shallow reflection of the possibilities for the story. With the world rigidly segregated by class and by speech and led by a maniacal body-jumping Queen, The Pledge definitely has a fresh and unique spin on the current and oh-so-popular dystopian trend for young-adult novels going for it. And I personally found The Pledge not to be wholly a dystopic young-adult novel: the fantasy/magical elements are strong and a central part of both the novel and the characters themselves.

The first area I was slightly disappointed in were the characters. For me, nearly 100% of these characters fell entirely flat. I felt like the third person omniscient point of view used for the Queen/Max/etc. did me no favors either: I had a difficult time investing in the story from such a removed perspective on the characters. The only first person narrative was for the main character and I disliked the shifts between - very disconcerting to read. Charlaina, the almost milquetoast heroine, never inspired true sympathy with me and her irritating insta!love situation with OBVIOUS love-interest Max did her no favors either. She never stood out to me: I didn't get (that) irritated with her, I didn't love her, I didn't want to hang out with her - my typical associations and categories for female leads. She's kind and unselfish, yes, but where's the personality? The vim, the pop, the individuality? Charlie was largely no different from a thousand other young-adult novel protagonists, and it felt like a chance wasted. The only stand-out about her is her hidden talent with languages, and her relationship with her mute little sister. Charlie's two best friends - Aron and Brooklynn - also fall victim to this same lack of dimension, Aron in particular. Brooklynn, the carefree and careless boy-crazy sexpot, gets the benefit of a nicely-done plot twist to flesh her out more, but Aron remains the same cardboard cut-out for the duration.

Now, for another of my letdowns for The Pledge, the love-interest Maxmillian. I either wanted to kill him half the time, and spent the other 50% of his screen-time just trying to figure out the motivation of the character could possibly be. He's a trope-ish and cliched dark-haired mystery man with a hidden agenda who is inexplicable drawn to Charlie. I'm really, really weary of the whole overdone and lazy excuse of the"inexplicably drawn" line for young-adult romances: is it too much to ask for two characters to meet as friends and then gradually segue into a mature, believable relationship? Apparently, yes yes it is as I could never discern the reason why Max became so quickly and vociferously attached to young Ms. Hart. I felt very little chemistry between Charlie and Max as well. No pop, no sizzle and no line of dialogue really convinced me that these two were supposed to be with one another. I guess I liked them both well enough, but together they did not shoot sparks together. I honestly like them both on their own, independent - but that's probably my knee-jerk reaction to their oh-so-special instalove.

As stated earlier, I felt Ms. Derting's worldbuilding left a lot. to be desired, for me personally. Her world is set in a time described only as, "After the Revolution of the Sovereigns" but hardly any details about what that event/war was about are ever provided. Even in the present day of the novel, with the Queen facing even more rebellions, etc., no more details are provided for why the country is the way it is. It just bothered me from the outset - Icrave a well-rounded novel with a vibrant setting always. Barely sketched outlines seem to set the foundation of the country of Ludania, and I craved more setting, more substance for the locale/Kingdom/city themselves. The little details of life in Ludania are sometimes supplied: there are normal-ish pasttimes that readers can identify with: dancing, illegal drinking/drugging) to tie along with the more outlandish (read: magical) elements. I just missed the bigger picture details that Ms. Derting failed to include. Her country of Ludania never comes to life, never seems or feels like a real place to the reader and that is a shame. "The Pledge" from which the novel takes its name/series takes its name, is the required daily obeisance each person of the country must person as well as a reminder of their respective places in society - only the Queen is worth saving, protecting and pledging.

I did love the language/communicative aspect for the novel. Sadly, Derting didn't go so far as to truly create and vocabularize the three languages of Ludania (Termani - the language of the elite/nobility, Parshon - the Vendor/serving class language and lastly Englaise - universal) - that we know so far - but relied on italics to stress the different languages. Derting does an adequate job of using words to isolate her classes/characters: this is a country of no trust and little love, where fathers turn in daughters and sons turn in mothers to the secret police. I liked some stuff from the novel well enough (words are power/distinction, matrilineal descent, but there was never enough detail or information for me to really feel completely satisfied with the story. It just felt half-done, or half-plotted out at points (Sydney? What as the point of her addition to the story? Xander - why did he turn? Why did "she" let him? No reasons provided!) and incomplete.

I also felt vaguely disappointed by the ending. It felt sadly lackluster and almost dull after the 300 page build-up of raids, bombs, shelters, secret police, secret deadly abilities. . . but, if anything, this is the most forgivable of my problems with this novel - for there are to be two more sequels. If Ms. Derting doesn't fill in some holes, answer some questions, provide some information on her world's past/current situation, I'm going to be a very disgruntled reader. After all that, why is this still a 3.5 out of 5 stars? I did fully enjoy the style of the novel itself - Ms. Derting is a more than able wordsmith and I hope her next effort doesn't founder in the other aspects of her writing. It's also a fast-paced action novel, and I found the varied advenures kept me reading when the characters failed to do so. I will continue reading this series to find out what happens - and to see if Max, Charlie, Brooklynn and Angelina grow on me a bit more. (less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Four classes, four languages. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina is merely a vendor’s daughter and yet she understands the words of every tongue. Charlie’s parents forbid her to tell anyone of her ability, as it could mean her death if she is discovered. She must keep everyone in the dark, even her two best friends, and she struggles to live deceitfully with those she trusts most.
This novel, written by Kimberly Derting is due out in November, and I’m certain that readers will fall in love with all o...more Four classes, four languages. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina is merely a vendor’s daughter and yet she understands the words of every tongue. Charlie’s parents forbid her to tell anyone of her ability, as it could mean her death if she is discovered. She must keep everyone in the dark, even her two best friends, and she struggles to live deceitfully with those she trusts most.
This novel, written by Kimberly Derting is due out in November, and I’m certain that readers will fall in love with all of the characters. Derting has found a storyline like no other that I’ve read.
The monarchic theme to this book is a unique twist that I really enjoyed. The Queen was so diverse, "as if she were more than one person at the same time". The small sections in the story told from her point-of-view were an indulgence amongst the harsh, grime filled life that Charlie lives through her chapters. Derting shows an excellent talent and ability to create multi-faceted characters that really speak to the reader. Although the Queen is very much a wicked and immoral character, I found myself able to see why she does such horrible things through the author’s competent and adept writing.
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. What a fantastically depicted character. She is unlike most female protagonists in teen fiction these days. Charlaina is a strong-willed, independent, and fiercely loyal teenaged girl in a world filled with oppression and fear. She shows readers that good can prevail over evil, and that there is always light, even in the darkest of times. Another quality that I admired of her is how fervently she refuses Max’s advances throughout the novel. She doesn’t swoon at his every move, nor does she stereotypically fall deeply in love with him in the first fifty pages of the novel. She remains self-reliant and in control of her life. Her protection of Angelina, her little sister, is so admirable and unwavering. Derting portrays Charlie to the reader as a stronghold of love and safety to Angelina. What an amazingly represented character!
The pace of the novel is something to be admired by all authors who attempt to write exciting works. The last hundred pages are so thoroughly jammed with action and suspense that I could barely take my eyes off the page to blink! She excels at adding hints of romance and dystopia to The Pledge, without overdoing either of the two is delightfully unexpected. With so many upcoming dystopian romances hitting the shelves, this novel is remarkably different than its companions in the genre.
The Pledge is a book worthy of all the praise that it receives, and it deserves even more. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air.
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Oct 22, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-releases, galley-grab, genre-dystopian, genre-young-adult

*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Dystopian YA

*Review* posted 10/22/2011

17-year old Charlaina “Charlie” Hart has a major secret. She has the ability to translate, interpret, and understand just about any language that she hears. If her secret gets out, her parents inform her, it’s an automatic death sentence. Charlie lives in the dystopian land of Ludania where the language you speak determines what class you are; royal, vendor, counsel, etc.

Charlie, whose family is part of the vendor class, has a tendency...more

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Dec 21, 2011 ◕ ◡ ◕ Arooj rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not a huge fan of Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder series so when I heard that she has a new dystopian series, I was a little apprehensive about reading it. But sometimes when an author writes a new series with a different genre, they manage to succeed. And I have to say that I enjoyed this book slightly more than Kimberly's previous series.

The Pledge is about a city in the future called Ludania where people are classified into casts by the language they speak. You are only allowed to spea...more I'm not a huge fan of Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder series so when I heard that she has a new dystopian series, I was a little apprehensive about reading it. But sometimes when an author writes a new series with a different genre, they manage to succeed. And I have to say that I enjoyed this book slightly more than Kimberly's previous series.

The Pledge is about a city in the future called Ludania where people are classified into casts by the language they speak. You are only allowed to speak your own language as well as the universal language Englaise. If you don't, than you recieve punishment by getting hanged. I liked the idea of the different languages, I found it pretty creative. The beginning of the book was hard to read though and confusing to me, because I couldn't understand what was going on. The history behind the languages and the cast system was explained but it was a bit hard to understand and also a bit boring. I didn't want a history lesson. I just wanted a simple explanation as to how this city was made and what the war involving the other cities around it was about. It all sounded a bit medieval-ish to me, with the caste system and the punishment. I find it hard to believe that our future would go back to these practices. Yes, we still have a caste system in this time but I don't think it'll be this harsh in the future. There was also some magic, which I didn't get (and no one in the book even questions it). I liked the second half of the book more, where everything finally started to make sense. But I found most of the novel pretty predictable - especially regarding Charlaina's true identity. The romance was pretty typical and rushed. As soon as Charlaina and Max meet, they instantly feel an attraction towards each other despite knowing nothing about the other person. Charlaina immediately begins fantazising about him while denying her attraction, and Max, for some reason, finds her "intriguing" and wants to protect her. It wasn't exactly "insta-love" but pretty close to it. I would have preferred if the author made the romance a bit more realistic.

I felt that the characters were a bit under-developed. Not many of them stood out for me. Charlaina was the typical heroine, one who is ordinary while others find her special. She wasn't particularily brave or anything amazing. Max really confused me because I just couldn't understand why he was so attracted to Charlaina, so much that he could risk his life for her. Brooklyn was the character to shock me the most. But the one character I felt the most for was Charlaina's sister, Angelina. She was just adorable and my heart broke for her and what she had to go through.

I think The Pledge was an interesting start to a new dystopian series but it could've been developed much more, especially the world building. I'm interested in reading the second in the series, so let's see what happens next!(less)

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May 27, 2011 Krys rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, dystopian-post-apocalyptic, medium-length-book, arcs-manuscripts, own, first-person-narrative, third-person-narrative, fantasy, read-in-2011, have-a-hardcover-and-an-arc, series

Well, I read that really fast. I started The Pledge by Kimberly Derting late last night/early this morning and I just finished it. Before you ask, yes I do sleep. Quite well, actually.

The Pledge marks a departure for Derting into the world of Dystopic Fantasy. Having been a fan of her Body Finder series I was very eager to get a look at her newest work. I'm not disappointed, far from it. Derting has cemented a place on my auto buy list of authors.

The aging Queen of Ludania has no heir - no fem...more Well, I read that really fast. I started The Pledge by Kimberly Derting late last night/early this morning and I just finished it. Before you ask, yes I do sleep. Quite well, actually.

The Pledge marks a departure for Derting into the world of Dystopic Fantasy. Having been a fan of her Body Finder series I was very eager to get a look at her newest work. I'm not disappointed, far from it. Derting has cemented a place on my auto buy list of authors.

The aging Queen of Ludania has no heir - no female heir anyway. She seeks a proper replacement for herself even though she is near dying. Throughout Ludania language is a mark of distinction and of separation of the classes. It serves to keep everyone in their place. In the Vendor district a girl named Charlaina (Charlie) has trouble keeping a dangerous ability from being known. She can hear and understand every known language; Serf, Upper class, Military, tactile... you name it. Charlie has difficulty hiding this, particularly when she meets a young man named Max. In Max Charlie hears a language she has never heard and understands it, and he knows she does. Will this charming man be her downfall?

Derting explodes onto the Dystopian field in high style. This book is gorgeous, vivid and imaginative. Derting uses her trademark style of narrative, switching back an forth between pro and antagonist as the story progresses. In this she makes a really smart choice though: not only does she switch narrators but she also plays with First and Third person for represent Charlie and Queen Sabara respectively. This adds a flair to the telling, and renders the two characters with very distinctive, different voices. I adore alternating narrators but some authors don't know how to pull it off. Derting does, and it makes for a superbly dynamic telling.

Beside that this story is gripping. I sat down with it today and could not put it down. This is a tremendous world that Derting has set up. As of yet I am not sure if it is the beginning of a series (everything is a trilogy now it seems) but the ending summed up everything nicely if it doesn't turn into anything. I very much appreciated this tale from Derting. I want more of all of her worlds, but especially so here.

5 out of 5 stars.

- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkk.net (less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Neomi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed-by-author, ya-fantasy-adventure

It was difficult for me to stay with this book because the beginning was slow for me, I like action to jump out at me within the first few pages; and have the plot unraveled and then crescendo into the drama that leads to the memorable end.... But this book didn't do that for me. I felt like the action didn't heat up till half way through, that's takes a lot of patience from me, I usually quit a book by then. But my girlfriends said I would love it and to stick with it..I'm glad I did.. If it wa...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Rebecca Sutton rated it 4 of 5 stars

I knew I had to read this book the instant I saw the cover. Then I read the description...yep, I definitely had to read this one!

And I wasn't disappointed.

I need to be careful to avoid spoilers so I won't say too much...

I've read a lot of dystopian YA books (and loved most of them) lately but THE PLEDGE is a very fresh take on what the future might look like. I love the idea of different classes speaking entirely different languages. And I really love the idea of the world returning to royal l...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance, teen

The class system in this book is based on the language you speak. It's illegal to learn other languages, or to even look at someone if they are speaking a language other than yours. The main character Charlie has a dangerous secret. She can understand every language even if she has never heard it before. Her country is in turmoil, the old queen has no heir, and rebels are attacking the city. One night Charlie is at a club, and she hears a completely new language spoken by a young man, Max. Max i...more The class system in this book is based on the language you speak. It's illegal to learn other languages, or to even look at someone if they are speaking a language other than yours. The main character Charlie has a dangerous secret. She can understand every language even if she has never heard it before. Her country is in turmoil, the old queen has no heir, and rebels are attacking the city. One night Charlie is at a club, and she hears a completely new language spoken by a young man, Max. Max is intrigued by Charlie and wants to get to know her better. Charlie is wary of the secrets he is hiding.[return][return]I was so intrigued by this premise, but I was disappointed in how it all played out. I think the main problem was the story is not fleshed out very well. Most of the supporting characters are flat, and they often pop in and out of the story with surprising speed. Zander, Max, and Brooklynn all have the potential to be fascinating characters, but we only get little snippets of information that really does not explain any of their motivations. The romance between Max and Charlie doesn't have much basis aside from attraction. They have very few conversations and spend very little time together, and yet Max is willing to die for Charlie. [return][return]The world is not very developed. There are mentions of what appears to be the world as we know it, but there is no back story about how the world changed to the current power structure and there is no explanation of why the queens have power or are so necessary. There are mentions of other queens, but very little else. Does that mean, the US? the world? or what? There were implications that these other queens held a lot of power, but there was nothing to back it up. I never did figure out if another queen was behind the rebel plans, or if she was just involved, or even just rumored to be involved. The magical abilities of the various characters have no explanation, they just are. Is the ability random, are there limits? Why just the girls? Needless to say, I felt like there were a lot of holes in the story.[return][return]Aside from those issues, the story is actually very readable. If you are looking for a quick read with a unique premise this will work, but if you are looking for more depth in your characters and in your story this might leave you feeling unsatisfied.(less)

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Apr 25, 2013 Becca Jayne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Set in the far future, in a land that is controlled by a ruthless Queen, Charlaina fights for her family..and herself.

The Pledge takes place in a fallen America, that is now reformed as Ludania, where Charlaina, also known as Charlie, is of the Vendor class, just like any other class that is ruled by a wicked Queen Sabara over a land that speaks a variety of languages. Charlie can understand all the languages the classes speak, a secret that she must keep to herself. Only Charlaina's family know...more Set in the far future, in a land that is controlled by a ruthless Queen, Charlaina fights for her family..and herself.

The Pledge takes place in a fallen America, that is now reformed as Ludania, where Charlaina, also known as Charlie, is of the Vendor class, just like any other class that is ruled by a wicked Queen Sabara over a land that speaks a variety of languages. Charlie can understand all the languages the classes speak, a secret that she must keep to herself. Only Charlaina's family know of this secret in the beginning; though as the story progresses, it is revealed that her parents are keeping a secret of their own.
Clinging to a Dystopian Fantasy genre although with specs of a dark Fairytale, The Pledge holds more than your regular plot. I enjoyed reading about the land of Ludania, because although it was reminiscent of other Dystopian plots, this world was full of feisty characters and a looming romance.
Charlaina and her friends; including the ditsy, fiery Brooklynn, and the protective, sweet Aron, regularly visit the illegal underground clubs night after night, clubs that are full of energetic and youthful people alike Charlie's age. This is where Charlie meets Max, who seems striven on knowing everything about her. I found that her true personality comes out around him, and we get to know her better when she is around him. Max is mysterious and dark though romantic. There were many times when he would tell Charlie she was beautiful, and it echoed YA romance to a tee. The POV changes in this book were slightly confusing, but gave a glance into what was ahead, whilst being a surprising change on a YA book.
Charlie knows she must keep quiet, even though attacks are occurring across the capital and the countryside. But she knows the punishment is death, and chooses to keep herself and her family safe from this, including her sister; Angelina. I found their bond was especially a highlight of the story.
The book quickly progresses, throwing Charlie and Max's relationship and her loyalties into perspective, whilst releasing Max's true hero status.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, and would write about it for hours if I could; but not too give too much away, I will just end with; The Pledge is a must for any dystopian, YA-loving reader, and will be a lovely addition to anyone's bookshelf.

I would love to thank Allison & Busby for the opportunity to read The Pledge, and urge you all to read it too.

happy reading,

xo Becca
P.S. you can also read this review at my blog; http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
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topics	posts	views	last activity
Does anybody else think it's weird that Max and Charlie are Related?	16	137	May 02, 2013 02:03pm
♥!The Young Adult...: The Pledge #1: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting	5	21	Mar 07, 2013 07:40pm
LOVED IT! BEST BOOK I'VE READ IN YEARS!!	3	27	Jan 30, 2013 03:49pm
Glowing?! Really?!	12	131	Jan 22, 2013 02:32pm
Xander or Max?	12	76	Dec 10, 2012 10:14am
Crazy for Young A...: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting → Start Date: November 19, 2012	86	34	Nov 22, 2012 10:38pm

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