Crossed by Ally Condie

Barnes & Noble Description: "In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever."

My Review: I was NOT a fan of Matched at all---read the review of it to find out why---so I was VERY apprehensive, picking up Crossed. The only reason I even really picked it up was because I read multiple reviews that said it was much better than Matched. So, naturally, I was very curious. And, after reading it, all I can say is that while Crossed was better than Matched...it still doesn't amount to much. The plot is more interesting, and there is actually some action this time! Amazing, right? I also liked how the story is narrated through two perspectives---Cassia's and Ky's. It makes the story more fresh, relieving us from the dull monotony of just one perspective of one very dull girl. And speaking of said "dull girl"...she actually wasn't so dull this time. Don't get me wrong---she still had none of Katniss's wits or Tris's fire---but she actually took charge of her life and grew a backbone and made her own decisions. That was nice. So the book WAS better than Matched. However, it still had the same major problems Matched did: even though there was action this time, it went very slowly. Also, it was written in a way that was so confusing that I would read a few pages and then wonder, Wait---what just HAPPENED? Also, the characters are STILL too timid and emotional. They wax poetic about books and poems endlessly---yet they don't really do much to help the Rising (the rebellion) keep going. I will read the other books out of curiosity, but I don't have much hope for them, after Crossed delivered a merely "meh" performance. 

Cover: But, yes, the cover is GORGEOUS. (That's probably the ONLY reason I would ever buy these books, to be honest...) The color is beautiful and the image is striking. I love it. I can't wait to see the next cover. 

Overall Grade: C-