Matched by Ally Condie Review

• Matched by Ally Condie
• Pages: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; First Edition edition 
• Publication Date: November 30, 2010
•      
•      Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

    The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Overview - From Amazon

So, I decided to read this book after doing some thorough research (creeping on everyone else blogs, OBVS!) It has everything that might catch and keep my attention:

1. Dystopia
2. Boys
3. 
   

Well, to be honest, that's really all it takes to catch and keep my attention. 

I do have to admit that upon first glance, this seemed a little more cheesy and far-fetched than even I typically can stomach. Then, in walks Ky Markham. SWOON! He's dark and mysterious. He's always trying not to get noticed - except, of course, by Cassia who he has these secret rendezvous with. This is definitely a book that will suck you in, if like me, you enter it wanting to connect with the characters. After I closed my book I had to remind myself that the world as I know had not ended, and Ky Markham was not my forbidden love.

The world they live in is pretty similar to that of District 13 in The Hunger Games. They all wear the same clothes, food is rationed by calories, etc. I didn't find this world particularly interesting. I actually found it sort of boring until Book 2. 

The love factor is what kept me reading. 

Cassia is supposed to be in love with Xander, her long-time best friend and "match," but dark and mysterious doesn't just entice me! She gets all interested in what she isn't supposed to have in Ky (he's a aberration). So, yeah, there's a little love triangle. In fact, I'll be up front in saying there's a big love triangle. Those of you who find no interest in that should NOT read this book. It's a little less dystopiany and a little more love triangley. Those of you who do? I recommend it! 

I liked it enough that I downloaded the second book in the trilogy Crossed right away. That review will follow! 

Check out the Book Trailer  if you haven't picked this one up yet :)