The Book of Ivy - Review

The Book of Ivy #1

By: Amy Engel

Published: November 4, 2014 by Entangled: Teen

400 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library 

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. 

This year, it is my turn. 

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power. 

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

MY REVIEW:
50 years after a nuclear war, in a small town in what used to be Missouri, there lives about 10,000 people protected from the surrounding world by fences. Among those living there is Ivy Westfall, and she just so happens to be a direct descendant from one of the founding men. As the survivors argued and fought over what kind of government would rule the people, her family did not win. There are now 2 sides of people in the town. All of those who followed her grandfather are on one side and all of those who followed the winning family are on the other. There are vast differences between the two sides of the town with these groups of people. Poverty and class status are two of the biggest divisions.

As a mean's of peace among the people, it has always been practiced that at age 16 there is held a wedding ceremony between all eligible boys and girls from both sides. Based on match making test scores, they are paired with their best fit. But none of this is their choice. They aren't given the freedom to choose who they want to marry, or when. The purpose has always been to keep things fair, orderly, and mostly to continue growing the population.

Ivy's family has long held a grudge against the ruling family and they are on a mission to bring democracy to the people. In a plan to accomplish this, Ivy has to marry and then kill the son of the president. But again, this wasn't a choice given to her. She begins to learn that not everything she's been told by her father is 100% truth. She's stuck somewhere in the middle of allegiance to her family and their cause, and following after her own heart.

This was an interesting and quick read and the ending is definitely a cliffhanger that I can't wait to see what happens next! Fans of YA dystopian with a bit of romance will enjoy!

Top 5 Favorite Quotes:
"It's doubly important that we think for ourselves. We're not our parents. We don't have to agree with everything they stand for."

Love isn't something you can legislate. Love is more than charts and graphs and matching interests. Love is messy and complicated and it is a mistake to deny its random magic.

"If I had to get married, I wanted to marry someone who I was interested in knowing. You're easy to read, Ivy, but the whole book of you is complicated.

"Because I'm in love with you, Ivy," he whispers. "Giving up on you isn't an option."

I want to be someone strong and brave enough to make hard choices. But I want to be fair and loving enough to make the right ones.

Language: 2 (medium)
Mature Content: 1.5 (light - medium)
Final Rating: 4 stars