Prized (Caragh M. O'Brien)

****

Sequel to Birthmarked

         Gaia Stone managed to escape from the Enclave with her baby sister, but that doesn't mean they're safe.  After a short time in the Wasteland, newborn Maya is weak and sick.  Gaia is relieved when a young man arrives and takes her to his home, a community called Sylum.  When they arrive, the powerful matriarch takes Maya away to be raised by another family.  If Gaia wants to see her sister again, she has to play by the matriarch's rules and gain her trust.  That means treating men as inferior and avoiding physical contact with them.  Just when Gaia is making headway with the matriarch, someone unexpected reappears in her life and she is forced to question everything about the life she's making for herself.

         One thing I really like about this series is Gaia's moral strength.  She faces a lot of conflicting ideas about what is right and what is wrong, especially when her survival relies on her ability to live by somebody else's beliefs.  At first, Gaia has a hard time figuring out whether the Enclave's system or Sylum's system is better.  Both societies had convincing arguments, but in the end Gaia was able to come to her own conclusions regarding fair treatment.  I think it's a pretty admirable when someone risks everything because it's the right thing to do, and Gaia is more likable because of it.  This was a good addition to the series, and I'll definitely be reading the next one when it comes out.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: July 28, 2012

Yesterday I got all of my wisdom teeth extracted.  I have a slight case of dentist phobia, probably because of a dentist who pulled about half of my teeth thinking it would prevent me from needing braces.  (He was wrong).  Anyway, I was pretty freaked out by the whole thing.  They had loads of trouble finding a vein for the IV, so they stabbed me five times.  Once I came to, I was apparently delirious.  I hate the feeling of having no control of what I say or do, especially when I'm not going to remember it afterwards.  I hear some people actually like this drugged state, though.  Now my cheeks are all swollen and I hardly have an appetite.  I suppose the pain could be a lot worse, though.  What about you?  Have any dental/wisdom tooth stories to share?  Even though the dentist has nothing to do with books, let's hear about it!