Skip to main content

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Book Of Ivy by Amy Engel

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy, #1)Series: The Book of Ivy #1
Author: Amy Engel
Audiobook Publisher: Random House Audio
Publisher: Entangled: Teen (November 11, 2014) Goodreads | Amazon | Audiobook
4 Stars!

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…



The Audio: The narrator is a bit slow at times and I wasn't crazy about the voice she lends to Bishop, however, she does get better the farther you listen. 

   
The Story: My initial thoughts upon finishing The Book of Ivy was this...



This is an intense story of love, family, romance, and betrayal, that kept me on the edge of my seat (with my heart in my throat) until the very end! I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started this book, but quickly found the world Amy Engel created and the idea of arranged marriages, unique and interesting. 

Ivy has one job. Kill her new husband Bishop. It's something she's been preparing for all her life, and seems simple enough, right? 

Wrong. 
  
Ivy has always believed Bishop and his family are the bad guys, the enemy, and her family the rightful leaders. But the more she gets to know her new husband, the more she starts to question everything she's ever been told and whether or not she can go through with the plan. Because Bishop isn't anything like Ivy was expecting. He isn't cruel or selfish, nor does he appear to have ulterior motives. 

Instead, Bishop is kind, compassionate and seems to genuinely care for Ivy. PLUS, he cooks, cleans and does the laundry. THE LAUNDRY! I'd keep him around for those reasons alone, not to mention he's very nice to look at. But more importantly, Bishop "gets" Ivy in a way no one else does, not even her family, which makes her job that much more difficult. 

As the clock ticks down, and the romantic tension amps up, Ivy will have to choose between the boy she's sworn to love for the rest of her life, and the family she's promised to avenge. 

This does have a cliff hangar ending, so prepare accordingly. (I suggest choosing which corner you'd prefer to rock in ahead of time and fill it with snacks.)

I am REALLY looking forward to Book Two!

Fans of Delirium, The Selection, The Red Queen, and Matched will enjoy this one!


Comments

  1. Heehee!! We should always read books at the same time! This review is how I feel exactly!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Best Of 2012 Blog Hop

  Thanks for stopping by Jenuine Cupcakes! 2012 has been an epic reading year for me and wh ile h aving to choose the BEST of anything is never easy , I pre sent you with a sampling of my Best of 2012. (You'll notice, I've made up a few of the categories to fit my needs but all of these books are fantastic . ) Best Fantasy Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo Best Dystopian/Sequel/People Forgot The MC Was Grieving Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth Best Sci-Fi /A ction /Made Me Beat My Husband U p I n My Sl eep False Memory ( F alse Memory #1) by Dan Krokos  Best Dystopian/Sci-Fi Mashup /I Sa w The Other Hot Boy First Defiance by C.J. Redwine        Best P sychological Thriller /This Book Might Kill Me Be fore It Ends The Evolution of Mara Dyer (M ara Dyer #2) by Michelle Hodkin Best Scared T he Jelly Belly's Out of Me (Because it could happen) Ashen Winter (A shfall #2) by Mi ke Mul...
Authors Are Rockstars Tour Stop Welcome to Jenuine Cupcakes!  *hands you a Batman cupcake*  I am so excited to be a part of the Authors Are Rockstars Tour hosted by Fiktshun & Two Chicks on Books . Thank you ladies for the opportunity to do this tour and to host... Dan Krokos, Author of False Memory When I found out that I would be hosting Dan this happened... And then this... Why, you ask? ________________________________________ (excuse me while I fangirl)   Dan is one of my FAVORITE debut authors of 2012 and it's not just because he was in The Avengers yes, THAT Avengers (lab guy #2--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI40m0L7JRw&feature=youtu.be ) but his book False Memory , blew me away and inspired me to write a  poem. ROSES are red a warning to you False Memory; a sci-fi adrenaline rush and Dan Krokos, I *hearts* YOU! (in a purely, "you wrote an awesome book" ki...

Best Series Blog Hop hosted by Cuddlebuggery

Welcome to Jenuine Cupcakes Thank you Cuddlebuggery for organizing this Best Series Blog Hop! *cupcakes for everyone* I have quite a few series that I love but the one I chose to spotlight is The Sweet Series by Wendy Higgins.  Why? Because it's unique, entertaining and jammed packed full of awesome! Sweet Evil (Book 1) Author: Wendy Higgins Publication: May 1, 2012  Amazon | B&N  Embrace the Forbidden What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels. Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her ...