Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver
Release date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Personal Copy
Links: Goodreads / Barnes & Noble / Amazon

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of revolution about to ignite.

          I've put off reading this book ever since it came out. Once I heard that it had a crazy cliffhanger, I decided I could wait a bit to read it. Until this past Friday, when the itch to learn what happened to Lena came and wouldn't leave me alone.

Right away, I was sucked into the story. I was experiencing everything Lena was: every emotion, every trip and stumble, every time she wanted to give up and die, I felt it. Every time she feared or doubted herself or came in contact with something dangerous, I was living it right alongside with her.

As I read, I was wondering about someone's fate and I felt myself freaking out even more and I may or may not have peeked at the last sentence of the book (I so did). However, that backfired because my heart stopped with the shock and I had to read the last paragraph as well. I shouldn't have done that. I hate that I peeked and spoiled the ending to myself. Although, I had no idea what would happened for it to get there.

So as I read on, I started to get anxious, snapping at anyone who dared disturbed me while reading. I soon started hyperventilating and telling Lena, " No, no, no! Don't do it. Don't say it. Don't do what I think you're going to to. You'll regret it." But no! Lena didn't listen to me and as I continued on, I had half of my face covered by my hands. As if that would stop whatever was coming next.

And Oh. My. God. I still can't believe it. I read it and spoiled myself, but I still can't believe what happened. How could Lauren Oliver do this to us?! How could she end it there?! I mean... I... I have no words! I had to go back and reread the last few pages because I couldn't believe it. And now, days later and I still find myself groaning and facepalming myself because how?! How could this have happened? How could it end like that?

I knew I should have waited until it was closer to Requiem's release date to read Pandemonium. However, my stubbornness knows no bounds. Ahhh!!! Lauren Oliver, you got me. You gave me more than I expected and I'll be anxiously awaiting for March 5th, 2013 to get here.

Anyone have any hugs to spare? I'm in need of one.