Review for The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Scorch Trials

Author: James Dashner

Publisher: Delacorte Books

Source: Given from Amanda

Challenges: 350 Page, For the Love of YA, I'd Wish I'd Read That

260 pages

"Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.
Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?" - Goodreads

    Nooooooooooo! It ended!! *breaks down crying* Do I really have to wait five month's to find out what happens? I'm going to die! Yes, it was that good.... Let me explain.


 Everyone knows how much I love this series, starting with the Maze Runner. The Scorch Trials continues off where Maze Runner left off, naturally. We continue to see the same characters and the brutal world that the Gladers have always wondered about. It's a horrible place; with Cranks, the Flare, and sun flares. I still love Thomas as the main character, Minho I can't live without, and same with Newt. Those are the three characters that you get very attached to when reading this book. There are a few new characters introduced and I think they add a lot to the story. Now, your're probably wondering, what about Teresa? Well, let me tell you I still have mixed feelings (for good reason!) about her. You'll see when you read. So, overall the characters are incredible.


  The plot. It is so, now how to describe it, un-put-a-down-able. You simply cannot put it down. There is so much anticipation as you read, the author gives you little bits of information that keeps you formulating what might happen but then BAM! there's a twist. It's an amazing roller-coaster ride that you cannot miss! There are so many twists, turns, and gasps, my hat is tipped to the author. The writing style is so simple but up to YA level that it's easy to follow and the descriptions are wonderful. It really gives you a feel for how the world is. And there is so much mystery it totally got me hooked!


  This series is INCREDIBLE! If you haven't read it I'm now telling you to read it! Give this series a chance!! You won't be disappointed!! But I advise you to read BOTH The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. Can anyone tell how much I love these books?? Good then I'm doing my job :) I cannot wait for The Death Cure to come out... oh October hurry up!

Excerpt:

   The world seemed to fade away. All became numb and sweet. And the darkness, somehow comforting. He slipped into a dream.

***
He's very young. Four, maybe? Five? Lying in a bed with blankets pulled to his chin.

A woman sits next to him, her hands folded in her lap. She has long brown hair, a face just beginning to show signs of age. Her eyes are sad. He knows this even though she's trying very hard to hide it with a smile.

He wants to say something, ask her a question. But he can't. He's not really here. Just witnessing it all from a place he doesn't quite understand. She begins to talk, a sound so simultaneously sweet and angry it disturbs him.

"I don't know why they chose you, but I do know this. You're special somehow. Never forget that. And never forget how much"--her voice cracks and tears run down her face--"never forget how much I love you."

The boy replies, but it's not really Thomas speaking. Even though it is him. None of it makes sense. "Are you gonna be crazy like all those people on TV, Mommy? Like . . . Daddy?"

The woman reaches out and runs her fingers through his hair. Woman? No, he can't call her that. This is his mother. His . . . mommy.

"Don't you worry about that, honey," she says. "You won't be here to see it."

Her smile has gone away.

***
Too fast the dream faded into blackness, leaving Thomas in a void with nothing but his thoughts. Had he seen another memory crawl up from the depths of his amnesia? Had he really seen his mom? There'd been something about his dad being crazy. The ache inside Thomas was deep and gnawing, and he tried to sink further into oblivion.

Later--how much later he had no idea--Teresa spoke to him again.

Tom, something's wrong.