PANDEMONIUM (Lauren Oliver) - June 12/12

I didn't mind the first book in this trilogy, Delirium, but this one is just a slog virtually from beginning to end. The narrative consists of two competing storylines, the past and the present, and they're both rather tedious. Oliver offers up yet another YA post-apocalyptic narrative that's just dull, for the most part, and I honestly didn't care what happened to Lena for most of it. The book does, admittedly, pick up in its final stretch as Lena attempts to rescue Julian from his execution, but the inclusion of hackneyed elements - Alex is alive! Love triangle! - doesn't really do the book any favors. I'll read the final entry when it comes out, but yeah, I've really, really had enough of these YA Twilight/Hunger Games knockoffs. ** out of ****