Chosen ones was to slow and burn and turn for me. It reminded me of the series by Brandon Sanderson about super heroes from a different perspective but not as good.

I absolutely loved this book. Some might struggle with it as occasionally in between chapters there are "articles" of information that give a more in-depth view of what's happened in the history of Earth Rossi created, but I enjoyed it. This book was utterly unputdownable for me. Things aren't what they seem and I enjoyed her twist on magic.

I am a huge fan of Veronica Roth and I enjoyed her new book. I'm wondering if there will be a sequel.

What I liked: the magical world, the blurred line between "good" and "evil," young people saving the world, well developed alternate reality

What I didn't like so much: I found many parts very confusing, it's one thing to "read between the lines" but the plot and alternate realities were pretty involved and I could have used more explanation.

Overall, I enjoyed it. If you are a lover of fantasy and Veronica Roth, you will like it too!

Chosen Ones gave me all sorts of feelings from good to bad to mixed and confused. I will start by saying that I enjoyed this book but I also feel a little let down 🤷🏼‍♀️ here is why:

The first like 200 pages is slow. It was SAD as all heck you guys. It drags. I was bored and honestly didn't want to read it. BUT after 200 pages this book is fantastic! Its fast paced, full of mystery and adventure, has magic and zombies and alternate dimensions!!

I really liked the characters! Sloane is a fabulous character full of flaws which make her so special and relatable. I especially enjoy Mox! He was tall, dark, and mysterious! I'd say as soon as he came in I was like 'oooooo here we go this the story I want to know' haha.

If you like a interesting YA fantasy with magic, war, the undead, plot twists, and a touch of cute romance then I think you will enjoy this!

Chosen Ones is what happens when your YA heroes grow up. Veronica Roth is a master of her craft, and this book deconstructs the dystopian narrative by focusing on the internal life of the heroes as much as the external fights of good versus evil. "What happens after you save the world?" is the struggle for Sloane and her four friends.

I won't give too much away, but this is a darker and more emotional take than most Roth fans may be expecting. A bit slower in some places, but overall satisfying.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

First off, let's be clear this is an adult book. There is swearing and sexual situations (though no out & out explicit stuff), this isn't in the same category as the Divergent series.
Okay that being said, I way hooked from the beginning. It was a little slow, but the switch back-forth between classified documents and Sloane's POV really kept it interesting for me. Like a big secret was being revealed to the reader at the same time as it was to Sloane. This story really remember me Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart. The whole young kids, chosen by fate to save to world from evil after magic is released on the world. I love it. This story though is different because it's what happens after the battle. How do you go about living your life after that?? And can evil ever really be stopped??
VR really brings serious issues into play in this book also - PTSD, substance abuse, suicide, racism, and neglect. There's a lot. Though they aren't focused, she does a good job through the characters of conveying the heaviness of the situations of each; how each impacts the charcuterie and those around them. I appreciate being real-works problems onto a fanciful setting because that is in part was some of this story is - the adjustment after the world is saved, in the aftermath.

** I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

What happens to the hero of the story after she/he is done saving the world? Is it all glory, celebrity, and wealth? What are the ramifications of the decision to save the world and is it possible to return to a normal everyday life?
I feel like Roth set out to answer these questions and provided the reader a glimpse into the life of one of those young adult heroes we read about who are thrust into the spotlight to save the day and after they do, the story fades to black with no further knowledge of what the character then endured as a result of the traumatic and stressful event of, you know, saving the world.
Sloane is our main protagonist throughout this story and, early in the book, we're provided with a slice of life look into her everyday. Matt, Ines, Ester, and Albie are the four other chosen ones who, together, took down The Dark One and we watch the group deal with addiction, depression, and PTSD. I appreciated receiving only Sloane's point of view throughout this book as I feel the author could have attempted to write the views of each character but, for me, that just wouldn't have worked. I felt connected to Sloane and understood her behavior from a deeper level, which would have been missing with a multi POV format.
Some of the criticisms of this story describe slow pacing but that wasn't my experience. I enjoyed observing the character's lives after the descent of The Dark One and viewing their new normal. I've read lots of chosen one stories so I feel like I've seen that before, this after-saving-the-world aspect is new and interesting!
The slice of life doesn't last long anyway and soon we're thrust into a new predicament and our characters must, yet again, save those around them from dire circumstance. This, however, is a different take and a completely different dimension; think multiple paths, multiple versions of self, string theory and I loved it! The aspect of multiple dimensions fascinates me. I feel like the very possibility of multiple dimensions opens up unlimited possibilities.
It is possible to get confused at points, however, if you keep reading events become clear. I thought the end wrapped up nicely. Actually, from the way the story concluded, I believed this to be a stand alone but, looking at goodreads, I noticed there will be a second in the series and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm excited to revisit the characters but also, it concluded so well, do we really need another? I don't know. You'll have to determine that for yourself.

What happens to the heroes after the war is won and the great evil is defeated? That is the question answered in this novel and the answer is gritty, real, and not very glorifying at all. The heroes struggle to adapt to life after training and fighting, much like soldiers do when they return from war. There’s ptsd, anxiety, anger, depression etc. There is strong focus on mental health in this book, but also a focus on being true to yourself and seeking the truth, no matter how ugly or hurtful it is. I thoroughly enjoyed this foray into more adult themes and it’s definitely a coming of age story where they go from teens fighting the dark one to adults fighting an even more sinister foe. They must face their fears and learn to stand on their own and discern the truth of who they are. Worlds collide in more ways than one and the ideas and worlds are well thought out and explained. I enjoyed her first series but this is by far my favourite of her works. I love it.

I think this book has some potential, as I enjoyed the news clippings and interviews, but I was not able to relate to the characters. The one character I was enjoying ended up dying. I see however how others could really love this book and I still hope they give it a shot.

Thank you for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book!

I went into this with high expectations considering how much I loved the Divergent trilogy. Unfortunately I just did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

Wee bit of a surprise here...it's not that bad. In fact, it's a very entertaining book!

Now, written for adults or not, it's still YA. It's just YA where the characters are about 30 and drink vodka and whiskey.

But...the angst! (Also the snark, the love triangles, the juvenile patter...THE ANGST!) To be fair, there are so many flashbacks to when our characters were YA aged - this really added to that YA feel.

But it's a fun book. The author put a couple of little twisty bits in it that were very enjoyable and it's a fast and entertaining read.

But still YA.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Opening lines: excerpt from Comedian Jessica Krys's standup routine, Laugh Factory, Chicago, March 20, 2011

I've got a question for you: How the fuck did we end up with the name "Dark One" anyway? This guy shows up out of nowhere in a cloud of fucking smoke or whatever, literally rips people limb from limb—apparently using only the power of his mind—recruits an army of minions, levels whole cities, brings about a degree of destruction heretofore unknown to humankind ... and "Dark One" is the best we can do? We might as well have named him after the creepy guy in your building who looks at you a couple seconds too long int he elevator. You know, the one with the really moist, soft hands? Tim. His name is Tim.

Personally I would have gone with something like "Portent of Doom in the Form of a Man" or "Terrifying Fucking Killing Machine" but unfortunately, nobody asked me.
Reason I picked up the book: I'm a huge Veronica Roth fan (she's the author of the Divergent series).
And what's this book about?
Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. He was known as the Dark One, and his weapon of choice—catastrophic events known as Drains—leveled cities and claimed thousands of lives. Chosen Ones, as the teens were known, gave everything they had to defeat him.

After the Dark One fell, the world went back to normal . . . for everyone but them. After all, what do you do when you’re the most famous people on Earth, your only education was in magical destruction, and your purpose in life is now fulfilled?

Of the five, Sloane has had the hardest time adjusting. Everyone else blames the PTSD—and her huge attitude problem—but really, she’s hiding secrets from them . . . secrets that keep her tied to the past and alienate her from the only four people in the world who understand her.

On the tenth anniversary of the Dark One’s defeat, something unthinkable happens: one of the Chosen Ones dies. When the others gather for the funeral, they discover the Dark One’s ultimate goal was much bigger than they, the government, or even prophecy could have foretold—bigger than the world itself.

And this time, fighting back might take more than Sloane has to give.
Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys fantasy books, or who enjoyed the Harry Potter books.
Favorite paragraph: Magic was not a weapon or even an amoral source of energy — it was an infection. Wherever it was, people died, places turned rotten, and the order of things was disrupted, sometimes irreparably. But there was no other weapon against the magic ARIS had developed than magic itself.
Something to know: There were a LOT of similarities to the Harry Potter series here. It's almost as if this book was following the HP kids like 15 years after they defeated Voldemort (aka "The Dark One," here). Also, this is the first in a series; there's no release date yet for the second book, though.
What I would have changed: Can't think of anything right now that I would have changed.
Overall rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
Where can I find this book? Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Some believe magic always existed. Sloane wakes from a bad dream that she's in the dark ones house.She is just scared and not facing reality for now.Sloane fell in love with Matt at a young age.There is a memorial set up for the ten year anniversary of the dark ones attacks.Matt proposes to sloane

Veronica Roth is a master world builder. This universe she created is much like ours, except for the existence of magic. The premise is super compelling— a group of chosen ones that have defeated the earth’s enemy faced with having to live regular lives ten years later. Things take a wilder turn as the book progresses, and I enjoyed the fast pace of the plot and relationships between all the characters. The big plot twists and reveals all felt well timed, and left me wanting more.

Chosen Ones is a action and suspense-packed book with a unique, thrilling and captivating story. Every theme was new in this book, including the fact that there was no 'one-true-savior-of-the-world' thing. The world building was wonderful.

The book follows the story of Sloane Andrews, ten years after she and her 'chosen' friends collectively brought down the Voldermort-like 'Dark One'. But life isn't as sweet and rosy for them as one would expect. They attract all the media and public attention. Some of them still suffer from PTSD. And Sloane has some secrets of her own that alienates her from her own friends.

But when one of the 'Chosen Ones' dies, their lives turn upside-down, and it seems that the Dark One is not dead after all. They travel to an unimaginable place.

The Chosen Ones has the right amount of Sci-fi and Fantasy. The fact that the Chosen Ones are troubled by media, paparazzi and that some of them still suffer trauma makes the story realistic. And above all the twists were totally unforeseen.

The things that I didn't like in this book is that there were extracts, references and memorandums at the end of almost every chapter which made me forget were the last chapter ended. I think that the author wanted to explore the New Adult genre to its limit as she used the F-word a lot. Also, I felt the story was too slow-paced at some parts.

I thank NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me this amazing opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

Roth's first novel written for adults, and boy was I impressed. Ten years after the Dark One has been defeated, the Chosen Ones are still dealing with the aftermath.
The novel tells first of them dealing with the aftermath of their own world because once you are a Chosen One, your life can never be the same. Then at quite possibly the worst moment, and not as the Chosen Five, they get sucked into an alternate universe where the Dark One is still alive and wreaking havoc.
Sloane is a character who I actually care about. She is dealing with this struggle of being "enough." It is great to see a main character struggle in the way she does. It makes me care more about every decision she makes.
This is a series, so it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger. But it makes me look forward to what else is to be told in the world.

So I actually bought this before my wish was granted. However I'm glad I did. I thought I knew where this story was going and I was wrong. Very interesting ending, I'm excited to see where this goes next!

You can tell Roth loves Chicago, the art and architecture, as well as an intricate knowledge of streets, buildings, etc. She uses all of this to move the characters in her story through the pursuit of an evil maniac. A twist at the end has you reflecting upon your own values, what you hold to be dear, and what you find despicable.

What a cool story. I think Veronica Roth did a great job with her first adult fantasy. Although, for me it really felt more New Adult and there were times when it definitely felt more like I was reading YA. Either way though, I really enjoyed the story. I loved the main character Sloane. I connected with her a lot. I can see some people maybe not liking her so much though because she’s just one of those polarizing types of personalities. Which I happen to be a fan of. She wasn’t like your straight up hero. Which we do get in the form of Matt, whom I will admit wasn’t my favorite character. But that was probably because he was so different from Sloane. He was so GOOD. I love a character with some grey. Another part of the book I just loved was the ending. It wasn’t a complete surprise, but there were surprises in there which I enjoyed. If you want an interesting story with flawed characters and some twists and turns, definitely give this book a chance. I give it 4.5 stars!

In a dystopian future, young children were picked to be the "Chosen Ones" based on a prophecy, to save the world from the "Dark One". They are celebrated as heroes, but that is only part of their story. Told from Sloane's perspective, we see how she has been affected by this experience. She prefers to be away from the public eye. After the death of one of their own, they are thrown into another conflict. Trying to get home, a deal is struck to stop a similar dark one. But Sloane does not trust the information that they were given and does her own snooping to find the truth. It was an interesting plot twist, where nothing is as it seems. Sometimes one has to make the hard choices and live with the guilt of those choices to save others. Sometimes, one has to be selfish. Sometimes, one has to do the unthinkable. These are the choices that define a person.
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.