This book is pretty middle of the road for me. When I started this book, I was in love. I had immediately thrown it over to my fiancee with the request that he read it immediately. But once we got into part two I was so lost. One moment we were at her friend's funeral and the next we're in an alternate dimension? It was so weird to be transported with no idea what happened, though it seems that was kind of just what happened.

I didn't expect this book to go the direction that it did and I'm curious how there's going to be a sequel. The ending was so clean that I'm not sure what else is supposed to happen. Going off of what did happen, I was kind of disappointed with how this book went. The beginning held a lot of promise and once we got transported, it just felt like a copt out almost? Like it would have been so much cooler if the plot lines had taken place in their universe and The Dark One's plots had unfolded that way. Or there was a different plot line in general. Though there were several plot points I enjoyed - again, very middle of the road for me. 

While I like the alternate universe plot line, it just wasn't what I expected. One thing I really like about this book though, is Sloane. She's not the typical hero and it brings up the question "what happens to the hero once the villain has been vanquished?" Her experiences after The Dark One was vanquished shows that not everyone recovers from their trauma quickly, nor should they have to. She's the opposite of a people pleaser, not caring if others are uncomfortable in her presence or making anyone happy. Though it did make me sad to see her leading Matt along. It's a shitty thing to do, but she's our anti-hero, so it's clear she's not perfect.

There are a lot of things I liked and stuff I didn't. I had high hopes for this book and where it was going to go, but this book ended up being middle of the road for me. I'll probably end up reading the next book in the series, just to see what else is supposed to happen. If you like anti-heroes, alternate dimensions, and discussions of trauma/PTSD - this is a perfect book. But be warned that the jump from part one to part two is pretty jarring and you will be confused - I definitely was.

Just being honest, I still have a little grudge against Veronica Roth. 8 or 9 years ago, in the depths of my dystopian days, I stumbled upon Divergent. Of course I loved it, and Tris ascended to the hallowed hall of heroines I adore. Everything was great.... Until Allegiant. I don't believe I have to explain any further than that. Anyway, I'm always keen to refine my opinions, and I had greatly enjoyed the Divergent series, mostly. So, I was very much intrigued by Chosen Ones, Veronica Roth's foray into adult fiction. The premise is fantastic; what happens to the chosen ones after the Big Bad has been defeated? A peak inside the lives of the heros, who are now grown adults. Adults who are a decade distant from the epic takedown that has literally defined their lives. I thought maybe this book would expand and inflate the neat little bow that's tied on to many chosen one tales. It would be the much more realistic exploration of the epilogues that other authors tack on to please the crowd. (Looking at you, Albus Severus Potter.) I was expecting this book to take the "chosen one" trope and flip it on its head, and be completely subversive. I don't know if that was the intention or not, but that's not what I took away from the story.

I wasn't all that invested in Sloane, and the story really centers on her. I liked that the trauma and stress of having the world on her shoulders was explored, but I wanted to go deeper with the other characters as well. My biggest problem with this book is the pace. I really had to plod through it. Some elements were also confusing and hard to keep track of, and the book is too long for no purpose. Now, all that is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. For the most part, I actually did. I loved the pop-culture and humor, and the story really went somewhere that I never saw coming. I think maybe my expectations were too high, and that's why my mind wasn't blown. Chosen Ones would be great as a tv show, and I even have some casting ideas! (The NERVE of me, right?) When I give an opinion or recommendation of this book, I'm going to suggest that the reader should go in blind. Don't even read the synopsis! With no expectations, I can imagine the experience would be quite different and much better. I've been waffling between 2.75 and 3 stars, but to try and mend the rift between Veronica and I, I'm going to round up to a solid 3.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for this copy.

I received a complimentary copy of Chosen Ones through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
However, I could not finish this book. I got about a third of the way into the book, but it was just boring to me and I didn't connect with any of the characters.

I picked this book up solely based on the author. I was curious about how I would like Roth's writing now that I am out of the whirlwind of dystopian trilogies. I also wanted to know how Roth would shape up in an adult publication.

My biggest takeaway from this book? It was fine.

Roth's writing style is clear and recognisable, even in this book aimed at an adult audience. For this reason, alongside the obviously trope-heavy story plot, I think this could be a great gateway adult book for many young adult readers.

But that is honestly my only complement. While the writing style made this (way too long) book easy to fall into, the premise overall felt mildly juvenile. This is a book clearly relying heavily on the chosen-one trope and it seemed to struggle to do much beyond that. And as a reader that it incredibly familiar with the trope, I found the less than unique concept pretty dull.

Don't get me wrong. I did enjoy some of the more adult elements that were thrown into the story. Things like the celebrity status after being publically 'chosen ones', discussions on marriage and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were nice inclusions. But it wasn't enough to make the story an interesting one.

I appreciate what Roth was trying to do with this book. But it wasn't something that worked for me.

This book caught my attention straight away from the premise alone. We're all to familiar with the idead of The Chosen One. The special snowflake that will save the world with luck, duct tape, and a group of friends more skilled, likeable and intelligent than they are. 

Chosen Ones promised to be a breath of fresh air in an oversaturated genre, a rare look behind the curtain - but most of us have larned, at this point, that getting a look at the wizard is not all it's cracked up to be.

Sloane is one of the five teenagers who stopped the Dark One — the villain who tried to use Drains to destroy the world as they knew it.  As such, it's no surprise Sloane and her Chosen gang are a hodge podge of coping mechanisms and  PTSD. People love them, people hate them, people love to hate them.

At the 10 year anniversary of their "Win", things start  to go horribly wrong once again - in more ways than one.

The YA fantasy reader in me appreciated all the Easter Eggs and nods to all the classics, cliches and tropes you can think of, giving it sort of a Breaking of The Fourth Wall quality to it, making it almost  comical.

Unfortunately, that's where Roth lost me. Pacing was probably the biggest issue here, as well as my inability to muster any real afection for the characters past pity and basic empathy.

The outline of this novel was really what attracted me to it: what do heroes become once they've saved the world? Especially those young, idealized Chosen Ones we've repeateadly seen in teen movies and books? This is basically what's explored in the first third of this novel. I immediately found our main character, Sloane, very relatable and realistic, and I was glad for once to read from the point of view of an actual grown-up, with an adult life to deal with, someone supposed to have some maturity, but also her skeletons in the closet. However, it all started going downhill after that first part. We're thrown into a world where the more things happen, the more confusing it gets, until the very end that I barely understood. The author does try to explain everything, but there's just too much, which means it's still confusing and we don't get much action. The beginning had so much potential, and I could see it going to some dark place, but in the end the story kept pretty mild, with very predictable and way too foreshadowed "plot-twists", so I was a bit disappointed.

Chosen Ones has a lot of really interesting ideas within it. The story begins at the 10 year anniversary of when the "Chosen Ones" defeated the "Dark One," an evil magical being. The story feels taken right from Marvel in many ways. A group with various abilities assembles to defeat an enemy. The exploration of the aftermath is an interesting twist. We are introduced to characters who are still struggling, even 10 years later, to grapple with what they lost. PTSD, addiction, and interesting reactions to fame are explored. The story is told in third person yet focuses entirely on Sloane, which made the narrative voice choice an odd one. Sloane is cynical, abrasive, and doesn't know how to get over what happened and move on to a normal life. 
Without giving away the plot, parallel universes are explored, what makes someone good or evil, loyalty, and Sloane has a coming of age story - at age 30. This is supposed to be an adult novel but it's very YA in feel. There's magic, interesting concepts, and a lot of great twists at the end.
However, there are also plot points that are murky, absolutely no character development for anyone except Sloane, and some very slow and slogging parts to the novel. There is a lot here that is good, but I was never excited to get back to it - I left it several times before finally finishing it. The end wrapped up quite firmly and satisfactorily so I am unsure why this is first in a series. It feels like this story is very much over, although characters can always have a new chapter in their lives! It's really between 2 and 3 stars. Be prepared for some slow parts, but also be prepared for some really interesting ideas.

This book left me with a hangover for days! Fast-paced, great world-building, everything you should expect from a great SciFi book, and more. Couldn't put it down.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I thoroughly enjoyed the Divergent series so was excited to give it a go.
I ended up really enjoying it. It took a couple of chapters for me to get into it but once it got going, it was great. Action packed with believable characters (besides the magical power thing obviously...) and unexpected twists and turns!

Moved at a decent pace, kept my interest and was entertaining till the end. I’d recommend if you’re looking for a new read.

When I heard about Chosen Ones my first thought was what a cool concept. Never before had I read about the life of the 'heroes' post life defining moment, especially not ten years later. I had no idea how exactly this new idea would work, how we could see this new perspective and timeline without previously knowing the characters. Despite this Roth beautifully introduced them in a way that felt like i had experienced first hand the events ten years ago, whilst not leaving the reader too much in the past.
On top of this Roth created a morally grey main character that I couldn't help but connect to. I loved the fact that she wasn't just a selfless hero who would do whatever she could to save the world. Instead she frequently questioned her role and abilities and why she should save the world once again. 
Chosen Ones also didn't just brush aside the trauma that the characters experienced, making them feel three dimensional and realistic.
It has been a long while since I read anything by Veronica Roth, but I could not be more glad that I returned to her writing with this book. Vastly different from the days of Divergent, Chosen Ones really puts into perspective life past the main events we usually read and because of this I would definitely recommend it to others.

Whoa. This book. I was completely into this book from the second chapter. I didn't expect much, after Divergent I didn't think there would be another heart-pounding book quite like that. Boy, was I wrong. The characters were so relatable, I felt like they could have been in the room with me. The storyline kept me on the edge of my seat. What I loved most, is that the ending isn't quite what I had expected. And I loved that!

I don't love fantasy/scifi books generally, but this looked really interesting. Unfortunately, I found it pretty slow and boring. Maybe I'm biased as I'm not a fan of the genre generally but it wasn't very cohesive and the humor felt very corny.

If you are a fan of Roth’s from Divergent you might be a bit surprised at this style.  It’s a superhero, villain, multiverse with magic sort of story. It’s told in three parts by Sloane, named after the Ferris Bueller character.  The first is where we meet the five chosen ones and learn about their background and how they defeated the Dark One.  Part Two, some of them are pulled into another dimension where magic is prevalent but the internet and cell phones are not used. There is a reason they are in Genetrix and it’s very important.  Part Three is the grand finale and shows us who really is the Dark One and the natural Chosen One. It’s a different story from Divergent with teens and a dystopian world.  It’s mature and challenging all at once.  I was pleasantly captivated and intrigued by the characters and how everything would end.  It shows there is a second book coming but it ends in a place that leaves a HEA.  I received an early copy from Netgalley.

I don’t think I would have always understood these characters or the darker aspects of this story. But I really do right now. This was such a good fit for how I’m feeling right now and it captivated me right away. I felt connected to the characters and the twists were always one step ahead of me. I’m always in awe of the worlds Roth creates and this is no exception. This is her most complex story and, in my opinion, the best of her books.

This book was mind blowing to say the least. I don’t think I would have ever been able to come up with such a original and complex plot if I had tried and I am very impressed with how all the twists and plot points were all woven so seamlessly together into such an epic story. This author is a freaking genius with her imaginative and passionate writing! 

The take on the main character was very authentic when compared to the norm. Sloane was almost the opposite of what you’d expect the lead of this kind of plot would be, because instead of this charming, brave or outgoing girl one would expect, she was reserved, cold and very tired of the world (if that’s what you can call it). Her negativity almost became too much at some points, being a bit of a Debbie Downer when it felt unnecessary. Considering what she had been through though, her tragic loss of a dear friend, the world not leaving her alone like she wanted and her relationship with Matt going south her negativity fit the feel of the story well for the most part. It also built up beautifully to when the world and the past as she knew it completely changed under her feet. 

Although I wasn’t a fan of the too lengthy descriptions of Genetrix I was still awed by the detail and impact said world had. Sloane developed beautifully in it from that tired person to a determined and brave one. Adding then the magic aspect and then the best of all, Mox and I was sold. Which leads me to the next point; the romance. Even that had a very unique take in the sense that the book started with a deteriorating one, which in the beginning I wasn’t that happy about. I love romance so Matt and Sloane’s relationship crippling was a sour point for me. However, the further I got into the story the better it became with the added drama, arguments and then meeting Mox and a new relationship taking of from there. I loved Mox and Sloane together, their personalities working better together than her and Matt ever did and the story did a great job of showing that. All in all, it started with me bugged and ended with me over the moon. 

The same could be said of the plot. It for sure had a very original take which I appreciated, but I could be a bit slow in the beginning and to be honest I felt like I was missing something. The way it was written felt like there was a previous book I was missing since it started after the chosen ones already had saved the world. I guess the the articles or rapports at the end of every chapter was there to help me understand it better, but I wasn’t that big of a fan of those snippets since I in general don’t like to read articles like that. After having finished the book though, I can say that this choice of writing style actually was cleared up later on and brought another aspect of originality to it. So although I personally had some problems with it I can still appreciate the fresh breath of air it brought. 

I am not sure what the next book in this series will be about considering most was solved and concluded in this one. I am however very curious to find out. After all, there were still some questions left unanswered, like why Ines wasn’t included, what really happened to Albert and after what  Sloane did, how will it affect the new world and herself. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An interesting story with a twists and turns to the storyline. 

I felt like more information of some of the supporting characters would have been but I felt that the main character was well defined and had clear motivation. 

Definitely left the story open to a follow up book.

The book was really slow to capture my interest. I haven’t read the Divergent series so this was my first Roth book and man did it disappoint! For most part I felt disconnected with the story

A delayed review. I liked this book. A lot. It speaks to a more mature audience than Roth's Divergent series and focuses on navigating the world as an adult. I loved the idea of exploring what happens to these heroes after they save the world. Also, kudos for writing a female lead who isn’t likable, and does things that fall outside of the stereotypical hero mold.

Publisher’s Blurb:

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.

After following Roth through her Divergent series, I requested Chosen Ones because it’s her first foray into adult books. Here’s a list of impressions…

One thing is the amount of swearing (get over it)… I glanced at some reviews and y’know, GoodReads…
I’ve read/ watched a number of books/ flicks that deal with Superheroes outside of the battlefield. To humanize the heroes. To create a place for them to deal with their emotions. The PTSD. The regrets. The pain you can’t see. The twist to this one is that it jumps so far forward (10 yrs) and these supers are relatively young, not a mid-life crisis like Mr. Incredible.
I found the beginning of the book to be a slow burn… Roth sets up the premise and lets the reader see the characters reveal themselves and their comedown from glory. Questions: What happens after you win the big game? Will you be ready for the next one or will you lose that edge?
The length was a hinderance for me. At just under 450 pages, there were a couple side plots that could have been taken out to make the plot more streamlined and help focus on the key themes.
I can tell you without reservations that I enjoyed this villain. The last quarter of the book is quite the roller coaster of action, emotions, and reveals.
Pick this one up for a different look at the Chosen One trope… While it can be uneven, the core plot, characters, and themes are worth a read.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and the author for an advanced copy for review.