It took me a while to get into this story. I was fairly happy with the story though I am sure it will appeal to a younger audience, say, young adult. It had good twists and turns, and a solid plot. Overall an average read.

In the beginning I really thought I was going to give this book a positive review but I struggled to finish it.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been written in first person.

2.5 stars

What I liked:
- the premise of what happens to heroes after they've saved the day: how do they cope with trauma, their fame, their inability to stay out of the limelight, the (frequently ridiculous) expectations the public continues to have for them, etc. 
- Sloane's characterisation. I started out slightly 'meh' on her...but somehow by the end of the book, I came to appreciate the main character. She's difficult, complex, depressed and overwhelmed, has a whole lot of issues weighing her down and keeping her from making the "right" decisions frequently — and that just made her startlingly human to me
- the in-world documents. Many chapters would end with maybe a magazine article, an interview, a memorandum, or an academic journal, each highlighting or explaining some aspect of the world. Some of these were good and well-done, adding a lot of context and flavour to the story.

What I didn't:
- the pacing. That's the biggest issue of this book. I felt it was really slow for the most part — I don't think things started picking up until maybe 65% of the way in, and even after that point, even during the action sequences and WTF-inducing (in a good way) plot twists, there was this sluggish pace to the story that kept me from enjoying it. I'm definitely not opposed to slow stories (big fan of plotless slice-of-life stories here!) or books that take their time to build up the opening, and then only launch into chaotic action in the latter half, but Chosen Ones doesn't quite strike the right pacing at any moment.
- overload of unnecessary descriptions. This is related to the above point, actually — the pacing would have been improved for me if lots of descriptions were shrunken or chopped out. There's a lot of needless (in my opinion) description of various buildings and landmarks around Chicago, of the mundane things people are wearing, of the little filler actions people are doing at any time. Some of these are great, and they add to the atmosphere in a meaningful way, but others would just bog down the pace and make me skim ahead.
- the in-world documents (I know, I know, I've listed it as a plus up there. Stay with me here). Although some of these were great, there were others that seemed unnecessary. Either they felt irrelevant to the plot, or they would just be needless trivia spelled out with too much minute detail. 

My overall feeling about this book is that I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I could've due to the above issues, but it's still not without its merits. I think with much tighter editing, Chosen Ones would have been an interesting, thought-provoking read on how heroes handle the aftermath of saving the day, and the trauma they've undergone. As a side note, I will say that this is the second book from Roth I've read, the first being Divergent, and I do think her prose has improved since her early days. Always nice seeing someone continue to work on their skills even after becoming immensely successful.

Thank you to John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC. Please note this review is based on an unfinished version of the book, and the final printed edition may differ.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. It was overall just very meh for me. I liked some of the characters, but had trouble connecting with them, and parts of the book I had to push myself through. Not the best thing I've ever read, but not the worst either.

2.5-3 stars

As a friend recently pointed out, I swore I would never read another Veronica Roth book after Allegiant. Everyone deserves a second chance, right?

I was intrigued by the plot of this book...what happens to the heroes when the threat is neutralized? When the big baddie is defeated, where do we go from here? For the Chosen Ones, 10 years later some have moved on but many are still fighting their demons in the form of PTSD. Sloane is our heroine and she's kind of sullen and moody and unsettled. I never connected with her, the whole book. In fact, I didn't connect with ANY of the characters. The story was slow, the writing was too descriptive with not enough dialogue for my tastes and the storyline took a turn that was just frankly hard to follow for me. This book was marketed as an "adult" book and other than a few "f" bombs it still read like YA to me, even though the characters were 30-ish. I'm not intrigued enough to read the sequel and am not sure that a sequel is necessary as I think the book ended with a conclusion. This was a miss for me.

While I loved Divergent, I found this book about young adults who defeated a great threat 10 years ago and are attempting to deal with the aftermath of being both famous and traumatized a little slow. 

I was intrigued by the original, fresh premise, only to see the story devolve into a predictable fight. The writing is still engaging for the most part though. 

Plenty of magic and action for all also.

I loved the Divergent series and was so excited to see a new Veronica Roth book! This book was so so good, I'm still sad that I flew through it. Everything you would want in a dystopian novel. I felt such a connection to the characters! Hope to read more by this author in the future.

2020 has been a strange one, in many ways. For the last six months, I've barely read. Picking up a book and disappearing into a world that wasn't this one just didn't seem possible for a long time.

Chosen Ones was the first thing I've really read in months, and it was a wonderful return. I was a big fan of Divergent, so had high hopes for Roth's return.

Chosen Ones introduces us to Sloane, one of a group of 'Chosen Ones' who defeated their villain ten years prior to the start of the book. Sloane isn't your typical golden hero; she's gritty, damaged and real. We're thrown into a world that combines fantasy and sci-fi, and really subverts our expectations.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the sequel; I can't wait to see where this world goes. Highly recommended for YA and adult readers alike.

Ten years ago, five teenagers known as the Chosen Ones, used magic to defeat the super villain known as the Dark One.  Part one, set in Chicago, revolves around the 10th anniversary celebration of the defeat of the Dark One.  When one of the five Chosen dies, they all gather again for his funeral.  It's then that they discover that the Dark One may not have perished as they thought and was still wreaking havoc unbeknownst to them.

Chosen Ones is missing something, but I just cannot put my finger on what it is.  The characters were fine, the plot was ok, the villain was not so terrifying.  I enjoyed the first part of the book showing what happens to super heroes after they no longer need to be heroes.  Then part two hit and I did not love it.  It was slow and I found myself not really caring what happened to the characters.  The end of the book wraps it all up pretty well, with no NEED for another book.  The entire time I was reading, it reminded me so much of Steelheart by Sanderson, only Chosen Ones didn't pull off what Steelheart did.  

I might skim that one to see if anything interesting happens, but I'm not holding my breath.  While this is advertised as an adult fiction read, it didn't feel any different than all the other dystopian ya fiction out there, Roth's included.  I wouldn't recommend.  Skip this one and read Steelheart instead.

Thanks, NetGalley for the arc.

I'll preface this by saying I got this as an ARC and I don't even remember requesting it. After I DNF'd Allegiant because the ending was spoiled and I thought it was stupid I didn't think I'd ever pick up another Roth book again. Despite this I tried to keep an open mind and tried to make sure I was in the right mood to give it a go.

This book is SLOW. It does not pick up the pace until about 60%. Normally I'd DNF a book like this by 20% but enough slightly interesting things happened to keep me reading but wow it was boring. 

The first 30% is world building and a vague historical recount about the original fight with the Dark One with a sprinkling of the present to keep things moving. This was interesting but could have been cut down a lot.

The next 30% is more world building but in an alternate dimension and our characters trying to learn to use magic. This could have been drastically cut back. 

Then the last third was where things actually got interesting, if not incredibly predictable, and somewhat conveniently underexplained. I still don't really understand what happened or how or why.

The mixed media was interesting at first but became a burden and the articles added to the slog. If you read this book just skip them, they're not necessary.

Sloane  was an interesting character. A first person PoV may have fixed some of the pacing issues and would have put us directly in the head of someone who had suffered a great deal of trauma and was a person first rather than a hero. 
This would have been fascinating and could have made up for the rest of the characters that were kind of just shells with a couple of identifiers. 
Overall the concept was cool and I feel the aftermath would make for an awesome sequel. 
My rating reflects how annoyed this book made me. If you cut out about 100 pages of peripheral and added some direction it could have been a 4 star read.

**I was provided an electronic ARC of this novel post-publication from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Veronica Roth makes her adult debut with Chosen Ones, a modern fantasy that upends a lot of common tropes and puts a solid spin on them. Readers follow a group of individuals who, as children, were identified in accordance to a prophecy as potential Chosen Ones capable of defeating the Dark One. It has been years since their defeat of the Dark One, it turns out that spending childhood training to defeat the world's greatest known threat produces adults with quite a bit of trauma. When it turns out there are parallel universes and the Dark One may not be as dead as he was intended, these same individuals are called on again to save the world.

I really liked the way that Roth explored these tropes in a way that was accessible and fun for those who might be branching from young adult to adult novels, but also enjoyable for those accustomed to adult fantasy. The pacing in this book was really interesting to me. Typically, when I am enjoying a book, I speed through it. At no point was I bored or did I lose interest, but I wasn't particularly motivated to hastily finish the book. This isn't a complaint, but an out-of-the-ordinary experience I felt was notable for this book.

Each character seemed to have a solid foundation and unique personalities. I was surprised to see that this work is the start of a series, as everything wrapped up well as a standalone novel also. 

I am eager to see more of Roth's work in the adult arena in the future.

'Chosen Ones' by Veronica Roth, author of Divergent, is about what happens after the villain is defeated. What happens to the heroes? What are the consequences and affects that they have to deal with? That sort of thing.

Overall, I enjoyed it as it's something different: it subverts the 'chosen one' trope and puts a new spin on it. I would definitely recommend!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to review this book. The premise does not match to what the story tells. Yes, there is Chosen Ones and yes we follow Sloane but that is just about it. This book is soo confusing and the magic system that Sloane and the other Chosen Ones use does not make sense and hard to figure out what is going on. The only thing good about this book is Mox, who does not get introduced until part 2 in the story.

Chosen Ones – Veronica Roth

This is a new fantasy / science fiction story from the best-selling author of the “Divergent” series.

In this the female protagonist we are introduced to Sloane. At such a young age she has endured more than most would have thought possible. Fated to be one of the Chosen Ones. Growing up with magical abilities and a mother who couldn’t have cared less for her. Now in custody of the government fighting the man they know as the Dark One.

Yet she is not completely alone. There are four other Chosen Ones, Esther, Max, Ines and Albie. All young and all having displayed some magical prowess – all foretold to bring about the end of the Dark One.

Just as they had finished their Dark One, just when they should have been able to rest, finally begin lives that are their own. And it starts all over again, they are suddenly whisked away to another universe.

Forced to fight a parallel Dark One known as the Resurrectionist. But for these Chosen Ones, everything is not as it seems and there are secrets lurking around the corner.

Having read the Divergent series I was unsure of what to expect from Veronica Roth here.  The beginning lost me a little bit, I understand the author was probably trying to set up the back story so the reader could understand and really engage with the story and the characters, and it certainly paid off.

I really connected with Sloane, yes, she was your typical young woman, lost and fighting for herself, some understanding and proving her strength. It can be a tad cliché but it’s one I enjoy when it is written well. After a traumatic event it can take quite a bit to find yourself again, to find your way and what helps is having people around you who really understand; which is exactly what I found so relatable about Sloane’s story.

Matt’s character was very irritating to me, few things he did really rubbed me up the wrong way but I suppose that just proves this was written very well. The Resurrectionist was another favourite character of mine but I won’t say too much so I don’t give it away.

Though the beginning was a bit dry and had a rough start it was an enjoyable and engaging read. A thrilling fantasy story with a very curious science fiction twist

I really loved Roth’s divergent series and carve the mark series so I thought I would give this one a shot and it did not disappoint. The story was intense and exciting. It was a new idea and a great read. Will read more of her work when she writes it.

3.5/5 stars

So I'll just start off by saying that I have read Veronica Roth's other books. Divergent is one I can barely remember, but I know I was pretty meh about it. Carve the Mark i despised and couldn't get into at all. Chosen Ones is by far my favorite, but I still have issues.

I really liked the story, and at the moment of reading it was pretty cool! I was drawn in, even though it was a slow burn for a hefty chunk of the length. Downside? I couldn't remember many of the details once I finished. I remembered the gist of everything, but those fine details? Gone. It became forgettable. I believe this also goes in hand with the characters, as I wasn't much of a fan. It took me a long time to like Sloane, and even now I wish she was developed a bit more. She annoyed me often, and the side characters needed more room to shine.

I'm not saying this is bad at all. I actually liked it! I just found it to be forgettable and the characters weren't my favorite.

꧁Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ꧂
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𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐡
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“Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s worth doing.
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𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 

Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down The Dark One, an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. The Chosen Ones, as the teens were known, gave everything they had to defeat him.

After his defeat, 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 everyone . . . 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.

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𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
Thank you so much to @hodderbooks @Vrothbooks and @Netgalley for sending me the ARC ebook copy for an honest review

I absolutely loved Divergent. So, when Veronica Roth announced her first adult novel, Chosen Ones I want to read it and when I spotted it on NetGalley I immediately requested it and thankfully they accepted.

I absolutely loved it. Veronica’s writing has not changed, given that, this is her first attempt at a adult novel. I hoped it would grip me like her ya novels and it did.

I rarely read any other dystopian books but Roth’s is something else. Her way of always thinking ahead and putting it to paper astounds me. Parallel universes have always interested me and I was blown away by Roth’s efforts at creating multiple universes, putting a storyline to it and fleshing it out (no pun intended) is top notch!

The world building and magic system was insane. Beautifully thought out. It also felt a little futuristic too, which I enjoyed.

I loved all the characters and how real they felt and how different they all were. How diverse they all are. I could relate to them all in little ways. Especially Sloane. And that’s what makes this book so magical and gripping and believable.

I could go on, about how amazing this book is but I don’t want to give any spoilers away.

I would definitely recommend this one.



𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC from NetGalley

Sloane and her 4 friends were recruited at a young age to determine which of them was "the chosen one" who would fight "the dark one" who was destroying the world. They fight together, win, and here we are in the aftermath of it all, 10 years later.

It starts interestingly, we have 3 sort of preface pieces. They each have a distinct voice. The first is an excerpt from a comedy show. The second is an essay, and the third is told from the point of view of a journalist (asshole) interviewing the MC. It gives 3 interesting perspectives, and I like this way of doing a sort of deconstructed prologue.

The newspaper piece is a bit eh, because the journalist is such a massive, disgusting POS that I can't possibly imagine Sloane would have agreed to the interview in the first place. There's no way that she wouldn't know he was a vile heap of human excrement before deciding to be interviewed. 

The story continues from Sloane's perspective interspersed with, at first, information that she had requested about the man who recruited her. We eventually get different perspectives, and at one point I just started skimming/skipping them all because they were boring and weren't bringing much to the story.

It takes a long time to get to the meat of it. A significant portion of this book is just setting up the relationships and reflecting on the past. It had a major superhero vibe which I wasn't digging until we get to the crux point when things become a lot more magical. 

The romantic relationships in this story were just eh. We get that whole forced relationship because it's all she's known and what she thinks she should be doing until we get the next relationship which sort of comes out of nowhere with absolutely no preamble, no building of tension, etc. It was a fucking waste honestly, and it could have been good. I was really disappointed. 

The magic system wasn't well-explored. The characters, aside from Sloane, weren't well-explored. Sloane is a mopey, miserable woman, and she doesn't really have a lot of redeeming qualities. She also doesn't really seem that deep. We know she is suffering and traumatized, but it doesn't really resonate that much. It doesn't feel real enough or gritty enough. She just seems like kind of a bitch. The big twist was sort of obvious. It wasn't exciting. The conclusion was anticlimactic, but maybe the next iteration will be better. I sort of had to force myself through it all, and on the whole I'm pretty disappointed.

The hero worship, the fetishization, the objectification, the PTSD, the unhealthy coping mechanisms--all the gritty aftermath for the magical teens that saved the world. And he may even be back. For people who grew up on this type of adventure story, this is the next level.

First, thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC!

I do apologize for this review getting out so late. After the quarantine happened, my reading habits turned on its head and I didn't pick this up for ages because I wasn't in a very sci fi/fantasy mood. I didn't want to DNF so I waited it out until I was ready and boy, am I glad that I did. 

Obviously being a millennial, you have lived thru the dystopian YA craze and know Divergent as a result - which was how I knew Veronica Roth. So when I heard she was coming out with a new book, I was instantly curious. 

So a couple things first:

1) I stayed up past midnight (I'm a working young professional!! That is past bedtime for me) to finish this
2) I will be going to my local bookstore to purchase a hardcover copy this week

Veronica Roth wrote a tale that was like catnip to me. Chosen One trope? Check. Alternate Earth? Check. Multiverse? Check. Unstable magic? Check. An evil, maniacal crackpot? Check. Sarcastic armies of undead? CHECK. (Ziva is the best character, you cannot change my mind)

I know not everyone loves the Chosen One trope (yes, arguably it's overdone, but I always tropes are tropes for a reason), but our heroine, Sloane, is such an unwilling participant in the events that play out that it was super refreshing. She is flawed. She knows she is flawed. She's got depth to her character and that's fantastic, but I did feel like the effort poured into her meant that some other characters were neglected in their development (Esther didn't feel like she was a necessary part to the plot development).

The book is slow at first - of course it is. When you're building an alternate earth and an ALTERNATE to that alternate, there's a level of world-building and magic systems that need to be established before turning to the conflict. I think Veronica Roth did a great job with introducing characters and the world in the first part of the book. 

It was around the 65% mark that I was unable to tear myself away from the book. From a slow build, the story shifts to a breakneck pace and, at midnight, I definitely felt a little disoriented but like in the best way possible. 

I know this book is meant to be the first in a series but I was wholly satisfied with the conclusion. It was wrapped up nicely but, in my opinion, the best stories leave room for the imagination to fill in the gaps and map out the future. I'll look forward to the next installment eagerly but don't think it's entirely necessary. 

If you love traditional sci fi/fantasy tropes, I definitely recommend this. If you don't, I still recommend it - I think the MC's attitude towards her own role as a Chosen One is refreshing enough to enjoy this trope in a new way.