"Delirium" by Lauren Oliver

Symptoms of Amor Deliria Nervosa:

Phase One:

Preoccupation; difficulty focusing

Dry mouth

Perspiration, sweaty palms,

Fits of dizziness and disorientation

Reduced mental awareness; racing thoughts; impaired reasoning skills.

Phase Two

Periods of euphoria, hysterical laughter and heightened energy

Periods of despair; lethargy

Change in appetite, rapid weight loss or weight gain

Fixation; loss of other interests

Compromised reasoning skills; distortion of reality

Disruption of sleep patterns; insomnia or constant fatigue

obsessive thoughts and actions

Paranoia; insecurity

Phase Three (Critical)

Difficulty breathing

Pain in the chest, throat, or stomach

Difficulty swallowing; refusal to eat

Complete breakdown of rational faculties; erratic behavior; violent thoughts and fantasies; hallucinations and delusions

Phase Four (Fatal)

Emotional or physical paralysis (partial or total)

death

Synopsis:  What if love was a disease that had a cure? No more heartbreak, no more pain, or loss. Unrequited love would be a thing of the past, and your loved ones would not fail you because there would be no expectations. The only catch? You have to wait until your eighteen and and it doesn't always turn out right. Sure everyone seems happy, but without love there is no desire, no passion. You just are. 

Lena Haloway has been waiting to be cured her entire life. She can't wait for the feelings of confidence it will bring and to be paired with her potential mate. That is, until she meets Alex. Now, Lena is questioning everything she has ever believed in and possibly contracting the disease herself. But she has to be careful, because in Lena's world love isn't just dangerous... it's illegal.

My Thoughts: EPIC!!! Lauren Oliver has built a world where love is outlawed and she writes it well. The characters are so in depth, the story so gripping, I'm so glad I don't have to wait to read the next one and can just go the store and buy it right now. I felt like I was actually apart of Lena's world and felt everything she was feeling (or in some cases, trying not to feel). The language was beautiful and so easy to relate to. Everyone has had a time in their life when they felt like love just wasn't worth all the pain and suffering. Well, Lauren Oliver shows you exactly what it would be like if you could get rid of it.

A mixture between 1984, The Hunger Games, and Fahrenheit 451, Delirium is the next great dystopian novel!

*Special Thanks to sweet & awesome Anna who bought me this for my Bday!*

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

GoodReads Rating: 4.05 Stars