Birthmarked

"I've been hoping to read this book for months. Maybe since I got my goodreads. The little blurb, "Please let me keep my baby..." etc. had me dying to read it because it sounded so good. I thought that the main character was going to be the young mother wanting to keep her baby, but nope, it was the midwife. I really loved this book, but wasn't head over heels for it. Gaia was an interesting character whom I liked okay at first, but she made some dumb choices throughout the book that I'm not sure I would have made. Personally, I probably would have gone to the Dead Forest a few days after Meg. That way, I'd talked to the soldier, and they wouldn't be suspecting anything when I ran, so I'd have a chance to get away. My like for Sgt. Grey was just the opposite. I was wary of him at first although guessed that he and Gaia would end up with him. I began to like him probably about the 2nd or 3rd time she met him. So by the end of the book, I wasn't too fond of Gaia but liked Leon/Grey a lot :) I wasn't too fond of the other doctors in Q cell with Gaia. Why is it called Q cell anyways? I don't get it. I loved the Jackson's, especially Yvonne and the role they played. It was neat to find out that Leon was Derek's son and I think that if he had grown up outside, or Gaia inside, they would have been together. That would make an awesome fanfiction.<br/><br/>The writing style was...pretty well done for the most part. The world created in his book was very well put together with most questions answered. Definately one of the better dystopia worlds I've read about being created (namely, Divergent). Something that bothered me about the writing was the constant unnecessary 'Sgt.' in front of Grey's name every stinking sentence. Sometimes it was Sgt. and sometimes Sargent. Really, consistency is key. And in my opinion, it would have been okay to just call him Grey. Usually people do that in books-- call people by just their last name instead of addressing them formally EVERY time. I appreciated that there were words in his book that I didn't know. That really makes me happy in YA books :) The code and mystery aspect of the book was intriguing and I was happy to have figured out the letter part of the code before Gaia did. <br/><br/>Anyways, the ending of this book was indeed satisfying. I had guessed that Sgt. Bartlett was Gaia's brother and I was right. The Delirium type deal with Gaia and Leon was kind of expected because I had accidently read that in someone else's review. It makes me super anxious to read the next book and find out what happens to Gaia and Leon: Will Leon make it? Will Gaia find a new love interest in the dead forest (also like Delirium)? Will the Protectorat and Mabrother Iris brainwash Leon so that if Gaia goes back for him, he is all perfectly serving the Enclave? Speaking of Mabrother Iris, why do they call each other Mabrother and Masister? What's the history behind it? That's one part of this dystopia world that wasn't explained. Another thing, who is the Protectorate, why is it called that, and what's all that deal about? Gaia's mother dying was...well, expected although the baby was not (I had suspected earlier in the book, but then decided it wasn't true, but it was).<br/><br/>So yeah, super good book, other than a few minor complaints about it. I really want to read the rest of the series to have my a's answered!!!"

"gaia is a bit naive but I first read this book when I was young and naive. I have loved this book for years and have read it again and again. I found the society and medical aspects very interesting. I really related to it because I felt like an ugly girl and it was nice to see a female YA protagonist that isn't stunning."

"Its a really interesting book that will definitely pull you in and make you wonder what will happen next."

"It’s been years since I’ve read it. But i know i loved it! Added to read again "