Stung

Book Title: Stung
Author: Bethany Wiggins
Number of Pages: 304
Genres: Romance, Dystopian, Thriller, Fairytale-Retellings
Books like it: Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Ward by Jordana Frankel

My favorite quote:

“I will not die without fighting for a life I am not yet done living.”

Brief Synopsis from Goodreads: There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

My Summary:

I mostly picked up this book because of the title and the cover. I thought it seemed interesting enough when I read the summary on the back cover, so checked it out at the library and read it. 

Here's the bottom line: A really creative twist on Sleeping Beauty with an interesting dystopian plot and action scenes; but a super cheesy romance. 

This book takes place in the future, where bees have gone completely extinct. It has a huge impact on society. With no bees to pollenate fruits and vegetables, they, along cows and horses, slowly dwindle off, until most of the food in the world can no longer be found.   In a desperate effort to save the human race, scientists create a new species of genetically engineered bees. However, this new species of bees makes the catastrophe so much worse. 

The bees start stinging humans, and in their venom is a flu that is deadly and unexpected. As the flu infects more and more people, the scientists make a last effort to save humanity. They create a vaccine to fight the flu. It seems to be working, until something strange starts happening. Those who have been given the vaccine are turning into crazed, violent animals with no thoughts about anything except killing those who are not crazed. The more vaccine they have been given, the crazier they are. 

Fiona or "Fo" wakes up, her world broken and different. The last thing she remembers is blowing out the candles of her thirteenth birthday party. Four years have passed, and a tattoo she doesn't remember getting is branded on her arm. 

Soon, she discovers she is a Level Ten, the most dangerous and crazed of all the infected. Everyone expects her to go crazy and kill them all, but she stays completely calm and very human like. This blows the minds of everyone around her, but she isn't safe. Some very dangerous people want her for a reason she doesn't know. On the run, hunted by everyone-can she stay alive?
 

  Doesn't this sound like an amazing book? Yes? It would be if it wasn't *THE CHEESIEST ROMANCE* I have ever read. Yes. No doubt the cheesiest. I came across this line in the middle of the book, after, A FEW PAGES BEFORE- he had her in shackles and was kicking her and being a totally meanie-

“I would rather die a thousand times at your hands than see you captured. Even if you eat my heart. Because you already own it.”



WHAT THE??!?!?!
Is anyone else bothered by this? Seriously? Because if someone was calling me names and had been my childhood bully, on top of everything, I would totally not like him. Even if he was hot.
Ladies and gentlemen.... we have another one of those female characters that is so into a guy after their two day romance that she "has no purpose living with out him." Come on, girl. You realized you liked this guy, like what, two hours ago? Maybe kissed him once or twice? How about the fact that you are THE LAST HOPE FOR HUMANITY?!? Get over this guy! He's no Mr. Darcy or Four or Zachary Goode, that's for sure. More like a new version of Robert Pattison without the fangs or the glittery skin.
Deep breaths, Sarah. You told yourself you would get over that movie.

*Sobs* This book just had such a good plot. Why did you ruin it, Bowen? Why????
I am so done.
Goodbye.

Review: 2.5 stars (For the plot. The romance gets ZERO points.)

Reading Next: Reboot by Amy Tintera