Matched by Ally Condie

I fell in love with this book from the very beginning. Not only is this cover absolutely sensational, but the story line and premise were expertly delivered by Ally Condie. I couldn't put it down.

For Cassia Reyes, her matching banquet was the moment she had been looking forward to her whole life. The night she would find out who the Officials had decided she was best suited to marry and start a family with. And when her match turned out to be her best friend Xander, things couldn't have worked out more perfectly.

That is, until she saw another boys face on the microcard, or information card, she received for Xander. Life as Cassia knew it would never be the same again.

In the dystopian world that Ally created, the government had complete control over the people. The Society came in when things became too overwhelming and took over, taking care of the people and making sure everyone lived long and productive lives. No one complained because they were well provided for; jobs, food, school, matches. What could they possibly long for that they didn't already have?

Cassia never considered questioning the way things were done, until she saw Ky's face instead of Xander's. And then she began to think, to wonder. What if we had more choices?

In a society where, on the surface, everything seemed perfect and taken care of, there was more happening behind the scenes than anyone else knew about. There was a slow build up to Cassia's rebellion, her desire for more freedom, which I thought was just right for her. Being around her match was familiar, she knew what to expect and believed she would always be safe with him. With Ky, her longing to learn more about him, to comfort him, was stronger, opening her eyes to the reality around her.

Their relationship was beautiful and sweet, making the already intricate plot even more fascinating. I found myself cheering them on with each chapter, hoping for more interaction between them.

My only complaint was that the story had to come to an end. I didn't want to say goodbye to Cassia and Ky just yet, and I love Ally Condie for creating such wonderful characters for us to fall for. If you're looking for a love story, I highly recommend Matched. There are two more books in this amazing series, the next one named Crossed, which I can't wait to read.

For more information about Ally Condie and the Matched series you can check out her website here http://www.allysoncondie.com/ or you can follow her on twitter here http://www.twitter.com/allycondie.