Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: Cliffhangers - love them or hate them?

I'm often on the fence about this one, kiddos. On some blogs, you'll probably find me saying I simply loathe them. That's true. Then, on other blogs, you might find me saying I just love them. I'm ashamed to say that's also true. I have my reasons though, and I certainly think they're justified because, hey, when a cliffhanger is done right, it leaves me loving a book even more and, heck! It probably has me completely invested in the series, too!

I think there's a divide between good and bad cliffhangers though, and I reserve the right to judge them on a case by case basis. A good cliffhanger has me thinking about the book long after I close the last page. I'll probably scour that ending for some hidden direction multiple times, too, just hinting at what's next. That, in a nutshell, is what a good cliffhanger should make me do. Bad cliffhangers, on the other hand, leave me wondering if I actually liked the story in the first place. They can leave a sour taste in my mouth and, frankly, often have me thinking it's a cop-out. So, naturally, I'm going to break it down for you guys. Here are my top three favourite and least favourite cliffhangers:

1. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - The Cliffhanger of Doom. Need I really say more? ADORE.

2. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - This eerie cliffhanger still has me eerily fascinated. In a good way.

3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Beautiful. Poetic. Tragic. I'm still breathless after book two!

An honourable mention MUST go to Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles. I prayed for a sequel for years because of that one. Unfortunately, I now wished it had simply stayed with the cliffhanger - hence why it's not top-three.

1. Night Runner by Max Turner - I'm not even really sure how it boiled down to that...or why.

2. Witch & Wizard by James Patterson - Arguably a foul book with an even worse cliffhanger...can it get better?

3. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong - It just felt like a pitch to the next book to me. Boring.

So, the bottom line is that when cliffhangers are used correctly, I'm invested in the series. You've officially got me hooked. When done wrong, however, I will most likely not even get near book two.

Title: Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver (Twitter, Facebook)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 375
Source: Publisher

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lena's been through hell and back...as literally as possible. Her mind is broken, her body is broken and her heart is shattered into a million pieces after losing Alex. When she is discovered by the Invalids, Lena is more than shocked to find that they nurse her back to health, rather than brutally kill her like she was led to believe they did in the Wilds. But Lena's journey is far from over. As she recovers and grows stronger, so does her mind and her heart. She becomes a member of the resistance, finding something to believe in, but danger lurks in every corner. Is the fight for Love worth it, or will the ultimate freedom come with the ultimate price...again?

I remember how blown away I was when I first read Delirium, despite my hesitance. So, naturally, I had extremely high expectations for Pandemonium, especially as the second book in the series. Lauren Oliver has delivered a stunning sequel to the first book in her epic dystopian series, giving us more of the brutal battles, ruthless world and breathtaking love story that we've come to expect from her. With impeccable grace, Pandemonium sweeps us into the ravaged Wilds and gives us a heroine that might be battered and broken, but is every bit as fierce and determined as we could hope. In a sentence, Pandemonium is tragically beautiful and painfully rich, giving us the very best in dystopian fiction.

Guys, I have an extremely strong aversion to love triangles, so you should make note of that going into this review. Pandemonium took my heart and gradually repaired it with a soaring, sweeping love though, where its predecessor tore it from my chest and stomped on it a million times. Lena, as usual, is a wonderful heroine. Her humanity is the driving force of her character, making her someone I want to read about, and the added strength she gains through living in the Wild only serves to foster that investment in her being. Furthermore, though we're given a host of new characters to meet, including Julian who I desperately wanted to hate but just couldn't, Pandemonium balances an action-packed plot and a host of characters with ease. The real strength of Pandemonium, however, lives in the writing, itself. Perfectly switching between Then and Now, the story is never jarring or false, and it flows effortlessly, guiding a soaring plot arc throughout.

All in all, Pandemonium was a brilliant sequel to a nearly perfect first book. I am so excited to be able to say it lives up to book one because I was a bit scared. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy dystopian fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.