The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Source:  Purchased
Genre: YA-Dystopian
Publisher:  Delacorte Press
Date Published: October 12, 2010
Number of Pages: 360

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. 
 
Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch. 
 
There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.
 
The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. 
 
Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off. 
 
There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

This book....this book.... *shakes head*

Honestly, I didn't think it was possible to absolutely love one book in a series, and completely hate another one.  It could't possibly happen.  If you loved the first one, the second one has to be at least readable.

The Scorch Trials....This novel does not apply.  I adored the Maze Runner I adored.  I felt for Thomas, the main character, and the other gladers.  I wanted resolution, I wanted to understand as much as they did.  This one, though, I felt nothing.  I found myself reading the same paragraph multiple times trying to understand.  At one point, I could have sworn my dyslexia was kicking in (it does every once and a while), but after 5 times I knew that wasn't it.  It just wasn't what you expected.

I'm not saying I was expecting a lot, though, I'm just saying that you figure it was going places, but it doesn't really.  It could have ended 100 pages sooner than it did.  All the drama with Theresa never paid off, and it felt so unnecessary.  I'm just being honest, but I forced myself to finish it (I can't handle having another book unfinished at this point.  I'm at 6.  That's not a good number.)

The brief synopsis is basically Thomas wakes up at the place the rescuers take him to, but they are no longer there.  Theresa has been taken somewhere but he can't reach her in his mind.  A man shows up and tells them they have to walk 100 miles to the north to reach The Safe Haven within 2 weeks.  And then shit gets real.

Honestly, I so badly wanted to love this.  The beginning wasn't bad, and it had some really good points in the middle (I loved Brenda and Jorge), but when they hit the "cult" of crazy people, I was done.  I hated all the characters, willed for the author to just kill them all and end it, but that never happened.  The ending was action packed, but didn't need to be.  It didn't have to end with even more terror and death, this damn novel had enough of that (and I'm not of the faint of heart).   

                                           2 sad clouds :(

I would love to recommend it, but I just can't.  While I'll probably read The Death Cure at some point, I hated The Scorch Trials.  I would, however, recommend The Maze Runner.  That book, totally worth it.