Book Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Book Stats:
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
(Book #2 of The Maze Runner)
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback, 360 pages
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: 9/13/2011
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Mystery 

Goodreads Summary: Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago. Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal. The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

*This is delayed review, it's been a while since I read the book

I actually loved the first book which is The Maze Runner. I loved it so much, I picked up the second book as soon as I hit the bookstore. So yes, I had high expectations for this one. From where we left off, a lot of things we're still unanswered and wavering through the air. Once again, they're controlled and put to the test by WICKED. It's different this time, knowing they have a certain goal, if they were to actually go on to the "other side". There were adventure, death and betrayals. 

The first book was full of those things, so no shocker there. In the first book, those we're done tastefully but in some parts here, the execution was pretty sloppy. But anyways, I liked the beginning of the book. It was still action-packed. I still loved Min-ho but the others got on my nerves. Especially Teresa. Well, she only got on my nerves because Mr. Dashner, made her character too complicated on this one. I like a little bit of mystery and an element of surprise in my books but it was just too.... confusing! It was still intriguing but it didn't hold my excitement anymore. I could barely put down the first book, but this one, I had to put it down to actually finish it.It was enjoyable enough. I have to admit, I was disappointed though. But that's not going to stop me from reading the closure of the trilogy, The Death Cure and maybe even the prequel which is The Kill Order. Maybe then, my questions will finally be answered and my confusion with the whole series will subside!

★★★

If you want to read the 3rd book also or If you haven't read The Maze Runner or The Scorch Trials, you can purchase them on Amazon: