**UPDATED REVIEW** 
 Phew, finally got power back after these terrible Alabama tornadoes! I'm a little behind in my reviewing, so I'll just jump right in with MATCHED. 
 I was *SO* crazy excited to read Matched after seeing a Book Trailer on YouTube several months back. The concept sounded incredibly intriguing... a teenage girl lives in a futuristic society that pretty much exists without free will. Decisions, right down to that of a spouse, are made by SOCIETY who use a careful balance of science and logic -- free from emotion -- to formulate modern existence. 
 Our main character, Cassia, has finally reached the age where she is ready for her MATCHED banquet. She wears a perfect green dress (borrowed from SOCIETY, of course) and nervously awaits the moment where she will see the face of her chosen life partner on the screen in front of her. So, what a relief it is when the screen displays the smile of Xander, Cassia's oldest and best male friend? 
 When Cassia goes home to review the microchip containing information about her match, she's shocked when a different face appears in front of her... that of Ky, a sensitive guy deemed unsuitable for match by Society. But, SOCIETY doesn't make errors, so what gives? 
 Officials tell Cassia that Xander is her match, but now she's not so sure. She's always lived in a world full of doubt or decision, but it may finally be time for her to begin questioning authority -- for once or for all. 
 So, my overall thoughts? 
 I LOVED the world created in MATCHED. The idea of a universe free from decision-making capacity isn't new to YA dystopia, but Condie did a nice job of formulating an intriguing worldview throughout this novel. It was clear that many secrets hid under the surface, but the reader wasn't privy to these as long as Cassia was in the dark. For example, each individual was forced to carry 3 small pills, and only as the story progressed did we learn the purpose of each -- and the extent to which the SOCIETY exhibited total and complete control over its members. 
 While I was incredibly interested in the setting, I wasn't quite as compelled by the characters. I just didn't really find myself interested in either Cassia, Ky, OR Xander, and I didn't feel invested in the love triangle at all. Why were these characters so drawn to one another? I hope to see stronger character development as the series progresses. 
 In the end, I do think I'd continue to read this series --- not because I care who Cassia chooses but because I'm truly interested to see what the SOCIETY is hiding and why. While MATCHED wasn't as good as I expected, it definitely wasn't a total loss either.