3 stars 
 The Young Elites by Marie Lu was artistic and well-developed. I enjoyed Adelina and found her to be a relatable and well-planned character who tugged my heartstrings a little. The worldbuilding was well thought out and although the blood flu remained unexplained, I was able to believe in it for the sake of a decent story and the hope that a proper explanation would be given in a later book. 
 So why only 3 stars? 
 While the story was well put together and planned out, it lacked that special something. There was nothing about this book to make it stand out of the crowd or get stuck in your mind. It failed to draw me in emotionally and captivate me. It felt just like any other good but forgettable book. I did enjoy it, however, and plan on continuing with the series. I'll give an update if it I find the later books to have more of that special ingredient.