Actual rating: 4.5 stars 
 I am blown away by how much I enjoyed this novel! The Book of Ivy is Romeo and Juliet meets dystopian, and it is sure to be a major hit! Everything about this novel was great, from the characters to the interesting setting, to the original dystopian world that Ms. Engel created. I easily was swept away by the story, and honestly I must say, Ms. Engel you are simply a brilliant writer! I never wanted to stop reading this, and every time I would say, 
 Just 1 more chapter, 
 I just kept going until I finished. Everything is nicely explained, and you are never confused while reading. This is relatively short (less than 300 pages- yeah that's short in my book haha), so it's definitely a quick read. Nevertheless, this story is one non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end, and you will never be bored. The only reason I gave this 4.5 instead of 5 stars is because I wish I could have read from Bishop's POV. I think this story would have worked very well in dual perspective, but this is more of a personal preference than anything actually wrong with the book. 
 Ivy is the granddaughter of Westfall (aka the losing side) founder, and as per tradition in their community, is being married at the ripe old age of 16 to a boy from the winning side. This is a custom done to maintain the peace in the community, however as you can expect, Ivy isn't the least bit happy...especially because she knows who she is going to marry. The lucky boy is Bishop Lattimer. While Bishop specifically asked to marry Ivy (therefore passing over her sister who should have originally married him), Ivy has a major secret. She must kill Bishop to aid her father and sister in their plan to regain power in Westfall. Oh so easy right? Wrong. And you will see why. 
 The characters were one of the highlights of this book because while Ivy might seem very plain and simple, she is truly a complex character. I greatly enjoyed reading about her, as she was a fantastic, realistic, and relatable female lead. When the story opened up, I wasn't totally sure I was going to love her character, but she quickly proved me wrong, and I absolutely loved her. I could feel every emotion she was going through- the ups and downs she was faced with after marrying Bishop and still trying to live up to her family's expectations. You will easily fall for Bishop, as the guy is simply swoonworthy. He never gives up on Ivy, and realizes how difficult the situation is for her to be marrying a person she doesn't know in the slightest. Bishop never pushes her, and I greatly respected him for it. Just as Ivy discovered, Bishop is much different than anyone thinks, and he was a refreshing addition to the story. 
 The plot is extremely thrilling and exciting. I just couldn't get enough! Ms. Engel definitely knows how to write a story that will keep readers enthralled, and to know that this is her debut novel, I am simply stunned. She writes with a skill of a seasoned author, and you would never expect that this is her first novel! There are some major twists and turns, and a heartbreaking ending that will leave you begging for more. There isn't really a cliffhanger, but trust me on this, you won't want to wait a whole year for the next book. 
 I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes dystopian novels as it is original and extremely creative. This is definitely going to be a major hit, and I can't wait to see what Ms. Engel has in store for us next! 
 Happy reading :)