Length: 437 pages
Please note that the cover image leads to a universal buy link for the book
Another day, another person from the Imagine, Write Inspire Group that I am so lucky enough to be a member of (it’s led by the brilliant Carmel Harrington). And my word, what a person! Here was a USA Today bestselling author who was focused, motivated and super duper talented, but also incredibly, incredibly helpful and ready to give advice on all things writing and publishing to all who needed it. Her books (see them here ) were charting high and being gushed about by people I held in very high regard and so I jumped straight in. I’d actually never read a science fictiony, young adult book before The True Calling Series (I will get to them another day, needless to say I was fully grabbed by them), but with every syllable I was hooked. After such an experience where one of the first books I recommended to people was said series, I wondered whether I could possibly like these as much. There was no need to worry- this book (and series!) is EPIC (jumps about excitedly!!). By the way I feel I have to point out, she’s a book blogger too!! (Her blog is http://myyanabookobsession.com/ )
Note: I apologise for all gushing and exclamation marks used within this entire post, but I do feel they’re warranted(!;)) Also, I generally give a note with books I’ve received from the author to say I received it in return for an honest review. I bought this myself, but as you can guess I am wowed and in awe of Siobhan, and know her well from social media and have met her a number of times, so although ALL of my reviews are ALWAYS 100% HONEST, I feel I have to re-iterate that here, because I know people can have their doubts when it comes to people reviewing authors they have met/ know/ are inspired by ( a pity, but I don’t blame them.)
What they say: THE TRUTH DOESN’T ALWAYS SET YOU FREE
I’ve fallen hard for an alien, but he’s harboring secrets.
Massive secrets that threaten the very essence of humanity.
How can I give him my heart when his race plans on taking my future?
Sadie Owens has been slowly dying inside. Bit by bit, piece by piece, day by day. Trapped in a life she hates, she relies on only one person–herself.
Despised by her family and betrayed by an unscrupulous government, Sadie dreams of a different life. When she is chosen to participate in the government’s new social experiment, she is ecstatic at the prospect of spending six months in Thalassic City, the shiny new city under the sea.
Immediately drawn to Logan Chandler, Sadie is captivated by the beautiful boy with the ocean-blue eyes. Logan seems to embody everything that has been forbidden, but he isn’t all he appears to be.
Confused over Logan’s true intentions and concerned when best friend Jenna starts transforming in front of her eyes, Sadie partners with newcomer Jarod in a bid to uncover the government’s real agenda. The truth is more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined.
When Sadie finally understands why the Saven walk among us, will it be too late to save her heart and the human race?
The Review: I have to admit that I somewhat dropped the ball here, I should be quoting and quoting and quoting, but when I get fully invested in a book one of two things happen, either I highlight practically the whole book, or I forget to highlight and add notes altogether and next thing I’m a bit stuck, obviously, number two happened in this case, apologies.
The book opens with a definition of the word ‘conscience’ and a doctor, leaving her office. The scene is set immediately.
‘Dr Evan Taylor locked her office door and walked briskly out of the building. Tugging the collar of her brown cashmere coat over the nape of her neck, she strode across the empty parking lot, the wind whipping her long copper coloured hair in a mass of tangles over her face.’
There is an incident and we’re left with no doubt that Evana has been dealt a terrible, terrible hand, with no choice but to comply with people who have decided she is to be their teacher.
Next we move to the first person voice who has escaped where the toil she is supposed to be undertaken, and apprehended by the Robo-police who is – ‘part human, part-robot, and not one of the pure cloned kind’ who informs us that the escapee is
‘Sadie Owens. Seventeen years of age. Sector Fourteen. Medi-Tech employee’
who is out twenty three minutes before curfew. Now all the curiousity/ attention grabbing buttons were well and truly pressed. We are shown how life is divided in terms of class and we also see Sadie’s life outside of work, with a family that weren’t exactly showering her with love. As a result when she is told she is to take part in the government’s pilot programme ‘The Experimento’ where she is to be moved to a settlement under water she leaves quick smart, her only worry being leaving her beloved sister behind.
I cannot gush enough about this book. The pacing was amazing, with action suddenly hitting you between the eyes to make you sit up even straighter, the romance is perfection, captivating, but stopping before the over the top swoony stuff can occur, the characters all excellent in playing their necessary parts (you know, you like the ones you should, are deliciously shocked by those you don’t) and the way the scenes are set play like a film- I could see every mode of transport, every room, every setting with such clarity. Just to cement how much I liked this-after reading on Kindle Unlimited, I bought the boxset of 1, 2 and 2.5 and read all straight way ( I have just seen that the full set is available to pre-order on Amazon- due out this month!). Epic, epic, epic (and you all know how overused I think that word is!) Ridiculously highly recommended.
Rating: 5/5
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