Thursday, July 26, 2012

Review: The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse

The Forsaken (The Forsaken, #1)
A thought-provoking and exciting start to a riveting new dystopian trilogy.
As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.
The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway.
The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse
Published in US: July 10th 2012
1st in series, can't find any info about book 2 release, working title, The Uprising
Source: Lisa Stasse and Simon for review

Blkosiner's Book Blog review
    The Forsaken is a heart-stopping, action packed beginning to a series that I already have fallen in love with and am yearning for the next.
    Alenna has always felt like an outsider, different in some unexplained way from society until she fails the personality test and is shipped to The Wheel, where even though they all should be mentally unstable or have a predisposition for violence, she finally feels like she fits in.
    I know that I could really relate with Alenna, I never quite feel like I fit in, and one day I hope that I find that circle of people where I really do. It comes close with book blogging, and fortunately I have my husband, but I still feel on the edges sometimes. So it really is awesome to watch Alenna come to realize her strengths, and bond with the people around her. She has things to teach Gadya, Rika, David, Liam and the others, and they have things to teach her. Like how to fight, the value of being kind, that things aren't always what they seem and to never give up.
    This is a gritty and suspenseful novel, and Lisa really nailed the dystopian category. The government is corrupt and it seems so powerful, but there are cracks. There are groups of rebels and they fight to survive. Lisa wrote her characters where I cared about them, and it was hard to read when something happened for them. I rooted for them and for the best to happen to them, and sometimes it did, and keeping it realistic, sometimes it didn't.
    There was a spy in the camp, and I kept switching up my suspicions on who it was. Lisa really had a talent there, making people seem suspicious, and then clearing them in ways that I didn't see coming. David especially. One minute I was warm to him, and believing that he really had Alenna's best interest at heart, and then he would do something to make me think, well... Hmmm... But I didn't even really suspect who they said it was in the end... but I am wondering if it is really that person because of the phrasing.
    Lisa Stasse paces the story beautifully. There is always action going on, keeping me on my toes, wondering what will go wrong next, and how they will get themselves out of each sticky situation. She throws  me just enough of a bone with the romantic tension, of course leaving me wanting more, and for each question that she answers, I have more that I just know will be revealed in its sweet time.
    I flew through this story, staying up til 2am to finish because I couldn't go to sleep without knowing what happened to the characters that I grew so attached to.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you feel like you fit in, or are different from others, or somewhere in between?
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40 comments:

  1. I love when a book can make me stay up all night too!! Thanks Brandi for other awesome review!! :)

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  2. Such a great review! I really loved this book too so it's great to see you enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next one. :)

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  3. I feel the same way you do about the blogging community. And because there are so many of us out there, I feel I'm always fighting for a place. But hey, part of the charm is trying to find our niches. I'm still looking for mine. :)

    Great review, Brandi. I have this book on my TBR pile and can't wait to get started on it.

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    1. Hang in there. Just do what you love and try to make friends, that's really all you can do.
      Def understand what you mean though

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  4. I love dystopian novels and your review has me drooling to get my hands on this one. I have bumped it to the top of my wishlist. Thanks!

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  5. I'm anxious to read this one. And this is the first mention I've seen of the spy - ooo, sounds mysterious. :) And I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle - I have my core group of friends, and I fit in with them, but outside of that group, I feel like we're all kind of "outsiders," which feels weird as a grownup! Great review!

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    1. I know. sometimes I feel right back in high school, but I guess that's life

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  6. Thanks for the review. I'd put this on my "maybe" list -- I'm getting a little weary of dystopian fiction lately -- but I think I'll give it a try.

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    1. I know, the market is kinda saturated, but there are still good ones out there

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  7. Judging from the reviews I have read about this book, it looks like it could be one of the top books for 2012. I know I keep getting excited to read it every time I see it on a blog.

    Great characters and lots of action and grittiness is what I think makes a great dystopian novel.

    Sandy
    Scribing Shadows

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  8. This sounds good! I haven't read any dystopia books in a while and I do love them

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    1. The worlds are so creepy to imagine it could theoretically happen to us

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  9. I know what it's like to always feel like you're an outsider, like you don't really belong anywhere, so that part I could totally identif with. Plus, pacing is so important, and the fact that the author handles it well is very promising. I was curious about this book since I first saw it, but now I'm absolutely sure I want to read it, and soon.
    Great review.

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    1. Sometimes I wonder if everyone feels that way, and then I see how close others are and I wonder.
      Hope you enjoy though

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  10. I grew up feeling like an outsider both at home and at school so I definitely know how it feels. Once I went out into the world though I found my place. I've got to read this book! It sounds fantastic! Thanks for the review.

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  11. Oh it sounds nice, I haven't read any reviews about this one but saw it a couple of time so it's nice to learn more about it.

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  12. Fabulous review! I like stories that have an element of suspense and this definitely seems to be among one of them. Thank you for sharing :)

    In relation to your question, I'm kinda somewhere in between. I can easily blend and fit in at some places, but not so much at others.

    It's great to learn that you could relate with Alenna. It makes the story so much more enjoyable when the character is relatable ;)

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  13. I keep going back and forth on this one. But every time I see such a positive review I think I *must* read this book! But then I read a so-so review and then I'm back thinking maybe I wouldn't love it. So I guess I just need to read it and find out for myself! I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! Fab review!

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    1. Totally understand. Everyone relates to books differently. Hope you do like it if you read

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  14. Great review Brandi :) I've been looking at this book for a while now, seeing if I want to read it or not, does seem interesting, and I might just bump it up on my considering pile ;)

    Neyra @ Darkest Addictions

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  15. I love reading a book where I can relate to the characters in a way that helps me push outside my comfort zone.
    Sometimes reading about a character that works through some of the same issues I have inspires me to do the same.

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    1. Great point! I love it when a character prevails.

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  16. really want to read this one!

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  17. This sounds like a nail biter. I love when a book pulls you in and you find that you can't put it down. Thanks for the review!

    Sara @ Just Another Story

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  18. This book sounds great! Love your review! :) To answer your question I'm somewhere in between. I usually don't like the same things my friends do, but we're all not the same. :)

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  19. I really love the sound of this one and the cover too, it's really unique. I shall definitely be reading this soon. :)

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  20. I have loved dystopia books since I read the Giver ages and ages ago. I simply can't get enough of them.

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  21. I don't like the cover, but the book premise seems very interesting, I'm adding it to my WL now.

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  22. Great review ... and I'm definitely somewhere in between! :-)

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  23. This is the first time I have come across a review of the book though I did see people getting excited over getting ARCs of this. Sounds like a great read! Have added it to my TBR! Glad you loved it and was up until 2am to finish it! It must be really good. I used to love staying up late to finish a book, no longer at liberty to do so ever since I got married :( Miss those days!

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    1. and to reply your question, I fall somewhere in the middle...but happy about it! :)

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  24. Alenna being sent to this special camp for the criminals I thought it would be scary not that she would fit in. Interesting! Also love that there is a spy and a good mystery worked in. I just love when you can't guess and have to try to figure it out. And who doesn't love romantic tension?! I'm a big dystopian fan and will have to work this into the reading pile!

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    1. Its def pretty scary too, but I thought interesting that she fits in so well.

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