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(One word review whilst waiting for the FULL review? Exceptional!)
INITIAL THOUGHTS
As I approach the book I am seriously looking forward to reading it. I missed out once before as a tour was cancelled I applied for . .then its been one of those books that I kept meaning to read so this tour gave me the opportunity to pin myself down to read it.
At 39% I know I am reading a fantastic book set in an an exceptionally great gritty dystopian world. A world in which poor Lexi has been sent to the hole. The hole is quite literally hell on earth. Though life outside the hole doesn't sound so great either.
MY REVIEW
I received this book from the authors via YA Bound Tours in exchange for my honest review and posting it as part of the blog tour.
So the cover shows us the silhouette of a girl/young woman with a blue brand around her neck looking at the high walls topped with barbed wire. The colours of the cover are dark to fit the oppressiveness within the book. I like the title and series and author names fonts and placements on the book too. Would I pick this book up in a book store on the strength of the cover alone? Yes, it does appeal to by book weakness of loving dystopian and post apocalyptic books.
So to the story, Lexi lives in the upper class area, her father recently died and her mother has remarried. Her step father regularly drugs Lexi's mum so she cannot see or help Lexi when he tortures her mentally as well as in a phyiscal kind of fashion too, locking her in a dark room etc. He also likes to lay next to her in her bed and terrorise her. It is during one of these "sessions" that her mother walks in and jumps to the conclusion that Lexi is trying to seduce her new husband so she is reported. Lexi is so down and devastated she is contemplating suicide when the guards take her away from her home and all that she knows into the notorious Hole. The Hole is where everyone who commits a crime or has been accused of a crime and cannot prove their innocence is taken. Upon being sentenced to be taken to the Hole you are known as a "Sinner". "Sinners" are the lowest of the low according to the High Commander, who rules the Hole. His decisions and rules are law in the hole. Once you get to the Hole everyone goes through the same processing. One part of the process is horrific as a collar is put around the offenders next and they are burnt with a "Brand". The "Brand" wraps all the way around the neck. The colour of your Brand is dependant on your crime.
Here is a list of the Brands and colours and what they mean. Lust - Blue, Gluttony - Orange, Greed - Yellow, Sloth - Black, Wrath - Red, Envy - Green and Pride - Purple. To be honest I got a little ways into the e-book on my kindle and was having problems remembering which brand was which so I flicked back on my kindle and wrote the brands and what offence they were for on a piece of paper just to refer to if I needed to. I did so occasionally. I also thought it would be a good idea to explain them to you in my review, that way you know what type of people the innocent Lexi has been put into the hole with. the last part of "processing" is watching a film about the great Commander of the Hole. Basically propaganda.
Lexi is assigned a job at the hospital under a man called Dr Sutton, which is lucky as most who have her Blue Brand for Lust end up as prostitutes. Lexi is also assigned a guard. The guard turns out to be one of the "good guy" guards. He sticks to the "rules" doesn't treat Lexi like a prostitute as some of the other guards would do and would like to do now. The Guards name is Cole, and he is . . .Mmm gorgeous, he also has a great dane dog called Zeus who takes a liking to Lexi and soon becomes a best friend and protector.
So life kind of goes along with the undercurrent of Lexi and Cole beginning to fall for each other, which is dangerous (you'll learn how in a scene about another guard and his prisoner on a stage) Lexi tries hard at her job and is really loving and caring to a young thirteen year old who is dying of a virus that cannot be cured. Lexi becomes true friends with Alyssa and stays with her as she is dying promising the girl she will carry out her final wishes of her body being cremated and her ashes being spread somewhere beautiful outside the Hole.
Then there is the rebellion which is being led by Sutton and Lexi's brother Keegan. Lexi only finds all this out when she is in danger of being hurt by the Commanders second in command Wilson. Sutton arranges for "good guards" Bruno, Cole & Zeus to take Lexi "underground" to rebellion headquarters. Keegan and Cole immediately lock horns over whether Lexi should fight. . . . . and yes there is an awful fight in which many people are killed. Who makes it out? The ending is very poignant with Alyssa's ashes finally being scattered . . . but who makes Alyssa's wish come true?
I truly loved this book the whole time I was reading it. Near the end I was "wow I can't wait to finish it and find out who survives" but at the same time I didn't want the whole book to end at all. You do become very attached to the characters within this book. I totally admit to having those tears in my eyes as Alyssa died and again as her last wish was fulfilled. This book really is an action, drama, angst ridden, emotionally charged dystopian delight!
So did I enjoy the book? Enjoy it? I totally loved it. It's totally a amazing, fantastic, brilliant read. Would I recommend the book? I highly recommend this one, alone with my favourite dystopians. I'd recommend to those who have read and loved The Registry by Shannon Stoker, and The Breeders by Katie French. Would I read a Bk#2? I'd be reading it right now if I had it! so yes! Would I read other books by either author alone or both authors co-writing again? I'd definitely read books co-written by Abi and Missy as well as books they have written or will go on to write alone.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
As I approach the book I am seriously looking forward to reading it. I missed out once before as a tour was cancelled I applied for . .then its been one of those books that I kept meaning to read so this tour gave me the opportunity to pin myself down to read it.
At 39% I know I am reading a fantastic book set in an an exceptionally great gritty dystopian world. A world in which poor Lexi has been sent to the hole. The hole is quite literally hell on earth. Though life outside the hole doesn't sound so great either.
MY REVIEW
I received this book from the authors via YA Bound Tours in exchange for my honest review and posting it as part of the blog tour.
So the cover shows us the silhouette of a girl/young woman with a blue brand around her neck looking at the high walls topped with barbed wire. The colours of the cover are dark to fit the oppressiveness within the book. I like the title and series and author names fonts and placements on the book too. Would I pick this book up in a book store on the strength of the cover alone? Yes, it does appeal to by book weakness of loving dystopian and post apocalyptic books.
So to the story, Lexi lives in the upper class area, her father recently died and her mother has remarried. Her step father regularly drugs Lexi's mum so she cannot see or help Lexi when he tortures her mentally as well as in a phyiscal kind of fashion too, locking her in a dark room etc. He also likes to lay next to her in her bed and terrorise her. It is during one of these "sessions" that her mother walks in and jumps to the conclusion that Lexi is trying to seduce her new husband so she is reported. Lexi is so down and devastated she is contemplating suicide when the guards take her away from her home and all that she knows into the notorious Hole. The Hole is where everyone who commits a crime or has been accused of a crime and cannot prove their innocence is taken. Upon being sentenced to be taken to the Hole you are known as a "Sinner". "Sinners" are the lowest of the low according to the High Commander, who rules the Hole. His decisions and rules are law in the hole. Once you get to the Hole everyone goes through the same processing. One part of the process is horrific as a collar is put around the offenders next and they are burnt with a "Brand". The "Brand" wraps all the way around the neck. The colour of your Brand is dependant on your crime.
Here is a list of the Brands and colours and what they mean. Lust - Blue, Gluttony - Orange, Greed - Yellow, Sloth - Black, Wrath - Red, Envy - Green and Pride - Purple. To be honest I got a little ways into the e-book on my kindle and was having problems remembering which brand was which so I flicked back on my kindle and wrote the brands and what offence they were for on a piece of paper just to refer to if I needed to. I did so occasionally. I also thought it would be a good idea to explain them to you in my review, that way you know what type of people the innocent Lexi has been put into the hole with. the last part of "processing" is watching a film about the great Commander of the Hole. Basically propaganda.
Lexi is assigned a job at the hospital under a man called Dr Sutton, which is lucky as most who have her Blue Brand for Lust end up as prostitutes. Lexi is also assigned a guard. The guard turns out to be one of the "good guy" guards. He sticks to the "rules" doesn't treat Lexi like a prostitute as some of the other guards would do and would like to do now. The Guards name is Cole, and he is . . .Mmm gorgeous, he also has a great dane dog called Zeus who takes a liking to Lexi and soon becomes a best friend and protector.
So life kind of goes along with the undercurrent of Lexi and Cole beginning to fall for each other, which is dangerous (you'll learn how in a scene about another guard and his prisoner on a stage) Lexi tries hard at her job and is really loving and caring to a young thirteen year old who is dying of a virus that cannot be cured. Lexi becomes true friends with Alyssa and stays with her as she is dying promising the girl she will carry out her final wishes of her body being cremated and her ashes being spread somewhere beautiful outside the Hole.
Then there is the rebellion which is being led by Sutton and Lexi's brother Keegan. Lexi only finds all this out when she is in danger of being hurt by the Commanders second in command Wilson. Sutton arranges for "good guards" Bruno, Cole & Zeus to take Lexi "underground" to rebellion headquarters. Keegan and Cole immediately lock horns over whether Lexi should fight. . . . . and yes there is an awful fight in which many people are killed. Who makes it out? The ending is very poignant with Alyssa's ashes finally being scattered . . . but who makes Alyssa's wish come true?
I truly loved this book the whole time I was reading it. Near the end I was "wow I can't wait to finish it and find out who survives" but at the same time I didn't want the whole book to end at all. You do become very attached to the characters within this book. I totally admit to having those tears in my eyes as Alyssa died and again as her last wish was fulfilled. This book really is an action, drama, angst ridden, emotionally charged dystopian delight!
So did I enjoy the book? Enjoy it? I totally loved it. It's totally a amazing, fantastic, brilliant read. Would I recommend the book? I highly recommend this one, alone with my favourite dystopians. I'd recommend to those who have read and loved The Registry by Shannon Stoker, and The Breeders by Katie French. Would I read a Bk#2? I'd be reading it right now if I had it! so yes! Would I read other books by either author alone or both authors co-writing again? I'd definitely read books co-written by Abi and Missy as well as books they have written or will go on to write alone.