#Review - Disclose by Joelle Charbonneau #YA #Science #Fiction

Series: Verify # 2
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction

The illuminating follow-up to New York Times bestselling author Joelle Charbonneau’s Verify, an action-packed story of twisted facts and bent truths.

Meri Buckley—or Meri Adams, as her new ID labels her—has lost everything.

Her mother to a fight much bigger than herself. Her father to grief, fear, and denial. And the truth—to an overbearing government that insists that censorship and secrecy are the only path to peace.

But though Meri and her band of truth-seeking Stewards did lose the first battle in their quest to enlighten the public, they have not yet lost the war.

They’ve learned that society isn’t ready for the whole truth—so Meri is determined to find a way to spoon-feed the public the facts.

That is, if those behind the country’s insidious system of big lies and bogus laws don’t kill her first. 

Disclose is the second and final installment in author Joelle Charbonneau's Verify duology. Merriel Buckley aka Merriam Adams, lives in a world where books and newspapers have been eliminated, words, images, and history has been manipulated by the government to control the narrative. Where we used to say Trust, but Verify, but in this world, nobody questions the government's motives. Since joining with an underground rebellion group known as Stewards, Mari's life has been one shocking revelation after another. All she's ever wanted to do is restore censured words to the country.

Now, the Marshal's are searching for Mari after her stunt at the Chicago Navy Pier which lead to numerous Steward's being arrested and sent to so called Unity centers and camps. Her friend Isaac is missing and it is her fault for what happened. Her only hope of surviving is working with her friend Rose Watson and her mother at Gloss. She hopes that a new logo will get the message out to the general public that things must change now. Mari goes one step further. She starts a project where she spray paints her own message everywhere she can. 

Then she goes one step further. She decides to get caught on purpose while carrying a recording device to document her step by step journey. After spending (4) days at The Great American Farm, Mari escapes. She discovers some gut wrenching secrets at what happens to those who offend the high masters of the Government. She also finds the boy who was taken away from his family because of her failure. One could say that Mari sets off the first salvo in what's sure to be a major revolution against those who suppressed words, and rewrote history for their own narrative.  

For those who haven't read 1984, or lived through the Cold War, may I suggest you read the book as well as bringing Trust, but verify in all you do? Trust, but Verify means that if a friend tells you that Tide Pods are eatable, first, don't believe them, second, ewww, third, do your own research before shoving a toxic substance into your mouth. That goes for Twitter, Facebook, cable news, Google, YouTube and the corporate media masters who want you to nod along with them and accept everything they say as factual. This is not a political speech.  This is from someone who is sick of Fake News and the corporate media's bias and nonsense.

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#Review - Verify by Joelle Charbonneau #YA / #Dystopian

Series: Verify # 1
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Dystopian

Author of the New York Times bestselling Testing trilogy Joelle Charbonneau returns with a breathless new duology that will capture fans of Neal Shusterman’s Scythe series and leave readers questioning everything they once believed to be true.

Meri Beckley lives in a world without lies. When she looks at the peaceful Chicago streets, she shares in the pride that everyone in the country feels about the era of unprecedent hope and prosperity over which the government presides.

But when Meri’s mother is killed, Meri suddenly has questions that no one else seems to be asking. And when she tries to uncover her mother’s state of mind in her last weeks, she finds herself drawn into a secret world full of facts she’s never heard and a history she didn’t know existed.

Suddenly, Meri is faced with a choice between accepting the “truth” she has been taught or embracing a world the government doesn’t want anyone to see—where words have the power to change the course of a nation and where the wrong one could get Meri killed.

Verify is the first installment in author Joelle Charbonneau's Verify duology. This is a series that may legitimately be compared to Fahrenheit 451, and Orwell's 1984. 16-year old Merriel (Meri) Beckley hasn't been the same since her mother died. She hasn't applied for the City Art Program which is one of Chicago's most desired places to work. Her father started drinking heavily, and on top of all of that, Meri witnesses someone being arrested for having a piece of paper which sends her on a quest for answers which leads to more than she could ever hope to imagine.

In this world, approval is necessary in order to leave the country. English has been designated as the main language of the country. Crime has been obliterated. Homelessness is not an issue. All communications are done electronically. Meri believes everything she hears on the three TV channels that have been provided by the government. No more 200+ channels! Paper has become obsolete as there was a fight to recycle and keep the planet clean. A National buy back of all paper products, including books, is mandatory, and if you are caught with paper, you can be arrested, or disappeared from society entirely.  

While trying to solve the puzzle of the painting that her mom left unfinished after she had her accident, Meri stumbles upon a mystery. A piece of paper is handed to her with a word Verify on it. When she tries to look it up at her school, there are no articles, but weirder still-- an alarm sounds and people start acting strangely. Soon thereafter, Meri finds herself caught up with Atlas & the Stewards, a rebel group that seeks to preserve the history of the United States that the government has erased by maintaining paper books and records. She learns that everything she knew was based on a lie created by the government when they deleted certain words as society went paperless and ignorant. She even begins to question the truth about what really happened to her mother. Was it really an accident, or something even more shocking?

Joelle Charbonneau has created a world where more “undesirable” citizens just disappear, the less palatable parts of world history are now forgotten and powerful words just disappear from everyone’s vocabulary. I am one of those who thought the ending was rather abrupt, but it was also the best part of the entire book. There are parts that drag, and then there are parts that have enough action and a curious possible romantic connection between Atlas and Meri as well as the silent but steady friendship of Meri's best friend Rose.

The second and final installment in this series, Disclose, will pub fall ’20.

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ARC #Review - Eden Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Dividing Eden # 2
Format: E-Galley, 320 pages
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher
Genre:  Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

The Trials of Virtuous Succession have ended. Prince Andreus is king—and Princess Carys is dead.

But even as he’s haunted by what he did to win the throne, Andreus discovers that his dream of ruling only brings new problems. The people love his twin even more in death than they did when she was alive. The Elders treat him as a figurehead. And worst of all, the winds of Eden are faltering.  

But despite what everyone believes, Carys is alive. Exiled to the wilderness, Carys struggles to control the powers that have broken free inside her. And as she grows stronger, so does her conviction that she must return to the Palace of Winds, face her twin and root out the treachery that began long before the first Trials started. 

The Kingdom of Eden is growing darker with each passing day. Brother and sister, former foes, must decide whether some betrayals cut too deep to be forgiven—and whether one will wear the crown or both will lose everything. 

Eden Conquered is final installment of author Joelle Charbonneau's Dividing Eden duology. Like the first installment, this story alternates between royal siblings Princess Carys and King Andreus. Betrayed by everyone they believed to be allies, the siblings continue to fight to determine who will reign over the kingdom. But now, one sibling has changed the game. 6 days after the end of the Trial of Succession, Princess Carys is very much alive and on the run with Lord Errik, Lord Garret, and her best friend Larken. Carys is on the hunt for answers and her destiny.

Carys journey is filled with surprises. After years of drawing punishment onto herself while diverting attention from her brother and his secret & defending him from others, betrayal during the Trial of Succession tore the siblings apart. Carys owes herself answers to the question of who killed her father and older brother and who pushed Andreus into betraying her after all she's done for him. With the Tears of Midnight finally purged from her body, Carys ability to call the wind has become stronger and more powerful. 

But, can Cary's really trust Errik who helped smuggle her out of the castle and to freedom? After all, he is a Bastion, and he is supposed to be the enemy to her own family. His one positive is that he did save Larken from Imogen's manipulations. How about Lord Garret who also has a claim to the throne and was supposed to be swearing fealty? What exactly is his endgame in all of this? Is it to keep Carys in the dark, or will he end up being one of her allies when darkness rules the night? 

Meanwhile, King Andreus is being played like a violin by the Council. Garden City is also in jeopardy of going dark, just when the dangerous Xhelozi are hunting in greater numbers. Who is behind this conspiracy & why? Andreus really only has a few solid allies in Guardian Graylem, and Max, the young apprentice who looks up with eager eyes and excitement to be alongside Andreus. Especially after learning about Imogen and her plans. In this world, there are plenty of snakes in the grass just waiting to attack at a moments notice.  

With Queen Beatrice being a skilled manipulator, and Council members urging Andreus to marry in order to bring peace, while others are lurking in the shadows doing their best to undermine Andreus at every angle, it is Carys shocking return from the dead that really brings the series to a stunning conclusion. I wasn't a fan of Andreus in the first book become of his gullibility and his belief that he was entitled to treat Carys like he did. I dare say that he comes a very long way with plenty of twists, and surprises. The trust between Carys and Andreus was broken, but is there any way to reconcile before the villains destroy their way of life? 

In the end, there are a whole lot of surprises that face both Carys and Andreus. Both have seen the worst of those who claim to only want their best interests at heart. Several in particular, who shall not be named, have no desire to see Carys become Queen, and will do anything  to stop it from happening. Dastardly villains? Yep. Stunning ending? Yep. Am I happy with the ending? Perhaps, but there's really no way to tell since this is the final book in the duology and I don't have a crystal ball to see if either Carys or Andreus get their HEA.   

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ARC #Review - Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau #YALIT #Contemporary

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: March 13, 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Thrillers & Suspense

Seven students trapped in their school after a bomb goes off must fight to survive while also discovering who among them is the bomber in this provocative new thriller from the author of the New York Times bestselling Testing Trilogy. Perfect for fans of This Is Where It Ends. 

A congressman's daughter who has to be perfect. A star quarterback with a secret. A guy who's tired of being ignored. A clarinet player who's done trying to fit in. An orphaned rebel who wants to teach someone a lesson. A guy who wants people to see him, not his religion.

They couldn't be more different, but before the morning's over, they'll all be trapped in a school that's been rocked by a bombing. When they hear that someone inside is the bomber, they'll also be looking to one another for answers. 

Told from multiple perspectives, Time Bomb will keep readers guessing about who the bomber could be—and what motivated such drastic action.

Joelle's Charbonneau's Time Bomb is a standalone, young adult, thriller & suspense novel featuring a variety of characters, and a variety of narratives. It is 9 days until the start of the new school year. As a bomb goes off in the school, it is possible to say that every one of these characters could be the one responsible. For 7 teens, their lives are about to be changed forever. 

16-year old Diana Sanford is the daughter of a congressman,  past homecoming queen, and on the yearbook committee. She's been told that she has to be perfect all the time. That means close to perfect grades, and not wearing hand me down clothes. Her father's bill has divided people, and put her in the spotlight. Diana seemingly knows every action the rescuers will make since she is the most noticeable and known character in the school. 

Hallwood H.S. Junior Frankie Ochoa is the schools star quarterback and captain. Frankie is a prankster. It is his turn to prank the new kids as they prepare to enter a new school year. Little does he know that he will soon be at the center of a major incident that will forever change his life.

Tad is a star receiver on the football team. Even though he has come out to his family, nobody else knows he's gay. He's  tired of being ignored by the boy he thought had feelings for him. Tad is told to stay away from the school by Frankie, but ignores him. Tad finds that being angry all the time instead of listening may be deadly to his health.   

Cas (Cassandra) Armon is a clarinet player who's done trying to gain people's approval. Things were supposed to be different. The school was supposed to be different. Nothing is different. People have judged her, and bullied her because she is overweight. She's had enough. Then bombs start going off in the school, and Cas finds herself trapped with 6 others. 

The mysterious Z recently lost his mother to cancer. He is labeled a troublemaker by teachers. Teachers who think they can judge him without actually knowing what he's been through. He wants to teach someone a lesson they won't soon forget. His only real friend is Kaitlin O'Malley who he continues to push away to keep her from being stained with his troublemaker label. 

Rashid Farsoun is a guy who wants people to see him, and not that he is a Muslim. He believes that the best life has balance. After shaving off his beard, he believes that he will no longer be called names, or thought of in a bad way. Then tragedy strikes the school and guess who is the first person to be blamed for the bombs going off?

There is a lot that has been said about the timing of the book, so I won't. Besides, an author doesn't have control over world events. They can't control when a publisher schedules a book to be released. They can't control what will happen before their book is released to the public. There is a very diverse cast in this book. You have a Muslim teen who deals with teasing and racial stereotypes, an overweight girl who continually gets bullied, and a mixed race teen who is gay and a football player.  

There is also a political message that the author is sending out as well. But, until we, as a society, can shut our mouths, and open our ears, we will never come together to solve the countries biggest issues. The synopsis mentions that there are 7 characters in this book. However, Kaitlin isn't one of the main characters who is introduced in the book. She is a character who genuinely cares about Z, and ends up in the worst possible place. This is a story that will keep you guessing as to who the bomber is, and why this person chose to do something so drastic. In fact, the entire cast has a whole lot of issues to resolve before they judge others. The hero of this book, for me, is Rashad. The weakest characters are Diana and Cas. 

1:51 P.M.

“DON’T FIGHT,” CAS SAID from the doorway that Frankie and Z had just disappeared through. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Can we turn the radio back on? Maybe they’ll tell us help is finally coming.”
Rashid clicked on the radio before heading over to help Tad. There was the buzz of static, then the announcer telling everyone that the firefighters were making progress. The fire was contained to the west side, and they hoped to have it out soon.
“With one person of interest being questioned, authorities are now working to find another individual they have confirmed is involved in this terrible bombing. A source confirms that the individual is one of the students trapped on the second floor of the school. With four bombs having already gone off, there appears to be one explosive device still inside the school that could detonate at any time.”
Another bomb was ready to go off, and the bomber was one of them.

Earlier That Day . . .
8:35 A.M.

Diana
— Chapter 1 —

ALL YOU HAD TO DO was smile and wear the right clothes, and everyone would think you were special. If you appeared successful, people would automatically assume you were successful. Her parents believed that. Her father had built a career on it. They wanted her to believe it.
Diana hated that she did.
“Perception is everything, Diana,” her stepmother said so often that Diana wanted to scream. But screaming wasn’t presentable. And, boy, did it make the wrong impression. This made screaming at the top of her lungs very tempting.
“Always take care to make the correct choice, Diana,” her stepmother said over and over again. “Everything you do is important and reflects on your father and the positions he takes. And think about what your father’s opponents would claim if you don’t do well in school or become a leader in the activities you’re in. They’ll wonder how serious your father is about education if his own daughter doesn’t do well in school. The other side is always looking for a reason to point fingers and show that your father isn’t worthy of his position. That we aren’t worthy. So you can’t allow your grades or your attention to detail to slide, or you’ll hurt your father and, worse, you’ll hurt the work he’s trying to do.”
Diana looked down at the clothes she’d chosen for the day. After sixteen years, she knew exactly what details would be noticed and what people would think when they saw her.
Stylish white jeans. A tasteful pink top. But nothing too expensive, because that made people jealous. Nothing too tight, because that gave people the wrong idea. And no wrinkles. Wrinkles made people think you were lazy. No one trusts a person who is lazy. To get what you wanted in life, you must inspire trust—even if you intended to break it.
Her father inspired trust with his perfectly tailored suits that were made less stuffy because he never wore a tie and always left the collar open.
Folksy. Friendly. Everyone’s idea of the perfect dad and former army-communications specialist who always puts his family and country first. At least that’s what people must have thought, because he got elected. He was working hard to make sure he got to keep his job for another term, and it was their family’s job—Diana’s job—to make sure she didn’t do anything wrong that could make voters question whether they wanted him back in office.
No pressure there.
“Katherine?” she yelled, knowing how much her stepmother hated raised voices. No response. She must have already gone downstairs. Dad would be in meetings already. Diana bit her lip as she reached for the gold studs Katherine gave her for her sixteenth birthday, then added the gold-cross necklace that had technically been from her father. She’d pretended not to notice when one of his aides handed him the box that he’d clearly been unaware of up until that moment.
“Little touches make all the difference,” Katherine insisted. “People notice the details.”
Yes, they did, Diana thought as she reached into her jewelry box and pulled out the ratty friendship bracelet she’d made for herself years ago, wishing she’d had someone to give it to and to get one in return from. No one ever assumed the popular girl needed to be given a gift. No one thought about whether the popular girl was lonely when she went home. Everyone assumed the popular girl had a million friends and a family who supported her.
Diana walked to her mirror and checked her makeup. Just enough to make her blue eyes look bigger. Nothing more, or people might question whether she was a good girl. And she was supposed to be a good girl. She ticked off her stepmother’s checklist one by one.
Good shoes.
A nice home.
Top grades.
Smart, respectable family tree.
Perfect manners.
All signs of a strong, well-brought-up girl. A girl everyone claimed to know from school. One parents and teachers pointed to as an example to others. One who had been taught to calculate her appearance and demeanor down to the plain red color of her cell-phone case. One who was determined to use it all to show everyone that it was foolish to trust what someone wanted you to see.
Perfect.
And if she didn’t want to ruin her perfect image, Diana would have to get moving. Tardiness was not acceptable for a girl who was supposed to be without flaws. Tardiness implied a lack of respect for other people’s time.
Glancing at her watch, she shook her head and hurried downstairs to find her stepmother so she could get a ride to school for the yearbook meeting.
“Katherine?” she called.
No answer. Huh. Well, Katherine was probably in the backyard making sure the staff had polished the patio furniture to a shine so that guests could be invited back to the house after the event tonight.
“Katherine?”
“Your mother went out.”
“What?” She turned and spotted her father standing next to the porch swing with his cell phone pressed to his ear. Since there was no point in correcting him about Katherine’s relationship to her, she simply asked, “Where?”
He put up a hand to quiet her. “Yes, I’m here, and yes, I understand there’s been some pushback, but I can’t step back from the bill, or I’ll get hammered. The press will smell blood and it’ll be over, and we all know I’m right on this. I just need one thing to tip in my favor. You have to trust me on this.”
Diana started to speak again, but before she could get a word out, her father turned his back and nodded. She would have to get in line for his attention.
“Yes. I’ll make that distinction tonight, and don’t worry. The event will be the perfect place to highlight the positive points in the bill and to take charge of the conversation. If you have other things you want to talk about, I’ll be at the office in a half-hour. Good speaking with you, too, Tim. I appreciate your dedication. We’re going to turn things around.” Finally he hung up and turned toward her.
He was wearing perfectly pressed khakis and a red polo shirt under a deep blue sports coat—relaxed authority was what her stepmother called the look. But despite the clothes, Diana didn’t think her father appeared relaxed.
“That was Tim?”
Her father nodded. “He’s worried about the negative press my Safety Through Education bill is getting.”
Tim hadn’t been on her father’s staff as long as the others, but he was smart and perceptive, which is why her father’s chief of staff hired him right out of graduate school. And even though he was younger than the rest of the staff, Diana knew Tim was right to be worried about her father’s bill. The press was calling it an invasion of privacy. The law would require that students and teachers inform the administration if they thought someone in the school might be interested in doing harm to students, teachers, or school property. Any students reported would then have to hand over their passwords to social media and email accounts or face suspension and a potential investigation by federal authorities. Those who didn’t report suspicions before a harmful event could be charged with aiding and abetting.
Her father believed the law would turn everything in the country around and would finally do what no other laws had been able to do—make things safer. Any students interested in causing trouble would think twice about it if they knew their friends and teachers were watching them and ready to act on any suspicious activity. And by catching and circumventing threatening behavior early, there was a good chance of diverting those students toward a more positive path. Her father was certain that taking action in the schools and the education system was the best way of changing the escalating pattern of violence in the country.
“Was there another bad story in the press?” Diana asked. Not everyone agreed with her father’s thoughts on how to keep the country safe. Since the unveiling of the bill, there had been phone calls and mail and huge editorials about invasion of privacy and people’s differing definitions of what a “threat” to society actually was. Diana had even gotten hate mail for her father’s idea. When she had tried to talk to her father about it, he had just told her to give the mail to Tim and ignore it. That everything would work out. But when Tim had sat with her and listened to her talk about the threats she’d gotten and how people made a point of telling her they were going to vote her father out of office, Tim had admitted the backlash was concerning. If the tide of bad press and angry editorials about the potential law continued, they both agreed that it would be sunk before it ever had a chance to be tested. And her father’s career—one she had been told was necessary to make the world better—would be sunk along with it.
Was it any wonder Tim wanted to pull out all the stops to make sure her father’s event tonight got the press’s attention, or that she was willing to do whatever it took to help? It was nice to have someone finally realize that she was capable of helping, and to finally listen to her when she had an idea. And Tim had said he was glad he could run ideas by someone without having to worry about her telling the senator that his ideas were too radical or that he wasn’t up to the job.
Her father shrugged and gave her his own practiced smile. “Some of my co-sponsors are wondering if we should shelve the idea for more study, but Tim has some polling that says retreating might do more harm than good. I’m not worried. Tim and the others have a plan to make this all come together.”
“If you need me—”
Her father held up his hand as the phone rang. The phone was always ringing. “I’ll catch this on my way to the office.” He looked at Diana and gave her a tense smile. “Your mother left a note for you on the counter. You can help by making sure you’re ready when she comes to pick you up. I need everything to be perfect if we’re going to turn this around.” Then, before she could say anything, her father put the phone to his ear and said, “Larry, I’m glad you called . . .” as he disappeared into the house.
Diana hurried after him, but he didn’t bother to look back. A minute later, Diana heard the front door slam behind him as he left before she could remind him that she needed a ride. And when she read her stepmother’s note, she knew she wasn’t going to get one from her, either.

Diana dear,
I’ll be home to pick you up at four. Wear the blue satin dress hanging in your closet and leave your hair down. Please be on time. Tonight is very important to all of us.
Katherine

She stared at the letter.
Be on time.
Leave your hair down.
Tonight is important.
But, clearly, driving Diana to school today was not.
She turned the bracelet on her arm again, looked at her stepmother’s words one more time, hearing each of them ringing in her head along with all the other things she’d said over the years.
“Keep your opinions to yourself, Diana.” Because they might differ from what she was supposed to think. And that wasn’t allowed.
“Remember that we’re counting on you.”
Yes. They were.
Diana headed back upstairs to the antique toy chest in the corner of her room. Quickly, she dumped the decorative pillows and extra blanket stacked on top onto the floor, then lifted the lid. She pulled out two bags. In the side pocket of one of the bags, she found the list she’d made for herself a few weeks ago and put it in her pocket.
A quick glance at the clock told her she’d better get going or she’d be late for the yearbook meeting. Yesterday she’d moved the meeting to two hours earlier than originally scheduled. She doubted anyone would be thrilled that she’d asked them to change their plans simply to make them wait.
Diana turned, took one last look in the mirror and saw what her family wanted her to be. What she had tried so hard to pretend to be.
Perfect. Someone everyone expected to do the right thing and no one would ever suspect of doing something wrong.
Good.
Booting up her computer, she sent a quick message to Tim, telling him that she was going to school now. Then Diana carefully picked up her bags and headed downstairs and out the door. Her father thought the only contribution he needed from her was for her to nod and smile and look flawless—like their family was supposed to be. She was determined to prove him wrong.

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#Review - Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Dividing Eden # 1
Format: E-Galley, 336 pages
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy


A sweeping fantasy, by the bestselling author of The Testing, about two royal siblings forced to compete for the crown.

Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.

But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option: to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.

As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.

With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal?

Dividing Eden is the first installment in author Joelle Charbonneau's Dividing Eden series. The author is best known for her works on The Testing trilogy. Dividing Eden tells the story of twins Princess Carys, and Prince Andreus. After a series of unfortunate events that sees the King and his heir assassinated, a grand scheme of political machinations is created by The Council of Elders to force the siblings to face each other in a Trial of Virtuous Succession where anything can happen. 

The winner will be named the new Monarch, the loser may not live to see their next birthday. The twins are rather unique in that their births created a whole lot of issues. One is said to be good, the other is said to be the harbinger of darkness in the Kingdom of Eden. Nobody know who was born first. Nobody know if the prophecy is a load of crap to scare people. or a real possibility that may end up coming true. Carys is the silent and deadly one. She always takes the heat in order to protect her brother. Andreus is the one who, if he had his choice, would work with Windmills that harness the power to keep Garden City lit.

The Council comes up with a series of challenges, each exploring the so called Seven Virtues. Carys doesn't really want to be Queen. She's been happy being in the shadows, working to help her brother. Will she rise to the occasion and show her people she deserves to be the new Queen? Or, will

Andreus discover the motivation necessary to hurt the one he loves to rise above the fray and become the next King? There is one other factor to consider that leaves a bit of twisted intrigue. A factor so fraught with betrayal and intrigue, that if anyone manages to survive the trial, they will likely face an all out war against their enemies in Adderton.

The First installment in Joelle Charbonneau's Dividing Eden is highly entertaining and well worth the read. For me, my favorite character is Princess Carys. Carys is the kind of character who would cut out her own kidney and give it to her brother to save his life. She knows that there is something rotten in Denmark, but after a series of questionable events, she begins to wonder if there is another party pulling all the strings. Carys finds an ally in Lord Errik. To this point in the story, I have no reason not to trust his intentions, but I am not so sure of another characters (Garret's). 

On the other side, Andreus is a difficult character to like. He let's people sway him, push him, use him, and goad him into doing things that really are not kind. When all is said and done, a really good start to the series with a twisted ending that leave me hopeful for yet another exciting sequel.

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#Saturday Review - Need by Joelle Charbonneau (Young Adult, Thriller)

Series: Standalone?
Format: E-Galley, 352 pages
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Company
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WANT AND A NEED. WHAT DO YOU NEED?

One by one, the teens in Nottawa, Wisconsin join the newest, hottest networking site and answer one question: What do you need? A new iPhone?  Backstage tickets to a concert? In exchange for a seemingly minor task, the NEED site will fulfill your request. Everyone is doing it. So why shouldn't you?

Kaylee Dunham knows what she needs --a kidney for her sick brother. She doesn’t believe a social networking site can help, but it couldn’t hurt to try.

Or could it?

After making her request, Kaylee starts to realize the price that will have to be paid for her need to be met. The demands the site makes on users in exchange for their desires are escalating and so is the body count. Will Kaylee be able to unravel the mystery of who created the NEED network—and pull the plug before it destroys them all?

"NEED: SOMETHING REQUIRED BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIAL. SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT."

Joelle Charbonneau's NEED is apparently a standalone novel that centers on the students of Nottawa High School in Wisconsin. NEED brings with it a new social experiment that is invite only, and closed to anyone outside the study group. IE, adults are not wanted, nor needed. This social experiment promises to fulfill your need, basically your wish, and in return, you must do something in return. 

The main protagonist of the story is Kaylee Dunham, but there are at least 8 other characters that are featured as well. There is a point where having too many characters is a bad thing. This, perhaps, is a good example of that. Kaylee's brother DJ is in desperate need of a new kidney. So much so, that Kaylee has broken the law by accessing private health information hoping to get a match. Kaylee has pretty much burned every single bridge in town, and is lucky she is still friends with Nate Weakley. 

Kind of a scary story when you break down the possibilities and the nightmares. Anything is possible when you give teenagers free reign without any adult supervision. Anything is possible when you have a government agency that has no oversight. I can imagine this actually happening in real life since we have become an obsessed society with putting our private information out there for everyone, including our bosses, to see. 

"No one gets something for nothing. We all should know better."

I think this quote should be a wake up call to anyone who expects to get something for nothing. Those who rather take away things from others, while asking for I-Phones, and Computers they can't afford. There is always a catch. Always. We can even call this story a case study on how to make the naive run around in a maze like lab rats while laughing at the blood that is left behind. 

These young adults go through great lengths to request all sorts of things from movie tickets, to an A on a psychics test, to new computers, and game consoles. When you give young adults the freedom to go wild, bad things happen. These kids walked into a trap that was just waiting for them. It's kind of like the pedophile who lures someone silly enough to trust that what someone says online is really the truth. 

I really felt for Kaylee right until the very end. As I said, she burns a whole lot of bridges with her actions, and her desperation at saving her brother. I can totally forgive her. In fact, I can respect that her ONE request was for a kidney for her brother, and never once thought of herself. I fail to understand the unawareness of the parents in this story. There was absolutely ZERO oversight. ZERO. I do feel as though there might be enough material to continue this story. Especially knowing that loose ends haven't been tied up. 

**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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