Be sure to check out the other stops of the tour for exclusive interviews, guest posts, and more!
Blog tour hosted by Vade Mecum Blog Tours.
Blog tour hosted by Vade Mecum Blog Tours.
June 3 Nick's Book Blog (author interview)
June 4 Little Library Muse (review)
June 5 Bookworms' Avenue (guest post)
June 6 Literary Meanderings (author interview)
June 7 Court Reads and Reviews (review)
June 8 Ink Skies (review)
June 9 Drugs Called Books (guest post)
Series: The Testing
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Placement in Series: 1/3
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Format: e-galley
Blurb:
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?Watch the trailer:
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.
Connect with Joelle Charbonneau
Review:
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!Rating: Solid 5/5
Sorry, I had to get that out. But it's true. I loved every second of The Testing - so much that once I got halfway I stayed up until 4am so I could finish it. I just could not stand putting it down without knowing what was going to happen.
Things start out innocent enough in The Testing. Malencia Vale (Cia) is looking forward to her graduation because a) it means she is an adult, and b) she is hoping to get chosen for The Testing. When graduation comes by and no announcement is made, Cia is disappointed. No one from her colony was chosen. But then later that night a Testing official shows up and Cia finds out that she is, in fact, chosen for The Testing, as well as three of her other classmates - one being Tomas, the charismatic, good-looking, and smartest guy in her class. She is ecstatic. But then her father warns her to be careful. He too was chosen for The Testing when he graduated, and though he does not remember anything that happened before he entered the University, he tells her of the dreams that have haunted him ever since. And so Cia joins her three other classmates to journey to where they will take The Testing, with only a single bag for her belongings and her father's cautioning words to carry with her.
The book doesn't keep us waiting for any action or suspense - things begin to escalate rather quickly from there, and we along with Cia begin to learn just what is up with The Testing. Our first hint is when one of Cia's classmates chosen for The Testing asks what happens if she doesn't want to go. The consequence for refuses to take The Testing? It is strongly hinted that it is death. And things don't stop there. Bad things begin to happen at The Testing, and if it weren't for the fact that I was reading the first half of the book only on my breaks at work, I probably would have read it all in one night. I was pulled into Cia's world, into her mind, worrying with her throughout the story. What terror would happen next? Would she make it through The Testing? What happens to those who fail? For over a hundred students are chosen from different colonies for The Testing, but only twenty or so are chosen to attend the University. Nothing is clear for Cia, nor for the reader.
The book delivers incredible suspense and is full of mystery. I don't think there was one part of Cia's Testing that I was sure she would make it through. I tried rooting for Cia and for those she trusted, but I was too busy biting my nails and trying not to skip ahead to make sure all would end up well!
Fans of The Hunger Games, the Divergent series, and The Maze Runner trilogy will love this book. It is full of survival-based adventure, mystery, and so many twists and variables that you cannot possibly know what will happen next. As for Cia? She is right up there with Katniss, Thomas, and Tris. She has to pull out all the stops and use everything she knows to get to where she wants to go, and when it comes to her survival, it's her gut and core instincts she has to trust. Her choices are admirable, and her loyalty strong. I am anxious to read what happens next (we readers are left with quite a cliff-hanger, folks!) You won't want to wait for the sequel, that's for sure!
Recommended for: Anyone who loved The Hunger Games/Divergent/The Maze Runner and post-apocalyptics and dystopians in general. You'll want to get this one in your hands if you haven't already!
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The book sounds amazing! Have to have it!
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think when you've read it! All of the people I work with who've read it loved it as well :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Paramount has picked up the movie rights so maybe we'll see it on the big screen one day :D