Review: The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing
by Joelle Charbonneau

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 336
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication date: June 4, 2013
Suggested tags: young adult, dystopia



First in The Testing series. From Goodreads:

"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?

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."

{ I received this as an ebook ARC from NetGalley. }


To me, The Testing kind of sounded like The Hunger Games with an academic twist. So since I'm a huge Hunger Games fan and an academically-inclined person (meaning, I'd totally be a professional student if I could), I grabbed up The Testing on NetGalley as soon as I saw it offered. I found it was quite similar to The Hunger Games in a lot of ways, so I guess that might be a negative for some readers. But I thought it had some interesting ideas that made it its own, and I did find myself wanting to read the next book in the series.

The synopsis above sums up The Testing quite well. There's not a lot of time spent getting to know Cia or her world before she goes off to the Testing, which I was kind of disappointed in. I felt like I didn't really get a chance to know who Cia was or who her friends were or how she lived, so that when she left it all behind it was just kind of an "eh" moment for me, rather than feeling her loss. However, the upside of that is that it does jump into the action pretty much right away, so we get right into the story.

The trials in the Testing were interesting, although at some points it did seem a little over the top or a little needless-violence-y. But then again, The Hunger Games was pretty violent, and I liked that. I had a hard time trying to figure out why I felt differently about the two, but I came down to the fact that I guess it's the justification - the Hunger Games are a fight to the death, a fight for survival mandated by a corrupt government, and the Testing is essentially an application process. I guess I had a harder time accepting death and dismemberment when the unsuccessful applicants could have just as easily been sent back home. The corruption and secrets and all that regarding the Testing and the University do start to emerge, but I just felt like it was missing earlier on, or maybe it was there but too subtle for me.

The Testing ends with a good bit of suspense and lead-up into the next book in the series, and as I said I do want to read the next one. But I feel like it might be a make-or-break book. I finished The Testing feeling like the next book, Independent Study, needs to grab me right away in order to keep my interest in the story. I really hope it does.

If you haven't read The Testing yet and you like challenge-type books in a dystopian setting like The Hunger Games, I'd definitely recommend it. It's familiar yet different; it follows the pattern but it adds some ideas of its own. But, in all honesty, if you're a reader who's had enough Hunger-Games-type books, you may want to pass; it might be a little too familiar for you. Personally, I don't mind reading different interpretations of similar ideas, so I liked it.


Overall rating: 3 out of 5 stars

{ More about Joelle Charbonneau }

Joelle Charbonneau's website
Joelle Charbonneau's Goodreads profile
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{ The Testing series }

      

               The Testing         Independent Study     Graduation Day

                   Book 1                      Book 2                      Book 3

                                        Expected Release Date:     Expected Release Date:

                                         January 7, 2014             June 3, 2014

Review: A Smidgen of Sky by Dianna Dorisi Winget

A Smidgen of Sky
by Dianna Dorisi Winget

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 208
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: November 6, 2012
Suggested tags: middle grade, realistic fiction



From Goodreads:

"Whether she likes it or not, ten-year-old Piper Lee DeLuna is about to get a new family. Four years after the plane Piper's daddy was piloting disappeared, her mama is remarrying. The way Piper sees it, Mama's being plain disloyal. Besides, who'd want to get stuck with a prison guard for a stepdad and that weenie, Ginger, for a stepsister? But when Piper Lee hatches a foolproof plan to get the wedding called off, it quickly spirals out of control. And by the time Piper realizes what she’s done—and just how much she really cares about her new family—it might be too late. With a perfect blend of heartbreak and humor, this refreshing middle-grade debut explores opening one’s heart and learning to let go."

{ The author kindly provided a hardcover edition of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. }


A Smidgen of Sky is everything I love about middle grade fiction. It has a fun, feisty main character with a unique voice and personality. It tackles big issues and really gets you in the main character's head, but it's done on an appropriate level for the character and for readers. It pulls you into the story from page one and wraps you up in the emotions, adventures, and misadventures of the main character, keeping you flipping the pages compulsively till you get to the warm and fuzzy end.

Piper Lee is having a hard time dealing with the loss of her dad after he disappeared flying his plane, and now her mom's getting remarried. And it doesn't help that she doesn't get along very well with her future stepdad, Ben, and stepsister, Ginger. She decides she's going to try to get answers to some questions she has, but she finds that her actions are affecting others in ways she did not anticipate...and in ways that she may not be able to fix.

Piper Lee is a great character, and Winget is a great writer - she really pulls you into Piper's world and her problems and makes you feel all her ups and downs right along with her. One of Piper's schemes involves meeting up with someone she met online, which I will admit made me a little uncomfortable when I first read it, but Winget develops it into a good message on internet safety. Being a southern girl at heart, I loved the southern touches Winget weaves throughout her characters' words and actions. I would pick up another middle grade book by Winget in a heartbeat!


Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars

{ More about A Smidgen of Sky }

author Dianna Dorisi Winget's website

Review: Radiate

Radiate
by Marley Gibson

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 395
Publisher: Graphia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Publication date: April 3, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, realistic fiction, contemporary



From Goodreads:

"Hayley Matthews is determined to be the best cheerleader she can. She works hard and pushes herself 110% all the time. Then Hayley finds a lump on her leg. The diagnosis is cancer. The prognosis is unclear. She could lose her leg. Or maybe her life. At first Haley is scared, terrified. In an instant, everything she’s worked for seems out of reach. But Haley is strong. She’s going to fight this disease. She will not let it take her life or her dreams."

I received this as an ebook from NetGalley.

Radiate balances the issues that a high school girl faces with the issues that someone diagnosed with cancer faces. As Hayley battles her cancer, in the midst of what will perhaps be the most difficult time in her life, she is still concerned with (by comparison) more insignificant things like being on the cheerleading team, fitting in at school, and dating. This gives the book a wonderful realism; her cancer isn't downplayed, and neither is her high school social life. It all comes to alive with Hayley's bright, spirited narration.
The thing I loved most about this book was the overwhelming feeling of hope. I doubt there will be a person who picks up this book who hasn't been touched by cancer in some way. I'm no different, and because of that, there were moments in Radiate that were difficult for me to read. I was in tears a few times. But there is never a feeling of giving in, or of being out of options. The feeling always, despite how desperate things seem, is hope.

From the moment she is diagnosed through her treatment, Hayley is of course terrified, and angry, and there are times when she questions why this happened to her. Despite it all, she can count the number of times she cries on one hand. She is unbelievably strong. She never lets the possibility of anything except full recovery become a reality in her mind. She tells her doctors what she will be able to do, rather than listening to them tell her what she won't be able to do. She becomes an inspiration to others without intending to.

I had no idea that this book was based off the author's life. If you read Radiate (and I highly recommend you do), please be sure and read the note at the back of the book. It's the perfect ending to it all. The fictional story was wonderfully written and really touched me, but knowing it was based off a true story made the book feel even more real and alive, and it made the feeling of hope even stronger.

Radiate is a beautiful, wonderful book that stares cancer in the face and cheerfully tells it to get lost. Highly recommended for YA readers, with a note that there is some strong language, including the F-word.

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself since I will probably be rereading it. I would definitely recommend it to others.